Yay - the ratings are back! Now showing on the left hand side of the review page. I've never known ...
Yay - the ratings are back! Now showing on the left hand side of the review page. I've never known the site to be so quiet - not that it's hard to work out why :o(
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Although Brussels is the capital of Europe, it's often overlooked as a city break location due to it being sandwiched between its more famous neighbours, Paris and Amsterdam. Having lived and worked in Brussels for a year as a student, I have a rather fond regard for the place. I'll freely admit that it has not got as many well known attractions nor the je ne sais quoi of Paris. Indeed, neither has it got the same canal like prettiness or red light risquéness of Amsterdam. However, Brussels has a quaint charm all of its own, superb architecture and buildings, and let's not forget all that gorgeous chocolate and beer.
***SPEAKING THEIR LANGUAGE*** Belgium has a population of 11 million people split between Flanders in the North (where they speak Flemish) and Wallonia in the south (where they speak French). Although Brussels is technically in Flanders, it is dominated by French speakers. There is also a tiny German speaking section to the north-east of Belgium.
We call it Brussels, the French call is Bruxelles and it's Brussel in Flemish, so you'd think this city would be suffering from an identity crisis. Not at all, Brussels is a truly multi-lingual city. All the street signs and most other signage are in French and Flemish (with the French at the top).
On the whole, I think that Brussels is an extremely friendly and welcoming place. A huge number of its residents speak not only French and Flemish but have a superb command of English (and sometimes German) too. To be frank their grasp of language made me ashamed to speak only English and French. Belgians are on the whole extremely helpful and polite and make a point of warmly shaking your hand upon meeting you.
***MAIN ATTRACTIONS*** Brussels is full of picturesque squares, delightful green spaces and stunning architecture. Many of the streets are cobbled and surrounded by buildings with beautiful Art Deco facades. It's a place to wander and appreciate, sit in a quiet square and drink in the atmosphere. I'm not going to go into exhaustive detail on all the places to visit and things to do. Instead, I shall just mention the three most famous and well known attractions of Brussels. But please bear in mind there is a lot more to do and see in Brussels.
*GRAND PLACE/GROTE MARKT * This is the best place to start your sightseeing in Brussels. It's set in the heart of the city and is an excellent base from which to familiarize yourself with Brussels. The Grand Place is an enormous open air cobble stone market square surrounded by beautiful Baroque and Gothic guildhalls and buildings. As it has been for many centuries, The Grand Place is still a focal point for Brussels today, with many colourful ceremonies, festivals and events taking place there throughout the year. There is always a flower market there (and a bird one every Sunday), and it's always full
of life and vibrancy, not to mention tourists with cameras.
The square is surrounded by lace and chocolate shops, which are well worth a browse. However, the cafés and restaurants may be an excellent place to stop and watch the world go by, but be warned, they are not cheap. It's better to take a walk into one of the quieter backstreets and buy your refreshments there.
*MANNEKEN PIS* Just a short walk away from the Grand Place, is the well known ironic statue/fountain of Manneken Pis. It's free to view, but not worth a long visit. When you first view it, you really cannot believe how very small it is, being only 30cm high. For those of you unfamiliar with the name, you will recognize the description - it's the statue of a bronze boy taking a leak in the street. If you are lucky, you may get to see the boy dressed in one of his numerous costumes, as he is dressed up in a different one every couple of weeks or so. The Belgians take dressing their statue very seriously, and many foreign dignitaries and celebrities have given the statue costumes. As he now has a wardrobe of more than 250 outfits, you can go and view them in the nearby Musée Communal for €5.00.
Nearby are various shops selling the usual tat and all manner of plastic and metal Manneken Pis replicas. Best to avoid buying one of these for your mantelpiece if you have any taste at all!
*ATOMIUM* The Atomium is that instantly recognizable silver modern looking landmark just outside of the city. It was built for the 1958 World Fair and is supposed to resemble an iron molecule. It's a bit dated and tatty inside, but it does stage various different changing science based exhibitions if that is of interest to you. It costs €6.00 to get in. Be warned it's fair old trek out to Heysel by metro, where the Atomium is located, and I would not consider it worth adding to a Brussels itinerary if your stay in Brussels is limited. Heysel is also home to the football stadium that was the scene of the riot in 1985 (which led to the deaths of 39 Italian fans and a ban on English clubs in Europe).
Worth a brief mention are the museums that throng the city. The Museum of Ancient and Modern Art is superb as it is laid out over eight floors and contains art and sculpture from throughout the centuries with works by Rubens, Picasso and Dali to name but a few. Entry is around €5.00. The Cartoon Strip Museum (Centre Belge de la Bande Desinée) is another interesting venue, with lots of examples of the Belgian comic strip Tintin, as well as others. Entry to this museum is €6.25.
