An Overview of Belgium for Travelers

An Overview of Belgium for Travelers
By Richard Monk

Located on the European mainland, Belgium often is short-shifted in discussions of Europe. Following is an overview of Belgium for travelers.

An Overview of Belgium for Travelers

Belgium is located on the coast of the North Sea between Holland, German and France. The name comes from the Belgae, a celtic tribe.

Belgium’s geographic location places it at the crossroads of much of Europe, particular in relation to the United Kingdom and mainland Europe. As a result, the country has been heavily influenced by the powers that be in Europe during certain periods of times. You can find aspects of Romans, Celtics, Germanic, French and Spanish influences.

Ruled by various European empires, the cities of Bruges, Brussels and Antwerp were major commercial trading posts. They also produced some of the more spectacular artists in Europe, including Eyck and Rubens.

In modern times, the country is really three separate states with significant autonomy. The country is divided up into Flemish, Walloon and a smaller Germanic area. The Flemish are Dutch speaking while the Walloon are oriented to French. The divisions between these areas are significant and they have significant autonomy from the federal government. One might argue they are countries unto themselves.

The official name of Belgium is the Kingdom of Belgium. The country is located in Western Europe and covers approximately 12,566 square miles. Brussels is the capital of the country and has a population of approximately 922,000 people. The second largest city is Antwerp with 452,000 residents.

The people of Belgium are known as Belgians. Total population for the country is 10.4 million with a paltry annual growth rate of less than one half of one percent. The country is divided into three linguistic regions, Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels. French is the dominant language in Wallonia, Dutch in Flanders and German in the Brussels area. Most people of Belgium claim Roman Catholic as their faith, but Protestant, Jewish, Muslim and Anglican communities exist. The literacy rate is 95 percent.

Belgium is an odd hodgepodge of influences. That being said, everyone seems to get along in these modern times and Brussels is a major financial center in the Europe.

Richard Monk is with FactsMonk.com - a site with facts about everything. Visit us to read more about country facts and Belgium facts.

Belgium: Sweets, Fun and Relaxation

Belgium: Sweets, Fun and Relaxation by Denisse Romero

Belgium chocolates and Belgium waffles have made this small European country famous around the world. But Belgium offers more than just sweets and breakfast items. In fact, Belgium is known for hosting more street and music festivals than any other country in Europe. After all, this is where the Saxophone was invented, by Adolph Sax, in 1846. Belgium's historical sites, small towns, and peaceful countryside make it an excellent destination for inquisitive travelers.

Belgium is both multicultural and multilingual. Flanders, in the north, is a land surrounded by canals that hosts medieval art cities such as Antwerp, Bruges and Ghent. Wallonia, in the south, leads you to the hills of the Ardennes, countless castles, and the cities of Liege, Namur, and Tournai. Brussels, the capital, is one of the world's great cosmopolitan cities, home to the European Union, NATO and the Atomium monument. All these cities and regions are connected through a train network that makes it easy and simple to hop on and hop off at your desired destination.

What to do?

Christmas in Belgium, with Christmas markets in Brussels, Bruges, Liege, Antwerp and in other cities, is really an experience you cannot miss. Every winter, Brussels features a magical decor, superb Christmas market, illuminated Big Wheel, roundabouts, street activities, music and the famous skating rink. Winter in Bruges is a month long celebration of the holidays with carillons concerts, Christmas markets and processions making it an original Christmas wonderland.

Looking for something to do during your vacations? Belgium has become the hot destination in Europe for the 20-30 something set. Students and young travelers are gathering at cities like Brussels, Antwerp, Leuven and Namur for stylish shopping, inexpensive hotels, great food, and a pulsating nightlife.

Looking for rest and relaxation? Belgium offers you the original Spa. Located in the middle of the Ardennes and surrounded by forests and rivers, the city of Spa is famous for the mineral springs that initiated the hydro-therapy industry centuries ago. In addition, Belgium offers 67 km of coastline along the North Sea in the Flanders region where you will find beautiful beaches such as De Panne, Ostend, De Haan and Knokke-Heist.

Where to eat?

Trendy cafes throughout Belgium are crowded with students and young professionals. In most places you will find Brussels legendary "frietkots" where they serve Belgian fries for those who want to hang out after the restaurants close. For those blessed with a sweet tooth, Belgium can be paradise offering exquisite chocolates, pralines, and waffles. For more information, here is a complete list of restaurants.

