Page 314 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Belgium & Luxembourg

312  SUR VIV AL GUIDE

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Belgium and Luxembourg are well accessible on the Internet. Travel hubs
organized countries, whose people like and most towns also have visitor centres.
to see the practicalities of life properly If things go wrong, these centres have
managed in a transparent and efficient helpful, English-speaking people to help
manner. Tourism is a major industry in sort out problems. However, it is always best
both nations and is actively promoted by to learn a few basic phrases or to take
the authorities. As a result, tourist offices, a phrase book along. In Wallonia, most
both abroad and within the countries, have information is given in French, while in
a wealth of information, much of which is Flanders it is provided in Dutch.

The Grand Place, Brussels, in December
When to Go What to Pack and mosquito repellent for
Both countries can be visited Where clothing is concerned, places with open canals, such
year-round. However, from visitors need to think in as Bruges.
April to October there is a terms of layers. The average
better chance of sunshine and temperatures are 20ºC (68ºF) in
mild weather, and towns lay on summer and 5ºC (41ºF) in Tourist Information
a host of festivities and winter, but the weather is The Belgian authorities, and
outdoor concerts. Summer always unpredictable – it is individual towns and cities, are
(June to August) is the height easy to adjust to this by working hard to promote their
of the tourist season, so all just adding or subtracting a country as a holiday
museums, galleries and fleece or a cardigan. It is also destination. They produce
attractions are open to the best to be prepared for copious amounts of
fullest schedules. However, wet weather. promotional material,
Bruges, Belgium’s most popular Despite Belgium’s reputation published both in printed
town, has the largst number of for cutting-edge fashion, most brochures and on the
vistors in August, when it can people dress in a practical, Internet. The degree to
get very crowded. From down-to-earth kind of way. which such information is
October to March, many of the Smart-casual would be the available in English depends to
smaller museums, and the less dress code for better a large extent on how much
frequented churches and restaurants and even business holiday traffic is expected.
historic houses, open only at meetings and formal occasions. Flanders and Wallonia have
weekends, or may close A pair of sturdy walking separate tourist agencies –
completely. December has its shoes is recommended to Tourism Flanders and Belgian
Christmas markets (see p38) deal with the cobbled streets. Tourist Office. Abroad, they
while February and March have Also essential are adaptor often have separate offices.
carnivals (see p36–9). plugs for electrical appliances Both deal with Brussels,
A horse-drawn carriage in front of the Stadhuis buildings in Burg Square, Brugge

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