I absolutely loved visiting Belgium. The country is such a mix of the old and the new, cities and countryside that there is always something for everyone. Since we were setting up our new house in the Netherlands, I was also on the lookout for souvenirs from Belgium that would suit our needs both in terms of food and decor.
Turns out, there is no shortage of Belgium souvenirs! You can catch them at almost every tourist spot, in the cities and even in the castles and forts! There are some really cool things that are iconic and special to particular parts of Belgium too! I’ll cover them as I walk you through the absolute best souvenirs from Belgium that you can take home.
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Table of Contents
Belgium Chocolate
Chocolates are one of the fail safe souvenirs from Belgium!
You could be living under a rock and still know that Belgium is famous for chocolate. It is probably one of the most bought souvenirs from Belgium. Since it is so popular, you will find it in almost every part of the country.
We visited Brussels and at every second turn there were some chocolatiers selling their wares. I’m not kidding. From truffles to chocolate slabs, chocolate fondue to chocolate animals, you will find anything and everything a chocolate lover could possibly want here.
The best part of chocolates as souvenirs is that they are easy to carry, come neatly packed and make excellent gifts. Depending on where you buy them, you will find that they aren’t very expensive either!
Luckily if you run through your stock you can also buy them online!
Belgium Beer
Did you know that beer is made in Belgium? Drinking beer is commonplace here and honestly people gave us a couple of odd looks when we said we didn’t want to drink. Peer pressure post 30! I know right!
The thing is beer is very popular in the country and it tastes so damn good! It is pretty hard to resist. Some of the popular brands include Tripel Karmeliet, Affligem Blond, Chinmay Blue and Duvel.
Shawn loves the Affligem. I tried the Duvel and boy I wish someone had warned me that it has 8.5 % alcohol. It tastes really good but it really packs a punch! So be forewarned!
Belgium Waffles
Did you know you can take waffles home as souvenirs from Belgium.
Belgium waffles should be had hot off the plate and loaded with different toppings. Not ready to let go of your Belgium holiday just yet? You can take some waffles home as souvenirs from Belgium.
Curious?
Head into one of the Carrefour or other grocery shops and you will find waffles pre made and packaged. All you have to do is take them home and heat them up. I know its not the ideal way but it does give you a chance to take some home for the people who missed out!
You can also take some of the rich Belgium chocolate home to add as toppings!
Oh and if you forget to get some or just want extras, you can order more online!
Speculoos biscuits
Speculoos biscuits are my absolute favorite souvenirs from Belgium!
I love speculoos biscuits. I tried them for the first time in Bangalore when our German friends brought them over. I then found them in the Netherlands so obviously they are dropped into my grocery cart everytime I head out to the market. You can also get them in Belgium.
In fact, they are one of the popular souvenirs from Belgium. You will get them at any of the local bakeries or grocery shops.
What are speculoos biscuits? These are spiced gingerbread shortcrust cookies. They are very popular during the Christmas season. If you aren’t visiting in the right season don’t worry. You can buy them in any of the local grocery stores. They aren’t as great as the freshly baked ones but any speculoos biscuit is better than no speculoos biscuit!
Belgium Cheese
Did you know that Belgium has a lot of different types of cheese that are made in the country? So aside from the regular imports from its cheese producing neighbors, make sure that you try some of the local cheese.
Some of the most popular cheese that you should try are
Remedou – Liege province
Postel – Mol
Keiems Bleompje – Diksmuide
Rubens – West Flanders province
Bouquet des Moines – Aubel
The best way to buy cheese as souvenirs from Belgium is to buy them when you visit the region that they are made in. Make sure to buy a vacuum sealed packet. That way you know that the cheese will not get spoilt when you are traveling.
We unfortunately learned this the hard way. We traveled with cheese through France in a heat wave and it melted! Our things did not smell very good after that! Always buy vacuum sealed bags!
Couque De Dinant
Couque de Dinant is one of the cool souvenirs from Dinant!
We discover Couque de Dinant quite by accident. We were walking through Dinant and saw what I can only describe as intricately designed cookies in the window. Intrigued, we walked in for a cookie and a cup of coffee. It turned out to be an interesting experience to say the least.
If I was to quote the waitress, she said that Couque de Dinant are candies but that isn’t true either. Made of honey and flour, these candy-cookies are molded into a flat shape. Most of them have very pretty designs. They are then baked.
