Playing sports in Brussels
On any day of the week, Brussels is full of people participating in their favorite sports, and there are loads of clubs and classes for you to join around the capital. While the most popular sports in Belgium are undoubtedly cycling and football, everything from tennis and golf to scuba diving and rock climbing is for you to try out. Whether you're just starting in a sport or looking for a competitive team to join, here's an overview of Brussels's sports activities.
One aspect of society that benefits from Belgian bureaucracy is its sports associations, clubs, and facilities, which are well organized nationwide. With football, for instance, there is a very well-run system of teams and leagues that play around Brussels and beyond every weekend. If you're not sure where to begin and you're new in Brussels, then there are two sporting bodies that you can turn to look up classes, facilities, or teams in your area. For French speakers, ADEPS has a database of them for you to look through, and it also runs three sports centers in Brussels. For Dutch speakers, it is the VGC, and on their database, you can find anything from skate parks and hockey pitches to athletics fields and climbing walls.
Football in Belgium
Belgium is renowned worldwide for its fantastic football players who ply their trade in the top leagues around Europe. The national team, or the Red Devils as commonly known, is one of the few things that unite Belgians from Brussels, Flanders, and Wallonia. The whole country, therefore, celebrates when they are doing well. As a newcomer to the city, there are loads of men's and women's football teams scattered around the capital for you to join, and it is a great way to integrate and make new friends in Brussels. While some teams take things seriously and have regular training sessions, others are more laid back and casual. Every type of football game imaginable in the capital is on offer, with futsal, five-a-side, and mixed indoor leagues all taking place. Teams generally have a mix of nationalities, with Belgians and internationals playing side-by-side.
Cycling in Belgium
Belgians love their cycling, and every weekend, you'll see groups of colorfully clad cyclists whizzing their way around the countryside surrounding Brussels. While Brussels is surprisingly hilly for such a flat country, the woods and fields outside make perfect cycling conditions, and trails and paths are well-signposted. You can either head off into the wild and explore Brussels' surroundings at your own pace or join one of the numerous cycling clubs that venture forth every weekend. These are usually quite friendly, and cycle routes often conveniently have a bar stop included at around the halfway point. In Brussels, most people only take their bikes to get from one place to another, preferring to head out of the city if they want a scenic bike ride.
Jogging in Belgium
As such, jogging is one of the main ways that people stay fit in the city, and at any of its parks, you'll find lots of people happily running about. Parc du Cinquantenaire, for instance, is full of joggers, as is Parc Royale, and you'll also often see people running along the pavements, dodging pedestrians as they go. Several running events have been organized in the city over the year, with the Brussels Marathon and the Brussels 20K being the most popular.
Gyms in Belgium
There are loads of gyms scattered about Brussels, and monthly subscriptions vary substantially depending on what type of gym you attend and if you decide to take any classes. A gym membership in Brussels could cost as little as 20 euros, although the most expensive ones could cost up to 100 euros, depending on whether you decide to take them up on the various options. One of Brussels's cheapest and, therefore, most crowded gyms is the Basic-Fit chain, which operates in many different communes.
Swimming pools in Belgium
Although there are quite a few private pools located in various communes around the city, Brussels doesn't have that much in the way of public pools with only the ones at Bains du Centre, Laeken, and Neder-Over-Heembeek being open to the public, the majority of the time. Others have very limited schedules, which make it quite difficult for the general public to visit, and if you do, you're likely to find the swimming lanes very crowded.
Sports for children in Belgium
As aforementioned, Belgium is very well organized in sports, so you'll find many different classes and activities for children of all ages. Whether it is ballet, football, table tennis, or martial arts, there will be something for your children not too far from where you live. In the summer, it is customary for parents to sign their kids up for a week-long 'camp'; these can be anything from language courses to playing a particular sport or doing arts and crafts. These stages allow your children to make friends from other schools, have fun, and develop their skills.
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