General Information on Belgium
Where to Find Information
Cities
and Towns of Belgium
Currency
and Money Matters
Language
Weather
Information
Every year tourists on vacation and holiday flock to the three major tourist regions of Belgium (Belgium Official Tourist Guide): the seacoast (Flemish Coast) & (Flanders Coast), the old Flemish cities (Flanders), and the Ardennes Forest (The Ardennes) in the southeast. Wherever in Belgium you plan to visit - the sea, the cities, or the forest - you are sure to have a great time.
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Click here for language helps, dictionaries, electronic translators, language software and other helps for learning a foreign language. Being able to speak at least some of the language in the country you are visiting will help you have a better time and enjoy your trip more. Jim.
The currency for Belgium is the euro. At the time of conversion to the euro, the exchange rate was as follows: 40.3399 Belgian francs = 1 euro. You should check for the current exchange rate at Onada.com and get a cheat sheet.
The euro is the single currency of the European Monetary Union, which was adopted by 11 Member States from 1 January 1999. The 11 Member States are Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal and Finland. Greece became the 12th Member State to adopt the Euro on 1 January 2001. The name "euro" was chosen by the European Heads of State or Government at the European Council meeting in Madrid in December 1995.
There will be 7 euro notes and 8 euro coins. The notes are in denominations of 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10, and 5 euro. The denominations of coins are 2 euro, 1 euro, 50 euro cent, 20 euro cent, 10 euro cent, 5 euro cent, 2 euro cent, and 1 euro cent.
If you have used "foreign" currency in the past in your travels, you will find that, just like using than old national currency, it is pretty much the same. The real difference you will see is when you travel to other countries in the euro area. There will be no more currency exchange - which means no more exchange commission to be paid - no more time spent calculating price comparisons, and no more time wasted shopping around for the best exchange rate.
Click on Quest for just about all the information you will need for the euro.
| Commission free foreign currency delivered to your door. Transfer money to over 150 countries with Direct FX. Simple, secure and cost-effective money transfer service provided to you from Getting Away and Direct FX. Click here to order commission free foreign currency and travelers' checks. |
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Language
Click here for language
helps, dictionaries,
electronic translators,
language software and other helps for learning
a foreign language. Being able to speak at least some of the language in the
country you are visiting will help you have a better time and enjoy your trip
more. Jim.
Cities and
Towns of Belgium
Of the cities along the North Sea, Ostend is the largest. Other cities of note would include
Blankenridge and Knokke. (Knokke) Much of the area in the coastal region of Belgium is on land that has
been reclaimed from the sea, called polders, and is protected by dikes. You will also find many
sand dunes and flat pasture land.
Among the Flemish cities Brussels (Official Brussels Site) is probably the most visited with the famous landmark of the city,
the Grand Place one of the most visited areas of Europe. The capital is the site of the
Palais des Beaux-Arts and the Theatre Royal de la Monnaine. St. Michael's Cathedral and
Notre Dame du Sublon are the best-known churches. The Erasmus House in the suburb of
Anderlecht and the Royal Palace and Gardens at nearby Laeken are also popular tourist attractions.
Antwerp has many sightseeing attractions including the busy port, exhibitions of the diamond industry, (Diamond Companies of Antwerp)
and the Antwerp Zoo. Other Flemish cities well worth a visit would include Bruges, Ghent, and
Ypres.
The Ardennes is very well known for one of the famous cities there, Spa. (Spa: The Cafe of Europe!) Spa is one of Europe's
oldest resorts and gave its name to mineral spring resorts all over the world.
Namur, Dinant, and Huy
have impressive fortresses overlooking one of the most important strategic crossroads in Western
Europe, the Meuse Valley. Louvain possesses an architecturally splendid city hall and a renowned
university. Malines, seat of the Belgian primate, has a handsome cathedral. And Liege (Tourist Attractions in Liege), in the eastern
industrial heartland, boasts one of the finest Renaissance buildings, the palace of its prince-bishops.
Weather
Information
For the latest
weather update for Belgium, check
TulipsWeather.com, your complete source for world-wide weather forecasts,
as well as for U.S. and Canadian forecasts and current conditions.
Moto Europa - If you are visiting Belgium (Office is in Brussels), and your stay will be 17 days or more, why rent a car when you can lease from Moto Europa. Getting Away has teamed with Ideamerge to provide an online way for you to learn more about, and perhaps subsequently order, a Renault Eurodrive tax-free, short-term auto lease. These leases can be great deals for persons traveling 17 days or more! And, this is the only site on the web where you can learn so much about them and order securely online. Tax-free, short-term leases have the touch and feel of a rental but can be much less costly and, in many respects, much simpler. You book and pay for your lease before taking delivery, signing a contract which allows Renault to register and fully insure in your name the exact vehicle of your choice for the period you requested. You do not, of course, pay the full price of the vehicle; the one low charge—tax-free and including full comprehensive insurance and breakdown coverage, 24/7 roadside assistance, and full warranty—is essentially the difference between preset buying and selling prices. After returning the vehicle, you have no further obligations whatsoever; Renault sells the vehicle to a rental agency or other party. Check it out today before you rent a car! (Moto Europa and Getting Away have also teamed up to provide you with the same services if you will be going to England, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Portugal or Spain.)
