A jewel of Art Deco monuments and heavenly chocolate
I’m ashamed to admit that at the eve of 40, I haven’t toured Europe half as much as I should have. Worse still, Belgium, not least Brussels, was not high on my agenda of places to see. Having just spent the weekend there, I can firmly say how proud I am to have visited what has to be one of Europe’s most outstanding testimonies to Art Deco Architecture and Design.
A friend and I travelled by Eurostar from Kings Cross International Station to Brussels in about a 2 hour journey. The trains were clean and comfortable and the stations all had good access via lifts and escalators on both sides of the channel. Although, we did feel that on the Kings Cross side the station was far cleaner and modern with good shopping facilities in comparison to the Brussels end where most of the stations, exit and entrance, seemed to smell of wee?
Our stay was at one of the NH Hotels, a Spanish owned chain of hotels similar to a Holiday Inn type set up with good quality rooms, modern and with breakfast included.
Travelling around Brussels is easy. You can get around by foot to almost anywhere or if you are feeling a little lazy, on their very reliable and value for money metro system, since the city itself is quite small.
Brussels is split into sections known as the Lower City, Upper City, The Marolles, North Brussels, European Quarter and Louise/South Brussels. The great landmark and a good place to start has to be The Grand Place, located in the Lower City part of Brussels and very nearby to where we were staying. This is a hulking square of phenomenal buildings carefully designed yet with a really comforting feeling. In fact, wherever you are Brussels has a quirky mix of Gothic and Art Deco buildings intertwined with modern monsters that are not too imposing and all sitting in unison, quietly immersed in conversation. Everything feels so cosy and welcoming, it’s possible you may never want to leave.
With a map in tow, it is very easy to navigate yourself around Brussels. There are a variety of large boulevards all linked by lots of backstreets (known as quarters) that are brimming with culture predominantly Belgian (Flemish and French), North African, Middle Eastern and Greek. Most locals are tri-lingual speaking both Dutch/Flemish, French and English. So if you do struggle with the language there’s always a line of communication! Better still, the Belgians are a really cool lot, making no judgments or discriminating against you. They are very relaxed and down to earth.
Due to it’s size, my friend commented that it’s quite possible to do the Grand Place and take in Belgian life in an afternoon! In fact, we arrived in the morning and in one day had managed to visit the Grand Place, stroll along the restaurant parade, eat Moules et Frites (Mussels and chips to the rest of us, the local delicacy), take pics, eat more – this time Waffles and Chocolate, and then go off the beaten track and sit with the locals in a bar for drinks and dinner!
After we’d done all that, it left us the rest of the weekend to explore many other landmarks and move away from the tourist hotspots to really experience Belgian life. One restaurant we found particularly welcoming and with the most amazing food was La Maufacture, located in a former factory in what was known as the Factory Quarter. The staff spoke many languages and the food was delicious, the crème brulee was mouth watering!
We managed to find two vintage clothes shops that had some great clothing and accessories and all at a pretty reasonable price. We also explored a well known Flea Market, known as the Vieux Marche located at the Place du Jeu de Balle and open daily 7am to 2pm. Here you can find some real gems sitting alongside lots of old tat. Haggling is most definitely in order since they know it is frequented by many tourists.
Overall, Brussels, is a fantastic city break destination. The people are hospitable, the food great and the scenery breathtaking. It’s certainly full of romance (the men are very amorous so watch out ladies) but also like a home from home. Travelling there is easy and the Eurostar, if booked early enough, is cheap and the best mode of transport.
Details of our stay
Travelling from Kings Cross to Brussels, each way £38.
Hotel – NH Atlanta, Brussels – Boulevard Adolphe Max 7
- Tel: +32 2 2170120 – http://www.nh-hotels.com/
La Manufacture Restaurant – 12, Rue de Notre Dame du Sommeil, located in the Fabrique quarter
Flea Market – Vieux Marche, Place du Jeu de Balle, metro: Louise or Porte de Hal
http://www.marcheauxpuces.org/
Vintage shops – Rue de Chartreux – nearest metro: Bourse
