To begin your Brussels trips, there is no better place to start but the City Centre, which is what I did, for two reasons. I arrived by train and my hotel was three minutes from the station pretty much overlooking the City Centre.
I didn’t waste time looking for the place either.
And it seemed that the whole of Brussels was gathered there, huddling in the cold. It was also the season of Christmas. The first thing I noticed was the giant Christmas tree dominating everything in the Centre.
Grote Markt (Grand Place)
I haven’t met anyone who wasn’t impressed by the grandeur of this UNESCO-certified Grote Markt. I suppose that no matter how often you see it, the Grand Place will excite you. There might be a few neglected and dirty corners, but I urge you to ignore that for a moment and immerse yourself in what the city has to offer. The Grand Place is over 300 years old and too gorgeous to miss.
At certain times of the year, you’ll find a few different events, markets and art installations. While you are here, visit the Brussels City Museum and the Town Hall, both of which are on the Square.
The top floor of the museum is dedicated to the UNESCO site, its certification process, and the ongoing preservation efforts. The museum also showcases the original 15th century Manneken Pis. The statue was often vandalized, decapitated, and kidnapped – and hence moved to a safer place in the museum.
Here is a tip – The City Museum, as well as Manneken Pis wardrobe and Fashion Museum is free to enter on the first Sunday every month. Plan your visit accordingly.
After this, a short walk brought me to the current 2 ft tall Manneken Pis overrun with tourists trying to snap a picture of the urinating boy. It is, as far as I am concerned, a crime to say that Manneken Pis is its most famous attraction – because, well, why?
Next, I head to the more elegant representation of Brussels – the Galeries Royales Saint Hubert (Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert) and I am completely blown away by the glass roofed arcade with cafes, luxury-stores, theatres and the high-end atmosphere. At 210 meters long and 8 meters wide, there is enough space to linger on without bothering anyone. I am not surprised to learn that annually, over six million visitors enjoy this exquisite passage, built and designed by Jean-Pierre Cluysenaar.
A Cluysenaar’s masterpiece, the arcade opened in June 1847, soon after Belgium became independent. It is also Europe’s oldest shopping arcade and was modelled after the Parisian passageways.
Wandering around central Brussels, I came across many references to Tintin. If this is what excites you, join a comic strip walk and find all the Tintin murals (although you can easily do it yourself.) For one of the most famous, head to Rue de l_Etuve, where you’ll easily spot the famous Belgian detective.
Personally, I’d have preferred to find another famous Belgian detective here – Hercule Poirot. Alas, that was not to be.
Brussels City Centre offers great shopping too – pricey, of course, but considering it was the festive season, everything was so brightly lit giving off the feeling of oncoming festivities – which naturally meant food stalls and another European favourite drink – the hot wine. The one thing I noticed straight away was the number of people doing this – eating waffles, chocolates and fries (or frites) and drinking hot wine. Not to mention the Belgian beer. This added to the charm of being in this city otherwise considered to be boring and grey. I did my fair share of indulging in that age-old tradition too.
While you are here, don’t miss out visiting the Notre Dame du Finistrere (Church of our Lady of Finistere), an old church located on the Rue Nueve with a history dating back to the 15th century. Although expanded and rebuild over the years, it still stands there as a testimony of time and patience and beauty. Inside the church, you will see the nave with its impressive white marble columns, dark wooden panels and murals.
Another curious sculpture that tourists find interesting is that of Jeanneke Pis (Belgians do have a dark sense of humour I think), depicting a naked little girl in pigtails urinating. The idea behind this sculpture was to ‘restore gender equality.’ It worked.
The Atomium Brussels
The next morning, I head to one of the city’s most famous landmark – The Atomium. To get there on the metro, I did have to change trains which was no problem at all, seeing that Brussels does have a very efficient transportation system.
The 102m tall landmark is synonymous with Brussels. Its 9 spheres, each 18 meters in diameter, are home to an exhibition about the Expo 1958. The space serves as an events location, museum and art center. I really enjoyed my visit and learnt about Expo 58 as well as the construction of the Atomium. It is an interesting creation and like most Expo sites, this one too has been sadly neglected. It does feel slightly abandoned although there are a few shopping centers around that makes it a little alive. I didn’t notice very many tourists that morning either.
There is another thing Brussels is known for – that is, being the cradle of “Art Nouveau”. The city was a playground for several architects (it is also the home of Victor Horta) and has over 1000 well-preserved buildings, hotels and cafes. When strolling around the city it is hard to miss the art nouveau facades and if this is what captivates you, visit the Hotel Tassel considered to be the first Art Nouveau house in Brussels.
Expectations Proven False
Contrary to what people say about Brussels being dull and boring and cold, I did have a great time here. I did come prepared to meet walls of silence and indifference and was surprised to find it was not at all like that. In fact, I experienced a level of openness and friendliness during my entire time. Everyone I met (I’d like to add here that Brussels is now filled with immigrants) wanted to know of my life, exchange travel stories, offer theirs and tell me about their city with pride.
TOP TIPS
- Explore the streets of Brussels while doing a little scavenger hunt.
- Some buildings are called ‘maison’ and some ‘hotel.’ Maisons are residential buildings, often as part of a row. Hotels are grand townhouses and, in the past, free-standing with a garden in the back.
- Always look up. The real Brussels happens from the first floor upwards!
More about Brussels?
- You often must shop around to get the best deals.
- Be careful when you travel on the metro. Fare evaders are common and will squeeze through the turnstile with you.
- The old trams are very narrow, so be careful when entering and embarking. It is not always clear, how to open doors in the old trams.
- Brussels and WiFi are incompatible. All WiFi networks require a password and log in details. Usually even if you do register or have WiFi details it is still a lucky game if you can get on the network. In most cases you won’t.
- Train Travel is moderately priced. Ticket prices depends on the time of the day.
- French and Flemish (Dutch variant) are the official languages in Brussels but most people speak English. Belgians have been very helpful and friendly.
Get out of Brussels –
Antwerp: If you have a day to spare, head to the lively city of Antwerp. It can easily be done in a day – or longer. Antwerp is an affluent merchant city, and you can get a glimpse of this right at the station. It is iconic! Known for its Diamond trade, this dynamic city has many activities and interesting museums and a cathedral towering above everything else in the city. Plenty of trains going to Antwerp from Brussels and it takes about 45 minutes to get there.
