BRUSSELS SLEEPING, EATING & MORE
IN STE. CATHERINE, NEAR THE OLD FISH MARKET
STE. CATHERINE, NEAR THE OLD FISH MARKET
MATONGÉ: AN AFRICAN NEIGHBORHOOD AND A TRENDY SQUARE
As the capital of Belgium—and of the European Union—Brussels is a great place to spend some time. This chapter provides suggestions for the best places to sleep and eat; tips for shopping and after-hours fun; and a rundown of connections to points throughout Belgium, the Netherlands, and beyond, as well as tips for getting to and from the city’s two airports.
Sleeping in Brussels
Hotel prices are high in central Brussels. This popular business destination tends to be busiest and most expensive on weekdays, especially in spring and fall. Brussels’ fancy business-class hotels can be desperately empty most of July and August and on most Friday and Saturday nights. During these slow times, rates drop. You may be able to score a double room at a three-star hotel in the center with enough comforts to keep a diplomat happy, including a fancy breakfast, for about €135.
Conversely, Bruges—a pleasure destination—has higher demand on weekends. If your trip is flexible, consider arranging your overnights in these two towns with these patterns in mind.
NEAR THE GRAND PLACE
€€€€ The Dominican Hotel, with 150 rooms, provides a high-end sanctuary on a quiet street just minutes from the touristic chaos. The original monastery (bombed flat in World War I, rebuilt in 2007) inspired the hotel’s high ceilings, arcaded courtyard, and sedate color palette. When you step into the hotel’s elevator, Gregorian chants remind you this is your refuge (RS%, extravagant breakfast extra, air-con, laundry service available weekdays, gym, sauna, dressy cocktail lounge and public spaces, Rue Leopold 9, +32 2 203 0808, www.thedominican.be, info@thedominican.carlton.be, Bert).
€€€ Hotel Le Dixseptième, with sleek, 21st-century rooms behind its luxurious lounges and entryway, is ideally located a block below Central station. Prim, proper, and peaceful, with chandeliers and squeaky hardwood floors, the hotel’s 35 rooms are each themed after a different painter (air-con, no breakfast, Rue de la Madeleine 25, +32 2 517 1717, www.ledixseptieme.be, info@ledixseptieme.be).
€€€ Art de Séjour is a classy splurge B&B a few blocks from the Grand Place (farther than the others listed here...but worth it). Well run by Mario, it fills a gorgeously restored building with four thoughtfully appointed rooms that are an engaging mix of new (air filters and iMacs in every room) and old (original woodwork). Mario’s training as an engineer shows in all the special touches (air-con, a few stairs, Rue des Bogards 12, +32 2 513 9755, www.artdesejour.com, concierge@artdesejour.com).
€€€ NH Brussels Carrefour de l’Europe offers 65 rooms—some with lovely views. What the hotel lacks in personality it makes up for in predictable comfort and location (family rooms, air-con, pay parking, Rue du Marché aux Herbes, +32 2 504 94 00, www.nh-hotels.com, nhcarrefourdeleurope@nh-hotels.com).
€€€ Hotel Ibis off Grand Place, well situated halfway between Central station and the Grand Place, is the best of several Ibis locations around Brussels. It’s a big, modern hotel offering 184 simple, industrial-strength-yet-comfy rooms (breakfast extra, air-con, Marché aux Herbes 100, +32 2 514 4040, www.ibishotel.com, h1046@accor.com).
€€ Hotel La Légende rents 26 small, straightforward rooms a block from the Manneken-Pis statue. Although it’s on a busy road, its classic lobby sits back on a pleasant courtyard. The furnishings are basic, but the location and price are right, and the rooms are modern and comfortable (breakfast extra, request a quieter courtyard room, Rue du Lombard 35, +32 2 512 8290, www.hotellalegende.com, info@hotellalegende.com).
€ Hotel the Moon is an efficient budget option, with 17 bare-bones rooms and no public spaces. It’s noisy (thin walls and on a square), but it’s just steps from the Grand Place—and it’s the cheapest centrally located hotel this side of a youth hostel (no breakfast, ask for a quieter room in the back, no elevator, on the small “Agora” square at Rue de la Montagne 4, +32 2 414 4914, www.hotelthemoon.com, info@hotelthemoon.com).
IN STE. CATHERINE, NEAR THE OLD FISH MARKET
The following listings are a 10-minute walk from the intensity of the old center, near the Sainte-Catherine/Sint-Katelijne Métro stop (two stops from Central station). This charming neighborhood, “the village in Brussels,” faces the canalside fish market and has many of the town’s best restaurants.
