Brussels is deceivingly smaller than I anticipated – however, it worked to our advantage. We planned a quick stop in Belgium for one reason and one reason only…. BEER! I would not describe myself as a beer snob, or even a foodie, but what I am passionate about is a good beer and french fry pairing with a side of waffles. What better place to indulge in the finer things in life than Brussels, Belgium!?
We took the train from Paris up to Brussels without planning any major sights to see upon our arrival. After a very busy stop in Paris, it was refreshing to spend an entire day doing whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted.
I recommend grabbing lunch and people watching at one of the patio restaurants in the City Centre. We lucked out, the weather was incredible given the time of year. We even took off our coats and soaked in the suns rays. We enjoyed a beer sampler, french fries (with mayo), mini bratwurst bites, and more beer. After spending the better half of the early afternoon at one restaurant it was time to move on to the next mini-adventure of the day.
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- Belgian Chocolate anyone?
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- City Centre
The beauty of Brussels is its size. You enter the city centre and can take a 1-2 minute walk down little alleyways to find small shops, more restaurants, and chocolatiers. We stumbled upon one of Brussels most famous landmarks – The Manneken Pis. Although less exciting in person, it’s worth seeing. You may not see Manneken Pis right away and that’s because it’s tiny, but if you see a huge crowd of tourists on a street corner, you’re in the right place.
Manneken Pis
After a few photos, it was time for dessert. How are you supposed to decide on 1-2 toppings for a waffle that you know will change your entire life?! YOU CAN’T! Load that baby up! When in Rome… or Brussels.
Spending an entire day eating, drinking, and people watching without a schedule is the best way to see Brussels. Obviously there are things I need to go back for such as: a proper beer tour, The Atomium, Botanical Gardens, a stop in quaint Bruges, etc. However, the spontaneity of this quick stop made it one of my favorites during my Europe trip of 2014.
Share with me: What did you see and do in Belgium?
