Things to do in Brussels, Belgium

For years, Brussels was overshadowed by its more famous neighbors and visited perhaps only as a quick stop between Paris and Amsterdam. Folks familiar with the city's many charms remain mum, wanting to savor a Brussels that has avoided large-scale commercialism. But the secret is getting out — Brussels offers ancient architecture, traditional provincial cooking, and historic paintings in a city that's also home to modern glass and steel buildings, nouvelle cuisine, and cutting-edge art.

One of Brussels' most captivating features is its architecture. Victor Hugo, a city resident for several years, called the GrandPlace and its 17th-century Flemish Renaissance buildings "the most beautiful square in Europe." Native son Victor Horta, the father of Art Nouveau, maintains an influence, especially in the regentrified Ixelles neighborhood. However, Brussels' architecture can't be pigeonholed as "old." A short metro ride brings you to the Quartier Européen, from which the city gets its nickname "the capital of Europe." The juxtaposition of materials is striking: the EU quarter is all glass and steel, edged by spacious green parks.

Although located in the northern, Flemish-speaking section of Belgium, Brussels is a...  Read more »

For years, Brussels was overshadowed by its more famous neighbors and visited perhaps only as a quick stop between Paris and Amsterdam. Folks familiar with the city's many charms remain mum, wanting to savor a Brussels that has avoided large-scale commercialism. But the secret is getting out — Brussels offers ancient architecture, traditional provincial cooking, and historic paintings in a city that's also home to modern glass and steel buildings, nouvelle cuisine, and cutting-edge art.

One of Brussels' most captivating features is its architecture. Victor Hugo, a city resident for several years, called the GrandPlace and its 17th-century Flemish Renaissance buildings "the most beautiful square in Europe." Native son Victor Horta, the father of Art Nouveau, maintains an influence, especially in the regentrified Ixelles neighborhood. However, Brussels' architecture can't be pigeonholed as "old." A short metro ride brings you to the Quartier Européen, from which the city gets its nickname "the capital of Europe." The juxtaposition of materials is striking: the EU quarter is all glass and steel, edged by spacious green parks.

Although located in the northern, Flemish-speaking section of Belgium, Brussels is a French city in language and in its passion for good eating. The country's traditional foods are readily available at pubs and cafes throughout the city. "Moules et frites" (mussels served with French fries) is the national dish and is most often served from a large communal bowl in the center of the table. Other favorites are just as simple and hearty: "Waterzooi" is a chicken or fish stew in white wine-cream sauce, and rabbit is stewed in beer and mustard or soaked in brandy and served with prunes. As you would expect of a city that takes dining so seriously, formal service and cuisine are also available. In fact, Brussels boasts several internationally renowned, Michelin-rated restaurants, some with reservation lists that are months long.

Culture is also apparent. Artists like van Eyck, van Dyck, Rubens and Brueghel are familiar to art lovers and to anyone who has taken an introductory art appreciation course. Samples of their masterpieces fill museums across the city. However, Brussels has also made major contributions to the modern art world. Master surrealist René Magritte — he of the bowler hat — is Belgian, not French, as many believe. Belgians also get credit for raising the comic strip to an art form. Beginning with Tintin, many favorite characters were first drawn with a Belgian pen. Plus, the world's first comic strip museum can be found in Brussels, and along the downtown "comic strip route," visitors can see 18 giant comic strip murals decorating the sides of buildings.

Ancient and modern also meet in the street, where Brussels hosts a wide array of festivals and concerts. Jazz music festivals, a film festival and an animation festival are held annually, as are the Christmas Market and the Ommegang. First celebrated as a religious festival in 1549, today's Ommegang resembles a Renaissance street fair with more than 2000 performers.

Despite harboring over one million full-time residents, Brussels remains a small city. Most tourist sites are within walking distance of the Grand Place, and sensibly placed metro stops make travel to other parts of the city quick and convenient. Well-defined neighborhoods have distinctly different moods, allowing visitors to shop for couture and sip cappuccino with the well-heeled yet scour the flea market and sup on mussels with city workers. Perhaps the most wonderful thing about Brussels is that you're welcomed in either place.