Where to stay in Brussels

See

Brussels' rich history left it dotted with countless landmarks, some of architectural beauty, others of monumental proportions. In the medieval centre, nearly every building has its own story worth exploring! The surrounding Pentagon, roughly corresponding to the outline of Brussels in the Renaissance, adds many more attractions to the list of must-see attractions. When the weather gets unpredictable, over 80 museums in the Brussels-Capital Region offer indoor excitement when rain prevents outdoor activities. The most iconic sight in Brussels is its central square, the Grand-Place, widely regarded as the most beautiful square in the world, and Brussels' most famous.

• Grand-Place
• cathedral
• Palace of Justice
• Basilica of the Sacred Heart
• Atomium
• Royal Greenhouses
• European Parliament
• Cinquantenaire Park
• Stoclet Palace

Do

Brussels has a large variety of activities to offer, regardless of the weather. Strolling through the medieval centre and enjoying waffles or fries on the go is a favorite for locals and tourists. When passing the Stock Exchange, sit down on the stairs along with the locals and have a chat. Keep an eye out for comic book murals, of which there are 43 different ones to discover around the city! Those fascinated by comic books may consider visiting the Museum of Figurines or the Marc Sleen Museum. Brussels can also be explored from underground through the Sewer Museum, learning the history of the city while walking underneath its busy traffic.

• Stock Exchange
• Sewer Museum
• Ter Kameren Park
• Centenary Park
• Mini Europe
• Planetarium
• Kinepolis
• Enygma

Eat

There is plenty of good eating to be had in Brussels. Most people concentrate on the three classics: mussels (moules in French and mosselen in Dutch), fries (frites in French and frieten in Dutch) and chocolate. A few more adventurous Bruxellois/Brusselse dishes include anguilles au vert/paling in 't groen (river eels in green sauce), meat balls in tomato sauce, stoemp (mashed vegetables and potatoes) and turbot waterzooi (turbot fish in cream and egg sauce). For dessert, try a Belgian waffle (wafel in Dutch and gauffre in French), also available in a square Brussels version dusted with powdered sugar, and choices of bananas, whipped cream and many other toppings.

Drink

Belgium is to beer what France is to wine: it is home to one of the greatest beer traditions in the world, and Brussels is a great place to sample some of the vast variety on offer. Typical beers of Brussels are gueuze (rather sour) and kriek (rather sweet, cherry based). Smoking is prohibited in all bars. It is allowed to smoke on the outdoor parts that many bars install on the street during the warmer months. A special drink only found in Brussels is the "half-en-half" ("half and half"). It's a mixture of white wine and champagne.

Stay safe

This might come as a shock to the uninitiated, but Brussels is increasingly dealing with the reputation of being a rather unsafe or uneasy city, at least by Western European standards. Though one can argue that it is partially bloated by the media and "word-of-mouth", Brussels has its share of safety issues. Violent crime is rather rare, however pickpocketing, vandalism and petty theft are common. Homeless encampments and drug abusers are a common sight in all of the major train and metro stations. It is safest to avoid any interaction. The universal emergency number is 112, which works from any mobile phone even without a SIM card.