€€€ Citadines Sainte-Catherine Apart’hotel, part of a Europe-wide chain, is a huge apartment-style hotel with modern, functional rooms and an outdoor courtyard. Choose from efficiency studios with double beds or two-room apartments with a bedroom and a foldout couch in the living room. All 169 units come with a kitchen, dishware, and dishwasher. This is a good option for families staying several nights (breakfast extra, self-serve laundry, pay parking, Quai au Bois à Brûler 51, +32 2 221 1411, www.citadines.com, stecatherine@citadines.com).
€€€ Hotel Ibis Brussels City Centre is a big, impersonal, perfectly comfortable place with 236 rooms in a great location (breakfast extra, air-con, laundry service, Rue Joseph Plateau 2 at Place Ste. Catherine, +32 2 550 1110, www.ibishotel.com, h1454@accor.com).
€€ B&B Druum, in a 19th-century mansion, is artsy and cool—but with a laid-back, unpretentious vibe. Its six lofty-ceilinged rooms are each designed by a different artist. Some have doorless bathrooms, some have wild and creative light fixtures, while others feel more sedate—but all come with a contemporary, minimalist flair (pay parking, self-check-in, Rue du Houblon 63, +32 472 054 240, www.druum.be [URL inactive], sleep@druum.be).
HOSTELS
Four classy and modern hostels in drab buildings are within a 10-minute walk of Central station. Each accepts people of all ages and serves breakfast.
¢ SafeStay Hostel, on a people-filled street near the Grand Place, is a popular option (private rooms available, Rue Grétry 53, +32 2 219 4343, www.safestay.com, safestaybrussels@safestay.com).
¢ Bruegel Hostel, an “official” hostel and a fortress of cleanliness, is handy and comfortable (private rooms available, midway between Midi and Central stations, behind Chapelle church at Rue de St. Esprit 2, +32 2 511 0436, www.youthhostels.be, brussel@vjh.be).
¢ Sleep Well Hostel, surrounded by high-rise parking structures, is also comfortable (private rooms available, Rue de Damier 23, +32 2 218 5050, www.sleepwell.be, info@sleepwell.be).
¢ Jacques Brel Hostel is a little farther out, but it’s still a reasonable walk from everything (private rooms available, Rue de la Sablonnière 30, +32 2 218 0187, www.hihostels.com, brussels.brel@hostelbrussels.be).
Eating in Brussels
Brussels is known for both its high-quality, French-style cuisine and its multicultural variety. Seafood—fish, eel, shrimp, and oysters—is especially well prepared here.
When it comes to choosing a restaurant, many tourists congregate on the Grand Place or at Rue des Bouchers, the city’s restaurant row. While the Grand Place is undeniably magnificent for enjoying dessert or a drink, go elsewhere to eat well, such as the international and trendy zone past the Bourse near Place St-Géry or the area around Place Ste. Catherine.
OLD CENTER
Dining on the Grand Place
My vote for northern Europe’s grandest medieval square is lined with hardworking eateries that serve predictable dishes to tourist crowds. Of course, you won’t get the best quality or prices—but, after all, it’s the Grand Place.
€€€€ L’Estaminet du Kelderke—with its one steamy vault under the square and small patio of tables on the square—is packed with both locals and tourists and is a real Brussels fixture. It serves local specialties, including mussels, fish soup, beef stew, and horse steak (daily until late, no reservations taken, Grand Place 15, +32 2 513 7344, Kam).
Lunches near the Grand Place
The super-central square dubbed the “Agora” (officially Marché aux Herbes, just between the Grand Place and Central station) is lined with low-end eateries and is especially fun on sunny days. On the other side of the Grand Place is Rue du Marché aux Fromages, jammed with mostly Greek and East Asian places, with diners sitting elbow-to-elbow at cramped tables out front. For something fresher and more interesting, stroll a few blocks to one of the following alternatives:
Big, fresh mussels (moules) are available all over town. Mostly harvested from aqua farms along the North Sea, they are available for most of the year (except from about May through mid-July, when smaller ones are brought in from Denmark). The classic Belgian preparation is à la marinière, cooked in white wine, onions, celery, parsley, and butter. Or, instead of wine, cooks use light Belgian beer for the stock. For a high-calorie version, try moules à la crème, where the stock is thickened with heavy cream.
You order by the kilo (just more than 2 pounds), which is a pretty big bucket. While restaurants don’t promote these as splittable, they certainly are. Your mussels come with Belgian fries (what we think of as “french fries”—dip them in mayo). To accompany your mussels, try a French white wine such as Muscadet or Chablis, or a Belgian blonde ale such as Duvel or La Chouffe. When eating mussels, you can feel a little more local by nonchalantly using an empty mussel shell as a pincher to pull the meat out of other shells. It actually works quite nicely.
