- Belgium Guide
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When in Belgium and planning to go shopping, go for the unique finds and specialties that you can get only in the country. There may not be a lot of bargains, especially if you are in the big cities, but you will undoubtedly get excellent buys and have a grand time browsing in the stores. Belgium has two set sales period every year – Winter and Summer, so take advantage of the discounts during these times. December is also a good time to be in Belgium for the Christmas Markets in cities such as Brussels and Liege. There is also a 21% value added tax on most goods and services sold in the country and this is usually included in the price.
Here are some things to include in your shopping list:
Diamonds: Antwerp is not named the Diamond Center of the World for nothing. Over 70% of all diamonds are traded in the city, with over 1,500 diamond dealers. The Diamond District has jewellery shops left and right so if you are in the market for diamonds, best to get as much information before heading out to the place and you can get this from the Diamond High Council. The shopkeepers are generally friendly and helpful, but the massive array of choices can be overwhelming and confusing especially for first-time buyers. Most of the stores are also not open on the weekends.
Chocolates. Belgium is known worldwide for its scrumptious chocolate confections, especially the luscious handmade praline. And unlike wine or other fluids, there are no limits to the amount of chocolates you can bring back to your home country. Belgium has over 2,000 chocolate shops and museums dedicated to showcasing this speciality – and chances are you will never go wrong with anyone of them. Head out to the Sablon-Zavel Square where you can find some of the famous and traditional chocolatiers of Belgium like Neuhaus., Godiva, Cote d’Or, Wittamer and Haut Chocolatier Pierre Marcolini.
Antiques. Place du Grand Sablon in Brussels is known all over Europe as the best market to find valuable antiques. On weekends hundreds of stalls sell most everything from furniture to timepieces and antique musical instruments. Other places to hit for antiques would be flea markets like the Vieux Marche, Marche aux Puces, Rue Haute and Rue Blaes and in cities like Charleroi, Tournai and Liege.
Lace and Tapestry. A traditional Belgian product, the quality of lace produced by the local weavers is simply exquisite. Make sure to buy the handmade kind – there are shops that just sell machine-made because they are faster to make and can be sold in mass quantities – however, the quality is not as good as that made by hand. Also try to avoid the big stores especially in the Grand Place area as they would tend to be more pricey. Ask around or look for the lace producers or their outlets as you can get a better variety, and better prices. In Brussels the largest lace producer is Manufacture Belge de Dentelle. Other cities where you can find good quality lace and tapestry products would be Bruges and Ghent.
Fashion. It may not be Milan or Paris, but Belgium has its own hip and happening fashion scene in Brussels. For the famous fashion brands, explore the Avenue Louise where you can find international names like Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Christian Dior and Chanel. Visit the oldest shopping mall in Europe, the Galeries Royales St. Hubert for a number of shops, or just to marvel at the sights and sounds inside the arcade. For good fashion bargains, there’s Rue Nueve which is a long stretch of designer boutiques, clothing chains and the massive shopping mall City 2.
Comics and Books. Belgium has a Comic Strip Museum so naturally it would have comic book shops. Check out Tintin and the Smurfs in popular book stores like Boutique Tintin in Brussels. Brusel by comicbook artist Francois Shuiten not only sells Belgian comics, but other comic books with English translation as well as a gallery for statuettes and gadgets. Book lovers will find the megastore FNAC in Rue Neuve as a paradise with several floors of books, CDs, video games and computers.
Copperware and Crystals. One place that specializes in copperware is the town of Dinant in Southeast Brussels. The hard-beaten copperware is known worldwide for its excellent quality. For crystals, nothing surpasses the quality of Val Saint Lambert, located in Seraing near Liege. It is the official supplier of glassware to H.M. King Albert II of Belgium as well as to 40 other kingdoms and heads of states.
