Brussels – the tourist guide for a great holiday!

“The capital of the European Union” – the city is stuffed with the headquarters of various administrative institutions. At the same time, Brussels is fabulous, elegant and unique.

Brussels International Airport is located in the city of Zaventem, which is 12 km from the capital and has good transport to the city. The most convenient way to get to Brussels is by train or by bus De Lijn or MIVB / STIB.

More information about transport from the Airport, you can find here. 

More information about public transport in Brussels, you can find here.

Where to eat?

Do you want to eat tastily and at the same time to save money? We have found for you several inexpensive cafes in Brussels, where you can try the local (and not only) cuisine.

Photo by Noralí Emilio

Tonton Garby

A place with the service “food with you.” Great place to have a quick and inexpensive snack. The menu contains sandwiches, meat dishes, fruit, cheeses, drinks. The average price for an order is up to € 10. Address Rue Duquesnoy 6, Brussels, Center-Ville, Quartier Royal.

Plaka

Restaurant with Greek cuisine on Rue du Marché aux Fromages 6. The average price for an order here is around € 10, and the Greek portions are large, so you will not be hungry. More information here.

Nuetnigenough

Restaurant serving Belgian cuisine on Rue du Lombard 25 (Lombardstraat 25). If you want to try traditional Belgian food – you have to go there! An order for one will cost around € 11-20. Opening hours: Mon.-Fri. from 17:00 to 10:30, weekends from 12:00 to 10:30. More information here.

Chaochow City

Chinese restaurant at Boulevard Anspach 89-91. Breakfast will cost an average of € 3.50, lunch – € 5.20.

Mr. Falafel

Restaurant on Lemonnierlaan 53. In addition to the falafel, you can order a salad or a sandwich. The average order costs € 4. Order can be taken with you. The restaurant is open from 12:00 to 21:00 daily.

Accommodation

Photo by Grace Kang

If you plan a trip to Belgium, especially if you intend to travel around the country by public transport (train), you should know this fact! In Brussels, conferences and fairs are often held, at this time prices for hotels increase several times, so if you see that the price for a rather modest hotel with breakfast is more than 100-120 €, then you have to change the date of the trip.

Here are some options for hotels:

• easyHotel Brussels City Centre – Brussels Centre, Brussels (450 m from center) – Metro access;
• Hotel Aviation 3 – Anderlecht, Brussels (1.2 km from center) – Metro access;
• Alma Grand Place Hotel 3 – Brussels Centre, Brussels (200 m from center) – Metro access;
• Hotel Villa Royale – Sint-Joost-ten-Node, Brussels (1.4 km from center).

What to see?

1. Grand Place Square

The majestic Gothic square is the best option to start exploring Brussels. Amazingly beautiful buildings around the Grand Place are full of rich carvings, columns, statues and ornaments. It is noteworthy that every old house has its own name, so you can test your detective skills, and look for some of them, for example, Wolf, Little Fox, Cart or Star.

2. Atomium

Photo by fotografierende

Do you know how an iron atom looks? Then you definitely need to see the Atomium! This is a 102-meter futuristic structure – a model of the atom of iron enlarged 165 billion times, symbolizing the peaceful possibilities of the atomic age. But the Atomium is remarkable not only for this thing. Six of its nine spheres are open to the public, and in the pipes that connect them, there are escalators and corridors for movement along with the metal giant. In the sphere are located hotel, cafe, as well as various expositions. More information here.

 3. Park “Mini Europe”

If Brussels is the first European capital that you have visited, and you would like to see others, then there is nothing easier! Enough to go to the Park Mini-Europe, where you can feel like a Gulliver, walking among smaller copies of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Athenian Acropolis, and other historical buildings. More information here.

4. Royal Galleries of Saint Hubert

Photo by Junpeng Ouyang

Did you know that Brussels has its own shopping galleries, older than the famous Vittorio Emanuele in Milan? If you did not know, then you need to visit the Royal Galleries of Saint Hubert.

There are shops, boutiques, cafes, pastry shop, cinemas, and jewerly stores under the same roof in the galleries of the King, Queen and Princes  Prices. Of course, are far from low-cost, but galleries should be seen for the sake of their architecture and elegant design. More information here.

5. Museum of Natural Sciences

Photo by Anthony DELANOIX

For those who want to know more, the doors of the Brussels Museum of Natural Sciences are always open. It will be especially interesting, of course, for children, but adults will also find a lot of interesting things. Here you can find out everything (well, or almost everything) about the inhabitants of our planet who lived thousands of years ago, explore the huge collection of minerals, moonstones, and meteorites. More information here.

Oh yeah, and do not forget about the largest meteorite ever fallen in Europe!

Useful tips!

In Brussels, although it has a very low crime rate, pickpocketing and petty theft are quite frequent. So the tourist still needs to be careful, for which you must know some simple rules:

• Do not leave valuables (bags, phone and the like) in plain sight and especially unattended. Also, do not ask unknown people to “look after your things”;
• If you decide to take a walk around the city, take a minimum of cash with you and preferably one credit card. Leave the rest in the hotel’s safe;
• All tourists are advised to have an identity document in case they are checked by the local police;
• It should be vigilant in places of large crowds of people: in the subway, transport, and especially in the European region. Because in such places, thefts are happening;
• When you talk with locals, you have to know several topics that should be avoided. For example, do not criticize the royal family or the institutions of royal power. Also, it is not recommended to compare Belgium with France in conversation.