Visas & Documents

Visas for stays of no more than 3 months are required by all except EU/EEA nationals and citizens from Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, United States, United Kingdom and other countries. A uniform type of visa, the Schengen visa, is issued for tourist, business and private visits. All visas cost either US$44 (short stay; up to 90 days) or US$64 (long stay). For more information, contact the Belgium embassy or consulate in your country.

Denisse Romero
Study Abroad and Travel Portal
http://www.macquil.com

About the Author

Denisse has worked with international students and scholars at universities in different countries and in different departments ranging from international relations in Ecuador to graduate admissions in the United States. Currently, Denisse operates MacQuil.com and works for an international organization in Washington, DC. She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of New Orleans and a Master of Science from the George Washington University.

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Italy Travel Guide

Italy Travel Guide By Kevin Stith

Italy can be ranked as one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, so there is an abundance of information available for anyone who wants to travel to Italy. Italy travel guides can be broadly classified into two categories--the first category includes those guides which contain all the relevant information about various tourist spots in the country, and the second category includes those travel guides which give information about a particular region or city.

A number of tour and travel operators, private publishers, and hotel and resort owners often bring out such travel guides. But it is always best to refer to the official web site and publications of the tourism board of Italy, as they provide authentic information.

In some of the private travel guides, there might be deliberate attempt to promote certain hotels, restaurants, resorts, shops, etc. This could actually mislead a tourist, especially one who is traveling to the country for the first time.

Italy seems to have endless number of tourist spots. Visiting all of them may not be possible for a tourist, even during the course of a long vacation. So it is always better to go through a good travel guide related to Italy, select the places you want to visit and get your reservations well in advance. Most of the Italy travel guides also provide information about hotels in various regions, along with a list of their rentals.

Several online travel guides provide free information about Italy's popular places. However, it is always better to verify the information provided by non-governmental web sites. This could be done by using online travel and tourism guides provided by the Italian government and several city administrations. While traveling within Italy, a travel guide with maps of various Italian cities could always be a prized possession.

Italy Travel provides detailed information on Italy Travel, Golf Travel Italy, Italy Travel Guide, Train Travel In Italy and more. Italy Travel is affiliated with Map of Italy.

Flying To And From France Just Got Cheaper

Flying To And From France Just Got Cheaper By Howard Farmer

Those who have recently bought property in France will be pleased to hear that it has just got that bit easier and cheaper to visit family and friends in Blighty. Perhaps you are searching for a property to buy - then you can now access most regions of France cheaply and easily!

Paris based airline Air France has made travel to and from the continent and further abroad less of a chore by dropping long haul levies by seven euros (4.6 pounds).
The changes came into effect on February 3rd and will see surcharges on transcontinental flights go down by one euro to 21 euros.

Long haul trips are five euros cheaper per sector, reducing the charge to 33 euros.
Air France cited the fact that oil prices have remained below 60 dollars (30 pounds) a barrel for some time as the reason behind the move.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, which is not only the oldest but now the largest airline company in the world since merging with the French national carrier, has followed suit by lowering the extras on its longer journeys, as well as on European travel.

Earlier this month, Sky Team, the group which both KLM and Air France belong to, was awarded Best Airline Alliance by Global Traveller Magazine.

Air France also performed well at the awards as an individual managing to scoop the prize for best transatlantic airline. Scheduled airline fares to France are becoming more competitive.

These changes are also a response to the success of the budget airlines offering low cost fares to corners of France. RyanAir, Flybe, Easyjet and others have had a significant effect on property prices. Property prices have risen significantly in the area around French airports served by the low cost airlines.

Howard Farmer

1st for French Property - Travel Services

French Travel

1st for French Property - we have French property from 15,000 euros - stone houses, land and farms. Residential, vacation and investments property for sale across all of France. Investments: leaseback, buy to let and reversion property.

Germany Castles - A Unique Tourism Attraction

By Joshua Spaulding

To say which castle is the most significant or has the most history is difficult to say because each has its own story and its own features. However, there are certain castles that are more recognizable by tourists around the world. One of the better-known castles in Germany is Neuschwanstein.

