The Rough Guide to Belgium & Luxembourg (Rough Guide Travel Guides) (Paperback)

~ (Author), Phil Lee (Author) "There are several easy ways to reach Belgium or Luxembourg - you just have to decide between a swift but relatively expensive flight, a low-cost..." (more)
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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

INTRODUCTION

There isn’t a country on earth quite like Belgium. It’s one of the smallest nations in Europe, yet it has three official languages and an intense regional rivalry between the Flemish-speaking north and the French-speaking south. Its historic cities – most famously Bruges and Ghent – are the equal of any, as is its cuisine, with a host of regional specialities, alongside a marvellous range of beers and sumptuous chocolate. Neighbouring Luxembourg, commonly regarded as a refuge of bankers and diplomats, has surprises in store too: its capital, Luxembourg City, has a handsome setting, its tiny centre perched on a plateau above deep green gorges, and the rest of the country – diminutive though it is – boasts steep wooded hills and plunging valleys aplenty.

Many outsiders view Belgium and Luxembourg as good weekend-break material – but not much else, which is a pity, as this is historically one of the most complex and intriguing parts of Europe. Squeezed in between France, Germany and the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg occupy a spot that has often decided the European balance of power. It was here that the Romans shared an important border with the Germanic tribes to the north; here that the Spanish Habsburgs finally met their match in the Protestant rebels of the Netherlands; here that Napoleon was finally defeated at the Battle of Waterloo; and – most famously – here, too, that the British and Belgians slugged it out with the Germans in World War I. Indeed so many powers have had an interest in this region that it was only in 1830 that Belgium and Luxembourg became separate, independent states, free from foreign rule.

About the Author

After years of travelling, Martin Dunford took up travel writing and co-founded the Rough Guide series. He is now Rough Guides' editorial director. Phil Lee has been writing for Rough Guides since the late 1980s - his other titles include Norway, Brussels, Mallorca, Menorca, Pacific Northwest and Canada.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Rough Guides; 3rd edition (December 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1858288711
• ISBN-13: 978-1858288710
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #916,494 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Anything and everything you need to know about Belgium!, March 27, 2000

By	M. D. Lewis (Ravenstown, Maryland) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Rough Guide to Belgium & Luxembourg (Paperback)

Having spent an academic year studying and travelling in Belgium, I went through a great many different guidebooks to enhance my Belgian experience. The guidebook experience was a mixed one - some multi-area guidebooks devoted but a few pages to Belgium (Rick Steves' France, Belgium, and Luxembourg - very spotty on the Belgian information), others were more focused on the culture and history of Belgium than the intricacies of getting to a specific place (the Insight Guide to Belgium).

So, having gone through the gamut of books on Belgium, I can wholeheartedly say that this is the best one out on the market at the current time. The coverage given to tourist sites and getting around this small-but-wonderful country is outstanding...it helped me find some great, off-the-beaten-track destinations that other guidebooks might pass over. The coverage given to Luxembourg within these pages is also very well-done (not to mention helpful) -- something sorely lacking in other guidebooks.

The Insight Guide to Belgium is also recommended, but more as a cultural and historical primer. For the practicalities of everyday Belgian life, this is the only book you'll need (and its physical size is great - the least cumbersome and yet most informative guide I've ever carried around on my travels). So...what are you waiting for? Go to Belgium and take this book with you!

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rough Guide has really captured these two little countries, July 9, 2008

By	J. L. Albee "Faulkner Wannabe" (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Rough Guide to Belgium and Luxembourg 4th Edition(Rough Guide Travel Guides) (Paperback)

I traveled to Belgium in 1999 on a whim, for a long weekend in Antwerp, with about three days' notice. It was the best trip to Europe I've ever made. First, let me give you five really good reasons to go to Belgium and Luxembourg.

1) Since they are somewhat off the beaten path (with the possible exception of Brugge (Bruges), in Flanders), they're cheap. You can get top quality accommodations, food, and beer for about half what you would expect to pay for similar quality in Paris, Cologne or Amsterdam.
2) If well-preserved, but still functioning, medieval towns are your thing, consider this for a moment: Antwerp, Brugge, Ghent, Namur, Mechelen, Leuven. Any questions?
3) The best beer on earth, period.
4) Small enough to get anywhere within two hours, and entirely realistic to tour on a bicycle.
5) More linguistic, cultural, artistic and geographic diversity crammed into a small space than any other country in the world. You get Dutch, French, German, and maybe even a little Spanish.
6) A courteous and helpful service ethic. Belgians love tourists!

And, of course, there are also five good reasons to buy this guide rather than other guides.

1) Essential historical, cultural and literary contexts that explain these small countries' somewhat confusing, multi-ethnic histories.
2) Encyclopedic coverage of all the cities, towns and important natural sites, including insightful historic and practical information.
3) Immediately up-to-date listings.
4) More substance than style. Rough Guides are intentionally that way.
5) A "not to miss" section that is well researched and looks beyond the obvious.

With mighty Brugge right next door, I still think incredible Ghent gets the short end of the stick. Some of the writing is a bit stale in this regard. For me, the hoards of tourists in Brugge make the experience in Ghent that much more authentic. There's nothing like falling into a Ghent pub at about 4:30PM for a Duvel, and staying on until you forget where you are. It's awesome.

If you don't buy the book, go anyway. And if you go to Belgium and spend all your time in Brussels, shame on you:)

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Guide Book for Touring Belgium & Luxembourg, November 28, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Rough Guide to Belgium & Luxembourg (Paperback)

I am currently living in Belgium and have gone through several guide books to help find the spots to visit. Many other books focus on hotels or restaurants, but the Rough Guide focuses on where to go and what to see when you get there. It has useful information on how to get there by car, train and even bike. I take this book with me on my travels around Belgium and am enjoying learning more about this wonderful country.