-Europe.Belgium.Brussels-
Getting There
Flew in to Brussels South Charleroi airport and had booked a prior shuttle bus service to make the journey to the city. It paid to pre-book the shuttle tickets as they costed 14 Euros each way and if you got them on the bus it costs 17 Euros. (valid at the time of posting) and the buses in general goes every half an hour. Here is the link for the shuttle bus to the city.
Where We Stayed
Due to the shuttle bus stops at the Brussels-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi the biggest rail station in Brussels and an early flight back , I decided to find lodging in the Midi area which proved to be very convenient for travelling to the city center in 4 minutes or taking the train out to Bruges or Ghent.
Language and Signs
Note: In Brussels most people speak French even though signages are quite multi-lingual French and Dutch , try not to get confused.
Parlez-vous français ? Non ? Then its a good thing that majority of the people here seems to understand and speak English!
Getting Around
We started out to the city from the Gare Du Midi Station – there are plenty of ticket machines around that says “Ticket & Abonnement” and depending on how many onward journeys you plan to make : To simplify here are 2 options, so you do the math for which to buy.
- Single fare – costs 2,10 Euros
- 24Hour – costs 7,50 Euros
Do note that the streets leading into the Grand Place are No Car Zones but those bicycles though….
Experience Brussels Center
In the city center within walking distances.
1. Mannekin-Pis (Metro Stop: Anneessens) is the oh so famous statue that is synonymous to Brussels that it is hard to bypass this attraction. It is a small fountain statue made of bronze . No prize for guessing where the water is coming from.. Lots of tourists around so you wont miss it. During special occasions they dress up the statue as it fits.
2. The next stop is The Grand Place just 2 blocks away , both the day and night view is really worth seeing. To get there , from the Mannekin-Pis statue , look for this tall structure and head on there.
There will be many chocolates and waffle shops to distract you along the way, be warned.
So depending on how distracted you were (even though forewarned) you are at the Grand Place! Ain’t it Grand ? In my opinion its at the top of the list of Grand Places.
During the day, the detailed architecture is plain to see and dont miss the sun shining on the buildings where they create a golden glow. By night they are lighted to another form of beauty, not to be missed either.
3. To the opposite side of Mannekin-Pis, there is also the Jeanneke-Pis , which is not as popular because its newer and there is not so much of legends or associations with it – but why not ? And what is this fascination anyway with peeing for the Belgians ??
4. If you like the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, there is a similar shopping mall from the 19th century – Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert , say it with a French accent for some oohlala.. There are also a lot of restaurants just off the Galeries to be checked out. I didnt try any of them because I had my sights on my Asian food list.
The mall houses in majority the most branded and exclusive chocolate shops I have ever seen. A chocolate bust, Designer chocolate dress and also Neuhaus where you find the very good and rich chocolate mousse. You could even mix and match the different chocolates and choose the topping. It is really worth to splurge on this one!
5. After all the caloried indulgence , take a 5 – minute stroll from the Galeries to St Michael & St Gudula Cathedral Tower.
6. Just off the Grand Place , in between the Town Hall and the Beer Brewery , there lies the monument of Everard ‘t Serclaes. It is believed to bring good luck to whomever rubs it , particularly the arms – so I did though I felt a bit like pulling an alleged Harvey Weinstein..
A few doors away, we tried the Belgian Waffles topped with Strawberries and Whipped Cream , which was in my opinion really good – but you have to ask for the Belgian Waffles which is bigger and less sweet and more expensive around 5 Euros but it is worth it.
7. Taking yet another exit off the Grand Place, you come to La Bourse de Bruxelles at the Placa de la Bourse. This is also where the Metro station which will bring home for a much deserved rest after a day out. 🙂
8.If you are a TinTin fan, then this is where the comic strip started: in Brussels, There is a museum as well as a boutique here. A comic mini map is available at the Tourist Information Centre to trace the wall-art around Brussels.
Food
After all that walking around , its chow time, and at the Place de la Bourse there are many many restaurants and since I was looking for Asian style cuisine at Rue Jules Van Praet, I found heaven , the entire street had Thai, Vietnamese, Indian Restaurants. Only problem was picking one!
Attractions Outside the Center
Other interesting sites further out in Brussels and not within walking distance are worth seeing. Hence its worth to invest in the 24 Hr Transport card for 7,50 Euros. The Atomium, Basilica of the Sacred Heart and the Cinquantenaire – locations North, South and West of the Grand Place can be reached with public transportation.
I have only seen The Atomium from the outside. Built in 1958, it recently got a facelift (Botox for buildings) and now shines anew. You can choose to go inside for a view from the restaurant above with some exhibition halls.
Cinquantenaire is a park which houses one of the biggest museums in Europe. Unfortunately I did not have time to visit them, although the grounds itself is impressive and not to mention picture-worthy. Check out the impressive arch..
The National Basilica of the Sacred Heart also known as the Koekelberg Basilica (indicating its location) is nothing short of impressive. The highly contrasting Colours reflected on a sunny day makes good photo shoots there.
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It looks like you had a great visit to Brussels. It’s so easy to get to and it’s so easy to explore the old central area with all the key attractions such as Mannekin Pis, the Grand Place and so much historical architecture. And I love snacking my way around too, so much to tempt! Good that you also got to outskirts and saw the Atomium, Cinquantenaire park, and the basilica.
Wow, transportation prices have gone up! I went to Brussels about 7 years ago and remember it being relatively cheap. I loved it! Especially the quirky statues and the delicious chocolate. Too bad I didn’t go to Cinquantenaire park, it looks gorgeous. Glad you had a great time!
Brussels is such an amazing place. This post is so informative and gives a complete guide about Brussels. Loved the concept of streets leading into the Grand Place are No Car Zones. This is such a great initiative and good that so many places can be explored by walking distance.
I’m sorry, but the peeing statues are so funny. I’d probably take a million photos with them just for laughs. That after dark views are simply stunning. I can’t imagine strolling along those streets with that twinkling backdrop. Also, I’d be in heaven with some yummy Thai food too. Adding this to my list. Thanks so much for sharing.
I love your warning about the many chocolate and waffle shops that could distract you. That’s a reality for me, ha! I love Brussels historic town hall and square. It screams gothic, which I love. This is great guide that you put together with the perfect mix of cultural hot spots and quick stops for eating. I’ll definitely check out the outer parts of the city next time when I have more time.
Will be going to Brussels in May so I’m definitely bookmarking this! Cinquantenaire park seems like a great place to spend some time. And of course I won’t be missing any of the waffle parlours!
Looks like you had a great trip to Brussels. As I went through the narration and the photographs, I too wondered what is with this obsession of belgians with ….and then I see that you too had expressed the same thought in your captions ..lol. Those waffles and the vibrant toppings on the mousse indeed looks very yummylious. The cathedrals and the architecture of the place is quite impressive!
you know what they say…. great minds think alike 😉
I really love the cities of Belgium. I have ever been to Brussels but it still looks so familiar. The cathedrals, the cobbled streets the city-plan.The piss-manequins are funny.
Brussels is on my list for the architecture, especially the grand palace, museum and the cathedrals. And of course, I want to indulge in the Belgian chocolates the waffles. What is with the pis mannequins, seriously? Thank you for sharing the local eateries and nearby walk-around tips.