€€ Yummy Bowl is a fun-loving little vegetarian/vegan place with inventive, delicious salads and flavorful soups. It feels like a group of college friends got together one day and decided to open a healthy salad joint. Grab a rickety chair and sit inside or out (daily, between the Grand Place and Central station at Rue des Eperonniers 49, +32 2 265 1802).
€€ Bia Mara (“Sea Food” in Irish Gaelic) offers five different styles of fish-and-chips made with sustainable ingredients. The industrial-mod interior is small, so lines can be long at peak times (daily, around the corner from the Grand Place at Rue du Marché aux Poulets 41, +32 2 502 0061).
Groceries: There’s a big Carrefour supermarket near the Bourse at Rue du Marché aux Poulets 40, and practical Carrefour Express markets at Boulevard Anspach 106 (other side of the Bourse) and near Central station on Rue de l’Infante Isabelle (all daily 7:00-23:00). Delhaize grocery is near the Theatre Royal de la Monnaie, at Rue de l’Ecuyer 23 (daily 7:30-22:00). And small late-night minimarkets (“night shop”) dot the town.
More Eateries near the Grand Place
These restaurants are good for a sit-down meal day or night.
€€€€ La Roue d’Or Brasserie (The Golden Wheel), a block off the Grand Place, is a classic bistro with a between-the-wars ambiance and Magritte murals. Traditions are honored—on the menu and in the decor (closed Tue, Rue des Chapeliers 26, +32 2 514 2554).
€€ Arcadi Café is a delightful little eatery serving daily plates, salads, and a selection of quiche-like tortes. The interior comes with a fun, circa-1900 ambience; grab a table there, on the street, or at the end of Galeries St. Hubert (Tue-Sun 9:00-23:30, closed Mon, 1 Rue d’Arenberg, +32 2 511 3343).
€ La Maison des Crêpes, a half-block south of the Bourse, looks underwhelming but serves delicious crêpes (both savory and sweet varieties) and salads, as well as good beers and fresh mint tea. There’s been a crêpe shop at this address since 1898. Even though it’s just a few steps away from the tourist bustle, it feels laid-back and local (cash only, sidewalk seating, daily until late, Rue du Midi 13, +32 475 957 368, George).
€€ Yaki is a tempting Vietnamese and Thai noodle bar in a stately old flatiron building tucked between the Grand Place and the Rue du Marché au Charbon café/nightlife zone. Choose between the tight interior and the outdoor tables (daily until late, Rue du Midi 52, +32 2 503 3409).
Waffles near the Grand Place
As you walk from the Grand Place to the Manneken-Pis (along Rue Charles Buls) you’ll pass a crass gauntlet of tourist shops—including a bevy of places selling Belgian waffles. Most are suspiciously cheap (€2 for plain, €6 with toppings)—but the big stack of stale waffles in the window clues you in that these are far from top-quality.
For a better experience, the most glitzy and touristy is Waffle Factory (American fast-food ambience, big variety, quieter upstairs seating); closer to the Grand Place, Maison Dandoy is more upscale and pricey. Both sell Liège-style and Brussels-style waffles (for details on both types, see here). Both places have crowds and fast turnover, so you’re sure to get a fresh waffle.
Near but Not on Rue des Bouchers
Brussels’ “Restaurant Row,” mainly along Rue des Bouchers two blocks north of the Grand Place, is touristy and notorious for touts who aggressively suck you in and predatory servers who greedily rip you off. It’s hard to justify dining here when far better options sit just a block or two away. If you are seduced into a meal on Rue des Bouchers, order carefully, understand the prices thoroughly, and watch your wallet. But the following nearby places offer good food and good atmosphere if you’re dining in the center.
€€€€ Restaurant de l’Ogenblik, a remarkably peaceful eddy just off the raging restaurant row, fills an early-20th-century space in the corner of an arcade. The waiters serve well-presented, near-gourmet French cuisine. This mussels-free zone has a great, splittable rack of lamb with 10 vegetables. Their sea bass with risotto and truffle oil is a hit with return eaters. Reservations are smart (Tue-Sat 12:00-14:30 & 18:30-24:00, closed Sun-Mon, Galerie des Princes 1, +32 2 511 6151, www.ogenblik.be, Yves).
€€ Restaurant Chez Leon is a legendary, if touristy, mussels factory, slamming out piles of cheap buckets since 1893. It’s a sprawling place with a sprawling menu featuring lots of seafood. The reasonably priced “Formula Leon” is a light meal consisting of a small bucket of mussels, fries, and a beer (daily until late, kids under 12 eat free, Rue des Bouchers 18, +32 2 511 1415, www.chezleon.be).
€€€€ Restaurant Vincent has you enter through the kitchen to enjoy their dressy 1905-era ambience. This place is better for meat dishes than for seafood (closed Sun, across from Restaurant de l’Ogenblik—listed earlier—at Rue des Dominicains 8, +32 2 511 2607, www.restaurantvincent.be, Julien).
