Belgians don't like to talk about their income or politics, but they love to talk about beer and chocolates.
The Flanders-Wallonia question and the high number of separatist and extreme-right votes in Flanders are controversial topics.
Most people enjoy helping tourists, and a lot of people speak, apart from Dutch, also English, French or German (especially the students). Don't hesitate to ask locals if you have a question.
Throwing garbage or gum on the street is frowned upon - don't be surprised if someone talks to you if you do. You'll soon notice Leuven is a very clean city and locals respect this and try to keep it this way. Use the many bins.
Giving tips shows that you were content with the service given, but you are certainly not obliged to do so. It is sometimes done in bars and restaurants. Depending on the total, a tip of €0,50 to €2,50 is considered generous.
Leuven is a student city, and therefore has had a history of minor vandalism (garbage being thrown around, throwing beer cans) and public drunkenness. Lately, this situation has improved when talks between locals, student organizations and police were installed. Stewards now keep things organized and make sure the party is kept inside instead of in the streets. It is therefore advisable to keep a low profile in the streets at night, as police and stewards will act.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Leuven
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Leuven - updated May 2024
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Leuven Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
