Brussels, Belgium: delightfully peculiar

Any tour of Belgium’s capital starts at your hotel in Brussels and ends by revealing a city full of unconventional things to do amid the pomp and circumstance of the EU headquarters and the beauty of the Grand Place. Just a stone’s throw away from this architectural perfect square are the Royal Galleries, one of the oldest covered shopping centers in Europe. Truly contradictory and always fun, Brussels is Europe’s most offbeat metropolis. From the modern Atomium to the Gothic Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula, quirky museums to narrow cobblestone streets with shops selling mouth-watering Belgium chocolates, Brussels city has more than enough art, history, and attractions to keep you happily busy! Tourists can even see all of Europe at Brussels’ Mini-Europe attractions park featuring the most beautiful sites and buildings in the Old Continent in miniature, a perfect activity for families with children.

Brussels Your Way

When the emblem of a city is a bronze kid peeing in a fountain (Manneken Pis), you know you are dealing with a people with a sense of humour! The mischievous sculpture’s size is not what matters. Rather, tourists can get a sense of Belgium's population mood by what the statue is wearing on any given day. It's not surprising that the Belgian capital was the birthplace of Tintin, Lucky Luke, Spirou and other mythical comic book figures who decorate the facades of buildings and are exhibited in its museum dedicated to comic books, the Comic Strip Museum in Brussels. Even when it comes to food, Brussels' specialties are as friendly as its inhabitants! Belgian waffles, mussels and fries (moules-frites) and good Belgium beers are shared in a jovial spirit at every turn. Visit some of the most enchanting parks in Brussels surrounded by intricate buildings. The Mont des Arts, which separated uptown and downtown Brussels, offers an incredible view of the city. Opposite the Royal Quarter (Place Royale) and the Palace of the Nation, is the Parc de Bruxelles or Royal Park, where you can rest your legs after a day of walking. Brussels is a human city to be discovered dancing to the catchy tune of Stromae.