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More exciting than Bruges, whilst less cliché than Paris, Brussels should be the city-trip destination of choice more often. The Belgian capital is small enough to be explored in just a couple of days but the bars, food, shopping, parks and architecture will leave you tempted to extend your trip.
First thing’s first, how to get to Brussels?
Eurostar run trains from London St Pancras to Brussels’ Gare du Midi. The journey can be done in under two hours and return tickets cost as little as €50. Flying would be another easy option. Flybe, bmi, SN Brussels and Ryanair have flights to Brussels departing from airports all over the UK. Ryanair flights land at Charleroi airport (which Ryanair refer to as ‘Brussels South’), which is an hour away from Brussels. Buses do run from Charleroi to Brussels’ Gare du Midi and singles are available for €13. The other airlines fly to Brussels National airport, which is a 15 minute car journey from the city.
Once you’re there, you’ll need somewhere to stay:
There are two great locations for hotels/hostels if this is your first visit to Brussels and you want to see the main sites. The downtown area, situated all around the city’s famous square, the ‘Grand Place’, is full of places to stay. You’ll find the usual Ibis hotels but there are also hostels if you fancy a cheaper option. The best deals for hotels and hostels tend to be found online such as at www.hostelworld.com
Another great area to stay in, although it will probably cost you more, is uptown, from the Sablon to the Avenue Louise. This part of town is teeming with designer shops but also offers quirky cafes, restaurants and mouth-watering chocolate shops.
And after dumping your bags?
The Grand Place and Manneken Pis will probably be the first things you’ll want to go and see. The square, lined with guildhalls and the 14th century town hall, is the most important tourist site in the city. As for the little statue of the boy peeing, well, it’s a great photo opportunity (and if you’re lucky, you might see him dressed up!).
If the weather isn’t holding up, walk around the Magritte museum for some Belgian surrealist artwork. The royal palace and the EU institution buildings are also worth visiting. The EU Parliament building is particularly impressive.
Food in Brussels tends to be delicious and value for money. Mussels and chips is, of course, the specialty and “Chez Vincent” do some great ones. Steaks and other fish dishes are also on offer here if shellfish isn’t your thing. The perfect sweet treat would have to be waffles. Avoid the shops selling them just off the Grand Place and look for vans or shops, which cook the dough to order. As for chocolate, the shops lining the ‘Sablon’ offer the crème de la crème of Belgian chocolates. ‘Pierre Marcolini’ and ‘Passion Chocolat’ (who have provided chocolates for the Belgian Royal family) are the ones to look out for.
If you fancy stopping for a drink, head for ‘Delirium’, the bar has a menu of over 2000 beers. It’s touristy but it is also very frequented by Belgians. If you want something stronger than beer, the absinthe bar ‘Floris’ is right opposite Delirium. Keep walking down the alley where the bars are located and you’ll come across Janneke, the female equivalent of the Manneken Pis. Finally, the ‘St Géry’ area is another great place for a drink. The streets here are lined with bars with a great atmosphere and tables and chairs to drink outside.
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