Brussels Needs to be Experienced
An authentic, LIVELY CITY WITH A KNACK FOR THE QUIRKY
I think a lot can be summarized about Brussels by this: one of its most famous tourist attractions is a fountain of a small boy peeing.
The city is full of strange statues and comic strip murals - and the strong counter culture tendency is clearly visible amongst the local businesses. But at the same time - Brussels is the de facto capital of the EU (and has the headquarters of NATO), so parts of the city are formal and political. The city is multilingual, multinational, and multiracial - not only because Brussels has three official languages, but because the international organizations result in a large international population. The overall result is remarkable - a city culture that is hard to be put into words. It’s easy to feel, though, especially in the early evening when the residents leave work and congregate in the plazas for a glass of beer or wine. The city is lived in, authentic, and genuine. It stole a piece of my heart from the start.
It helped that I was visiting an old friend from the US - and also that she’s a brewer at one of the most famous breweries in the world. My liver is still recovering.
DRINK THE LOCAL BEER (IF YOU DRINK)
Brussels is world famous for its brewing scene - and the beers do not disappoint. At any of the bars, you can grab a local beer and be delighted. My favorite place was Cantillon (where my friend works) - which is the oldest Lambic brewery and has a museum to show its culturally preserved method of wild yeast fermentation. Cantillon beers are bottled and drank a bit like champagne - and delight like it too. My second favorite was L’Ermitage (where my friend happens to be releasing a beer in July) which had a really delicious selection of craft beers. If you can manage, a hearty portion of Belgian Frites are a really satisfying food to eat alongside the beer.
STROLL AROUND THE CITY (AND HIT THE MAJOR SPOTS)
I think Brussels is best experienced by just wandering around, particularly after work hours when the plazas bustle. I recommend just experiencing it as it unfolds.
That said, it’s easy to hit the major attractions while walking - with my favorites being the Grand Place (which is best hit at night), the Royal Palace of Brussels, and Parc du Cinquanternaire. My favorite park as actually right next to Parc du Cinquternaire - Parc Leopold; while it’s not a tourist attraction, it’s a really lovely place to sit for a few hours.
OTHER THINGS TO DO
Here are a few of the other common to-dos:
Visit Manneken Pis: While I did happen to walk past the peeing boy fountain and it was funny - I don’t think it’s a necessary spot to visit. It is fun if you do, though.
Go to the Comic Museum: Brussels has a rich history of comic book authorship (including TinTin and The Smurfs). You can learn about comics at its local museum.
Walk the Comic Strip Mural Route: True to its comic history, throughout Brussels, there are comic murals. There’s a route you can follow to see them all.
Take a Day Trip: Belgium is a small country, so you can hit many of the major sites on day trips from Brussels, such as Bruges, Ghent, and Antwerp.