Top 6 Things to Do in Brussels

Belgium is a multicultural country and it has 3 official languages: Flanders, German, and French. Brussels is the capital of both Belgian and the E.U. It’s a melting pot of European cultures and a foodie paradise.

I’ll be honest with you. I spent 90% of my time in Brussels eating. They had all my favorite junk foods!

Moules-frites, or mussels and fries, is considered the national dish of Belgium. To sample the Belgian staple, I went to a local eatery called Noordzee: Mer du Nord. It was popular with locals who were on their lunch break. They looked like they were having a blast catching up with each other over seafood and beer.

There was no seating but plenty of cocktail tables to stand at while dining, so I ordered some moules-frites then stood at a cocktail table like a Belgian. My moules-frites were served with fried potatoes and grilled onions and peppers instead of French fries like I was expecting, but it was still delicious. The meal went perfectly with a refreshing Belgian beer.

Moules-frites at Nord Zee

Belgians take their fries seriously and Belgian fries are held to very high standards. To be considered an authentic Belgian fry, the potatoes must be fried twice in animal fat. Belgians claim to be the inventor of frites (fries) and there’s a friterie (fry shop) on every corner in Brussels. You can even visit a fry museum in Bruges, Belgium.

I quickly discovered that my favorite way to enjoy Belgian frites was with andalouse sauce. Andalouse is made from mayonnaise, tomato paste, and chopped bell peppers. It tastes like thousand island dressing and is so scrumptious that it rivals In N Out’s fry sauce. Yeah, I went there.

Belgians are known for their decadent chocolates. I recommend purchasing some from a gallery like the Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert for your family and friends back home. These galleries, commonly referred to as arcades, are located next to the Grand-Place.

Gloves for sale in the arcade

Finally, I had to try a classic Belgian waffle. Waffles can be served with a variety of toppings and popular options include powdered sugar or strawberries and Nutella. Yummm.

Belgian waffle topped with strawberries and nutella

Bar in Old Town selling Trappist beer

Once you’ve eaten your weight in moules-frites, you’ll be thirsty for some Belgian beer. When I was in Brussels, I discovered Trappist beer. Trappist beer is full-bodied and slightly sweet. It’s brewed exclusively by Trappist monks. If it’s not brewed by Trappist monks, then it’s not Trappist beer. There’s only 14 monasteries around the world that brew the holy beer and six of them are in Belgium. Monks aren’t allowed to earn a profit, so all proceeds from Trappist beer sales are used to maintain the monastery or are given to charity. Bottoms up for a good cause!

As the capital of both Belgium and the E.U., Brussels is home to many iconic sights such as the Grand-Place, the Palais Royal, and the Atomium. The Atomium is a sculpture of the atomic structure. It was built in 1958 to welcome new technological advances in Europe.

Grand-Place

The Grand-Place (Grote Markt) is an impressive example of Gothic architecture and is considered to be of the most beautiful squares in all of Europe. Every other summer for one weekend in August, the Grote Markt is decorated with flowers. A team of artists construct a flower carpet out of begonias in the middle of the square.

Grand-Place

In addition to its dramatic Gothic architecture, Brussels features beautiful art nouveau townhouses in the Ixelles and Saint Gilles neighborhoods. The Musical Instruments Museum is also an incredible work of art nouveau architecture.

Canal in Brussels

The Manneken Pis is a teeny tiny statue of a young boy urinating into a fountain. It’s considered one of Europe’s ‘Most Disappointing Landmarks.’ However, his outfits are far from disappointing. All of his official costumes are managed by ‘The Friends of Manneken-Pis.’ The society owns over a thousand different outfits, and they change his clothes several times a week.

As a response to the Manneken Pis, the Jeanneke-Pis was created. This is the female equivalent of the Manneken Pis and, as you would assume, it’s a small sculpture of a young girl squatting over a fountain. This goofy statue can be found at the Impasse de la Fidelite (Fidelity Alley) in Brussels’ Old Town. There’s bars over the statue to keep people from stealing it, so I couldn’t get a good picture.

Have you heard of Tintin?

He’s a cartoon character that was invented in Belgium. He’s painted all over the city. You can learn more about Tintin at the Comics Art Museum.

There’s a lot of street art in Brussels. You can even find comprehensive maps online of Brussels’ street art. I noticed a lot of LGBTQ-friendly street art including rainbow sidewalks and murals of same-sex couples holding hands.

Bruges’ Market Square

Bruges is so charming! Visiting Bruges was the highlight of my time in Belgium. Bruges has picturesque canals, cobblestone streets, and medieval architecture. Many Europeans refer to Bruges as ‘the Venice of the North’ because of its intricate canal system. I highly recommend going on a canal tour while in Bruges. Don’t forget to tip your captain!

Canal in Bruges

Have you been to Brussels? What about Bruges? Let me know in the comments!

– Travel Alli