Bordered by France, Germany, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, Belgium is one of the smallest countries in Europe, but that doesn't mean there are less things to do there.
The country is filled with medieval cities rich in history like Waterloo and Bruges, world-class music festivals, and delicious cuisine including waffles, French fries, strong beer, and chocolate.
I recently spent some time traveling this delightful country, and discovered a few apps that helped me make the most of the experience. Whether you're taking a break from your European trip, stopping by to explore the many beautiful cities, or just going there for the chocolate, they'll do the same for you.
All are free to download from the App Store or Google Play Store, but some also offer paid upgrades.
Untapped (Beer)
Belgium and beer have a close relationship. Beer is so central to the country that beer culture was added to UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016.
Belgium's brewing tradition and heritage dates back to the Middle Ages. Many of the best brewers still use the same methods and recipes that have been passed down for generations.
The variety of Belgian beers is enormous, from strong blonde beers to Saison, Brut and Spéciale Belge. But one of the most famous styles is Trappist, brewed by Trappist monks. Sounds unique, right? Well, not in Belgium. There are five Trappist breweries in Belgium, and over 400 breweries throughout Belgium.
In Belgium, the question is not where to find beer, but where to start. For me, the answer was the Untappd app.
The largest and most popular beer tracking app with a huge community and database of thousands of different beers. Fortunately, the location was specific so I was able to see upcoming events and nearby venues from anywhere in the country.
Of course, you can use this app wherever you are in the world, but it's especially useful to add to your phone when traveling in Belgium.
I mainly used it to learn more about the beers on offer at the places I visited, but you could also do it another way: make a wish list of beers you want to try, and then see where you can find them nearby.
Google Translate (Language)
Google Translate or another translation app is a must when traveling to most countries that don't speak that language, especially Belgium. Because this small country has two official languages.
59% of Belgians speak Dutch (Flemish) and 40% speak French. The former is used in places like Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges, while the latter is mainly used in Wallonia. If you're not fluent in both languages, it's a good idea to download a translation app beforehand.
Although Brussels is geographically part of the Flemish-speaking region, it is considered a separate city because it has its own local government and parliament. The main language you will encounter there is French.
Download offline translation files for Dutch and French so you can use the app without access to the internet. Even when you're in a centuries-old pub with thick stone walls, you'll still want to order a beer!
STIB-MIV (Transportation)
STIB-MIV is the agency in Brussels responsible for the metro, buses, trams and trains. If you're traveling to or spending time in Brussels, download the app in advance to help you plan your trip (iOS or Android).
You can plan your route on a map, check schedules, book tickets through the app, and check accessibility options for various stations and stops. Plus, it's in English.
But the app's most important asset is real-time data. The availability and departure times of subway, bus and tram stops are automatically updated along with crowding levels.
You can view all routes and stops without registering, but to save stops, routes, and addresses as 'favorites', create an account using your first and last name, birthday, email, and password, or use your existing Facebook or Apple account.
Takeaway.com (food and groceries)
Just Eat Belgium was acquired by Takeaway.com and became Belgium's leading food delivery service. Similar to UberEats, Takeaway.com's app (iOS or Android) connects you with restaurants and grocery stores that are ready for delivery or pickup.
You can sort by food type, price, distance, delivery cost or rating as you'd expect, or mindlessly scroll through the list for inspiration. There's also a built-in map showing nearby restaurants if you prefer a warm dinner rather than a lukewarm one.
The app interface is in English, but the menus are listed in French or Dutch depending on the city you're in, so you may need a translation app (above) to match that.
Currency converter (money)
Calculating exchange rates on the go can be a bit frustrating. In most cases, you only need to add about 10% to the cost to calculate the difference, so it's not too bad if you're used to using US dollars.
However, exchange rates are always changing and converting between different currencies can quickly become complicated. For example, I am writing this:
Around €100:
- $110 US Dollar
- $146 Canadian Dollar
- $175 New Zealand Dollar
- £87 British Pounds
- ฿3816 Thai Baht
- 15,703 yen Japanese yen
Of course, these numbers don't stay the same for long, so they're hard to follow. There are many different currency converters on various app stores, and they all perform the same function. The important thing is to install it in the first place.
