Things to Do in Belgium in July
July weather, activities, events & insider tips
July Weather in Belgium
Is July Right for You?
Advantages
- Summer festival season is in full swing - July brings Belgium's biggest music festivals including Rock Werchter and Tomorrowland, plus countless neighborhood street parties (kermesses) where locals actually gather, not tourist traps. You'll see Belgium at its most social and celebratory.
- Terrace culture peaks in July - every café, bar, and restaurant extends outdoor seating onto sidewalks and squares. Belgians live outside during these months, and you'll find locals lingering over beers from 3pm onward. The Grand Place in Brussels becomes one massive outdoor living room.
- Longer daylight hours mean you're getting roughly 16 hours of usable daylight (sunrise around 5:30am, sunset after 9:30pm). You can pack in morning museum visits, afternoon cycling through the countryside, and still catch golden hour along Ghent's canals before dinner at 8pm.
- Fruit season hits its stride - strawberries, cherries, and early peaches flood the markets. Belgian strawberries in July are legitimately excellent, and you'll find them incorporated into everything from beer to desserts at restaurants. Market stalls typically sell them for €3-5 per kilogram (2.2 lbs).
Considerations
- Tourist crowds peak at major sites - Bruges becomes genuinely packed between 10am-5pm, with tour groups clogging the Markt and Burg squares. Brussels' Manneken Pis area turns into a slow-moving shuffle of selfie-takers. If you hate crowds, this might be a deal-breaker.
- Accommodation prices jump 30-50% compared to shoulder months like May or September. A mid-range hotel in Bruges that costs €90 in October will run you €130-140 in July. Book at least 8-10 weeks ahead or you'll pay premium rates for whatever's left.
- Weather is genuinely unpredictable despite being summer - you might get three gorgeous sunny days followed by two days of grey drizzle and temps dropping to 15°C (59°F). That 70% humidity combined with variable conditions means you're packing layers even though it's technically summer.
Best Activities in July
Belgian Coast Beach Towns Cycling
July is ideal for cycling the 67 km (42 mile) coastal tram route that connects all Belgian beach towns from De Panne to Knokke. The weather is warm enough for beach stops without being scorching, and the coastal breeze keeps things comfortable. Most locals hit the coast on weekends, so weekday cycling means quieter paths. The flat terrain makes this doable for any fitness level, and you can hop on the coastal tram if you get tired.
Ardennes Forest Hiking and Kayaking
The Ardennes region in southern Belgium hits peak green in July, with full forest canopy and rivers at ideal levels for kayaking after spring runoff settles. Temperatures in the hills stay 3-5°C (5-9°F) cooler than Brussels, making this perfect for active days. The Semois and Lesse rivers offer kayak routes ranging from 2-hour paddles to full-day adventures through forested valleys. Hiking trails around Durbuy and La Roche-en-Ardenne are well-marked and range from easy 5 km (3.1 mile) loops to challenging 20 km (12.4 mile) ridge walks.
Belgian Beer Brewery Tours
July weather makes brewery visits particularly appealing - you're alternating between cool cellars and sunny beer gardens. Many abbeys and breweries have outdoor tasting areas that are only truly pleasant in summer months. Trappist breweries like Orval and Chimay are about 90 minutes south of Brussels, while smaller craft breweries have exploded around Ghent and Antwerp. The contrast between touring cool, stone brewing facilities and then sitting outside with a Duvel or Westmalle Tripel is quintessentially Belgian summer.
Ghent and Bruges Canal Boat Tours
Canal tours become genuinely pleasant in July rather than the teeth-chattering experience of April. The tree canopy over Ghent's waterways provides natural shade, and you're seeing the cities from their historically accurate perspective - these were trading ports, and the water view shows you medieval architecture as merchants would have seen it. Evening tours around 7-8pm catch beautiful light and thinner crowds. Ghent is significantly less touristy than Bruges for the same experience.
Belgian Market Shopping and Food Walks
July brings peak produce season to Belgian markets - you'll find local strawberries, cherries, white asparagus tail-end, early tomatoes, and excellent cheeses. Weekend markets in places like Brussels' Place du Jeu de Balle (daily flea market) or Sunday morning Midi Market become social events where locals actually shop, not just tourist attractions. The warm weather means you can graze on frites, waffles, and market snacks while walking without freezing. Food-focused walking routes through neighborhoods like Brussels' Marolles or Antwerp's Zuid district showcase the real eating culture.
Art Nouveau Architecture Walking Routes
Brussels and Antwerp have incredible Art Nouveau architecture that's best appreciated in long summer daylight. The Victor Horta Museum in Brussels is the crown jewel, but entire neighborhoods like Ixelles and Saint-Gilles are outdoor museums of early 1900s design. July's extended daylight means you can do these walks after 5pm when the low sun highlights the decorative facades and stained glass. The self-guided routes cover 3-5 km (1.9-3.1 miles) and take 2-3 hours with photo stops.
July Events & Festivals
Tomorrowland Festival
One of the world's largest electronic music festivals takes over Boom (between Brussels and Antwerp) for two consecutive weekends. Even if you're not attending, the entire country feels the energy - Brussels and Antwerp fill with international festivalgoers, and the atmosphere becomes genuinely festive. Tickets sell out months in advance and run €300-400 for weekend passes, but the cultural impact spreads beyond the festival grounds.
Belgian National Day
July 21st is Belgium's national holiday celebrating independence. Brussels puts on military parades, fireworks at Parc de Bruxelles, and free concerts. More interestingly, neighborhood street parties (kermesses) pop up across the country with local beer tents, frites stands, and community gatherings. This is Belgium at its most relaxed and celebratory - locals actually participate rather than it being a tourist spectacle.
Ghent Festivities
Ten days of free street performances, concerts, and theater that transform Ghent into one massive outdoor party. Over a million visitors come for what locals call the Gentse Feesten, but it maintains an authentic neighborhood festival vibe rather than feeling corporate. Expect streets closed to traffic, beer flowing from temporary bars, and performances ranging from punk rock to classical music on dozens of stages.