A City Of Stylish Architecture, Vibrant Culture & Exceptional Chocolate!

Tagged as the capital of Europe, Brussels boasts a number of attractions to lure the most demanding of travellers. From fine dining and quaint architecture to a vibrant nightlife and its many landmarks, there’s something to appeal to everyone in Brussels. More and more it’s the 30-40 year age group which is descending on Belgium and Brussels in particular.

Look around the streets of Brussels and you’ll see people from a wide variety of backgrounds and culture – a testimony to the cosmopolitan nature of the city. Aside from the many ex-pats posted here from around the world, Brussels also plays host to immigrants from Turkey, Greece and North Africa. English is widely spoken.

The Belgians are a friendly folk who make tourists feel at home.

Brussels is without doubt one of the world’s great cosmopolitan cities. The dominant language is French, but Flemish is also spoken in certain pockets of the city as is a unique mix of the two languages (called Marollien or Brusselse Sproek).

So what’s Brussels characterised by?

• Fine food. You can’t help but be impressed by the wide variety of food options open to the Brussels visitor. The national dish is “moules et frites” (mussels and fries) and must be sampled but the city also offers a magnificent choice of ethnic foods including Turkish, Chinese, Moroccan, Vietnamese, Tunisian, Italian and more.

• The vibrant “Grand-Place” is the very heart of Brussels and should be the first port of c all for the newly arrived visitor. Many believe it to be among the finest town squares to be found anywhere in the world. Here you’ll find many terrace cafes, and it is often the venue of concerts and events. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
• Brussels is the EU capital, and as such is the location of an increasing number of European Union buildings. It is also the HQ of NATO and numerous international institutions.
• Brussels gave birth to the “art nouveau” architectural movement in the late 1890’s. This was to spread to many other countries who embraced the bold new combination of materials such as stone, iron and exquisite tiles. Some examples of famous landmarks you can visit that are a testimony to the movement are the Hotels Metropole & Solvay, Musee horta and Maison Saint Cyr. The Art Nouveau movement was spearheaded by Belgian architects Victor Horta and Henry van de Velde.
• Lovers of architecture, museums and cathedrals will be satisfied by the good mix on display. Aside from the wide range of museums, there’s the “Cathedrale des Sts Michel et Gudule” whose origins can be traced back to 1072.
• The chocolate. You’ll find speciality chocolatiers in almost every town and village in Belgium, which produces 172,000 tons of chocolate per year.  Most famous in Brussels are:
  Chocolat Manon
  Mary Chocolatier
  La Maison du Chocolat Artisanal
  Debailleul
  

Brussels Chocolate Walking Tour and Workshop

• The beer . There are almost 500 varieties of beer in Belgium – the country has a reputation of excellence regarding its speciality beers.

Whether you come to Brussels for the culture, architecture or just the heavenly chocolate, you’re certain to have an enjoyable time!

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