Learning the Business Customs of Belgium

In Belgium, you must always be polite, calm, formal and well-mannered when conducting business. Third-party introductions usually go well, but are not necessary. Belgians tend to be hesitant to open up to others, whether they are groups or individuals. They are not very direct when they communicate, as they feel being subtle is a mark of intelligence. Sometimes direct responses go well, but sometimes they are seen as too simplistic and not sophisticated. Being confrontational is also viewed as impolite. Communications should be logical and reasonable, not arbitrary. People are multi-lingual in Belgium, especially in cities, and will be fine with conducting an entire meeting in English.

Doing business in Belgium is infamous for being very bureaucratic. Almost everything involves a good deal of paperwork, so be patient. People also have a habit of conducting very long, drawn-out conversations before coming up with decisions, so that they make sure they have considered all other alternatives.

When arranging meetings, appointments are necessary. They are usually set by the Belgian business people, who will likely schedule it for the middle of the morning or middle of the afternoon. Belgians are often on vacation through July and August, the week before Easter and the week after Christmas, so do not plan on having meetings in those periods. Be punctual, as everyone else probably will be as well; being late is considered sloppy. Meetings are done very formally, and you should not remove your jacket.

Image and dress are important when doing business in Belgium. Men should wear dark, conservative suits, white shirts and ties. Women should wear dark suits or dresses. Shoes are also very important, and should be polished thoroughly. Shoes should also be laced, as slip-ons and loafers look too casual.

As for business cards, they are exchanged without any special gestures. Though Belgians mostly speak English, you should have one side of your card translated into French or Dutch, just to be courteous. Make sure you are aware of what region of Belgium you are doing business in, as they have different native languages, and you do not want to hand people cards in the wrong language. Present the card so that the recipient’s language is facing side up.

The Museums of Brussels, Belgium

Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium

The Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium is a famous museum that is located in the downtown area. It is a great place for those into art history, because there are at least 20,000 paintings, drawings and sculptures. The material ranges from the 15th century to the present day. They have an extensive display of Flemish paintings, along with rotating exhibits that are always changing.

Autoworld

Autoworld is known one of the best car museums in the world, in terms of material, and is located in a beautiful building. The museum has displays of cars from 1886 through the 1970s, both from Belgium and elsewhere in the world. Some of the cars are old Bugattis, Rolls Royces, Fords and Citroens.

Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences

This museum is full of lots of facsinating natural history exhibits. They feature the largest dinosaur collection in Europe, as well as a PaleoLAB with lots of interactive tasks for children aged 5 and over. Their evolution exhibit features materials from the evolution of animals, as well as some material on mammoths and primitive humans. For those not into animals, the museum also has a large display of minerals like moon rocks, iron, opal and pirate.

Musical Instruments Museum

The Musical Instruments Museum is separated into four floors. There are themed exhibits that go through the history of music itself and instruments.

The first room is mainly focused on history, and has information about music in ancient Egypt, as well as the influence of the European aristocracy on the creation of musical instruments. The second room is full of different string and keyboard instruments, and the third is full of traditional musical instruments from Belgium and other countries. The fourth room is dedicated to mechanical, electronic and electrical instruments.

Belgian Comic Strip Center

The Belgian Comic Strip Center is full of information on comics from decades ago until today. It is located in the center of Brussels in an Art Nouveau Temple. It is a research center with the most important public library of comics in the world, full of over 40,000 titles in over 20 languages (most of which are in French or Dutch and partly in English, with many translations available). Some of the comics are displayed in a gallery on the wall, and there are other 3-dimensional representations of the comic world.

The Beaches of Belgium

Belgian beaches are located on the North Sea coastline. The coast stretches for about 42 miles. Lots of wealthy Belgians live in the cities and have summer houses on these beaches.

If you plan to move to or go to beaches in Belgium, the most pleasant time is the summer months. However, do be aware that all parts of the country have a tendency to be cloudy and rain daily, even during July and August. These beaches are nonetheless beautiful, and a nice place to go for those who like sand and sea but cannot stand scorching sun.

It is also convenient to explore these beaches by public transit, as there is a tram that goes along the coast. It is called De Kusttram, which is actually the longest tram line in the world. These beaches are all located in the area of West Flanders.

De Panne

De Panne is a small beach town on the French border. Plopsaland, a theme park for children, is located in this town. There are wide nature reserves to explore around De Panne.

Ostend

Ostend means “East End” in Dutch, and it is the only city that is situated on the Belgian coast. There are five sandy beaches that are situated on Ostend. Though is has a rich history, most of the city has a more modern feel with its high-rise apartment buildings. Away from the beach, the city does have some cultural sites, like old churches and museums.

People can get to Ostend from Brussels via train.

Blankenberge

Blankenberg is a small sandy beach with a really long pier. It is a smaller town that hosts several events throughout the spring and summer months. In July and August, there is a Sand Festival, where people build huge sand sculptures on the beach.

Knokke

Knokke is situated on the border with the Netherlands. It is the most upscale, snobby beach that exists on the Belgian coast. This town has some of the highest real estate prices in Belgium. Its nickname is “Brussels Beach,” as many wealthy people from Brussels have second residencies here. The city of Knokke has an interesting dike system. It is located by Zwin, a pleasant nature preserve.