€€ A la Mort Subite, also recommended for its great beer (see sidebar) is perfect for a very simple meal amid wonderful old-time ambiance. A typical lunch or light dinner here is an omelet with a salad, croque monsieur/madame, or a tartine spread with fromage blanc (cream cheese) or pressed meat (long hours daily, Rue Montagne aux Herbes Potagères 7, +32 2 513 1318).
€€ Wolf Sharing Food Market fills a vast former bank building with a food circus of more than a dozen eateries (mostly from serious Brussels restaurants) and a youthful energy. Choose from Vietnamese, dim sum, frites, fish, salad, Ethiopian, Syrian, vegetarian, waffles, and more. Order a meal from your venue of choice, get a drink from the central bar (which features brews from the on-site microbrewery), and grab a seat anywhere (daily, Rue du Fossé aux Loups 50).
Brussels is full of atmospheric cafés to savor the local brew. The places lining the Grand Place are touristy, but the setting—plush, old medieval guildhalls fronting all that cobbled wonder—is hard to beat.
All varieties of Belgian beer are available, but Brussels’ most distinctive beers are lambic-based. Look for lambic doux, lambic blanche, gueuze (pronounced “kurrs”), and faro, as well as fruit-flavored lambics, such as kriek (cherry) and framboise (raspberry—frambozen in Dutch). These beers look and taste more like a dry, somewhat bitter cider. The brewer doesn’t add yeast—the beer ferments naturally from wild yeast floating in the marshy air around Brussels. For more on Belgian beer, see the “Eating” section of the Practicalities chapter.
The following places are generally open daily from about 11:00 until late but aren’t really good for a full meal—though you can usually get lighter fare, such as a cold-meat plate, a tartine (open-face sandwich), or a salad.
A la Mort Subite, a few steps above the top end of the Galeries St. Hubert, is a classic old bar that has retained its 1928 decor...and its loyal customers seem to go back just about as far. The decor is simple, with wood tables, grimy yellow wallpaper, and some-other-era garland trim—it’s a great scene with great waiters and the best beer. This is a good place to try the kriek beer (Rue Montagne aux Herbes Potagères 7, +32 2 513 1318). I’ve listed it separately for a handy meal.
Le Cirio, across from the Bourse, feels a bit more upscale, with a faded yet still luxurious gilded-wood interior, booths with velvet padding, and dark tables that bear the skid marks of over a century’s worth of beer glasses. The service is jaded—perhaps understandably given its touristy location (Rue de la Bourse 18, +32 2 512 1395).
A la Bécasse keeps a lower profile than Le Cirio, with a simple wood-panel and wood-table decor that appeals to both poor students and lunching businesspeople. The lambic has been artfully blended with other beers and served in clay jars here since 1825. It’s just around the corner from Le Cirio, toward the Grand Place, hidden away at the end of a tight lane (Tabora 11, +32 2 511 0006).
Poechenellekelder Estaminet is a great bar with lots of real character located right across the street from the Manneken-Pis. As the word estaminet (tavern) indicates, it’s not brewery-owned, so they have a great selection of beers. Inside tables are immersed in Pis kitsch and puppets. Outside tables offer some fine people-watching (Rue du Chêne 5, +32 2 511 9262).
Moeder Lambic has a modern industrial feel, with owners who are maniacs about craft beer and sell only traditional brews from independent producers. With a knowledgeable staff, this is an excellent place to start exploring the acquired tastes of lambic, gueuze, and kriek (on a square off Boulevard Anspach at Place Fontainas 8, +32 2 503 6068).
Two tiny and extremely characteristic bars are tucked away down long entry corridors just off Rue du Marché aux Herbes. A l’Imaige Nostre-Dame (at #8) and Au Bon Vieux Temps (at #12) both treat fine beer with great reverence and seem to have extremely local clientele, whom you’re bound to meet if you grab a stool. Au Bon Vieux Temps stocks the legendary Trappist brew Westvleteren 12, which is hard to find outside Belgium.
Delirium Tap House is a sloppy frat party nightly with no ambience, a noisy young crowd, beer-soaked wooden floors, rock ’n’ roll, and a famous variety of great Belgian beers on tap (down a little alley off Rue des Bouchers, not far from Chez Leon, at Impasse de la Fidélité 4). It’s an unforgettably raucous scene.
STE. CATHERINE, NEAR THE OLD FISH MARKET
A 10-minute walk from the old center puts you in “the village within the city” area of Ste. Catherine (Métro: Sainte-Catherine/Sint-Katelijne). The historic fish market here has spawned a tradition of fine restaurants specializing mostly in seafood. The old fish canal survives, and if you walk around it, you’ll see plenty of enticing places to eat, including these very good, yet very different, options.
