What to see
Grand Place
While wandering around the city, you can’t miss Grand Place. It’s after all, one of the most important tourist destinations in the central square of Brussels. When you look around, you can see Baroque guildhalls, the city’s Town Hall, and King’s House. It’s also a place where a lot of festive and cultural events are hosted. I loved how every building around is different and majestic and especially enjoyed it at sunset. Around you can find a lot of small cafes and restaurants, to have a drink or meal and enjoy people passing by.
Manneken Pis
That little bronze boy is a real sensation in Brussels. It means “Little Pissing Man” in Dutch and it’s worth finding. It was designed by Jérôme Duquesnoy the Elder and is there since the 17th century. The current statue is a replica and the original one is kept in the Brussels City Museum. It is quite easy to find, and it takes only a 5-minute walk from Grand Place. And while looking for this symbol of Brussels’ humor, you should also look for Jeanneke Piss and Het Zinneke (also known as Zinneke Pis). These two, also peeing statues were inspired by Manneken Pis.
Atomium
Was originally constructed for the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair and is located in the northern part of Brussels. This 102 meters tall, stainless steel landmark building, has a restaurant at the top sphere with amazing panoramic views of Brussels. It truly is an amazing piece of architecture and definitely worth visiting while in Brussels. It is a bit out of the city center, but you can rent an electric scooter, take an Uber, or just do some steps more … your smartwatch is counting!
Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert
When you are craving some chocolate, coffee, or high fashion brands, you should take a walk through the Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert. It’s full of chic cafes, little restaurants, chocolate shops, and boutiques with trendy clothes. Walking through it really is magical, and some shop windows mouth-watering never hurt anybody.
Comics Strip Walls
You can follow Comic Strip walk on the map on your phone, or just go with the flow and be surprised at every step you find this amazing street art. It was created to honor Brussels as the birthplace of iconic comics like Smurfs and Tintin. You can find Asterix and Obelix, Lucky Luke, Nero, Billy the Cat, and many others. Try to catch them all!
What to eat
Waffles
When you think of Belgium, you think of waffles. And when you get to Brussels, you eat a lot of them! No, really, even when you think you are full and you could not eat anything at least until dinner time, there is always space for a waffle. You can get it with a lot of toppings such as cream, fresh fruits, or chocolate, but trust me – even a plain waffle itself is sweet and delicious enough.
Fries
For my whole life, I have known fries, but it was always French fries. Now, let me tell you a secret. The one and only – the original one – is Belgian fries. We sure ate a lot of fries all over the world after all, and when you think you know it all, Belgian fries surprises you with its smell, texture, and taste. It is originally fried in ox fat, that’s why the taste is so specific. You should have it with some delicious dip on the side, and you are good to go.
Chocolate
We could say Brussels is not only the capital of Belgium but also the capital of chocolate. While discovering the streets of Brussels, you cannot miss all the chocolate shops this city is offering. And you also cannot stop yourself from going into them, try some chocolate and leave with bags full of Belgian chocolate. I cannot remember when was the last time we ate that amount of it … hmmm. Now where to get the best chocolate? We really loved the two shops, and you can find them all over Brussels – Leonidas, and Neuhaus.
Beer
The Belgians love their beer and you will definitely find something that suits your taste in every bar. We did try a few, but I must point out a great selection at Ballekes (where we also ate their delicious meatballs) and The Bank that is a trendy place mostly popular in the evenings. What is interesting is that almost all brands of Belgian beer are served in their own glass to ensure the flavor is properly developed. Enjoy!
Mussels
Even though most people don’t know, but Mussels are a Belgian traditional dish. The most famous restaurant in Brussels to get them is Chez Leon. They have a wide selection of mussels with different types of sauces and they also serve them gratin. As seafood lovers, we were not blown away, but it was a nice meal and if you are not looking for the best mussels in your life, you should definitely try it out.
Day trip to Antwerp
Antwerp is a lovely city known for its fashion and diamond industry, located just one hour away by train from Brussels. As first impression matters, you will be amazed by the train station itself, and that is just the beginning. Let’s start.
Nello & Patrasche
They are the main characters in the novel Dog of Flanders, and their statue couldn’t be cuter. The story takes place in Antwerp and is famous all over the world. We haven’t heard of this novel before, but it’s time to read it now. After all, we met the main characters!
Hint: There is a sweet cafe and waffle spot called House of Waffles just across the statue.
Chocolate Nation
When you walk out of the train station you cannot miss a huge building in front of you. That’s a Chocolate Nation – chocolate museum and a perfect place to get to know and to fall in love with chocolate even more. We decided to take a tour (about 1 hour and a half) and we were guided through all the processes from the bean to the chocolate you buy in-store. You can also buy their own chocolate creations and taste them. Yum!
Diamond district
Antwerp has been a focus of the diamond trade industry since the 15th century, and it now has 380 workshops, over 3500 brokers, merchants, and diamond cutters. When you walk through the city, you can be easily blinded by all the diamond shops. If you would like to learn more about diamonds, we suggest visiting DIVA. It’s a museum offering you a lot of information about diamonds being polished and the history of the diamond industry.
Eat at De Bomma
We found this grandma’s restaurant by coincidence. And I can proudly say it was one of our best meals. The atmosphere is very cozy and it feels like home. The menu offers a lot of different kinds of food and drinks so the decision is not easy. We took their mussels and a really nice stew. The food was delicious and I wish there was room left for dessert.
