I'm going to keep this one short and sweet as 24 hours isn't really a substantial amount of time to spend in such a major European capital city. But before I start, I just want to express how beautiful this place is, I don't think Brussels will be what you're expecting. If you're anything like me, you'll be thinking, well its the home of the EU, so it must be very modern, commercial and industrial, but in reality you couldn't be more wrong! Yes, parts of Brussels are like that, however it does have parts that are beautiful and traditional, they even have oriental buildings which are so rare to find in Europe! So my advice would be to see as much as Brussels as you can and make up your own mind. I didn't really have a chance to see or do much but I saw enough to know that Brussels is a lovely city with a lot to offer and is extremely diverse. I understand that with the high threat that Brussels are under you may be cautious to travel, but give Brussels a chance and see it for yourself one day, even if it's not for a few years. Personally I would say if you want to go to Brussels but don't know when the best time to go is, I would go whenever is suitable for you. Things can happen anywhere in the world with no warning, so if you're planning on waiting until Brussels is 100% safe, you'll be waiting a lifetime, nowhere is ever 100% safe.
We arrived around 9pm in Brussels, so all we really had a chance to do was go out for dinner and have a quick look around the local surroundings of our hotel. We stayed right near a little canal system which had bars and restaurants either side, it looked very pretty at night and the atmosphere was so relaxed.
The day we travelled to Brussels, we booked a tour for the next day. This tour was a bus city tour and entrance in to a traditional Belgian chocolate shop where we could watch the chocolate being made. We wanted to visit the EU buildings instead, but unfortunately this tour was full. However we did go past the buildings on the bus and they were very large buildings which was to be expected. During our tour we got to see some of the lovely things that Brussels had to offer. Our tour started in grand place which is a large square, the town hall is situated here and is well worth a visit. This place feels like you are in the middle of an old town in an eastern European country. It is worth noting that this area is quite expensive as it's where all of the tourists go, so food and drink will cost you a lot more in this area than other areas. However grand place is still worth a visit as it's name suits it really well, and it is indeed very grand. Other places we saw on our tour include: the botanical gardens, which looked quite big and would take a few hours to get around. We also saw the Chinese pavilion, the Japanese Pagoda and the Halle gate, which were all built for a purpose but are now all art and history museums. These were all very pretty to look at and definitely worth a a visit. I found it quite strange seeing far eastern things in the middle of Europe, but they did look spectacular. The Church of St Catherine was next to be seen which is absolutely beautiful, both in the day and at night. We were lucky enough to have this view constantly as we stayed opposite this beautiful building. The atomium was next on our tour which was was the kind of thing I expected to see all over Brussels. I assumed the whole city would be very modern given the fact that it is the home of the EU. However the city has modern and very traditional parts which I think makes it the perfect destination for a City break, as it has something for everyone. The atomium is made up of 9 atom shape domes which are all connected. The atomium was originally built for the World Fair Brussels in 1958, but is now open to the public as a museum, public exhibitions, children's play area and restaurant at the top with a panoramic view of the city. Some of the atoms are not open to the public, but 5 out of the 9 are. I think a family could easily spend half a day here, as there is something that suits everyone in the family. The atomium has been described as the most bizarre building in Europe, however it brings in a lot of tourism to Belgium.
Top 3 places to visit: 3. Grand place- for the traditional pretty, extravagant buildings, with a laid back atmosphere. 2. Chinese pavilion/ Japanese Pagoda- for something a little different. 1. The atomium- for something completely unexpected and a good family day out. Top 3 things to do: 3. Take a walk around the city- take in the different surroundings of each part of the city. 2. Take a tour of the city- find your way around the city and learn a thing or 2 about its history on your way. 1. Sample some real Belgian chocolate- made right in front of you, nothing will compare.
In summary, it's a real shame what Brussels have been through over the past couple of years, and the threat they still face. Brussels really is a beautiful and very surprising city. It's hard to get across the feel of the place in a few words, it's one of them places that you really need to see for yourself, then this blog will make total sense to you. But one thing I would advise if you do visit Brussels, is to take plenty of money with you!