That said, I prefer to sync my current rates whenever I'm online and then save them so I can use the app even when I'm not connected.
I am currently using a currency converter. There is a premium version, but I use the free version instead, which has some slightly annoying pop-up ads. To be honest, I'd like to save money to buy french fries and mayonnaise.
When I was in Belgium, I converted the top currency to EUR and the bottom currency to the local currency (CAD). It also works as a calculator, so you can add multiple prices at the same time or calculate the tip directly within the app.
However, since tipping is not common in Belgium, you probably won't need to calculate it. Many restaurants automatically include a 10-15% tip on your check, and the majority of Belgian service staff earn a fair living wage.
If you still want to leave a tip, you can round up the bill or leave an extra Euro for excellent service.
Overlap (time zone)
Because I travel a lot, my time zone always changes. Whether I'm talking to clients or people at home, I'm always using a time zone converter app.
I can never remember the time difference off the top of my head, and apparently neither can anyone else. This is especially true when one or both countries mix daylight saving time!
I use a variety of apps depending on what I need at the time. For work, I like to use Time Buddy. I found this app to be perfect for scheduling meetings and group calls because you can search for ideal meeting times across up to four time zones.
![Screenshot of the Overlap app showing current times for locations labeled Americana, Belgium, Athens, New Delhi, and Bangkok.](https://toomanyadapters.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Overlap-app-screenshot-586x600.jpg)
![Screenshot of the Overlap app showing current times for locations labeled Americana, Belgium, Athens, New Delhi, and Bangkok.](https://toomanyadapters.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Overlap-app-screenshot-586x600.jpg)
For personal work, I've used GlobeTempus before. I really liked the fun visual interface that shows whether it's day or night in the selected city, and the custom graphics that indicate that city if it's a major city.
But recently I've come to prefer Mokskein's Overlap app. That's because the free version of GlobalTempus only allows you to save three time zones.
With Overlap, we've added over a dozen time zones so you can plan ahead for future trips and collaborate with others around the world. It has a clean, simple design and comes with handy features like renaming locations to “Grandma,” “Boss,” or whatever works for you.
Google Maps (navigation and travel planning)
Since you are already quite familiar with Google Maps, we recommend that you prepare a map in advance and use it when traveling.
You can use star, heart or flag pins to save your accommodations in Belgium, as well as interesting historical sites, bars or restaurants you'd like to check out while you're there.
Personally, I use star pins to indicate where I'm staying so I can quickly find accommodations on the map no matter where I am. This makes it easy to see how far I am from the things I care about in a new city.
Flags indicate where you want to go in the app. Surprisingly, you can use flags to save places you want to check out or return to. But usually, there are a lot of places I want to go, but I can't remember why, so I leave a reminder in the space I saved.
I write down who recommended the place to me, whether I've already been there, and in the case of restaurants (since these are usually the restaurants I've marked) which menu items I'm most interested in trying.
If you're anything like me, before you know it, your map will be filled with flags that help you understand where you are and the distance to your next bucket list destination. Depending on how you feel about the destination after your visit, you can remove the flag if you want to return or leave a note yourself.
When I travel, I always use Google Maps to check restaurant and cafe reviews. There are a lot of restaurants out there, so if 1000 people visit a place and it only has a 3.9 rating, that usually means something to me.
On the other hand, if it has 1000 positive reviews and a rating of 4.7, it might be worth checking out. I found this review very helpful so I am now leaving my review to help other visitors.
If you're planning a trip to the Euros, check out our other Europe app guides, including London, Paris and the Netherlands. If we don't see the travel app guide you're looking for, let us know and we'll see what we can do!
What Belgian travel apps have we missed? Recommend your favorite apps, resources, and guides in the comments.
Title image courtesy of Dave Dean, screenshots courtesy of the author.