€€€€ Selecto Bistronomique is my choice for a dressy, gourmet splurge. It’s a young, smart, and sophisticated scene with a focus on great food—modern, creative dishes mixing Mediterranean and Belgian tastes. The menu is inviting, with one course for €29, two courses for €42, and three courses for €49. You may need to reserve days in advance to get a table (closed Sun-Mon, Rue de Flandre 95, +32 2 511 4095, https://leselecto.com).
€€€ Restaurant La Marée, next door to Selecto Bistronomique, is a classic local spot a couple of blocks away from the trendy places on the square. With an older clientele, an open kitchen, and an inviting menu, this untouristy bistro specializes in mussels and seafood—their only boast is their insistence that it’s fresh. Reservations are smart—request the ground floor (closed Sun-Mon, Rue de Flandre 99, +32 2 511 0040, www.lamaree-sa.com, Mario and Teresa).
€€€€ Bij den Boer, a fun, noisy eatery popular with locals and tourists, has inviting tables out on the esplanade and feels like a traditional and very successful brasserie. Their specialty: fish (closed Sun and Wed, Quai aux Briques 60, +32 2 512 6122, www.bijdenboer.com).
€€€ La Villette Restaurant is a romantic, subdued alternative serving traditional Belgian cuisine: meaty stews, eels, stoemp (mashed potatoes and vegetables), and dishes with beer. The chef proudly makes the sauces from scratch, and can match your order to the right beer. The restaurant has a charming red-and-white-tablecloth interior and good outdoor seating facing a small square (closed Sun, Rue du Vieux Marché-aux-Grains 3, +32 2 512 7550, Adrian).
Economic, Fast, and Tasty Lunches in Ste. Catherine
Place Ste. Catherine, which branches off from the side of Ste. Catherine Church, is lined with enjoyable cafés with outdoor seating.
€€ Mer du Nord/Nordzee is as delicious as it is inexpensive. This seafood bar—basically a grill attached to a fresh fish shop—cooks up whatever it catches and serves it on small tapas-like plates with glasses of wine to an appreciative local crowd. Just belly up to the counter and place your order, then eat standing at the counter or sit outside at a table on the square. Plates are just seafood with no sides. I enjoyed the grilled shrimp, scampi à la plancha (Tue-Sun 11:00-18:30, closed Mon, Rue Ste. Catherine 45, at corner with Place Ste. Catherine, +32 2 513 1192). The similar ABC Poissonerie, across the street, has a comparable but less crowded operation (closed Sun).
€ Nona makes traditional Neapolitan pizza using only ingredients from local farms. You might find Brussels sprouts or kale on your pizza—or opt for the seasonal special (daily, Rue Ste. Catherine 17, www.nonalife.com). They have another restaurant serving pasta a few doors down at #7.
€ Charli bakery is an excellent place to pick up a sweet or savory artisanal bread or pastry to go, if you’re looking for quick but satisfying sustenance between sights (daily, Rue Ste. Catherine 34, +32 2 513 6332).
€ Gaston is the choice for waffles, artisan ice cream, and coffee away from the tourist crush around the Grand Place. Taking your sugar or caffeine injection here is civilized and delicious (Tue-Sun 11:00-19:00, Fri-Sat until 22:00, closed Mon, Quai aux Briques 86, +32 2 223 4306).
ON OR NEAR PLACE ST-GÉRY
For a trendier and youthful scene, head to Place St-Géry (a.k.a. Sint-Goriksplein). The epicenter is where Pont de la Carpe and Rue Jules van Praet meet the square. This area is more about drinking than about dining, but mixed in among the bars are several eateries: sushi, Italian, Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, and so on. Rue Jules van Praet is lined mostly with interchangeable Asian and Indian restaurants.
On nearby Rue des Chartreux, €€ La Fin de Siècle is a bohemian place serving basic, unpretentious Belgian/French fare. With an appropriately turn-of-the-century atmosphere, mismatched secondhand furniture, and long, shared tables, it has a youthful energy (daily until late, at #9, +32 2 512 5123).
MATONGÉ: AN AFRICAN NEIGHBORHOOD AND A TRENDY SQUARE
The neighborhood of Matongé—just past the royal sights of the Upper Town—is a fun-to-explore mix of vivid African immigrant culture and Belgian trend seekers. Ride the Métro to Porte de Namur/Naamsepoort and explore the neighborhood, then hang around for a meal. For locations, see the “Matongé Neighborhood” map on here.
On and near Rue Saint-Boniface: €€€ Le Clan des Belges serves Belgian classics in the center of Matongé, with a rustic, cozy interior and a lively, leafy outdoor dining zone with tables in the shadow of the church steeple. They are serious about their burgers and beer (daily, Wed dinner only, Rue de la Paix 20, +32 2 511 1121, www.leclandesbelges.be).
