As Whit Monday is the last day of a long weekend for many, the restrictions in force during the ongoing pandemic are leading to many businesses operating on a different schedule today.
As with other public holidays, public and administration services, such as postal services, will not operate today, and neither will banks.
Belgium’s national railway service, SNCB, as well as bus service De Lijn and Brussels public transport STIB, will continue to operate, but will follow the Sunday service schedule.
Public transport users are invited to plan their journey via their transport company’s website or mobile application.
Bars, restaurants and cafés can stay open if they want to, but clients are only allowed to take place on the terrace. With rainy weather predicted, however, it is possible that many will not remain open.
Under the current rules, terraces can be open 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM, with a maximum of four people per table allowed. Households consisting of more than four people may also share a table.
As for supermarkets, most Carrefour shops will be open on Monday, as well as some of Delhaize’s smaller Shop’n’Go markets, but Aldi, Lidl and Colruyt stores will be closed.
The current shopping rules state that "fun shopping" is not yet the intention, but two people belonging to the same household can go into stores together, staying for a maximum of 30 minutes.
Many shopping malls and retail shops across the country, such as City 2 will be shut, but Docks Bruxsel remains open today.
Most other stores on the Rue Neuve in Brussels, will also close their doors on Monday. For small independent shops, it’s on a case-by-case basis: they are free to open or not.
While many museums, such as the Museum of the City of Brussels, and the MIMA, stay closed on Whit Monday, others such as the Art & History Museum will receive visitors. Tickets will have to be bought online and in advance, to comply with the coronavirus measures.
Public parks will stay open as well, but the coronavirus measures prohibit gatherings with more than ten people.
More information on what Whit Monday is, and how it is celebrated in Belgium, can be found here.
