With spring days here and travel restrictions easing, it’s time to start looking forward to vacations. Many European countries are welcoming travelers again.Two major travel trends to have emerged in the last few years are solo travel and sustainable travel – both trends set to continue beyond 2022.  Most solo travelers are women so while there’a a wonderful world out there to explore, traveling safely should always be prioritized. It’s worth checking out the best cities for women to solo travel. 

 Lockdown has given us time to be more environmentally aware. Although we’ve learned to appreciate what our local areas have to offer, many of us are now hoping to travel further afield in a way that’s as kind as possible to the environment. 

What is the best way of traveling sustainably in 2022?

The top tip for sustainable travel is traveling slowly. Traveling by road, rail and public transport are best for getting to your destination. While time constraints mean this is sometimes impractical, there are ways of traveling sustainably once you arrive. If you must fly, limit your air travel. Rather than taking a few trips, take one air trip per year and stay longer in your destination. Slow down and explore one country or region well. Europe has so many small countries neighboring each other and such great public transport links that it’s an ideal place to explore on vacation. This article considers why Belgium is an unmissable country for a wonderful trip.

Location

Belgium is surrounded by France, Luxembourg, Germany, the Netherlands and the North sea. It’s small and easily explored using public transport or by bicycle.  Belgium offers countless historic castles, cathedrals, museums and medieval villages as well as bustling cosmopolitan towns and cities. It also boasts a delightful green region. This section looks at its highlights.

Cities 

Bruges.

 A picture perfect medieval city built on a network of canals with pretty cobbled streets and historical buildings. It’s a fairytale town and can be easily explored on foot, by boat, bicycle or horse drawn carriage. There are charming cafés and chocolate shops everywhere.

Ghent

A larger university town full of cathedrals and historical buildings. Gravasteen Castle with its moat is unmissable. The profusion of galleries and museums make Ghent a haven for art lovers.

Antwerp

The vibrant fashion capital, hosts museums, galleries, architecture and darling cafés. It’s a great place for shopping and chilling. Het Steen Castle, a medieval castle which protected the city from viking raids, is impressive.

Brussels

Multicultural, multilingual and cosmopolitan, art galleries and historic sites abound. The Grand Place is probably one of the most famous squares in Belgium. Brussels is a bigger city and merits a couple of days to visit properly. Tin Tin comics tour in the Hergé museum is a fun activity.

Durbuy

By contrast, Durbuy, just 2 hours from Brussels, is known as the smallest city in the world! It’s idyllic with cobbled streets and flower boxes everywhere. The river Ourthe passes through Durbuy. Visit the Topiary Park and quench your thirst at the Marckloff brewery. Adventure valley park nearby, is a great spot for outdoor activities

Dinant

Hometown of Adolphe Sax, inventor of the saxophone, Dinant is a treat. Follow the saxophone trail and take a cable car trip up to the citadel. The views of the River Meuse are spectacular.

The Ardennes

If you want to get out of the cities and towns, travel south to the beautiful verdant Ardennes. With its forests, rivers and trails, it’s a haven for cyclists and hikers.

Cool off at the coast

Belgium is blessed with beautiful sandy beaches and coastal towns. Ostend, made famous by Marvin Gaye who lived there, has lots to do. Nearby De Haan is another seaside town worth a visit.  

Historical sites not to miss:

Waterloo. Final battleground of the Napoleonic wars.

Menin Gate in Ypres. A memorial to soldiers lost in WW1

Langemark Cemetery. Burial site of thousands of German soldiers killed in the war.

Belgium has it all not to mention its delicious culinary delights. If you get bored, which is unlikely, you can simply nip across the border and choose another wonderful country to explore.