€€ Hope House African is a charming family-run place serving dishes from Cameroon, Congo, and Senegal. It feels both homey and dressy (closed Sun, Rue Longue Vie 13, +32 465 41 50 18).
€ Au Soleil d’Afrique, across the street from Hope House, is a more adventurous and cheaper option for African cuisine (daily 17:30 until late, Rue Longue Vie 10, +32 486 302 640).
Place Fernand Cocq: A few blocks from the heart of Matongé, this grassy square feels more traditionally Belgian—like a neighborhood’s shared front yard. Here are my three favorites on the square:
€€€ Restaurant Volle Gas, which means “full throttle,” is an energetic brasserie with old-fashioned woody ambience and a fun and accessible menu, serving crank-’em-out Belgian standards (Thu-Tue 10:00-23:00, Wed from 15:00, Place Fernand Cocq 21, +32 2 502 8917).
€€ Il Nobile Ristorante Pizzeria is a good Italian place popular for its pizza and pasta (Tue-Sun 10:00-14:30 & 18:00-23:00, closed Mon, Place Fernand Cocq 24, +32 2 540 8077).
€€ Le Cocq Bar spills out onto the sidewalk with an array of glittering tables, where trendy couples sip quality beer, people-watch, and share small plates (long hours daily, Place Fernand Cocq 12).
Shopping in Brussels
The obvious temptations—available absolutely everywhere—are chocolate and lace. Other popular Brussels souvenirs include EU gear with the gold circle of stars on a blue background (flags, T-shirts, mugs, etc.) and miniature reproductions of the Manneken-Pis or the Atomium. Belgian beers are a fun, imbibable souvenir that you can either enjoy at a picnic while traveling, or pack (carefully) in your checked luggage to take home.
Souvenirs near the Grand Place
The streets immediately surrounding the Grand Place are jammed with Belgium’s tackiest souvenir stands, with a few good shops mixed in. In my Grand Place Walk, I’ve listed some good places to pick up chocolates (here) and to browse for tapestries and lace (here).
De Biertempel, on the street that runs below the Grand Place, stocks not only hundreds of types of Belgian beer but also an entire wall of beer glasses—each one designed to highlight the qualities of a specific beer (Rue du Marché aux Herbes 56—for location, see the “Brussels Restaurants” map, earlier, +32 2 502 1906).
Fashion on Rue Antoine Dansaert
While Antwerp is the epicenter of Belgian design, Brussels has worked hard in recent years to catch up. To browse the best selection of Belgian boutiques, start by heading up Rue Antoine Dansaert (from the big Bourse building, cross Boulevard Anspach and continue straight up Rue Auguste Orts, which becomes Rue Antoine Dansaert). Along here, you’ll see an eclectic array of both Belgian and international apparel. While specific designers seem to come and go, the genteel vibe persists. After Place du Nouveau Marché aux Grains, the high-fashion focus downshifts, and the rest of the street feels like a regular city neighborhood with mixed retail. You could return the way you came, or cut a few blocks northeast to the long fish market square at Ste. Catherine, which runs roughly parallel to Rue Antoine Dansaert.
Funky Design Shops near Place St-Géry
Brussels has its own term for what we might call “hipsters”: bobo, short for bourgeois-bohème...bohemian middle-class kids with enough money and free time for creative endeavors. You’ll find bobo pockets around town, but these two streets are a good place to start.
Rue des Chartreux, which angles off Rue Antoine Dansaert, has a decidedly lower-rent aura and a lineup of creative shops, such as Blender Outlet (clothes and home decor, at #18). A bit closer to the Grand Place, the lively, café-lined Rue du Marché au Charbon and the streets nearby (especially Plattesteen) are also good browsing areas.
Big Chains and Malls
Rue Neuve, a few blocks north of the Grand Place, is where you’ll find big department stores and other international shops. The giant City2 complex on this street is the downtown’s primary modern shopping mall. Two thriving malls, The Mint and Anspach Shopping, are closer to the center (along Boulevard Anspach near the Theatre Royal de la Monnaie).
Secondhand Shops in Marolles
This somewhat seedy neighborhood is well known for its secondhand shops. Rue Blaes and Rue Haute, which run southwest from near the old Tour d’Angle (described in the Upper Town Walk chapter) to the Midi train station, are lined with several characteristic stores. There’s a lively flea market each morning (9:00-14:00 or 15:00, best on weekends) on Place du Jeu de Balle, just off Rue Blaes.
A Taste of Africa in Matongé
Browse the neighborhood of Matongé (described in the Sights in Brussels chapter) for colorful fabrics and ingredients at the many African grocery stores (you’ll find the highest concentration along Chaussée de Wavre).
