Hello everyone. As promised, today there will be lots to do.Why? Because we’ve arrived in the city of Brussels!!

Brussels, the capital of Belgium, includes 19 municipalities and it is the place of some of the most important institutions, such as the European Commission. The language spoken in the city is French. Brussels is a great economic and cultural influence. Brussels has its own port on the Brussels-Scheldt Maritime Canal to the north of the city.

To know more (to eat, what to eat, where to have fun, acculturate…) continue to read.

We start to explore the city and learn about its history.

PLACES TO VISIT (MUSEUMS/THEATERS..)

 

• Grand Place: is the central square of the city, one of the world’s most beautiful and rich in history (for this reason it is a Unesco World Heritage Site). Surrounded by important monuments and the guild houses (some examples are Le Roi d’Espagne, House of the Corporation of Bakers, Le Cygne… each placed in different points of the square). Inside the square we can find the Town Hall, a Gothic masterpiece. The building has a beautiful tower (a bell tower), because of its majesty took the name of “Inimitable Tour”.  We can also find La Maison du Roi (a wooden building where once was sold the bread). The Grand Place is also the center where takes life the major festivities and cultural events, one of them is the feast of the Assumption of Mary. Every year, the weekend of August 15, takes place this festival that covers the square of an immense carpet of beautiful and colorful flowers.
• Royal Palace of Brussels: it is the residence of the king of Belgium, in French neo-baroque style. The building is open to the public on the occasion of the Belgian national holiday. The palace is located next to the Belvue Museum (museum focusing on the history of the Belgian monarchy).
  
•  Egmont Palace: The palace houses the minister of Belgian and it is located at the Petit Sablon Square.
  
•  Victor Hort homes: are a number of buildings designed by Victor Horta in the Art Nouveau style and are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Belgium. Horta planned every single detail, from the handles to the windows and also the floor. The Horta Museum is dedicated to the life and works of the artist.
• Cathédrale Saints-Michel-et-Gudule: it is the place of worship par excellence of Brussels, in Gothic style. Inside we can find the pulpit of Adam and Eve, the statues of the apostles,beautiful glass windows… a place rich of works of art.
• Chiesa di Notre-Dame du Sablon: a masterpiece in Gothic style and one of the most important buildings in Brussels.
• Saint-Jean-Baptiste-au-Béguinage: the most beautiful Baroque building in the city. Where is preserved pulpit of Truth.
• Eglise de Notre-Dame-de-la-Chapelle: church that marks the transition from romantic to gothic. It’s the church of the Polish community in the city.
• Basilique du Sacré-Cœur: the basilica is located in the town of Koekelberg. It is considered the sixth largest church in the world. The interior is made of terracotta and has some beautiful glass windows.
• Royal Library of Belgium: is one of the most important of the country’s cultural buildings. The library is located on the Mont des Arts. In it there are more than six million volumes. Often in this library take place some concerts in honor of the musical heritage.
• Magritte Museum: museum focuses on the Surrealist artist René Magritte. It is situated on the Place Royale and belongs to the Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium.
  
• Musées royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique: they are a category of major museums of Belgium. They are located in the area of ​​Coudenberg. Among the many museums there are: ancient art museum and art museum, Constantin Meunier Museum and the Antoine Wiertz Museum (dedicated to the history of Belgium). These museums houses paintings but also sculptures from different parts of the world and from different historical periods.
• Musée des instruments de musique (MIM): a museum that houses a vast collection of various musical instruments. It will also be possible to listen to the different sounds that the various instruments emit.
• Autoworld: museum dedicated to the vintage vehicles, including the limo belonged to the Belgian royal family. The museum is located to the south of the Parc du Cinquantenaire. In this park you will also find Musée royal de l’armée et de l’histoire militaire, dedicated to the military history of Belgium.
• Centre belge de la bande dessinée: the center of the comic. An unmissable occassion for all the comics lover. The museum is located at Rue des Sables/Zabelstraat 20. The center is also called by the people (don’t be afraid,you can pronounce it) cébébédé.
• Manneken Pis: a fountain, symbol of the city, which is representing a young that.. well.. is urinating (oh yes!). All this means the independence of mind of the inhabitants of Brussels.
  

Want you know the main theaters of the city? Let’s see them.

Théâtre de la Monnaie, Théâtre National, Cirque Royal, Théâtre Royal du Parc, Les Brigittines and Ancienne Belgique (concert hall).

 

ENTERTAINMENT (PUB/DISCO/PARKS…)

Also the time for fun has arrived.