Neuschwanstein is very familiar to many people because the Sleeping Beauty castle in Disneyland is modeled from it. This castle was begun in 1869 only to be left unfinished in 1886 because of the death of Louis II of Bavaria. It was built as the most famous of three royal palaces in the Bavarian Alps of Germany.

One of the most significant features about this castle is how ahead of its time it was. It had running water on all floors, toilets that were equipped with automatic flushing and a warm heating system for the entire building. Aside from that, it is a beautiful masterpiece that sits on a high point above the Pollat River Gorge for a spectacular viewing.

Another magnificent castle in South Germany is Hohenzollern Castle. For a thousand years, this castle has been the ancestral seat of the House of Hohenzollern, which produced the last emperors of Germany. The castle offers amazing panoramic views of the Swabian Alb and is one of the most beautiful and most popular castles in Germany. It plays host to a wide array of tourist events including concerts, theatres, weddings and more.

If you travel to West Germany you can find the only hilltop castle on the Rhein still existent, Marksburg. This castle has some buildings dating from the 13th to the 18th century consisting of several groups of buildings, ramparts and more all sitting atop a rocky cliff overlooking the river. The museum is breathtaking inside and other tourist events include wedding celebrations, concerts and special events.

Lastly, in North Germany Schwerin Castle set the benchmark for historicist architecture in Europe. The current building was constructed from 1845 to 1857, but still contains older wings. The inside is filled with antique sculptures and paintings, and the museum contains exquisite art objects, paintings, sculptures and more.

Although there are far more castles in South Germany, all throughout Germany contains historical castles worth taking time to visit. The castles throughout Germany are one of the key factors for the amount of tourism that Germany receives, and it is well deserved. All that is left now is for you to take a look at history yourself and plan a trip to Germany.

Joshua Spaulding, along with his Beautiful German Wife Claudia, provide valuable Germany Travel information derived from their Travels through this Beautiful Country. They would like to invite you to join them at http://www.everythingaboutgermany.com/ where you can learn more about this Beautiful Country.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joshua_Spaulding

Discount Airfare To Germany - Experience German Culture At A Lower Cost

By David Faulkner

Germany is undoubtedly one of the richest countries in the world when it comes to history and culture. This is why it has consistently been among the world's top tourist destinations, especially now one can avail of discount airfare to Germany. People want a firsthand experience of the historical treasures in Germany that they would otherwise just encounter in books and documentaries.

With its diverse cultures and rich heritage, Germany has something to offer for all kinds of tourists. If you love nature, you can visit several natural parks like those of the Odra Valley or the Rügen Island. For the history buff, there are the medieval cities alongside the Romantic Road from Würzburg to Augsburg.

Art and music aficionados can attend several music and theater festivals such as the famous Wagner Opera Festival. For sports and relaxation, you can go skiing in the Alps or pamper yourself at world-renowned spas in the area.

In order to experience all the sights and activities in Germany, you will need some cash. If you manage to get discount airfare to Germany, that would be very helpful in giving you extra funds to explore the country more.

There are several ways of getting discount airfare to Germany these days. The most popular method is through the Internet. Many websites are selling discount airfare to Germany, but you do need to be careful as many unscrupulous site owners advertising false low prices just to lure customers.

With all the fees and taxes they add at the last minute, you will sometimes end up paying a lot more than you initially thought the discount airfare to Germany would cost.

There are also legitimate websites that really sell great discount airfare to Germany, but locating them will take some time and you will have to be very thorough in reading all the details regarding your flight. It is always better to buy your discount airfare to Germany from websites that have reliable customer support and a good track record.

Going straight to the airline companies to get discount airfare to Germany is not such a bad idea. They are very straightforward with their pricing, with no hidden fees attached. Most airlines actually offer regular offers of discount airfare to Germany and other international and local destinations. All you have to do is go to their website and check the discounts they are offering.

No matter where you get your discount airfare to Germany, you will definitely be saving a lot of money. With all that extra cash, you will not have to limit yourself too much when it comes to exploring the beautiful country of Germany. You will be able to see more sights, learn about its history more extensively, and tell more stories to your friends when you get home.

You can also find more info on discount airfares and discount airfare. Knowdiscountairfare.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Airfare. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Faulkner