***GETTING AROUND BRUSSELS*** There is a huge and wide-spread network of public transport made up of trams, buses and metro. You can buy tickets from the driver of the tram or the bus, or from booths in the underground metro stations. Trams, buses and the metro are all extremely frequent, the city network coverage is superb and they are simple and easy to use. The same ticket (costing €1.50) can be used during one hour on any of the buses, trams or metro. You can also buy day cards (€3.80), 10-ride tickets (€10.00) or 5-ride tickets (€6.50). All tickets have to be validated in the orange control boxes inside the vehicle or at the entrance to the metro.
Taxis are best avoided on the whole as they are not only expensive (they're metered) but the ride can be rather erratic and the drivers somewhat aggressive. As a rough guide the cost of a taxi ride from the airport is approximately €30.00
Similarly, getting out of Brussels by train in is really simple. The train is a great way to appreciate the surrounding countryside and architecture of Belgium as well as other countries. Brussels has three main train stations (North, Central, Midi), and its only a short hop to see some of the other nicer Belgium cities like Antwerp (€11.60 takes 35 minutes), Bruges (€22.60 takes 1 hour) or Ghent (€14.20 takes 40 minutes). Another great thing about being in Brussels is how very close you are to other European countries. When I lived there, I used the train to hop over to Germany for visits to both Dusseldorf and Cologne (takes 2 hours), as well as into Amsterdam (€42.50 takes under 3 hours). I didn't make to Paris, but that's only 3 hours away as well (costs approximately €50.00).
***CURRENCY & SHOPPING*** The currency here is of course the Euro. Credit cards are widely accepted in all the shops and restaurants so you don't need to have pockets full of cash.
Avenue Louise is home to all the designer boutiques and more expensive shops. It has various undercover arcades which are great for window shopping but rather expensive to browse in. This was the area in which I had my studio flat when I lived in Brussels; whilst it was nice and quiet, it wasn't exactly ideal for popping out to buy a litre of lait. Yves St Laurent, Gucci, Cartier and Valentino don't do bread or tea bags….
Nearby, is Place du Sablon which is a delightful square surrounded by expensive looking antique shops. I used to walk through this square every morning on my way into work, when I was not being lazy and hopping on a tram or bus. There is an open air antiques market held in the square every Saturday and Sunday, and it has a lovely olde worlde atmosphere.
For more recognisable shops try the Rue Neuve which is Brussel's main pedestrianised shopping zone, it stretches for a good mile or so on both sides of the street.
Recommended buys in Brussels are of course wonderful Belgian chocolates (more later), Belgian beer and beautiful Brussels hand made lace. The best lace shops seem to be located in or around The Grand Place, and you can venture into some of them and
Pictures of Brussels in general
The Grand Place
watch the lace makers at work.***PUBLIC CONVENIENCES*** Be warned that there are not that many public toilets in Brussels (but there is usually one to be found in the train or some metro stations). If you are caught short whilst out and about, do be aware that using any public convenience is not free. There is usually some Hagrid like looking crone guarding the portals to the toilets with an outstretched hand, and damp smelly cloth to buff the seat before you enter. Expect to pay around €0.50 per visit, so it's best to carry some small change on you at all times. Sometimes you may even be expected to pay when you use the toilets in a café you're drinking your beer in…. but I hasten to add, it's not the majority of them...
***FOOD*** You'll be spoilt for choice with eating out in Brussels. The best known areas to dine in are just behind The Grand Place in Rue des Bouchers and Rue du Marché aux Herbes. Both streets are simply filled with restaurants. Quieter and more popular with the locals is Place St. Catherine. Look out for the wondrous seafood displays in all these streets - they are like mini works of art.
Most restaurants have undercover seating with large banks of patio heaters, which means you can eat out on the street for most of the year. Prices are about the same as in UK, but as a rough guide expect to pay €25.00 to €30.00 for a decent meal in a good restaurant. Service is included in the bill in all the restaurants, so tipping is not obligatory but at your discretion.
I highly recommend the moules frites (mussels and chips), it sounds like a strange combination but it really works. The mussels are cooked in white wine and served with a huge pile of chips. Delicious. For dessert, no trip to Belgium would be complete without sampling a waffle (gaufres). Other popular dishes are Filet Américain (raw minced beef, prepared at your table, also known as Steak Tartare) and Gentse Waterzooi (creamy chicken stew). Chips are often eaten on their own, but don't forget the mayonnaise to dip them in.
