As the capital
of Belgium, Brussels is a
fantastic cosmopolitan city
and is home to both the
European Union and NATO. Over
the past few decades, its
become an international
business center. Seeing
beautiful state-of-the-art
business centers alongside
striking medieval architecture
is not an uncommon site.
Theres also a vibrant culture
that flourishes here. As you
stroll along the streets youll
experience the amazing sites
and sounds Brussels has to
offer.
Where to begin?
Enter the heart of Brussels. The
Grand Palace is the center for
Brussels festivals and
ceremonies. Enjoy a local beer
as you gaze at the stunning
architecture and watch the
people stroll by. On Sundays, it
becomes a market. Another great
place to experience Brussels is
the Grand Sablon. Restaurants,
cafs, and exclusive antique
shops surround this square. On
the weekend this also becomes a
market. The upper part is a
lively antique market. A
magnificent wrought-iron fence
topped by 48 small bronze
statues representing the citys
guilds surrounds the lower half,
known as the petit Sablon.
Brussels is also home to the
Royal Museum of Fine Arts. Here
youll find the Museums of
Ancient Art and Modern Art. Its
a fantastic collection including
an amazing display of Flemish
paintings from the 15th and 16th
centuries..
Shopping in
Brussels is a great experience.
Galleries St-Hubert has the
honor of being Europes first
mall ever built. Its a
glass-covered building that is
now divided into three parts.
Youll enjoy boutiques, cafs, a
day spa and a fantastic
chocolate shop. Close to this is
Tropismes, an amazing bookstore.
Another great experience in
Belgian is its food. Compared to
Parisian food creations,
Brussels is world renown for
combing French and German
cuisine and creates delicious
meat and seafood dishes. Its
most famous for its mussels and
is a definite must if its on the
menu. Belgians claim to be the
first inventors of frites
(potato chips or fries). This is
also a definite must, and you
wont have difficulty finding
them since theyre sold
throughout the city. Enjoy your
meal with a Belgian beer. There
are breweries in the area that
are open to tours. How to end a
perfect meal? With some
delicious Belgian chocolate of
course.
If you want a bit of
adventure, head up to Brupark,
an outstanding theme park. And
although there are fantastic
rides and is home to
mini-Europe, it offers the best
view of the Atomium. This
amazing post World War II
structure was created as a
showpiece fore the 1958 Worlds
fair. Its a 300-foot tall steel
structure that consists of nine
separate spheres linked by
cylindrical columns.
Whether its the art nouveau
buildings or the beautiful
medieval architecture, fantastic
dining or smooth pints, markets
or museums, youll enjoy every
minute you spend in Belgium.
