At a glance
City trips are very popular with Belgians. Here are the most visited cities and a few tips to make your trip a success.
(Photo: A successful city trip in Barcelona)
The results of Redion's Holiday Barometer show that Belgians go on holiday several times a year. A number of these holidays only last a few days and take cultural cities as their destination. Tourists travel there by car, train or plane, often taking advantage of tour operator deals.
Belgians' top 15 favourite "city trip" destinations
The most popular "city trip" destinations among Belgians in 2016 were as follows:
(Source: WES-ABTO)
Click on the map to enlarge it.
These 15 cities are Belgians' most sought-after destinations, but Europe of course has a multitude of other cultural cities overflowing with cultural riches, and just as easy to reach by car or plane.
A few tips and tricks for planning your city trip
- For some major cultural cities, a simple city trip won't be enough to discover everything they have to offer. Don't try to see everything in a rush, but choose what interests you most and consider planning a further visit later on.
- Many airlines offer flights to regional airports. These are often located close to smaller towns that are well worth the detour.
- Transport networks (trains, intercity buses) let you get from one city to another quickly and stress-free. This way you can combine visits to several interesting places located in the same geographical area.
- Compare tour operators' offers and choose, if possible, periods outside school holidays or "last-minute" deals. Prices will be more attractive off-season and there will be a wider range of accommodation. Read the article "Hotel booking sites" on this topic.
- Don't weigh yourself down with unnecessary luggage, but try to limit yourself to hand luggage.
- There are plenty of ways to find affordable accommodation: through hotels and official accommodation networks, but also through alternative networks (staying with locals, "Airbnb"-style platforms) which have very competitive offers and rates. Take the time to check them online before making your choice.
- Exploring the city can be done solo with "good research", with the help of an official tour guide, or even with a local who shows you their favourite spots: rentalocalfriend, withlocals, ...
- Find out about public holidays (to avoid days when many shops and tourist spots are closed) and "free" days for visiting certain museums and monuments.
- Use your visit as an opportunity to taste local products. Read the article "Slow Food: discovering local specialities" on this topic.
- Remember to protect yourself and your travel companions by taking out travel insurance and cancellation insurance.
