Visiting Belgium to start the new year was a nice short trip with my girlie, Leena. We stayed 3 nights and 4 days in Brussels, and a day trip to Bruges. Our time consisted of walking around the city, enjoying small bites, and lots of wholesome and much-needed sister time.
Here’s a short and sweet itinerary of Brussels and everything we ventured to.
About Belgium
Belgium is a country located in Western Europe. It borders the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to the southwest, and the North Sea to the northwest. The capital of Belgium is Brussels, which also serves as the de facto capital of the European Union. Belgium is officially a trilingual country, with Dutch, French, and German recognized as official languages. Dutch is predominantly spoken in the northern region of Flanders, French in the southern region of Wallonia, and German in a small area near the German border.
The country is famous for its culinary delights, including Belgian chocolates, waffles, and fries. It has a strong tradition of gastronomy and is home to many Michelin-starred restaurants. Belgium is also known for its medieval cities such as Bruges and Ghent, as well as its architectural landmarks like the Grand Place in Brussels.
How to get around
- Walking: The city center of Brussels is relatively compact, and many of the main attractions are within walking distance of each other. Walking is a great way to explore the historic parts of the city.
- Metro: Brussels has a comprehensive metro system with four lines (1, 2, 5, and 6) that can take you to many parts of the city. It’s one of the quickest ways to get around.
- Trams: The tram network covers a wide area of Brussels and is a convenient way to reach destinations not served by the metro. Trams are labeled with numbers.
- Buses: Buses complement the metro and tram systems, providing coverage to areas that may not be accessible by rail. They are identified by numbers as well.
Where to stay ~ Hotel Le Dome
Our hotel was situated in a perfect location where we could access public transportation, the city center which was a 5-minute walk, and a plethora of restaurants and activities. The hotel isn’t the most updated, although it was clean, had good service, and included breakfast.
Would I stay here again? I probably would. Considering how convenient the location is, and although not as modern looking, it was clean.
Where to eat
A traveler’s favorite part. Am I right? Here are a couple of places we ate at, and enjoyed.
Capadocia Kebap
Location: Bd Anspach 40, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
Gyros, kebabs, etc. are rarely my go-to, nor do I ever crave them, although this spot impressed me. I don’t know if it was because I was hungry and cold, but the kebab sandwich did it for me. It meat melted in my mouth and the seasoning and sauce complimented everything so well. Also, the bread had a perfect ratio of softness to hardness.
Le Pain Quotidien
Le Pain Quotidien, for some sweet and savory delicacies. This place is a chain of bakery restaurants, and for a chain, it’s worth a try. I ordered a waffle with chocolate syrup and Leena ordered the seasonal pumpkin soup with bread.
The place was also packed, so you know it’s a good spot to stop for any meal of the day.
Restaurant Jouhara
Location: Bd Maurice Lemonnier 157, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
For fresh seafood of all kinds.
Hands down, the best seafood I’ve had in a very long time. We decided to order a platter of assorted seafood, where we chose what we wanted, along with some cold salads on the side. The batter, seasoning, and dipping sauces had so much flavor!
This was our last stop before heading back to the airport for the UK, and it was a scrumptious way to end our time in Brussels.
What to do
Visit the Grand Place
We were lucky enough to be staying minutes away from the city center and subway to have access to many of the historic and architectural landmarks.
The Grand Place is the central square of Brussels and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The square is surrounded by opulent guild halls, the Town Hall, and the King’s House. You’ll find many events and festivals held at the square throughout the year.
Since Christmas had just finished, the square was still lit up with all the holiday festivities and lights to welcome the new year.
Walk around the city center
My favorite part about travel. Getting a city’s feel through walking around the busiest parts of it. Brussels’ city center is vibrant, walkable, and very European. You’ll find chocolate shops everywhere, and I mean, EVERYWHERE! It makes wanting to eat or buy any hard, but eventually, you realize you’ll have to make the hard choice if you decide to get some.
One thing I appreciated about the center was how historic yet modern it looked. You’ll find a mixture of old and new architectural structures throughout the city.
People watch around the city
This goes hand-in-hand with walking around the city. If you prefer sitting at an outdoor cafe or on a bench, do as you please. Simply just people watching is an experience of its own and will tell you a lot about a place and its people.
While walking around, some of the things I observed were the racial and ethnic demographic, the street culture during the daytime and nighttime, the cleanliness of the city, the white people, and the overall service and demeanor of people.
Before visiting, I had my judgments of what Belgium would be like – white, openly racist, and overall the typical narrative of what a European city with very nationalistic people looks like. Come to find, Belgium is a metropolitan country with many different European nationalities.
And though it is very white, I recognized how I as a brown Muslim woman did not feel completely uncomfortable in my existence. From my experience, depending on the parts of Brussels, the city had a somewhat noticeable non-white immigrant population (Middle Eastern, Black & African descent). Once you venture out of the city center, that is when you notice the demographic change and a more homogenous population.
Search for the yellow waffle food truck
This truck will have the best waffles you’ll ever taste. They’re deliciously moist, and flavorful, with just the right amount of crispiness and fluffiness. If you’d like to add a scoop of ice cream, a variety of flavors are also offered.
If you spot a yellow waffle food truck, do yourself a favor and don’t walk away. You’ll get the best quality and pay less than what you’ll likely pay at restaurants and little shops.
Experience a chocolate-making workshop
An experience I highly recommend, especially if you’re looking for something interactive and fun. You can read all about my chocolate-making experience here.
Recommendations
- Highly recommend visiting a city outside the city center. During our time in Belgium, we had the chance to do a day trip to Bruges, and I enjoyed the calmer atmosphere and the small-town experience.
- If you plan to enjoy the nightlife in the city, I recommend walking with someone or a group.
- Plan experiences to learn more about the country and culture.
What were your highlights when visiting Belgium?
As always, happy travels!
