Belgium rarely tops anyone’s list of campervan destinations, which is part of its charm. It is a small country with a very dense network of things worth stopping for: gothic town halls, canal cities, a beer culture with more variety than almost anywhere, wartime memorials, forests and rivers in the south, and a long sandy coast in the north-west. Nothing is more than a couple of hours from anything else.

It is also a convenient place to start. If you are coming from the Netherlands, northern France or western Germany, Belgium is a short hop, and the rental market is large enough to offer choice. We write from Rovaniemi, so this is a researched guide rather than a travel diary. We have looked at the live prices and mapped routes on CampervanPlanet and planned the trip we would take. You can start a search on the Belgium campervan page, and code HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY20 takes €20 off at checkout.

Why Belgium works for a short trip

If you have a long weekend or a week, Belgium is hard to beat for density. You can sleep beside a Flemish canal on Monday, walk the beaches of the North Sea on Tuesday, and be in a forest valley in the Ardennes by Wednesday night. It is a good country for first-time campervan travellers, because roads are good, distances are short and there is no pressure to cover big mileage.

It is also a useful addition to a longer trip. Our guides to the Netherlands by campervan and France by campervan show how Belgium can fit between them.

Four routes to choose from

CampervanPlanet maps four Belgian itineraries, ranging from two to five days. Here is how we would use them.

Flemish Art Cities Loop (3–4 days)

Brussels, Ghent, Bruges and Antwerp are within an hour of each other. Brussels has the Grand-Place, Ghent has its medieval centre and castle, Bruges has canals and cobblestones, and Antwerp has diamonds, fashion and Rubens. Park at a campsite or a park-and-ride and use trains and trams in the cities.

North Sea Coast and the Kusttram (2–3 days)

The Belgian coast is about 65 km long and lined with beach towns, sand dunes and, running the whole length, the Kusttram, the world’s longest tram line. Park at Ostend or De Panne, and ride the tram up and down the coast. Fresh shrimp croquettes are the local snack.

The Ardennes (4–5 days)

The south of Belgium is hilly, forested and quiet. Rivers like the Meuse and the Semois cut through valleys, castles sit on hilltops, and caves such as Han-sur-Lesse are open to visitors. The Hautes Fagnes plateau is wild moorland. Bastogne has a museum and memorials to the Battle of the Bulge.

Flanders Fields (2–3 days)

This route covers the First World War battlefields near Ypres. The Menin Gate memorial holds a daily Last Post ceremony, and the Passchendaele museum and the cemeteries are moving and well presented.

Prices and seasons

CampervanPlanet lists four vehicle types in Belgium. The Budget Camper starts at €89/day, followed by classes at roughly €130 and €191, and the Family Motorhome at €221/day. Based on the November 2026 price index for a 7-night hire:

• July and August: peak season, around €178/day.
• May and September: the best deal, around €118/day.
• November to March: the low-cost window, around €99/day.

Belgium’s weather is changeable all year, so a wet day in July is not unusual. May, June and September are our favourites: long days, fewer crowds and lower prices. Winter has Christmas markets in Bruges, Ghent and Brussels, which are lovely, but days are short and campsites often close, so check availability. To compare against other countries, our campervan rental prices page shows the full list.

Low-emission zones, tunnels and other rules

Belgium is easy to drive in, but a few rules can cost money if you ignore them:

• Low-emission zones (LEZ). Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent operate permanent LEZs. CampervanPlanet notes that foreign plates need to be registered, so ask your rental company whether the vehicle is registered and whether the zone applies to the vehicle you choose. Fines can be high.
• Liefkenshoek tunnel. The tunnel near Antwerp charges a toll. Check the current rate and how to pay.
• Motorways. There are no general motorway tolls in Belgium, which makes road trips cheaper than in neighbouring France.
• Speed limits. Typically 120 km/h on motorways, 70 or 90 km/h on regional roads and 50 km/h in towns, with many zones at 30 km/h. Speed cameras are common.

Overnight parking in cities is restricted, so use campsites and motorhome areas. These are found in all regions, and many are near train stations or tram lines for easy trips into town.

Pick-up points and one-way options

With six pick-up points, Belgium is convenient for one-way trips. You could start in Brussels or Antwerp, loop through Flanders and the coast, and finish in Liège after the Ardennes. Not every offer allows one-way hire, and a fee may apply, so read the conditions on each CampervanPlanet offer. The page also notes that Belgium has the second-largest fleet in the region, and that it is a handy entry point from the Netherlands.

If you are travelling from the Netherlands or Germany, check whether the rental company allows crossing borders, and whether any extra insurance is needed. Border rules are among the most frequently misunderstood parts of a rental, so always read the terms.

Food, beer and rainy-day plans

Belgium is a country where the weather and the food are in an eternal contest. When it rains, as it will, the answer is a brewery, a chocolate workshop or a museum. Trappist beers, waffles, frites and moules-frites are famous. In the Ardennes, look for local sausages and cheeses. Supermarkets are good and well distributed, and market days in towns are a pleasure.

A few practical notes for the van: keep the gas topped up for cold days, carry a good rain jacket for each person, and keep a small stock of games or books. If you are new to the whole idea, our our campervan rental guide“>campervan rental guide explains the basics, and if you book through our link, code HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY20 takes €20 off at checkout.

Frequently asked questions