The Major Cities of Belgium: Brussels, Brugge, Antwerp and Ghent

Brussels

Brussels is the biggest city in Belgium. It is also an important city, being the administrative center of the European Union. Because of this, it is called the Capital of Europe. It was also the headquarters for NATO. Historically, it has been home to a mix of Flemish and French culture. Today, it is known for being an international center with a mix of nationalities. Children often know how to speak Flemish, French, English and/or German by the time they are in high school! It is a cosmopolitan city that has a mix of business and commerical buildings, but also castle remanents in the middle of the streets. It is a pretty expensive city. Its metropolitan area has around 1.8 million people. You can eat some of the best French fries and waffles in the world in Brussels.

Brugge

Brugge, aka Bruges (depending on what langauge), is the capital and largest city of West Flanders, and is a world heritage sight of UNESCO. It is a small city with a population of about 117,000. The College of Europecanals. It doesn’t have as nice of weather as Venice; like the rest of Belgium, it is usually cloudy and rains a little bit (or a lot) each day. It is a very romantic city that is good for couples. The city is easy to navigate by foot, but is not the cheapest place. It does hold some nice windmills and swans and other water birds. There are many specialty chocolate shops. is located in Brugge. It is sometimes called the “Venice of the North,” as the city is based around

Antwerp

The city of Antwerp is the capital of the Antwerp province of Flanders, and has a population of about 470,000. Its greater metropolitan area is home to over a million people. It is located on the River Scheldt, which goes into the North Sea. It is an important European port city, with five oil refineries and a high concentration of petrochemical industries. The city is also very involved in the diamond trade, which is done mainly by Hasidic Jews, Indians and Armenians. It is known as a very fashionable city, and many Belgian designers have gone to school here.

Ghent

Ghent is located in East Flanders, and is the capital and biggest city of the province. It is situated on the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys. In the Middle Ages, it had been one of the richest and biggest European cities. Today, it is known for its port and university. The city has a population of 237,250 inhabitants, and a metropolitan area of about 594,000 inhabitants. Every summer, there is a “Ghent Fests” festival in the city, which includes a lot of partying and belligerence. Much better weather than Oktoberfest, too. Two million people make their way here every year to enjoy that festival each summer. The city has a lot of beautiful medieval architecture that has been fabulously preserved, along with a few museums.

Belgium in Pictures: 13 Gorgeous Photographs

Nothing gives you a feel of a place you haven’t been better than photos, so we are really excited to share these beautiful photographs from Belgium taken by Alison Conford-Matheson. Alison is an expat living in Brussels, who just so happens to be a professional travel lifestyle photographer who’s work has been seen in BBC, among other credible media outlets.

Below you’ll see 13 stunning photos Alison has kindly provided for our use, but if you’d like to see more then I highly suggest you take a look through her portfolio web site’s image gallery.

A field in Flanders, Belgium in springtime.

The Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren, Belgium.

The Belgian Royal Greenhouses, Laeken, Belgium

The Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and of Military History and the triumphal arch in the Cinquantenaire park in Brussels, Belgium.

The Madou Neighbourhood, Brussels, Belgium

The Japanese Garden in Hasselt, Belgium

Hallerbos, 'the blue forest' Halle, Belgium

Grote Markt, Bruges, Belgium

The Groot-Bijgaarden Castle and garden, Groot-Bijgaarden, Belgium

The Flower Carpet in Grand Place, Brussels, Belgium

The Castle Steen on Antwerp, Belgium's Scheldt River

Carondelet castle in Wallonia, Belgium

Learning the Social Customs of Belgium

Pay attention to what area of Belgium you are in, in terms of communicating. The country has three official languages: French, Dutch and German. In Brussels, the capital, people usually know French and Dutch. Sometimes educated people know English and German on top of this! The Dutch language is more common in the Northern part of the country, and you’ll find more German speakers on the east side, closer to Germany. Other common languages are Italian, Spanish, Greek, Arabic and Turkish; about 10% of the population is non native.

Belgium can’t be described solely as a single country with a single identity and heritage, even if it is so small. However, there are some mainstream characteristics that are common all over the country. People are very loyal to their families, and take obligations seriously. Many Belgians live in the same towns for life, and this creates a society of extended families. Belgians are also often very concerned with appearance. They care about the look of their houses, and will go as far as to clean the pavement or sweep the street around them. They keep their gardens very neat. They also care about personal appearances, and they dress nice and are concerned about their personal impressions.

In terms of gender relations, Belgium respects egalitarianism. Women often don’t change their names when they marry, and don’t expect to be paid for on dates. There are many laws that forbid sexual harassment in the work place, as well as laws that govern paternity and maternity leaves.

In terms of greeting, it is usually pretty formal between people who do not know each other. New people will often shake each other’s hands firmly. When women begin to know other men or women well, they will kiss on the cheeks, but men stick to shaking hands.

If you get invited to a Belgian home, you should bring flowers or nice chocolates for the hostess. You should spend time picking out some good quality chocolates, as it’s a central part of their culture and they have high standards. Stay away from giving white chrysanthemums, since they are reserved for mourning. You should give flowers in an odd number, just not 13. Only bring an alcoholic gift if you are going to the house of a close friend, not someone you just met.

Belgians often have social occasions in homes and restaurants. They’ll usually reserve their homes for close friends and families. If you are given a written invitation to a party, you should give a written response. You should arrive on time; when you arrive, wait to be introduced to other guests by the host. Wait to be told to be seated. Dress conservatively, as that shows respect. Wait to see if your host wants to toast to something before you start on your drink. Flemish people are known to raise their glasses two times during a toast, once during the toast and once at a completion. After you complete your meal, don’t leave any food on your plate, and compliment the host about the cuisine.