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Food & Drink: Belgian cuisine is similar to French, based on game and seafood. Each region in Belgium has its own special dish. Butter, cream, beer and wine are generously used in cooking. Belgian chocolate, waffles and chips, preferably served with mayonnaise, are famous. Ardennes sausages and ham are renowned. Most restaurants have waiter service, although self-service cafes are becoming quite numerous. Restaurant bills always include drinks, unless they have been taken at the bar separately. In the latter case this is settled over the counter.
Local beers are very good. Two of the most popular are Lambic, made from wheat and barley, and Trappist. Fruit beers, such as Kriek cherry beer, are a speciality. Under a new law, the majority of cafes now have licences to serve spirits. Beers and wines are freely obtainable everywhere and there are no licensing hours.
Nightlife: As well as being one of the best cities in the world for eating out (both for its high quality and range), Brussels has a very active and varied nightlife. It has ten theatres producing plays in both Flemish and French. These include the Théâtre National and the Théâtre Royal des Galeries. The more avant-garde theatres include the Théâtre Cinq-Quarante and the Théâtre de Poche. Brussels’ 35 cinemas, numerous discotheques and many night-time cafes are centred on two main areas: the uptown Porte Louise area and the downtown area between Place Roger and Place de la Bourse. Nightclubs include the famous Le Crazy, Chez Paul, Maxim and Le Grand Escalier; jazz clubs include The Brussels Jazz Club and Bloomdido Jazz Cafe. Programmes and weekly listings of events can be found in the BBB Agenda on sale at tourist offices. This also covers information on the many festivals that take place in Brussels itself. Tourism Brussels-Ardennes/Tourism Flanders-Brussels should be consulted about folk music or drama festivals elsewhere in Belgium – the most famous of which is the Festival of Flanders for classical music concerts. The other large cities of Belgium, such as Antwerp, Leuven, Liège, Mons, Ghent, Kortrijk and Namur, all have similar (though less extensive) nightlife facilities.
Shopping: Special purchases include ceramics and hand-beaten copperware from Dinant; Belgian chocolates; crystal from Val Saint Lambert; diamonds; jewellery from Antwerp; lace from Bruges, Brussels and Mechelen (Malines), woodcarvings from Spa and bandes dessinées (comic-strip books) by a number of talented Belgian cartoon artists from Brussels. Main shopping centres are: Brussels, Antwerp, Bruges, Ostend, Namur, Mons, Liège, Ghent and Mechelen. Shopping hours: Mon-Sat 0900-1800/1900. Department stores often remain open longer, up to 2100 on Friday. Outside main areas, some shops may close at lunchtime.
Special Events: The following is a selection of the major festivals and other special events celebrated in Belgium in 2003. Full calendars of events are available from Tourism Brussels-Ardennes and Tourism Flanders-Brussels (see Contact Addresses section).
Brussels: Feb 26-Mar 9 Cartoon Festival. Mar 14-29 Festival of Fantasy, Thriller and Science. Apr 22-May 4 International Film Festival. May 24-26 Brussels Jazz Marathon. Jun 30-Jul 1 Couleur Cafe. Jul 1&3 Ommegang (historical procession in honour of Emperor Charles and his son). Aug 30-31 Flower Carpet. Dec European Christmas Markets.
Bruges: May Procession of the Holy Blood (including traditional pageant and music). Summer Zand Feasts (flea markets). Dec Christmas Markets.
Ghent: Jul Ghent Festivities (ten-day folk festival). Sep 27-Oct 1 International Film Festival of Flanders. Nov Six Day Bicycle Race of Ghent. Dec Christmas Markets.
Ostend: Mar 2-4 Carnival Weekend (including the Dead Rat Ball). Jul-Aug Theatre at the Sea. Oct 24-31 Halloween in Ostend. Dec Christmas Markets.
Antwerp: Mar Parade of Parades (carnival procession). Jul-Aug Summer of Antwerp. Aug Rubens Market. Dec Christmas Markets.
Others: May-Nov Festival of Flanders. Nov 11 Armistice Day, Ypres.
Social Conventions: Flemings will often prefer to answer visitors in English rather than French, even if the visitor’s French is good. It is customary to bring flowers or a small present for the hostess, especially if invited for a meal. Dress is similar to other Western nations, depending on the formality of the occasion. If black tie/evening dress is to be worn, this is always mentioned on the invitation. Smoking is generally unrestricted. Tipping: A service charge of 16 per cent is usually included in hotel or restaurant bills. Cloakroom attendants and porters may expect a tip per item of luggage. A tip is generally included in taxi fares.
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