Brussels is a city of fog and rain. For many tourists it is just a cold capital city where politics play their games. Maybe it is a place for old people, for serious and boring subjects. But maybe, well … they are wrong. Brussels is just apparently quiet, it is a lively, many-coloured place, instead. A trip to Brussels opens your eyes over a beautiful world of good food, live music, street art and charming architectures. You really cannot miss it.
When to go to Brussels
Cold seasons are long, rainy and… cold, in fact. So you better book yout trip to Brussels in spring or summer. Temperatures in summer are still low and nice, it may be raining but mostly you will have sun. And it is a lovely experience to walk through the streets of this city in the soft colours of June or July.
How to get to Brussels
There is a good reason why Brussels is the capital city of the European Union. It is almost in the heart of the continent, half europeans live at less than 500 km from Belgium. It is well connected to all Europe, and you can easily get there. Many motorways meet in Brussels, its 5 railway stations let trains from all over Europe take people over there.
Brussels has a big, modern international airport not far from the city centre (17 minutes drive). It also uses a second airport, South Charleroi, to better dispose of air traffic. Both airports are connected to the city via bus services and train. You can get to Brussels also by bus, since local terminals welcome the major long-distance bus services (Flixbus, for example).
How to move
Brussels is a large city but has a very small core, the beautiful “old town”, where you can easily move on foot. If you must cross the whole urban area, local buses, subway and tramways will help a lot. You can also go by bike, because of the flat territory, even if car traffic around is quite chaotic.
What to see
It should take one month to just visit the old centre of Brussels! There are so many interesting monuments in a few square kilometers… . The heart of this universe is the Grand Place, the big central square. Over this square stand the City Hall, the Royal Palace, the House of Guilds and many other palaces.
Do not miss a visit to the stunning gothic churches: the Cathedral, Notre Dame du Sablon, La Chapelle, the Sacré Coeur. Many museums to see, and of course the military architecture from the Middle Ages: fortified walls and the Royal Castle above all. The Atomium is also very interesting, so are the Mini Europe Park, Southern Tower, Monument to Europe.