{"id":15256,"date":"2023-03-13T15:11:37","date_gmt":"2023-03-13T13:11:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fc.ferrycenter.gr\/?p=15256"},"modified":"2023-03-15T12:48:50","modified_gmt":"2023-03-15T10:48:50","slug":"%cf%84%ce%b1-10-%ce%ba%ce%bf%cf%81%cf%85%cf%86%ce%b1%ce%af%ce%b1-%ce%b1%ce%be%ce%b9%ce%bf%ce%b8%ce%ad%ce%b1%cf%84%ce%b1-%cf%83%cf%84%ce%b9%cf%82-%ce%b2%cf%81%cf%85%ce%be%ce%ad%ce%bb%ce%bb%ce%b5%cf%82","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ferrycenter.gr\/en\/%cf%84%ce%b1%ce%be%ce%b9%ce%b4%ce%b9%cf%89%cf%84%ce%b9%ce%ba%ce%ac-%ce%bd%ce%ad%ce%b1\/%cf%84%ce%b1-10-%ce%ba%ce%bf%cf%81%cf%85%cf%86%ce%b1%ce%af%ce%b1-%ce%b1%ce%be%ce%b9%ce%bf%ce%b8%ce%ad%ce%b1%cf%84%ce%b1-%cf%83%cf%84%ce%b9%cf%82-%ce%b2%cf%81%cf%85%ce%be%ce%ad%ce%bb%ce%bb%ce%b5%cf%82\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Fun And Unusual Things To See & Do In Brussels"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Brussels, the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of Europe, is an underrated destination that is full of surprisingly interesting places to visit and things to do. Beautiful Art Nouveau buildings, quirky museums, futuristic monuments, playful street art, the best french fries (or chips, if you are from the UK) and delicious chocolate, there is so much the city has to offer. Read on to discover the best things to see and do in Brussels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It is also a city of contradictions: both serious and playful, ornate and minimalistic, historic and futuristic, Brussels is full of surprises. From cutting-edge art to Art Nouveau<\/strong> architecture, and from comic strip murals<\/strong> to the best waffles<\/strong> ever, this city has so many layers that it can never be boring. Brussels may be small, but it sure has a big-city attitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Few Things To Know About Brussels<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It is a city rich in history and culture. Fans of\u00a0historic European architecture<\/strong>\u00a0won\u2019t be disappointed here. At the same time, as the administrative centre of the EU, it can often be serious and businesslike. And yet, it doesn\u2019t take itself too seriously: only in Brussels, you\u2019ll find a statue dedicated to a cartoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, don\u2019t be surprised to see street and place names in more than one language; Brussels is a bilingual territory<\/strong>, while Belgium as a whole has three official languages, French, Dutch (Flemish), and German.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Brussels isn\u2019t the best option if you are on a diet. You can practically smell the\u00a0waffles<\/strong>\u00a0baking all over the place! Moreover, this is the birthplace of\u00a0french fries<\/strong>\u00a0(or chips, if you are from the UK). And if you add to the list the world-famous\u00a0Belgian pralines, mussels, and beer<\/strong>, then you can kiss your willpower goodbye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The nice thing about Brussels is that it\u2019s quite compact. You can easily see the highlights and get a good idea of local life in just a couple of days. If you have an extra day or two, you can go on a day trip to Bruges, Ghent, or even Antwerp. Otherwise, you can explore deeper this fascinating, multifaceted city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So let\u2019s see which are\u00a0the top things to do in Brussels, Belgium:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Grand Place (Grote Markt), Brussels Main Square<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You can\u2019t possibly go to Brusells and not see the Grand-Place (main square). Possibly Europe\u2019s most beautiful square, it is a\u00a0UNESCO World Heritage Site<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0since 1998. It is famous for its Gothic and Baroque-style buildings, many with ornate golden decorations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The square has been a marketplace since the 12th century, while the majestic City Hall<\/strong> was built in the 15th century. Around the same time, the city\u2019s merchant guilds built their headquarters around the square. Today, the ornate facades of these guild houses<\/strong> are the highlight of Grand Place, along with the City Hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grand Place sits in the heart of Brussels and it is close to most of the city\u2019s main attractions. If you visit around Christmas, you can see the splendid\u00a0Winter Wonders<\/strong>\u00a0light show at night, while in August the square gets covered by a huge\u00a0carpet of flowers<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Brussels City Hall (H\u00f4tel De Ville\/Stadthuis)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While