• Located not at the center of the city but in a very green part, it is the Cinquantenaire park. Here you can admire the triumphal arch and visit the nearby museums.
• Heysel park of Brussels: here you will find the famous Atomium, a high structure that has 9 atoms in a crystal of iron (a reference to the science). It’s possible to climb to the top and enjoy the landscape. Next to this complex there is the Mini-Europe park that will offer a pleasant trip around the mini Europe in a few hours, see to believe!
  
• Brussels Park o Bois de la Cambre (Brussels public park).
• Océade: water park, number one in Belgium.
• Tour Japonaise Garden: Japanese-style gardens. An ideal place to enjoy your hours in total relax.
• Walibi Belgium: amusement park.
• Let Me Out:  escape game.
• Patinoire du Poseidon: ice rink.
• Heysel: stadium.
• Ric’s Art Boat e Ric’s River Boat: are two boats in which are organized cultural events.
•  Halle Gate: it is open to public. It is a medieval fortified and is part of the category Royal Museums of Art and History.
• Tour du Midi:  is the Brussels skyscraper and is the tallest building in the country.
• For those who like to get lost among the narrow streets filled with shops, Avenue Louise and Boulevard de Waterloo are the places par excellence for luxury shopping. Here, in fact, you’ll find the big international designers but also young and emerging designers. Rue Dansaert, Rue du Bailly, Place du Chatelain, the Place Brugmann, Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert are also popular and Rue Neuve as well. Here you will find shops, galleries, shopping centers … have fun!

If you are interested in a busy night, here are the right places for you.

• Fuse: disco.
• Le you: disco.
• Le Mirano: disco.
• Le Wood: disco.
• L’Archiduc o anche The Music Village: jazz club/cafè.
• Che habana cafe: cafè.
• Delirium: cafè.
• The Big Game: cafè.
• Poechenellekelder: alehouse.
• Le Coq: cafè in the city center.
• Rue de l’Ecuyère and Rue Fossé aux Loups, Grand-Place and also the Saint-Géry/Dansaert district. These are the most popular places of Brussels to fully enjoy the night in the city. We just wish you a “good night” full of fun!

 

TYPICAL FOODS

Who is ready to know about the typical dishes of Brussels? Let’s go to enjoy them!

As we know, the Belgian cuisine is influenced by French cuisine but also by the German cuisine and Brussels is the place where we can find this aspect. Many and various are the dishes that can be found in the city and it encloses also all foods that we already known in Gent, Brugge, Namur…. However, Brussels also has its dishes par excellence. These include: fries, the moules frites (mussels with French fries), the waffles, the famous Belgian chocolate (examples of this are the Neuhaus, Leonidas and Godiva , the well known brands), the famous Brussels sprouts and many local beers (as Kriek beer with cherry juice).

 

WHERE TO EAT(RESTAURANTS/CAFE’..)

Now we just have to find out where to take a break.

• Le Wine Bar des Marolles: wine bar with French, Belgian, European cusine.
  
• Green Mango: steakhouse, barbecue with European, American cusine.
• Moeder Lambic: pub with Belgian and European cuisine.
• Fin de Siecle: French, Belgian, European cuisine.
  
• Bon-bon: typical French cuisine.
• Peck 47: international, healthy, vegetarian cuisine.
  
• Pasta Divina: Italian cuisine.
• C’Est Bon C’Est Belge Le Cellier: typical Belgian cuisine.
• Noordzee Mer du Nord: Belgian, European cusine.
  
• Tonton Garby: perfect for a sandwich  and fresh fruit.
• Exki: fast food and vegetarian cuisine.
• Fritland: fast food with European and Belgian cuisine.
• Kaffabar
• Chocolatier Elisabeth
• Eight and Three.

In the Grand-Place, in particular, you can find all typical local products (including food).

 

This, unfortunately, was the last city of Belgium (even here, as in other regions, we’ve left a little piece of our hearts!), but other new adventures are waiting for us. Do you have some idea of where we are heading?? Stay tuned to find out.

Let us know your opinions about this place. If you liked it or not, if you’ve been there or you’re going to go there? What do you like least and what more? We are curious to read your opinions.

A big kiss to everyone.

 

We will suggest below some hotels in the city, to enjoy your stay in Brussels.

http://www.booking.com/searchresults.html?iata=BRU&aid=960457 – hotel close to the airport

http://www.booking.com/searchresults.html?city=-1955538&aid=960457 – hotel near the city center

http://www.booking.com/searchresults.html?district=2307&aid=960457 – hotel in the city center

Booking.com