Our price includes all transport, accommodation and a personalized itinerary for your trip. Byway's travel experts are also available on WhatsApp throughout for disruption support and travel tips.

No, flights to Europe aren't included, but all transport and accommodation once you're here is. Short-haul flights are highly carbon-intensive, and traveling around Europe by train, ferry or bus is an easy, enjoyable alternative.

Yes. Different hotel options are available to choose from on the trip page, and any room upgrade requests can be added in the booking form. Our team will then find upgrade options and discuss them with you.

No. If you'd like to leave Europe from a different city, our concierge team can build you a custom one-way trip.

Yes. Prices on our trip pages are shown in your local currency by default, or you can select your preferred currency, including USD, CAD, EUR or CHF, from the dropdown in the top right corner of the trip page. The payment page will always show the price in your chosen currency.

You can generally bring as much luggage as you can carry, as long as it fits in the luggage racks or overhead space. On Eurostar, UK and most European trains, the standard allowance is two large bags and one smaller item, provided you can manage them yourself; let us know in advance if you're planning to bring anything oversized. Since you may need to change stations or walk to hotels, packing light makes the journey more comfortable.

Most European train tickets are digital and sent to you by email. A few, including tickets for Spain, Portugal and some EuroCity trains, require paper tickets, which can be mailed to a hotel on your itinerary.

No, Byway trips are self-guided, not part of a group tour. You'll have on-demand personalized support by WhatsApp, text or phone throughout, so all the planning and booking is done for you, and any disruptions are handled without you having to worry about them.

The best time to visit Belgium is May to June or September to October, when the weather is mild and cities like Bruges and Ghent are quieter than the summer peak. Winter draws visitors for Christmas markets in Brussels, Bruges and Ghent, with festive lights and mulled wine across the main squares. There are highlights year-round: the UNESCO-listed Carnival of Binche fills the streets with costumed Gilles throwing oranges every February, Tomorrowland draws electronic music fans from across the world to Boom every July, and the Ghent Festival takes over the city's squares with music and street theatre every summer.

The best things to do in Belgium include exploring Brussels's Grand Place, wandering medieval Bruges, and sampling Belgian chocolate and beer.

• Exploring Brussels's UNESCO-listed Grand Place, the Art Nouveau and Art Deco buildings of the city, and the European Quarter

• Wandering the canals and medieval streets of Bruges, sampling Belgian beer and browsing its centuries-old lace shops

• Touring Ghent's historic centre, canalside guild houses and Gravensteen Castle

• Sampling Belgian chocolate, waffles and beer culture across the country

• Discovering Antwerp's diamond quarter, fashion scene and grand Central Station

• Hiking the green hills and forests of the Ardennes region, known for its caves, castles and outdoor activities like kayaking on the Semois River

• Visiting Flanders Fields and the WWI battlefields and memorials around Ypres

Belgium is reachable via Eurostar direct from London St Pancras to Brussels-Midi in just over 2 hours. Within Belgium, an extensive rail network connects Brussels with Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp. From the rest of Europe, high-speed rail links Brussels with Amsterdam, Paris and Cologne.