Belgium as a medical destination

Belgium is at the forefront of medical tourism and is one of the major European countries encouraging overseas private patients. There is high quality of treatment within the Belgian healthcare system and it has the lowest post-operative infection rates in Europe. Hospitals have the latest equipment. Virtually all medical staff speak English.

Belgium, the country

The Kingdom of Belgium is a country in northwest Europe bordered by the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg and France and is one of the founding and core members of the European Union. Belgium has a population of over ten million people.

Straddling the cultural boundary between Germanic and Romance Europe, Belgium is linguistically divided. It has two main languages: Dutch and French.

From the end of the Middle Ages until the seventeenth century, Belgium was a prosperous centre of commerce and culture. From the sixteenth century until the Belgian revolution in 1830, it was the site of many battles between the European powers, and has been dubbed "the battlefield of Europe". More recently, Belgium was a founding member of the European Union, hosting its headquarters, as well as those of many other major international organizations, such as NATO.

One cannot understand Belgian cultural life without considering the folk festivals, which play a major role in the country's cultural life. Examples are the Carnival of Binche and Aalst, the Ducasse of Ath, the procession of the Holy Blood in Bruges, the 15th-of-August festival in Liège, and the Walloon festival in Namur. A major non-official holiday is the Saint Nicholas Day, which commemorates the festival of the children.

Belgium is well known for its cuisine. Many highly ranked restaurants can be found in the high-impact gastronomic guides, such as the Michelin Guide. Brands of Belgian chocolate, like Neuhaus, Godiva, and Leonidas are world renowned and widely sold. Belgium produces over 500 varieties of beer, which includes the very popular Stella Artois, Leffe and Duvel. Belgians have a reputation for loving waffles and french fries (both originate from Belgium). The national food is steak (or mussels) with french fries and lettuce.

About Ghent

Much of the city's medieval architecture remains intact and is remarkably well preserved and restored. Its center is the largest carfree area in Belgium. Ghent established a nice blend between comfort of living and history – it is not a city-museum. The city of Ghent houses also three béguinages and numerous churches, among which the Saint-Jacobs church and the Saint-Nicolas Church are the most beautiful examples. There is an opera house and a few theatres. Highlights of modern architecture are the university buildings (the Boekentoren or Book Tower) by Henry Van de Velde.
The beguinages, as well as the belfry and adjacent cloth hall, were recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites in 1998 and 1999.

As most Belgian cities, Ghent offers a rich variety of local and foreign cuisine. Especially the quarter called "Patershol" has a concentration of restaurants.

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