Our travel guide for Brussels, Belgium
Our main reason for visiting Brussels was because I studied abroad there in 2011 and interned for the Associated Press, covering the European Union. I was so excited to be back in this city and retrace my steps. Brussels can be expensive, and our stay here was very short. We were seriously there for two nights but only 38 hours total. We lived it up and went to all my favorite spots. You’ll see in the day by day breakdown, we fit a lot in!
Where we stayed
In the spirit of retracing my steps, I booked a place in the neighborhood where I lived during my study abroad program. Ixelle is a lively and diverse neighborhood, about a 30 minute walk from both Grand Place and the EU campus. I think it’s a great place to stay if you want a more local experience. We stayed near the vibrant corner where one of my favorite spots, Bar Parallele, is located. Place Flagey is another fun part of this neighborhood.
Favorite eats and drinks
As mentioned above, I loved Bar Parallele during my study abroad program. In fact, it was the first place myself and my fellow students went for eats and drinks after we unpacked at our flat. They’ve got a lengthy menu. You can get the traditional mussels and frites– or you can order up a burger! It’s also where I discovered Belgian beer and specifically Tripel Karmeleit. It’s a delicious, banana bread-y beer with a high alcohol content. Drink wisely!
In addition to the beer, you can’t visit Brussels without eating some frites! There are frite stands all over the city, but my favorite is Maison Antoine in Place Jourdan. There are dozens of sauces and the fries are served up hot and salted in a cone, then topped with the dipping delicacy of your choice. I stuck with the traditional mayo. Bret did ketchup. I saw plenty of people leaving the walk-up window with combos of sauces. And most restaurants around have signs up reading ‘Frites Welcome’. You can take you cone of fried potatoes, buy a beer and take a seat,.
Finally, it’s a tourist delight, but I simply insist visitors to Brussels stop at the infamous Delirium Bar. Delirium is know for having the largest beer list, and making it into the Guiness Book of World Records. As of this writing, the bar says it has more than 2,000 beers. And, its a funky, fun place with endless nooks and crannies of seating, both indoor and outdoor. I had the kriek (cherry) beer and Bret stuck with the namesake Delirium Tremens. I would say, if you’re wanting a lively experience, go in the evening. That’s when ALL of the rooms - upstairs, basements, patios and roof decks are open. The day is still bustling but not quite as active - it’s a fun time to sit outside and people watch.
Honorable mention: the WAFFLES! I didn’t indulge in any of Belgium’s famous sweet treat on this trip, but I highly recommend finding a waffle shop and ordering this warm, confectionery delight (often topped with nutella!) and strolling the charming streets as you nosh.
Can’t miss activity
In addition to eating and drinking your way through Brussels, you can’t miss the Grand Place and Manneken Pis. Grand Place is the stunning central square of Brussels. It’s close to Delirium Village. And just a few blocks away, you’ll find the city’s less impressive but memorably quirky tourist attraction – Manneken Pis. It’s a fountain featuring a peeing man who is often dressed in themed outfits. During our visit, he was wearing a Dracula costume, in conjunction with a film festival happening at the time.
Not worth the hype
Well this one is tough, because Brussels has a special place in my heart – and our visit was short, so everything we did was high on my list of favs. One spot I do think is a bit overrated though, is Avenue Louise. We stayed just east of this famous shopping street, so we ended up walking along it a couple times. You may be noticing a theme as we move from city to city, but high-end shopping districts are not usually among my favorite spots to visit. They typically end up becoming busy, tourist traps, full of stores that have no tie to the local area. If you’re making a short trip to Brussels, I certainly don’t think this needs to be on your list.
Getting around
Brussels is very walkable. We made our way from Ixelles to Grand Place and over the European Union all on foot. If you need to use public transit, it’s easy to navigate as well. You can buy single ride tickets from kiosks at metro stops, and it’s a quick way to get around!
Other lessons learned and memorable moments
Take a look at the location of the Charleroi Airport before you book. If anything, I am an over-planner. But with all the little details we’re managing, I failed to actually google maps the location of the Charleroi Airport when we booked our very cheap RyanAir tickets to depart Brussels. The ‘Brussels South Charleroi Airport’ is not in Brussels at all. It’s in the town of Charleroi, nearly 40 miles from Brussels city center. Because our flight was so early, there was no option to take public transit. We ended up having to take a private ride to the airport, which somewhat nullified the low cost of our RyanAir tickets.