A Quick Guide To Brussels, Belgium

Most certainly not the city to discover if you are looking to shrink your waistline…
Well… Not if you want to experience Brussels properly anyhow.Boasting some of the finest beers, frites, chocolates, mussels + waffles in the WORLD, Brussels makes for a fantastic foodie getaway and a great stopover if you’re planning to explore the likes of Bruges, Amsterdam, Lille +/or Paris.

Home to the EU Headquarters and hosting over 1.1 million inhabitants – Brussels is an international finance centre with a lot to offer.

↠

GETTING TO BRUSSELSThe infrastructure is amazing in Brussels making it easy to access be it by train, plane or car.

By Plane:
Arrive at Brussels Airport and connect straight onto the train arriving in the centre of Brussels in just 17 minutes.
(€8.50 euro one way)

By Train:
– Central Station

– South Station (Brussels-Zuid)
for London (Eurostar) Book your tickets here
for Paris (Thalys)
for France (TGV)

– North Station 
for Amsterdam

↠

You simply cannot come to Brussels without trying AT LEAST one of their specialities.(I tried them ALL… on more than one occasion)

CHOCOLATE
WAFFLES
FRITES
MUSSELS
BEER

Other delicacies I tried and LOVED:
– Speculoos (flat spiced shortbreads)
– Flemish Beef Stew

Go CRAZY.
If you can’t do it in Belgium… where can you?

↠

There is PLENTY of choice for hotels in Brussels – it totally depends on your intentions.I stayed a 2 minute walk from Brussels-Midi (where the Eurostar arrives from London) at The Mercure Hotel.
It was SO nice to be able to walk straight off the Eurostar to my hotel and dump my stuff without hopping additionally on the Metro.

The ‘centre centre’ or should i say Grand Place (main square) is a 10/15 minute walk from The Mercure Hotel and a nice stroll to welcome you to the city.

 

See other hotels in Brussels here

My stay at The Mercure was faultless – clean, spacious and well groomed. The inclusive breakfast was of a wide variety and of course included a range of waffles, pancakes and chocolate spreads!

The staff were super keen to recommend hotspots in their city and almost instantly had a map and pen ready to mark the crosses for me.   As much as I love staying in Hostels, having the comfort, desk area and WIFI ready after a day of adventure was perfect for working travel.

– Grand PlaceThe most popular tourist attraction, the host of the City Hall and the heart of the city. You’ll no doubt want to take a few photographs here during your stay and may even enjoy a waffle, some chocolate or a beer from the many shops that lay within it.

Every other year on the weekend of the 15th August Grand Place hosts a massive carpet of colourful Begonias alongside concerts and light shows!


This years it’s ON from 12th – 15th August!

DON’T MISS IT!

– The Atomium

The unmistakeable symbol of Brussels and the most popular tourist attraction in the city, travel 25 minutes by tram (Line 6 in direction of Roi Baudouin) from the city centre and arrive at Heizel a 3 minute walk from the iconic structure.

You can ascend to the top for 360 views over Brussels for just €12 Adult. See website here
(Student and child prices available)

– Mini Europe

Located at the foot of The Atomium, combine your trip out of the city centre with this whistle stop tour of all the things and places that make Europe so special.

See website here

– Galeries Royales St.Hubert

For those who have a taste for life finest offerings or for the keen window shopper that lies in all of us, wander through this gorgeous building which happens to be the old shopping arcade in Europe…
Located a 2-3 minutes walk from Grand Place 

– Browse the chocolate shops

I swear down Belgium chocolate is THE best chocolate i have EVER tasted. Once you realise that for yourself (i have confidence) then you will want to take some home, most certainly for yourself, and perhaps some for friends and family (if it makes it home).

 

 

 

GETTING AROUND BRUSSELSBrussels city centre is easy to navigate and discover by foot. If you don’t have 3G then grab yourself a map from a map and go old school!

Don’t worry about getting lost, you always end up discovering something you love but never intended to find & thats the beauty of travelling!

If you want to head further out to the Atomium or Cinquantenaire Park then there is an efficient and super easy Metro system in place!

 

↠
HOW MUCH DO THINGS COST IN BRUSSELS?

Average meal eating out in restaurant 
€12-14

Waffles
€4-8 (depending if on street or in cafe)

One way trip on metro 
€2.10 or day pass €7.50

Train Ticket to Bruges (1 hour direct train)
€6

I found Student discounts were available on Trains, The Atomium and, I assume, many other attractions!↠

– For free WIFI and charging
in the centre head to Flanders Tourist Centre just off the main square

– Airbnb
(always a deal to found for for accommodation – sign up here)

– Take a portable charger
Shop my portable charger here

– Plat de Jour
Most restaurants have a plate of the day which is cheaper than the rest of the menu, so if you’re willing to be flexible to save a few bucks!

– Utilise student discounts
Remember your ID card!

– Take water bottle around with you
I always do this wherever i go! The best way to hydrate and saves on money and plastic for all those water bottles you’d be buying!- Plug adaptor?
EURO 2 pin

– TIME ZONE
GMT +1

↠

Capture your adventure… with a GoPro like mine!

+ if you don’t know which one to get, watch my guide here:

OR read ‘my guide to buying a travel camera here’.