Brussels, Belgium
A day wandering the beautiful streets around Grand Place.
Brussels, particularly the central area near Grand Place, is really beautiful. I visited the city on a trip around Europe with a couple of friends, between stays in Antwerp and Berlin.
We stayed at the Floris Hotel Arlequin Grand Place, a short walk from Brussels Central station and conveniently located near Grand Place. It was a three-person room in a renovated building with an upstairs loft and windows overlooking the alley below.
While wandering around, we came across Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert. It's the area's central shopping mall, and had a bunch of luxury shops and random boutiques under a beautiful, enclosed, glass ceiling.
Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert
While there were a lot of tourists exploring the city, it was never overwhelming. The only time that there was an over-abundance of tourists crowding in an area was on our walk to check out the Manneken PIs, the famous Brussels statues of little boys peeing. Odd when you think about it, but if you're in town, it's just one of those things that you have to check out.
Manneken PI
Brussels overall was gorgeous and a great stop, but we did have an issue at a restaurant a block away from Grand Place. We went to get some mussels, famous in the country, and weren't exactly given an honest price. The bill was a bit of a shock. When we were getting seated, we noticed a pissed off group of tourists getting ready to leave - they were probably mad about the same thing. I don't remember what the name of the place was, unfortunately, but just make sure you're extra clear on the prices you'll be paying.
Walk the alleys, grab a seat at an outdoor cafe, eat some waffles (try Waffle Factory), and find some good chocolate. And last but not least, if you're lucky enough to be in the city on a clear night, do spend some time in Grand Place (photo at the top).
It would've been nice to have more time to really explore the city, of course, but given that we had a limited amount of time to split between each European destination on our itinerary, 1.5 days in Brussels seemed to be about right.
Pierre Marcolini
It's already internationally famous, but Pierre Marcolini was started right here in Brussels. Their shop here is a lot bigger than the others that I've seen - 2 full floors of chocolates of all types. I went with some assorted packs and a chocolate-covered marshmallow. There's a bunch of other good chocolate shops nearby but you can't go wrong with this one.
Delirium Cafe
Delirium is a popular bar near Grand Place. The basement is really lively, sometimes with live music, and they serve a few thousand different types of beer. No joke - they apparently set a world record. There are a few tables in the alley outside, which we opted for, if you want to sit down and be able to hear the conversation you're having. Definitely a good spot to try out some Belgian beers. Follow their pink elephant logo.
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Antwerp, Belgium
Exploring the quaint central area of Antwerp for a day.
Antwerp Central station
The main area of Antwerp has a quaint feel and is very walkable. I stopped here for a day while traveling through Europe with a couple of friends, arriving at Antwerp Central station after catching a train from Amsterdam.
The station's architecture (pictured at the top) is impressive and is probably one of the nicest stations I've been to. It's organized, isn't chaotic and is clean. In fact, Antwerp as a whole was a pretty clean city.
We stayed the night at Leonardo Hotel Antwerpen, right outside the station. After putting our things down and getting settled in, we made our way to a few sights.
Our first stop was the Cathedral of Our Lady. It's a gorgeous church with an area in the back where you can quietly take photos and watch the ongoing processions. During our time in Antwerp, this was the most memorable sight.
Cathedral of Our Lady
Het Steen castle is a small castle on the Scheldt riverside and was the final sightseeing spot on our list. We didn't walk inside, choosing to roam the area instead.
Het Steen castle with the Lange Wapper statue outside
View of the Cathedral of Our Lady from the Het Steen castle area
Antwerp Central station
Our stay in Antwerp was brief and I wish we could have explored more. We even skipped dinner...but not before getting our fill of some good treats.
Fritkot Max
You have to get some Belgian fries when you get into Belgium, right? We hit up Fritkot Max, a pretty popular spot for fries at Groenplaats, a square near the Catheral of Our Lady. The amazing thing about this place is the variety of sauces that you can serve yourself. Curry, andalouse, tartar, samurai and a bunch more.
Australian Home Made Ice Cream
Ok, it's weird getting "Australian" ice cream as the name says in Belgium. This was some amazing ice cream, though, and we had to go back again for a second time. Perfectly creamy, and as you can see in the second photo, there was a crowd. We got addicted to their Speculaas (Speculoos) flavor, made after the cookies that originated in the area.
Quetzal
This place came as a recommendation from a friend, Kristi (if you're looking for yoga in Hawaii, check her out!), who lived in Belgium. It's located in the central area and provides some excellent sweets to take a break with as you're exploring the area. Go with anything chocolate!