And of course, don't forget those wonderful Belgian chocolates. Every street corner in Brussels seems to have a Leonidas chocolate store. More upmarket chocolatiers are Godiva and Neuhaus, and they are worth a peep purely for the sumptuousness of their window displays. Most chocolate shops always seem to be thronged with Belgians pointing out their favourite pralines or truffles to the assistant behind the counter, as they make their weekend selection. The most popular chocolate on offer in Belgium is the praline, with various variations being nougatine (crunchy nuts/toffee), caraque (plain chocolate), gianduja (hazelnut paste) and crème fraiche or whipped cream filled chocolates. Expect to pay around €12.50 or so for a 500g ballotin of chocolates.
***DRINK*** You cannot go to Belgium or Brussels without sampling the beer - it's almost illegal. Belgium produces a staggering array of around 500 to 600 different brews. Belgium's history of beer making is allegedly due to the patron saint of brewers, St Arnold, who recommended drinking beer to prevent the plague back in the Middle Ages. Belgian beer is best savoured and not guzzled, otherwise you will fail to appreciate the individual flavours. The most famous brands of Belgian beer are Stella Artois, Jupiler, Duvel, Chimay, Orval, Achel, Hoegaarden and Rochefort. There are dark brown heady ales through to blonde lighter ones and less well known white beers (bière blanche or witbier).
One of the most revered beers in Belgium is lambic (lambiek), which is a fermented dark brown brew which can be stored for up to 3 years before drinking. There are some delicious and unusual fruit versions available in this brew using cherries (Kriek) or with raspberries (Framboise). No visit to Brussels (or Belgium) is complete without whiling away a few hours in a café sampling their brews. A lot of beers come served in their own specially designed glasses, which does tend to add to the whole experience. As a rough guide you'll pay anything from €1.50 up to €3.50 for a glass of beer, depending on the venue.
***A DAY TRIP AWAY FROM BRUSSELS***
*ANTWERP* Situated only 35 minutes from Brussels, Antwerp is the second largest city of Belgium. Antwerp is the diamond centre of the world and the diamond district (near the station) is well worth a visit. Architecturally, Antwerp is not as pretty as Brussels, Ghent and Bruges as it suffered terrible bombing during World War II. However, if you are a lover of art then there are many of Rubens' works on display as he lived in the city during the early 17th century.
*BRUGES* Only an hour away by train from Brussels and well worth a day out. Bruges is a truly lovely town full of wonderful medieval architecture and an enchanting canal. Start in the Market Square and take a leisurely walk around the town; it's small and compact enough not to need a car. Highly recommended is the canal trip around the medieval walls of the city.
*GHENT* Ghent is only 40 minutes from Brussels and another town full of medieval architecture, canals and history. The views in Ghent are stunning due to the three medieval steeples of the Belfry, St Nicholas's Church, and St Bavo's Cathedral. Although landlocked, Ghent is famous for its seafood (found on most restaurant menus, and well worth a try).
***WHEN TO GO AND WHERE TO STAY*** Weatherwise there is not really much I can say here other than it is remarkably similar to ours. It rains just as much in Belgium as it does in Blighty. The warmest months are in July and August but many arts venues such as theatres and the opera close during this period.
Like all capital cities, Brussels is chock full of accommodation to suit every budget. So many of the hotels in Brussels cater for corporate clients and EU personnel that prices can be dramatically reduced (anything from 30% to 50%) for those looking for weekend accommodation. Similarly there are some superb accommodation bargains are to be had in the summer months, especially from May to September (and particularly in July and August). So many of the Eurocrats are away on holiday, or businesses have closed up temporarily, that the hotel trade goes so very quiet. Walking into a hotel and asking for their best price may result in a substantial reduction from the "rack rates" quoted on their official tariff, website or over the telephone. A good website to source the various different types and star ratings of accommodation available in Brussels can be found at http://www.hotels-belgium.com.
***CONCLUSION*** Brussels is a city to wind down in. There isn't a frantic pace of life here, so it may be boring for those looking for the non-stop action of Amsterdam or the 101 familiar sights of Paris. So many of the attractions of Brussels are free to look at that it is a city to savour and appreciate whilst wandering around. It doesn't really feel like a city, more like a big friendly town. It's a great place to take some time out, sit in a café with a huge bowl of moules frites, a cold beer and watch the world go by. It has a quaint and unique charm all of its own. Recommended.
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Advantages: Cheap, plenty of bars, good selection of resteraunts, historic city Disadvantages: Students, busy main street, not ideal for tourism (yet).
sibod 26.10.2006 ·
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