I’m still a little surprised that it took me 35 years to first visit Brussels. I love Western Europe and have spent a significant portion of my life learning more about the people and culture that make the region so much fun to visit and yet Brussels was still a mystery to me. As soon as I started exploring the capital of Belgium though, I knew that I was in love. As with so many great destinations, it’s hard to explain why they’re special, but here are a few things I especially love about Brussels – what are some of yours?
- Random examples of art nouveau Victor Horta architecture around town
- Complete and total devotion to the 9th art, the comic strip
- Discovering that the world of chocolate making is a lot bigger than I thought
- Trying to find the sarcastic statue Zinneke Pis
- Channeling my inner Jacques Brel
- Home to the EU, if that’s your thing
- Tour of the EU buildings, again, if that’s your thing
- Freshly cooked Liege waffles
- Admiring the gothic Cathedrale des St.-Michel et Ste.-Gudule
- Learning more about the famous people who lived here: Erasmus, Horta, Magritte, Brel
- Friendly people who love showing off their city
- Retro chic at the Atomiom
- Seeing Manneken Pis in a variety of costumes, or just naked
- Ice skating at the massive Winter festival every December
- Wandering around the Palais des Beaux-Arts (BOZAR)
- Examining the colonial era at the Museum of Central Africa
- French fries. They invented them. Enough said.
- Exploring the roots of chocolate at the Chocolate Museum
- Randomly finding a new cartoon mural on the side of a building
- Wandering around the trendy Sablon neighborhood
- Easy to get around thanks to a fantastic public transportation system
- Finding a quiet bistro for a classic Belgian meal
- Exploring the nooks and crannies of the Parc du Cinquantenaire
- Spending time admiring the guild buildings lining the Grand Place
- Taking the cartoon walk around town
- Making fun of Little Europe, one of the dumbest tourist attractions I’ve ever seen
- The smell of baking waffles permanently wafting around downtown
- Strolling by the Hotel de Ville at night
- Manicured secret gardens near the royal palace
- Shopping high end confectionaries for the perfect macaron
- Easy to walk historic center with surprises at every turn
- Enjoying a hearty Belgian beer on a chilly night
- Stoemp!
- Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate
- Finding Jeanneke Pis
- Getting out of town for the day – dozens of amazing places just a hour or two away
- Entering the strange world of Rene Magritte at his eponymous museum
- Hot Belgian waffles with a sprinkle of powdered sugar
- Tracing the roots of Tintin and others at the Comic Book Musuem
- Christmas in Brussels
- Some of the best mussels you’ll ever have
- Repeat consumption of fries, chocolate and beer
