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Brussels - The City With PzazzBy Gilly Pickup‘Just try and stop me!’ was my reaction when I had the opportunity to revisit this sophisticated, cosmopolitan city. Brimming with history, tradition, elegance and as much art-nouveau architecture as you can take, there’s no denying that although it is the headquarters of the European Union, Nato and other international organisations, Brussels hasn't been boring for a long time. Stylishly graceful, with cobbled streets and grand old structures, it is an underrated tourist city with a host of things for you to get stuck into.
Amble on down the hill and you’ll come across one of the Belgian architect Horta’s masterpieces, the Palais des Beaux-Arts, the world’s first multi-purpose entertainment complex, then head on a little further until you reach the handsome white Cathédrale de St Michel et Gudule towering over the Lower Town. This Gothic masterpiece is the national church of Belgium and the venue for royal occasions. Just the place to take a few arty photographs. I soon discovered how easy it is to explore Brussels on foot – being fairly small it’s a doddle to get round. Bear in mind though, Belgian drivers tend to be impatient so do remember to take care at pedestrian crossings! If you prefer to use public transport, a modest flat fee will let you hop aboard buses, trams and the metro. And, a big plus here, public transport is both efficiently run and easy to use.
Fortunately, Brussels also has eateries galore at prices that won’t bankrupt you and it is not difficult to find restaurants and cafés serving quality food at a modest price. Immediately north of the Grand ‘Place, the Ilot Sacré or ‘Sacred Isle’ is an picturesquely evocative medieval warren of twisty cobbled streets jam packed with tourist restaurants and atmospheric beer halls, while Sainte-Catherine, the town’s boisterous harbour area before the river was filled over in the 1870s, has an abundance of fish restaurants. In summer, terraces open up across the road making it highly entertaining to watch the waiters expertly weaving in and out of the traffic, balancing plates stacked with lobster and oysters.
So there you have it. Brussels has something for everyone. It’s freshly fashionable, has history in spades, shops galore, architecture worth a second look and lots of chocolate. What more could anyone want? PICTURE CREDITS: All © J.Jeanmart except Musical Instrument Museum which is © OPT For more info on visiting Brussels and Belgium go to : www.belgiumtheplaceto.be |
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A long boulevard divides the centre of the city into Lower
Town and Upper Town. The Lower Town has as its centrepiece magnificent, lively
and bustling ‘Grand’Place’, Brussels heart since the Middle Ages and now a World
Heritage site. This medieval square, a great place to tap the city’s pulse, is
surrounded by elaborate 18th century guild houses, many of which have played
their own part in history. Marx and Engels wrote the Communist Manifesto in one
of these in 1847, while L’Arbre d'Or, ‘The Golden Tree’, was home to the
Brewer's guild and houses the fascinating Brewer's Museum. The ultra- imposing
look-at-me ‘Hotel de Ville’, the gothic town hall, takes pride of place as
landmark building in the square. In summer, the area is choc a bloc with bar
terraces, concerts and buzzy open-air events, including the famous ‘Tapis de
Fleurs’ in August, when more than one million begonias are fashioned into a
glorious rich carpet of stunning colour.
The Upper Town, with its abundance of eye-catching
buildings and lush green spaces, is impressive enough to make a mere mortal feel
humble. The Royal Quarter is home to two of the more significant structures -
the Palace, (free admission to the public during summer) - while the green and
fountained Parc de Bruxelles leads to the Belgian Parliament. Near that regal
duo you’ll find the ‘Place du Grand Sablon,’ an less tourist-thronged area of
ritzy restaurants, uber- expensive shops, preposterously pricey antiques and a
clutch of the city's best museums and galleries. An unmissable attraction a
mere stone’s throw from the palace is the Musée des Instruments de Musique, a
beautifully restored art nouveau edifice inscripted in gold with the words,' Old
England Building.’ It has a mind-blowing four floors of interactive history on
more than 1500 musical instruments including somewhat bizarre contraptions by
Adolphe Sax, Belgian inventor of the saxophone. It also houses a regularly used
concert hall and if you feel like a snack, there’s a relaxing café on the roof
with great views across the city.
That bizarre, bronze statuette of Belgian irreverence, the
Mannekin-Pis in the Rue de l'Etuve is the most popular tourist attraction in
Brussels. Created in the 17th century, this little boy standing on a pedestal
nonchalantly answers nature’s call 365 days a year, supplying a constant stream
of water to the basin beneath him. Besides doing what comes naturally, he has
actually had a pretty dramatic time of it. He has been the victim of
several acts of vandalism as well as bring kidnapped twice; once by the British,
in 1745, then again by the French in 1747. As if that wasn’t enough, in
1817 he got into the clumsy hands of a French convict who cruelly smashed him to
pieces. From the fragments was built the 24 inch high figurine you see
today. He is naturally naked, although throughout the centuries the little boy
has been dressed up in over 500 outfits, including those like Elvis and Mozart
wore, all of which make up their own display in the Museum of the City of
Brussels.
After all that sightseeing, you’ll feel like a bite to eat.
The local burghers eat out more than any other nation and the cuisine fusing
north and south Belgian styles is excellent. Local specialities include ‘Waterzoi,’
fish or meat in a creamy vegetable sauce mixed with Gueuze beer, asparagus and
chicory, and irresistibly fat, golden chips. Chips or ‘frites’ are a chic,
rather than a cheap, side dish here. Restaurants around the Grand’Place are a
tourist magnet, while the rue des Bouchers area, between Grand’Place and the
covered galleries, is romantically atmospheric with candlelit tables and
stunning displays of seafood.
And finally, surely no visit to Brussels would be complete
– for a chocoholic like me, anyway - without seeking out the best places to go
to buy chocolate. One of my favourite chocolate shops is ‘Marcolini’ in the
Place du Grand Sablon. It has a chocolate fountain in the window and tempts
customers with samples of exquisite pralines. Aah! Chocolate heaven! I also
like Neuhaus, a serenely comforting chocolate shop in the glass-roofed Galerie
de la Reine, which delights the senses as well as the taste buds, with
eye-catching displays of fresh flowers, piped music and acres of marble and
chandeliers. Those who simply cannot get enough of the cocoa bean mustn’t
miss a visit to the Museum of Cocoa and Chocolate in the city’s main square,
Grand-Place. It’s easy to find, just look for the trumpeting golden angel
above the doorway.