WHY YOU SHOULD GO TO BELGIUM
Most of the conversations before our trip to Belgium went like this:
“We’re going to Belgium!”
“Why?”
“Well we’re going to Amsterdam … and its on the way … so why not?”
“Oh, ok, that makes more sense.”
Belgium has an interesting reputation. Three separate languages are spoken here, it’s the capital of the European Union, and they make the greatest beer and chocolate in the world. Yet it’s sneered at by many Europeans.
But while Brussels is certainly lackluster, I discovered there’s a ton of great stuff to see and eat (especially eat!) in this wonderful mishmash of a country.
So here’s why you should bother going to Belgium:
BRUGES
The “Venice of the North” certainly lives up to it’s billing as one of the world’s most adorable towns. You saw the photos last week – ancient houses overlook small canals webbed by scenic bridges and flowers everywhere. Bruges is an old town, and it’s residents are fiercely proud of their heritage. I saw more than one advertisement for language classes in the local Bruges dialect. Though tourists rule the roads these days, they certainly haven’t forgotten where they come from.
CHOCOLATE
You don’t have to be at The Chocolate Line to experience melt-in-your-mouth delicacies. Every block in every city in Belgium boasts a different chocolatier. Some are well known – Neuhaus and Leonidas outlets are abundant. Others are local and taste even better. White truffles, dark pralines, ice creams and puddings tempt you from every window. It’s not a good country to visit on a diet.
BEER
There was a time I hated beer. Hated it. Then one fateful day at a Belgian bar in Denver I tried Chimay and never looked back. Belgian beers are, in my humble opinion, the absolute best category of beer. Trappist ales and soft blondes, abbey ales and a whole bunch of fruit beers I didn’t know existed until this trip. I tasted Rochefort 10 and decided it was the best. Then I tried La Trappe Blonde, and thought “no, that’s the best!” Whichever beer you choose, it’s guaranteed to kick other beers right in the hops.
ANTWERP
The second-largest city in Belgium has much more charm than it’s big brother. Everywhere you look in Antwerp there’s something going on. Every summer they hold a festival that runs for two months featuring pop-up concerts, bars and parties across the city. You never know what you might find! It’s got beautiful old architecture like Brussels, but mixed with the energy of a young cosmopolitan city that’s hard to resist.