Anyone been to Brussels?
JulesandSand
Posts: 6,012 Forum Member
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We're going to have a city break in Brussels later this year, going via Eurostar.
Anyone got any recommendations about which part of the city to stay in, preferably one where the good areas to visit are within walking distance or, failing that, near the Metro system?
Any top visitor tips?
Anyone got any recommendations about which part of the city to stay in, preferably one where the good areas to visit are within walking distance or, failing that, near the Metro system?
Any top visitor tips?
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We found that the best places to eat are in the Rue Des Bouchers
Grand Place is worth seeing
It's la Rue....(smile)
True Bruges is truly beautiful and the people there SO friendly but DON'T speak in French there! They all speak lovely English......
We went to Ypres as well, and I really liked the place. It's steeped in world war I history and is very interesting for that.
Enjoy yourselves.
Agree with joules about the tour - a canal trip is also good. It's not called the Venice of the North for nothing.
Brussels - never been but a friend who did found it very boring. A bit soulless apparently.
Please do.
Do they still have that building that looks like an atom?
We stayed near the Midi station slap bang in the middle of the city. Easy to get to and from everywhere
Yes, but I'd say that part of town isn't worth looking at. (Mini Europe). Go to La Musee de BD instead.
Perhaps depends on age. On first seeing a pic of the Atomium -- probably 1958 -- I made a promise to myself that I'd visit it when old enough. I'm old enough now
It's an easy metro ride - line 6 to Heysel.
True, Bruges is in the Dutch/Flemish speaking part of Belgium
Big English signage on how to get from Midi to Grand Place.
The grotty ambience of the metro entrance doesn't help.
Yes I know you can catch a mainline train from Midi to Central then it's a short walk. I'll have to take that route on future trips 'cos it's frustrating getting to the wrong metro platform every time and then the metro arrives much shorter than the platform and.... grrrrr.
Can I just clarify? Are you saying the transport people need to put big signs in English for getting to the GP?!
Thanks will look into that.
Worth going up in the fixed balloon too, and having a look at the EU HQ to see where your money goes.
The fact is, if it weren't for the EU no one would know anything about the place. And the EU is certainly the only reason the Eurostars terminate there.
Over all i prefer Bruge as it is much more scenic.
Brussels was also littered with european parliament stuff or companies pretending to be part of it. Lots of signs on buildings beginning with "the european department of XXXXXXXX" fill in the blanks with anything you want, and ask for some money and open your office.
My top recommends, for eating sea food go to Place Catherine, try the Dandoy biscuits, get the tram to Teruven (tram from Louise to Montgomerey, change there) and back, just to look out the window as it rattles pass the embassies and through the forest.
One of the best things is public transport which makes it so easy to get around. By a jump card for 5 or 10 journeys. When you satrt look for an orange box, at the entrance to the underground or inside the bus/tram. Stamp your time and then you are good for an hour, no matter how many changes or stops or where you go. A tip - if you are in a queue and a person behind you is waving their ticket this means they are trying to get from home, purchase their items and get back again within the hour. Its Brussels convention to let them go to the front of the queue!
Bit rushed, can come back with more later if you'd like.
In my best school French I asked for "trois pommes frites et deux saucissons s'il vous plait", and the lady replied "would you like ketchup on that, madam?"
Cue red face.
Oh well I did try!