Nightlife in Brussels
At the TI, pick up the free Bruzz weekly magazine, which lists events including opera, symphony, and ballet. Also check the Agenda page of www.visit.brussels. Make it a point to savor the Grand Place at night, when it becomes even more magical—as day-tripping tourists are gone and the Town Hall spire is floodlit.
Films
At one time, Brussels had a wide range of characteristic little cinemas. These days, most Bruxellois flock to the multiplexes; a handy one is the UGC cinema on De Brouckère square (look for v.o. for the original version; v.f. means it’s dubbed in French). A small art-house cinema in the Galeries St. Hubert plays international films in their original language (generally not English), with Dutch and French subtitles.
Music and Dance
The Ancienne Belgique concert hall, right by the Bourse, is a major venue for up-and-coming international pop, folk, and singer-songwriter acts (Boulevard Anspach 110, www.abconcerts.be).
Theatre Royal de la Monnaie hosts orchestral concerts, opera, and dance performances (5 Place de la Monnaie—entrance on Rue des Princes, +32 2 222 1211, www.lamonnaiedemunt.be).
After-Dark Neighborhoods
Just a few steps west of the Grand Place, Rue du Marché au Charbon (Kolenmarkt) is the center of Brussels’ gay scene, with many lively cafés and restaurants with outdoor seating. The trendy eateries, shops, and businesses along here change so fast, the locals can’t keep track.
Across Boulevard Anspach is Place St-Géry, where you’ll find a raucous collection of lively bars with rollicking interiors and a sea of outdoor tables. Mappa Mundo anchors the area, with two levels of scenic tables. Zebra Bar, across the street by the market hall, is another fun scene. And inside the market hall is the Café des Halles, with chichi cocktails in an elegantly airy, open-feeling, steel-beamed space, and DJs on the weekends.
A five-minute walk northeast is the pleasant Ste. Catherine district, with lively local restaurants and hotels huddled around the Church of Ste. Catherine and the old fish market. On Place Ste. Catherine, a red truck adorned with brightly painted birds sells tropical drinks to an appreciative local crowd; in warm weather, young people sip mojitos while socializing on the square.
Farther from the center, the Matongé African immigrant neighborhood is lively after dark. Rue Saint-Boniface, leading up to the front door of the neighborhood church, is “café row”—with plenty of choices for an al fresco drink. The widest selection of bars and cafés clusters around Place Fernand Cocq.
Brussels Connections
BY TRAIN
Brussels has three train stations: Central/Centraal, Midi/Zuid, and Nord/Noord. Most trains stop at all three stations, but high-speed international trains serve only the Midi station. Any train ticket to any Brussels station includes a transfer to any other Brussels train station (but not the airport). For more details on the three stations—and tips on connecting between them—see here. For schedules, see BelgianTrain.be or Bahn.com. For general information on rail travel in Belgium, see the “Transportation” section of the Practicalities chapter.
Within Belgium and the Netherlands
From All Brussels Stations by Train to: Bruges (3/hour, 1 hour, catch InterCity train—direction: Ostend or Knokke-Blankenberge), Antwerp (3/hour, 40-50 minutes), Ghent (3/hour, 35 minutes), Ypres/Ieper (hourly, 2 hours, change in Gent St. Pieters). The following destinations are in the Netherlands: Haarlem (hourly, 3.5 hours, change in Amsterdam), Delft (almost hourly, 2.5 hours, change in Breda or Rotterdam), The Hague (almost hourly, 2.5 hours, change in Breda or Rotterdam).
Getting Between Brussels and Amsterdam: Slower, regional trains leave about hourly for Amsterdam and Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport from all three Brussels stations (3 hours to Schiphol, 3.5 hours to Amsterdam’s Centraal station). For a faster (but more expensive) connection, the high-speed Eurostar train goes direct from Brussels’ Midi station to Amsterdam’s Centraal station and Schiphol Airport (about hourly, 2 hours).
Outside Belgium and the Netherlands
The following special, high-speed train lines depart only from Midi station, tracks 1-6. Rail-pass holders must book a seat reservation for Eurostar, TGV, and European Sleeper trains. For schedules, see Bahn.com or B-Europe.com (the Belgian rail website for cross-border trains).
From Brussels by Eurostar Train to: Paris (almost hourly, 1.5 hours), Cologne (8/day, 2 hours). Eurostar also operates the slower but cheaper IZY train on this route (2-3/day, 2.5 hours, rail passes not accepted, www.izy.com [URL inactive]). Train info: Eurostar.com.
By TGV Train to France: French TGV trains connect to Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport (8/day, 1.5 hours, www.tgv-europe.com) and then continue to various destinations in France; to reach downtown Paris you must transfer at the airport.
