Shop for Belgian lace, diamonds, chocolates, earthenware, ceramics, crystal, antiques, linen, both new and antique tapestries, copperware, pewter, wooden carvings and toys, and leather goods. In Brussels, the high-quality shops are on Boulevard de Waterloo and Avenue Louise. Wild and imaginative hats can be found at Elvis Pompilo on Rue du Midi in Brussels, fabulous fabrics with antique designs at Costermans on the Place du Grand Sablon, and huge handmade marionettes at the store on the ground floor of the Toone Puppet Theater in the Ilot Sacre. Traditionally, Antwerp is Europe's main diamond center. It's also becoming well-known as a center for fashion with many rising young designers starting out there. Bruges and Ghent have some of the best lace shops in the country.
Shopping Hours: Generally Monday-Saturday 9 am-6 pm with no Sunday hours. Many shops close noon-2 pm for lunch. In larger cities, stores may be open later on Friday.
Day By Day
A minimum of one week is required to even scratch the surface of this small but fascinating country. We suggest the following:
Day 1—Arrive Brussels.
Days 2 and 3—Brussels.
Day 4—Ghent.
Days 5 and 6—Bruges.
Day 7—Antwerp.
Day 8—Depart Belgium.
To gain a better appreciation of Belgium, you can spend an additional week, with a few nights each in the eastern part (near Liege) and in the southern portion (perhaps in the Bouillon/Arlon region). In the summer, you might wish to make a visit to the Belgian coast.
