Belgium - Prepare

Bring an empty suitcase to fill with chic Belgian clothing from Antwerp and Brussels. Pack some painkillers to alleviate the after-effects of drinking one too many Belgian beers.

Attend Ostende's fun-filled charity cabaret, the Dead Rat Ball, in March and photograph the colourful street parade during the Ghent Festivities in July. See Brussels' Grand-Place transformed by a swathe of colour during Brussels Flower Carpet festival in August, or watch weird and wacky bathtubs sink in the River Meuse during Dinant's International Bathtub Regatta. Develop a taste for Belgian beer at the Diksmuide Beer Festival in September.

New Year's Day, Easter Monday (Mar/Apr), Labour Day (1 May), Ascension Day (May), Whit Monday (May/Jun), National Holiday (21 Jul), Assumption Day (15 Aug), All Saints Day (1 Nov), Armistice Day (11 Nov), Christmas Day (25 Dec), Boxing Day (26 Dec).

November to March are the coldest months, but even then daytime temperatures rarely dip below 6°C. Days are warm from May to October, with the mercury climbing towards the mid 20s in July and August. There is a chance of rain at any time of year, but this just makes the country's first rate museums and galleries even more appealing.

220V AC, 50 Hz, two-pin plugs are standard.

+32 (national).

Euro (€) is the currency.

GMT +1 (GMT +2 in summer).

Belgian Tourist Office (Brussels & Wallonia) website

Visit Flanders website

Belgians tend to take pride in their appearance, so ensure you are well turned out. It is usual to shake hands in greeting, with air kisses on alternate cheeks common between two female - or between male and female – friends.