Brussels travel review & recommendations by dare

Brussels is a place for walking. The best sights are from the pavement, around the next bend, from a different angle, on the other side of the street, or what you happen to be in front of right this very minute.

It is hard to walk anywhere without seeing some beautiful architecture, or a lovely little park, or a querky random something (giant molecule anyone?), or a striking skyline or Tin Tin. Pick a direction and head off.

Favourite sight: The Grote Markt, early in the morning when it was completely empty and drizzling with rain. Ok, tourist classic but invoking that ancient feeling.

Second favourite site: Giant road cone. How does this fit into the grand scheme that Brussels evokes? No clue. Just cool and random. Brussels really does merge old and eclectic really well.

I'd recommend eating and drinking as much as possible. The food and beer are fantastic. Mussels in Brussels must be a staple for every visit. Expect to pay around 20 Euros for a pot. And it should be a huge pot. Frittes are the other usual treat - served with mayo. But don't expect to find them in every place that serves food, like you do in a western country.

There seem to be maybe 3 types of establishments for casual eating / drinking in Belgium. Sidewalk Cafes may be entirely drinks oriented (although a small snack like nuts or crackers are usually served with alcohol) and have the greatest range of beers. In the tourist areas if a cafe serves light food it seems to be the exact same menu: croque monsieur or lasagne, and will have a limited beer range. The third type would be your regular restaurant, however it seems that restaurants have much less of a beer menu (more wine) then the cafe's do, but of course, the best food (and highest prices). Consequently we moved around between lots of different establishments.

If you really want to see some raised eyebrows among Belgian waiters ask for a rare / blue steak. They are used to the majority of western tourists being British, who like their meat cooked until greyness sets in. It took us a while to figure out the weird looks until one waitress finally said: "But you are English?!" to which we replied, with a smile: "No, we only speak English."

The Eurostar is so easy to use and eliminates so much of the hassle you get at airports. Recommended. Local trains are so easy to use. No advice necessary. Just show up and go.