Travel in Belgium

Unforgettable history lessons, cultural connections and precious family time are just some of the reasons to consider a big trip in 2024. Stretch your children’s imaginations with these meaningful getaways, mixing nature time with once-in-a-lifetime city breaks, unique accommodations and long-distance rail travel. It might just change the way your family looks at the world.

You might be tempted to plan your next train adventure around the many new train routes popping up across Europe.

There's no waffling about Belgium's baking heritage: waffles have a special place in the country's heart. In fact, the words "Belgium" and "waffle" are as synonymous as "France" and "baguette".

There is so much more to Marrakech than the European rock stars who have famously partied here and the iconic expats, like Yves Saint Laurent, who adopted it as their home. The past two decades have seen this North African city become accessible to more travelers as an armada of courtyard homes, or riads, within the ochre walls of the medina have been transformed into chic but affordable boutique hotels, providing options beyond the lavish hotels owned by Morocco's king.

The most festive time of year is now and with just under two weeks left before the end of 2023, time is running out to explore some of the world's very best Christmas markets.

In the autumn of 1948, Marcel Bich, owner of a company located north of Paris that produced ink cartridges for fountain pens, pushed a wheelbarrow in his garden in the village of Rhuis. He considered the new ‘ball point’ pen launched by the Reynolds company in the United States, and was mystified by the allure of this expensive instrument that produced what he considered as shoddy writing. He turned around, peered at the wheel imprint left by his barrow on dirt, and was flooded with a realization. The ball point pen did the same as the wheel—it left an imprint by rolling, not by scratching. He knew this could lead to more fluid, easier writing.

Discover the incredible world of Sweden’s ICEHOTEL 34 this winter. Picture this: 500 tonnes of ice, equivalent to 10 Olympic swimming pools of the finest "snis" – a blend of ice and snow – meticulously crafted over six intense weeks. The journey began in spring, as ice blocks were harvested from the Torne River and stored in an ice warehouse in Jukkasjärvi, awaiting their transformation into a magical experience. The unique creation has emerged from the creative minds of 32 artists, spanning 14 countries from around the globe.

A European country has taken over the top spot as the world’s most powerful passport, according to a new index by VisaGuide.World. As of December, the Spanish passport has claimed first place from Singapore, a new study by the visa advice website has found.

Spain now has the world’s most powerful passport, according to a new index.

Fans of Finnish author Tove Jansson will love the idyllic Pellinki archipelago, where she spent her summers on a tiny island, Klovharun, described in several of her novels. About 50 miles east of Helsinki, Pellinki forms part of a group of islands, linked by bridges and a delightful ferry, which you can explore by boat, car, bicycle, bus or on foot. Walk through the woods to reach one of the quiet beaches, hire a boat to fish or just tootle around the beautiful bays and stay in a traditional, wooden cottage with a matching sauna set among the trees where the only sounds you’ll hear are birdsong and the gentle putter of a small boat passing by. Finnish people know a lot about the importance of connecting with nature and this is a place where you will quickly find yourself reflecting on what really matters in life. Christine

There’s never a bad time to visit Germany’s 2,000-year-old city. Cologne straddles both banks of the Rhine and is lined with riverside botanical gardens and sculpture parks. With over 100 museums exhibiting everything from perfume to chocolate, there’s little wonder Köln is considered the German cultural capital. Winter kicks off in November with the annual Cologne Carnival which takes a brief hiatus when the yuletide markets claim the limelight before resuming and going out with a bang in February.

Although Luxembourg is very small and made up of primarily rural land, this wealthy European country offers an impressive amount of opportunities for excitement and relaxation. It’s bordered by Belgium, France and Germany — and the culture of its nearby neighbors are reflected in the atmosphere of luxury and adventure of Luxembourg. The geography features dense forests and rocky gorges, but the capital city of Luxembourg City hosts urban opportunities to explore including castles and museums. There are many fine Luxembourg Airbnbs, but staying in a hotel offers a more traditional European hospitality experience.

Bruges, or Brugge, is a small city in the Flemish Region of Belgium with a huge soul. The central area is formed by a web of medieval plazas and the iconic bell tower while picturesque canals curl around the downtown core. The Baudouin flows all the way to Bruges’s cruise port, Zeebrugge. Whether you arrive by sea or rail, you can see all the sights on foot with one of these brilliant Bruges Airbnbs close to chocolatiers and beer halls.

2023 is coming to a close, which means the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris are fast approaching. The opening ceremony is scheduled for July 26, with the Games finishing Aug. 11; the Paralympics will run from Aug. 28 through Sept. 8.

Saudi Arabia’s Belgium-sized city of Neom has unveiled another giga-project. It’s called the Gulf of Aqaba and will contain many of the futuristic hotels the $500 billion project has announced in recent months.

I recently put caviar on an extra-toasty Cheez-It, and I’m obsessed. I took my inspiration from Alexis Cervasio, proprietor at hip Boston market EBO & Co. and proponent of putting caviar on everything,

If you’re a dog lover, you’ve probably, at some point while standing in line at airport security, wished that you could pet the dogs roving the lines or pat them on the head and tell them they’re very good boys and girls who are working hard.

Travelers looking for a 2024 calendar may have a paw-fect solution.  The Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) recently published a 2024 calendar where each month features a different member of the TSA Explosives Detection Canine group from across the United States. The calendar is free, and available for download at tsa.gov.  The calendar kicks off with Gini-Gina for January, a Belgian Malinois dog from New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA).

TUI, Europe’s largest tour package holiday operator, said Wednesday it saw strength in all its core business segments: hotels, cruises and experiences. And it’s benefiting from last years’ shift to consolidation of its products onto one global platform.

Good morning, folks! Remember the story yesterday on the UK’s housing crisis?

Travelers often overlook Belgium in favor of neighbors like France and the Netherlands, but it’s one of Europe’s best kept secrets. Because of its history, Belgium is linguistically and culturally diverse; it’s also small and compact, so visitors can travel to multiple destinations with ease.