By ICE Train to Germany: Germany’s InterCity Express trains zip to Cologne (3/day, 2 hours) and Frankfurt (3/day, 3 hours), with onward connections to the rest of the country. Reservations are not required except for advance-ticket discounts (besides Midi, these trains make a quick stop at Brussels’ Nord station).
By Night Train to Berlin: A company called European Sleeper runs overnight trains between Brussels and Berlin (3/week, 11 hours, www.europeansleeper.eu).
By Eurostar to/from London: Brussels and London are about 2 hours apart by Eurostar train (6/day). Trains to London leave from tracks 1 and 2 at Brussels’ Midi station. Arrive early to go through security and passport control (must be completed at least 45 minutes before departure). Although passports are checked in person, passengers to/from London must provide passport details online before receiving their tickets.
A one-way ticket between Brussels and London can vary widely in price; for instance, $76-275 (Eurostar Standard class), $130-345 (Eurostar Plus), and $399-433 (Eurostar Premier). Fares depend on how far ahead you reserve and whether you’re eligible for any discounts—available for children (under 12), youths (under 26), and adults booking months ahead or purchasing round-trip. You can book tickets up to six months in advance. Buy tickets ahead at RickSteves.com/rail or at Eurostar.com (Belgian +32 2 400 6731, with €14 phone handling fee).
If you have a Eurail Global Pass, seat reservations are available at Eurostar departure stations, Eurail.com, or by phone with Eurostar (generally harder to get at other train stations and travel agencies; $35 in Eurostar Standard, $45 in Eurostar Plus, can sell out).
A Eurostar ticket between Brussels and London can also cover a regional train connection to/from any Belgian station for about $15 more, if you choose the “Any Belgian Station” option (at Eurostar.com) or specify your end point (at www.ricksteves.com/rail) at the time of purchase. Show your ticket when boarding the connecting train(s) within 24 hours of the reserved Brussels arrival or departure (as long as the connecting train is not a Eurostar).
BY BUS
You can save money—but not time—by traveling by BlaBlaCar bus to Paris or London (www.blablacar.co.uk) or Flixbus to Paris (www.flixbus.com).
From Brussels by Bus to: Paris (€13-42 one-way, 8/day, 4-5 hours), London (€30-60 one-way, 2-5/day, 7-11 hours).
BY PLANE
Brussels Airport (a.k.a. Zaventem)
Brussels’ main airport is nine miles north of downtown (code: BRU, www.brusselsairport.be). Terminals A and B are connected by an underground walkway; the train station is in the basement at level -1.
Brussels Airport has stringent security measures, especially for those arriving by private car or taxi. Plan to arrive three hours before your flight.
Trains run frequently between the airport and all three Brussels train stations (€10.80, 5-8/hour, 20 minutes, daily 6:00-23:00, buy ticket or rail-pass supplement at easy-to-use machines or online at www.belgiantrain.be). At the airport station, look for any train that stops at Central/Centraal—if in doubt, ask a staff member likely standing nearby ready to help. If you’re heading to the airport, keep your train ticket as you’ll need to scan it to enter the airport. There’s also a direct train connection from the airport to Ghent (1 hour) and Bruges (1.5 hours). For a taxi, figure on spending around €55 between downtown Brussels and the airport (though a round-trip fixed-price option may be available at a substantial discount—ask the driver).
Brussels Airlines flies between Brussels and several European cities, including Athens, London, Milan, Florence, Zürich, Nice, Lisbon, Barcelona, and Madrid (www.brusselsairlines.com).
Brussels South Charleroi Airport
Discount airlines Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com) use this smaller airport, located about 30 miles from downtown Brussels in the town of Gosselies, on the outskirts of the city of Charleroi (code: CRL, www.brussels-charleroi-airport.com).
The easiest way to connect to downtown Brussels is to take the shuttle bus to Brussels’ Midi station (€19, 3/hour, about 1 hour, runs 4:40-24:00 or later; stops right in front of airport terminal; if you’re taking the bus from Brussels’ Midi station, look for it at the corner of Rue de France and Rue de l’Instruction, www.flibco.com). Flibco also runs a shared minibus shuttle called Door2Gate, which will take you directly to your hotel for about €40 (reserve on website). You can also take a bus-plus-train connection: Bus #A connects Charleroi Airport and Charleroi station (2/hour, 20 minutes), where you can take the train into Brussels (2/hour, 1 hour). A taxi from the airport into the city center is costly (figure around €100 and 45-90 minutes travel time), but from Brussels to Charleroi you can catch a cheap taxi from Midi station—taxis compete with the airport shuttle and are willing to go as low as €15/person if you’re willing to share.
BY CRUISE SHIP
The cruise port of Zeebrugge—near Bruges—is often billed by cruise lines as “Brussels.” While Bruges is the easier choice for an excursion from that port, Brussels is also doable. For more on Zeebrugge, see here.