24 Hours in Brussels

If you ever want to squeeze a place in your eurotrip or just strike off another country while you visit Amsterdam, a daytrip to Brussels is your best bet. This French spoken capital of Belgium offers a great deal of history, architecture and food which can all be experienced on foot within a few hours.

Belgian Fries

My 24 hour stay began around mid day from the Brussels Central Station at CHEZ PAPY RETRO SNACK, because one does not come to Brussels and not munch on Belgian Fries and click a picture with the human sized fries statue, one for the gram. Steps away is GRAND PLACE, the main square of the city. Take a few minutes here to admire the architecture around this square. You could also take a tour in the Town Hall and/or visit the MUSEUM OF BEER, both located at the square.

The Streets Of Brussels

Belgian Waffles

After you’ve clicked hundreds of pictures head over to MAISON DANDOY, a bakery next to Grand Place, highly recommended for their waffles, yes THE Belgian waffles. You will see a waffle shop in every corner in this area but if you know me at all you would know that I won’t be settling for just any Belgian waffle, I had to try the best of the best and this place is totally worth it. Sit back, relax, order a waffle (or two) alongwith a hot beverage and let the sugar make love to you.

Maison Dandoy

Just around the corner is the statue of MANEKIN PIS, as surprising as the popularity of this small statue of a pissing boy is, it is the symbol of Brussels. You will see him in every corner and every souvenir shop, whilst you are in the area, why not tick this off the list of to-dos.

Next stop we went back towards the chez papy to enter LES GALLERIES ROYALES SAINT HUBERT, an interesting indoor market of some really unique shops and galleries. Make sure you have worked up an appetitie by now because at the other end of this street you are in for a surprise in generous portions, CHEZ LEON, famous for the second most Belgian food, mussels. 

Les Galleries Royales Saint Hubert

Belgian Mussels

So you are in Belgium, you’ve had the waffles, you’ve had the mussels, the last thing left to check off is the Belgian beer. I lost count of how many types of beer I came across in this city and to experience it we ended the night at DELIRIUM CAFÉ, a 3 floor bar next to chez leon. My friend in Brussels took us to the basement floor, which was buzzing with tourists trying out hundreds of types of beer this place has to offer. Ask for their full menu and expect to be handed a thick binder of beer. Some of the local favorites are Kwak, La Chouffe, Tripel and Barbar, I’m sure there are many more but here’s a start, cheers for now.

Tip, if you are planning to take some of them back home avoid the over priced souvenir shops, Carrefour is your best bang for the buck. However, the souvenirs usualy have great bundle offers on chocolates which are a must.

Delirium Cafe

After a lazy morning and a nice alarmless sleep I took a stroll around Grand place to click pictures. You could have breakfast or just grab a starbucks coffee at the square itself.

Grand Place

Gyros Roll

My trip ended with something  completely non-belgium. I came across a street close to Manekin Pis with a bunch of Greek restaurants lined up one after the other (supposedly this street is known as Rue de Pittas). After the feasts I had in my previous trip to Greece, I gave in my craving for a nice Gyros Roll at HELLAS RESTAURANT. I don’t know if it was warmth of the hot meat in the cold weather or my love for souvlakis but it was a pretty damn good pita roll.

La Rue des Pittas

Summary:

• Belgian Fries at Chez Papy Retro Snack
• Explore Grand Place
• Belgian Waffles at Maison Dandoy
• Visit Manekin Pis
• Walk through Les Galleries Royales Saint Hubert
• Mussels at Chez Leon
• Beers at Delirium Café
• Gyros Roll at Hellas Restaurant