Brussels is the Capital of Belgium and the European Union. A majority of the Brussels metropolitan area's 1.8 million inhabitants speak French, but Brussels is historically Dutch-speaking.
Although Brussels dates from the 19th Century, most of Brussels old town was destroyed for new construction between 1880 and 1980, so very little of the old city is preserved. The Grand Place-Grote Markt is the exception, and it's the tourist center of Brussels.
But potential tourists should not despair, Brussels has an extraordinary number of interesting museums, restaurants, and galleries to visit.
When to Go to Brussels
Brussels is prone to rain all year around, but storms tend to be short. Summer is ideal, when city folks leave for vacation and high temperatures average just over 70 degrees Fahrenheit. For Temperature and precipitation charts and current weather, see: Brussels Travel Weather.
Brussels on the Cheap
Larger cities in Europe may be expensive on the surface, but offer many opportunities for cheap amusement. See Brussels on the Cheap for some travel tips for budget travelers. You'll find cheap eats, free museums and museum days, and even suggestions for cheap dates.
Brussels Cuisine
Enjoy Belgium's famous fries in a frietkot. Brussels offers many sauces or dips as an alternative to ketchup and plain mayo. Waffles also are popular and inexpensive.
Belgian beer--Lambic is Brussels' regional brew, it ferments from the wild yeasts of the Senne valley. Try Brussels' famous Rabbit cooked in beer; beer cookery is renowned in Belgium.
Try the Rue des Bouchers for your shellfish craving, especially for Moules, the famous mussels of Brussels.
Chocolate: Wittamer place du Grand Sablon has a cafe where you might try some of Belgium's famous chocolate in a hot chocolate.
Brussels Train Stations
Brussels has three train stations, Brussels Nord, Brussels Centrale and Brussels Midi.
Brussels Nord, as the name implies, is on the north of Brussels. It is the least convenient station to get to the city center.
Brussels Centrale is in the center of Brussels, and thus far more convenient for tourists. It is surrounded by hostels and hotels. Trains depart from Brussels Centrale for all the other cities of Belgium.
Brussels Midi is in the south of the city, and is the busiest train station, hosting not only intercity trains but international high-sped trains like the Eurostar and Thalys. It is about an hour and a half travel time to Paris from Brussels and an hour and 50 minutes to London on the high speed trains from Brussels Midi. Hotels near the Gare du Midi (book Direct)
Brussels Airport
Brussels Airport is located about 14 kilometers (9 miles) from the city center. Major hubs associated with Brussels are London, Frankfurt and Amsterdam. Find out how to get from the airport to Brussels with our Brussels Airport Transportation Guide.
Brussels: Where to Stay
Traditionalists may wish to book a user-rated Brussels Hotels (book direct). To get closer to the culture you're staying within, you might wish to rent a vacation rental.
Brussels has many self-catering accommodations, from small apartments to sprawling villas for large families and groups. Self-catering can save money over renting hotel rooms, especially for families. HomeAway lists almost 50 vacation rentals in Brussels (book direct).
Brussels: What to See and Do
Brussels Tours - for travelers who don't want to discover Brussels on their own, try these tours whose themes range from gourmet food to chocolate to beer to day trips around Brussels.
One of the top attractions in Brussels is the Atomium, a representation of an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times built as a temporary exhibit for Expo '58. The atom is composed of 9 spheres, 6 of them open to visitors and connected by escalators. There's a good view from the top sphere, which serves as a restaurant. A recent renovation has turned one of the spheres into a "Kids' sphere hotel."
Brussels is loaded with museums, and Thursdays night those museums are open late with special events, interactive activities and tours. To prepare yourself, you might want to check out Museum Talks, where you can hear short talks in many different languages (including English) on particular exhibits found in Brussels museums.
A Brussels Card offers good discounts on museums and events in Brussels, plus free access to public transportation and a 25% discount to the Atomium. You can buy the card online in French, but it might be better to wait and purchase one at a Tourist office on the Grand Place, at midi train station or on the Mont des Arts.
The Mont des Arts, the "Art Town in the City" offers gardens and a profusion of museums, theaters and historic buildings. Its position between the upper and lower town have made it a favorite view spot, especially at sunset.
The top art museums in Brussels are The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium (Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts). 2011 is not the time to visit, as they will be closed most of the year for renovation.
Lovers of music and the instruments that have produced it over the years will like the Museum of Musical Instruments (Musee des Instruments de Musique--or MiM) in the center of Brussels. You get some headphones at the entrance of the Art nouveau building to hear the musical instruments you're standing in front of, which include instruments from all over the world. Address: Rue Montagne de la Cour 2 Brussels.
The Royal Greenhouses of Laeken can only be visited in a two-week period of April-May, when most flowers housed in the 18th century greenhouses are in bloom. The planned dates for 2011 are April 2011 - May 2011.
Not only can you visit the Brussels Gueuze Museum at the Cantillon Brewery (Gueze is a type of lambic beer) but they've mapped a historic walking tour in PDF form you can take to get to the museum. Download and print Brussels is definitely worth a gueuze before you go.
