What to do in Brussels!?

It’s highly likely you might know of Belgium because of their amazing chocolate, copious amounts of beer, and of course the famous ‘Belgian Waffles’. But here’s the thing, it’s friggin beautiful too!

I was not prepared to fall in love with this country.

I only visited two cities. But these two cities really did a number on me. In a good way of course.

These two cities are Brussels and Bruges.

Both of which I urge you to visit if you get the chance.

Heads up though, don’t expect to stick to a diet while you’re here; due to said chocolate, beer, and waffles haha!

Brussels

I started my Belgian adventures with 4 nights in Brussels. Spending 4 nights in Brussels isn’t needed. In my opinion 2 full days here is more than enough. We always tend to stay longer in each place as we need time to work as well.

Accommodation

Our accommodation was the Meininger Hotel. The price was a lot better because it’s not smack bang in the centre of town. It’s about a 10 minute walk to the centre which I didn’t mind at all. The room was huge, the staff were lovely, and there was a bar downstairs too (always a plus 😉 ).

What to do in Brussels

Wander the Streets

Brussels really is an unexpected beauty. The beautiful buildings and cobblestone streets make up the character of this city. I found a lot of joy just wandering through the streets and taking it all in.

Grand Place

Grand Place is just that…. Grand. Basically it’s a square in the city centre surrounded by amazing gothic and neo-classical  buildings; all with gold plated detailing. It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site! Brussels is where the headquarters of the EU and NATO are, and you can tell there is a fair bit of wealth in this city. Come to Grand Place to admire the architecture and grab a coffee at one of the surrounding cafes.

Palais de Justice

Apparently the Justice building has been under construction for years. There is ALOT of work being done on the outside, and from far away it kind of gives the impression that it’s not accessible to tourists. But it is still open and you can go inside. It really is amazing both inside and out. There’s grand staircases, pillars, and white stone statues of old judges; all worth at least taking a look at.

City View Point

Just outside the Justice Building, there is a view point over the city. Stop here and take it all in! It’s not the best view you’ll ever see, but if you’ve been at the Justice Building, it’s worth a stop. Once you’ve had your fill of the view, grab a beer at the little pop up bar across the road. There’s a bunch of colourful chairs you can relax in while still getting a good view.

Waffle or Chocolate Workshop

It’s super cliche, I know haha… But you get to make some yourself and EAT ALL THE WAFFLES. We did the waffle tour with 1Usual Tours. It cost 56 Euro for two of us. Our workshop group was a little dull which definitely made an impact on the day. But I still recommend it as parts of it was interesting. And then, you know, you can have all you can eat waffles at the end. With soooo many different toppings to choose from. My personal fave topping was called Speculoos. Dayuummmm, so good. You can see our vlog here!

*1Usual tours also offered chocolate workshops, walking tours, and beer tastings. 

Get some real ‘French’ Fries

Don’t believe the French! They didn’t invent fries. The Belgians did! And I must say, these were some dang good fries. Grab a takeaway cone of fries with your sauce of choice and munch down. It’s also a great feed after a few drinks 😉

Absinth Bars

While we’re on the topic of alcohol, Brussels is home to several Absinth bars. You see, I didn’t have a clue there were so many different kinds of Absinths. Nor did I know there were so many different ways to consume it. If you’re after a bit of fun, pop into one and have a shot!

Delirium Bar

You like beer? Okay good, because Delirium has over 2,000 different beers on tap. Say whaaa??!

Yeah, they’re kitted out for sure. There’s a couple of these bars scattered throughout Brussels because it’s so popular. Some of them are multi-storied, and each floor will sell a different range of beers than the one before. It’s quite a seedy looking place. You can tell people come here to party. But if you’re a lover of beer, and want some options (is 2,000 enough), then pop in for a couple.

All You Can Eat Ribs At Amadeus

Oooh yeah. Ribs baby. Prepare to get messy with this one. But my gosh it is delicious! For a fixed price you can get all you can eat ribs. Seriously they just keep dropping more off to your table. And there’s a friggin amazing side of baked potato with the most mouth watering sauce I’ve had. Like my mouth is watering right now while I’m typing this. All you can eat ribs is a good option for dinner with some friends.

Like I said, it’s tough to stick to a diet while in Belgium! Just embrace all the goodness I say. Actually looking back on everything I’ve just written, it’s not entirely clear that Brussels is more than just chocolate, beer, and waffles. My bad… I guess you’ll just have to go and see it for yourself 😉

Big shoutout to Leo and Saba for showing us around. Here’s our vlog of what to do in Brussels.