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Brussels' historical centre is a must-see, although filled with tourists. The grand place is a beautiful part of the city, go see it. I always recommend the Comic Book Walk through the city. Throughout Brussels, there are houses decorated with huge drawings from famous Belgian comics. Even when comics are not your thing, it's a good way to see the city centre. A map can be found here: http://www.brusselslife.be/en/article/brussels-in-comics I also think the Atomium is worth a visit, but it's quite far from the centre. There is a good connection by subway, if you really want to see it. For diner, go to Place Saint Catherine (Sint-Katelijneplein in Dutch). I also like to go to Mer du Nord for lunch, a fish store that serves small plates of great sea food. I don't think it's well known by tourists, but people living and working in Brussels love it and it's a good place to meet locals. It's also at Place Saint Catherine. Afterwards, you can grab a beer in the pubs around the square. malder fucked around with this message at 13:52 on Aug 8, 2011 |
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Aug 8, 2011 13:47
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Bruges is nice, but not very exciting for a younger audience. I think Ghent is a good alternative because it has a beautiful historical centre, good restaurants, a great nightlife and high-quality musea like the SMAK (museum for modern art). Louvain has a stunning city hall and the university library is worth the visit, but I don't know if it's open to the public. It has the biggest and oldest university in the country, so nightlife is good (don't know for sure, I tend to go to Brussels and Ghent). If you have the time, visit Ypres and neighbouring Passendale. The war musea and the British cemeteries are worth the visit, especially Tyne Cot. I also like the german cemetery in Langemark. A good way to visit this region is by bike, but it can get very windy and cold. Heuvelland (close to Ypres) has some interesting biking routes, too.
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Aug 9, 2011 16:37
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esquilax posted:So I'm thinking of going on vacation in Northwest Europe for about 3 weeks. I'm aiming to hit Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam, but I think I'll have some extra time to explore Benelux/NE France. I like museums and history and stuff, is there anywhere else in that region with a lot to see? I would suggest the Ypres region for military history: good musea and military cemeteries (Tyne Cott, Vladslo) and a beautiful region for biking.
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Nov 11, 2011 12:57
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Sounds like a muslim call to prayer.
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Aug 11, 2012 16:26
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Arnold of Soissons posted:Any advice on cell phones in Belgium would be very appreciated. We'll be there for at least a year. Proximus is in my opinion the best for normal phone use. If you're looking for a good mobile data deal, try Mobile Vikings.
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Sep 2, 2012 17:44
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Snipeo posted:I'm headed to Brussels next weekend from London via Eurostar with my partner (Friday night > Sunday evening). We're staying near the De Broukere metro stop. Rule number one: don't buy chocolate near the Manneke Pis statue, it's most likely not Belgian but Chinese. The best chocolate you can buy is at Pierre Marcolini (Rue des minimes) or the many Leonidas shops around town. Don't eat at restaurants close to the Grand Place, especially not in the Rue des Bouchers which is a horrible tourist trap. Try the fish restaurants near place Saint-Catherine. Some good places near Grand Sablon as well. When visiting the Grand Place, try the bar Aux bon vieux Temps (Rue du Marché aux Herbes), probably the oldest bar in town. It gives you a sense of what Brussels must have been decades and even centuries ago. Le Cerceuil is the place where they serve beer in skulls if you're in to that kind of thing. If you like Thai, Chinese or Vietnamese food you should go to the restaurants near Halles Saint Géry/Dansaert area (Little Asia, Hong Hoa, Fanny Thai...). Head there as well for the Brussels trendiest nightlife. I like the Bizon café. It also has some jazz cafés, I think. Go for a walk in Saint Gilles or the "Marolles", near the palais de Justice. The flea market on the "Vossenplein" (don't know it's French name) is nice to visit. Don't go to Molenbeek. Really, don't.
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May 1, 2014 13:39
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Doctor Malaver posted:I'm looking for suggestions for a 2-3 day trip within Netherlands or possibly Belgium. We currently live in Amsterdam and would like to see some nature for a change. Preferably by train. One of the ideas is the Terschelling island but it's mostly sold out for the weekend - there are some unattractive and not very cheap hotels left (€130-160 for a double). Any other suggestions? And if we pick Terschelling after all, will it be interesting enough for two days of hiking/cycling? Texel and the other Islands in the Wadden sea. Doctor Malaver posted:Wow, Bruxelles is like Bucharest or Belgrade. I've seen more trash, beggars, broken glass and drunks here in three hours than in three months in Amsterdam. Next time, try the comics route. http://www.brussels.be/artdet.cfm?id=5316 Where did you get scammed? My guess is Rue des Bouchers. I frequently pass this street and all I see are tourists looking sad and disgusted. The only place that's is a bit decent in that street is Chez Leon. malder fucked around with this message at 19:35 on Jun 2, 2014 |
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Jun 2, 2014 19:25
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Brussels is a horrible place to visit. But a great place to live.
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Oct 30, 2014 11:52
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SgtScruffy posted:Work is sending me to Brussels for a week! I'm going to have a day or two in the city where I won't be working (and evenings to grab a drink/dinner). It seems the general advice of this thread so far has been "Skip Brussels, it's boring", which is probably fair, but I'll be there for a conference for work, so are there any recommendations you all have in terms of places to eat or things to do other than Mannekin Piss? Or should I just buy the Rick Steve's guide and just consider that to be solid enough? Brussels is awesome. I've been working in the city for over ten years now and although it's not as pretty as Ghent or Bruges, it does offer some great places to visit. The Grand Place is beautiful, but go there early in the morning. Skip Manneke Pis and don't buy your chocolates in the shops around that tourist trap. Walking through the streets around the pissing boy statue and discovering the street art and bars is a better idea. Mont des Arts (Kunstberg) offers you a stunning view over the heart of the city. Have a drink on top of the Musical Instruments Museum. The service sucks, but the view is amazing. Walk to the Palais de Justice and go inside. You can visit the main hall. Go shopping on Avenue Louise if you've got the money. Go to the European quarter at lunchtime, it has good food and you'll hear as many languages as there are tables in the restaurant. I suggest the fish restaurant Mer Du Nord (near Place Lux, although I prefer their restaurant near place Saint Catherine). Brussels has nice parks, but don't go there at night. I think you can still climb to the top of the arch in the parc du cinquantenaire, but they might have closed it after the terror attacks. Visit Brussels like a Brusseleir and you'll love it.
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Sep 8, 2018 06:14
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mmkay posted:A day or two to chill in Lucca (very near to Pisa and much nicer than it too, imo) is nice. One day in Lucca, one day in Arezzo.
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Oct 16, 2023 15:42
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Larry Cum Free posted:No to renting a car. Stay in Ghent and visit Bruges, Antwerp and/or Brussels (they're all 30 minutes by train from Ghent). Great food overall, musea in Antwerp (MAS, KMSKA,...) .Ghent and Bruges are stunning when it comes to history and art (visit the lamb of God in Ghent!) and Antwerp, Ghent and Brussels all have a very active music scene. For a soccer game: try to get tickets for a home game at Union St. Gilles in Brussels. It's the closest you'll get to an authentic European soccer experience not sold to Qatar and other oil states.
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Nov 24, 2023 20:11
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Residency Evil posted:Anyone here have any suggestions for things to do in Stockholm/Copenhagen? Wife and I are bringing our toddler, so a few kid friendly suggestions would be welcome as well. Skip the statue of the little mermaid. It's absolutely not worth the trip. Take a boat tour instead, kids will love it.
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Feb 22, 2024 17:57
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