Couque de Dinant are hard and chewy when baked. They last almost indefinitely. We tried breaking off pieces and it was so hard! The idea is to put a small piece in your mouth and chew. You can also dip them in your coffee and chew. They are slightly sweet and you can taste the honey in them.
Since they are hard and can be stored for a long time, they make great souvenirs from Belgium. Plus they are extremely pretty!
Beer Stein
Beer Steins or beer glasses are one of the typical souvenirs from Belgium that people love to take home. These are pretty similar to the ones that you get in Germany which is not surprising since both the countries share a border.
The Beer Steins are ceramic or stoneware jars which are used to serve beer. They have a ceramic lid on top of them which has a thumb lever of sorts. You can just press down on it to open the stein and drink.
They are pretty cool and I honestly haven’t seen people drinking out of them but I know that lots of people use them for decorative purposes in their homes.
You can also buy Belgium Beer Steins online!
Mannekin-Pis Momentos
A peek at one of the top souvenirs from Belgium.
I have to say this… I don’t really understand why the Mannekin-Pis statue is so so popular. There was such a big crowd in Brussels around it! I mean its just a fountain of a boy peeing which is funny but that’s about it.
It is so popular that you will find Mannekin-Pis souvenirs have flooded every single souvenir shop in Brussels. You will probably see them in other places too but in Brussels it is the single most popular theme when it comes to souvenirs in Belgium. Waffles and chocolates are pretty close seconds!
Magnets
Don’t you think that magnets are great souvenirs from Belgium?
I have a friend who collects magnets from every country she visits. She isn’t alone. Magnets are great souvenirs from Belgium as they are easy to carry, light and small. They are also pretty easy to display and don’t occupy much space.
Magnets also make great gifts. So if you want to take a souvenir for someone else at home, a magnet is a great idea. Luckily these magnets are available in all the souvenir shops in Belgium. You get them as typical Belgium city scenes, iconic monuments, the Belgium flag, the Mannekin-Pis, etc.
You can also get some cool Belgium magnets online.
Miniature Gabled Houses
Miniature gabled houses are available almost everywhere!
I’m in love with the miniature gabled houses that are available in Belgium. I was searching for these in Brussels but didn’t find the perfect one yet. I probably will get one when I head back. I intend to pick up a miniature gabled house from all the neighboring countries and put them up in my living room. I think it will look super cute, don’t you?
These gabled houses are miniature versions of the houses that you see in the cities of Belgium. Made of ceramic, they are delicate but with some good packaging, they are pretty easy to carry. They make really great souvenirs from Belgium and I highly recommend getting one!
Belgium Crystal
Did you know that you can get some amazing crystalware in Belgium? Seriously! I’m not kidding. One of the best places is called Val Saint Lambert. Their crystal ware is amazingly delicate, beautiful and let’s not forget expensive. Honestly, if you love this sort of thing then you will probably find it worth every penny because of how pretty it is.
Val Saint Lambert has been around since 1826 and even back then they were known for their quality crystalware which are crafted using traditional Belgium techniques. Today, they still use the same techniques to work magic with glass.
The best part about their work is that they have both traditional designs as well as more modern ones. That way you are sure to find something you fall in love with!
Artwork
Artwork is one of the best souvenirs from Belgium!
People are really talented in this country. We found many artists sitting in the Grande Palace square in Brussels painting away. Their art sold from $20-30 upwards depending on what you chose. Each piece was pretty unique and each artist had their own style.
You can find artwork all across the major cities. It does not have to be a person painting it live in front of you. There are numerous shops with beautiful paintings, sculptures and other forms of art across the cities. Keep your eye out for them. You won’t be disappointed!
Belgium Lace
Belgium lace is one of the most exquisite souvenirs from Belgium that you can come across. In fact, Shawn visited Belgium almost a decade ago. This was way before we got married and he got me a lace handkerchief from here. I still have it and I must say that it has lasted and is as pretty as the day he bought it.
Belgium lace is also called pillow lace. This technique originated around Brussels so if you are in the area, keep an eye out for the shops that sell it. We passed a couple while we were there. They sell a variety of different items made out of lace. You can see what picks your fancy.
So there you have it! These are my favorite souvenirs from Belgium and ones that I always try to catch when I visit.
Make sure to double check your custom rules when buying food and alcohol though. Since we just drive across the border we don’t really have restrictions when it comes to Belgium souvenirs. If you are catching a flight, you will be restricted by import and custom rules!
