Belgium Travel Guide

The Belgian police force is not quite the friendly bunch you find in the Netherlands, but the country is relatively free of street crime and you shouldn't have much cause to come into contact with them. As far as personal safety goes, it`s fairly safe to walk anywhere in the centres of the larger cities at any time of day, though you should obviously be wary of badly lit or empty streets; parts of Brussels and Antwerp especially can be intimidating and are best avoided after dark. If you are unlucky enough to have something stolen, report it immediately to the nearest police station. Get a police report number, or better still a copy of the statement itself, for your insurance claim when you get home.

With regard to medical emergencies , if you're reliant on free treatment within the EU health scheme, try to remember to make this clear to the ambulance staff, and, if you're whisked off to hospital, to the medic you subsequently encounter. It's a good idea to hand over a photocopy of your €111 on arrival at hospital to ensure your non-private status is clearly understood. In terms of describing symptoms, you can anticipate that someone will speak English in Flemish Belgium and in Brussels, though in parts of Wallonia you'll be struggling unless you have some rudimentary grasp of French.

Outside normal working hours, all pharmacies are expected to display a list of open alternatives on their windows. Weekend rotas are also listed in local newspapers.