exploring Grand Place, if time allows, take the opportunity to visit the Town Hall. It is the centrepiece among all the ornate guild houses of the square, and its balconies are quite popular as a photo spot for newlyweds\/<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. The Atomium And Mini-Europe<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of the most popular attractions in Brussels, futuristic Atomium is essentially a\u00a0gigantic iron molecule<\/strong>. It was designed by engineer Andr\u00e9 Waterkeyn for the\u00a01958 International Fair<\/strong>. The Atomium proved so popular that it became a permanent attraction. You can go inside, as it houses multiple exhibitions. It is quite an experience! If nothing else, you should go for the incredible\u00a0panoramic views<\/strong>\u00a0of Brussels the Atomium offers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Moreover, if you have time to spare and the weather allows (it was, unfortunately, raining when I visited), you can check out the\u00a0Mini-Europe theme park<\/strong>\u00a0nearby. It features miniatures of more than 350 of Europe\u2019s most famous landmarks, complete with visual and sound effects. Great for kids!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is also another little surprise on your way out: the final bit of the escalator gets illuminated with futuristic lights and sound effects. Going down the escalator you\u2019ll feel as if in a time- or space-travel tunnel. As a fan of science-fiction, this was the highlight of my visit (along with the view of Brussels at the top).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Manneken Pis (Peeing Boy) And His Family<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m sure most of you have heard of the city\u2019s mascot, the famous statue of the\u00a0Peeing Boy (Manneken Pis)<\/strong>. Popular with tourists and locals alike, this quirky and tiny statue\u00a0near Grand Place<\/strong>\u00a0is one of the city\u2019s highlights. First installed in 1619, he is a clear sign that Brussels has always had a great sense of humour and doesn\u2019t take itself too seriously.<\/p>\n\n\n

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But did you know it\u2019s not the only peeing statue in Brussels? The residents are so fond of this naughty boy that over the years, artists have made him a\u00a0peeing sister<\/strong>\u00a0(Jeanneke Pis)<\/strong>\u00a0and even a\u00a0peeing dog (Zinneke Pis)<\/strong>. Contrary to Manneken Pis, his peeing sister is rather difficult to find. You\u2019ll find her on\u00a0on the east side of the Impasse de la Fid\u00e9lit\u00e9 \/ Getrouwheidsgang (Fidelity Alley)<\/strong>, a small, narrow cul-de-sac off Rue des Bouchers \/ Beenhouwersstraat. As regards the peeing dog, he is forever lifting his leg to pee onto a street pole\u00a0on the corner of Rue des Chartreux and Rue du Vieux March\u00e9 aux Grains<\/strong>. That said, unlike his master, the peeing dog is not a fountain, but a regular bronze statue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. The Galeries Royales De Saint-Hubert<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If shopping is more of your thing, then you can\u2019t miss the elegant Galeries Royales de Saint-Hubert<\/strong>. Even if you only do some window shopping. It is a beautiful Renaissance-style arcade<\/strong> built in the 19th century, with upscale shops, boutiques, restaurants, and even a cinema. Don\u2019t forget to look up and admire the stunning glass roof<\/strong>, also known as the \u201cumbrella of Brussels\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With so many things on offer, from shops to restaurants, this is the perfect place to spend a rainy day in Brussels. Especially in colder weather, make sure you stop by\u00a0Neuhaus chocolatier<\/strong>\u00a0for the best hot chocolate in town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Belgian Comic Strip Center (Centre Belge De La Bande Desin\u00e9e)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Belgium is the birthplace of a great many world-famous cartoons and comics. Such as\u00a0Lucky Luke, The Smurfs, Spirou,\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Tin Tin<\/strong>, just to name a few. So it\u2019s no wonder that Brussels has its very own cartoon museum, or more correctly, the Belgian Comic Strip Center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Comic Strip Center has over\u00a060,000 works<\/strong>, covering the history of European comics from their very beginnings to this day. In addition, the Center often hosts temporary exhibitions that showcase different aspects of comic art. It is housed in a lovely\u00a0Art Nouveau building<\/strong>, designed by architect\u00a0Victor Horta<\/strong>\u00a0(who has his very own museum in Brussels). This museum is as Belgian as it gets and if you visit, your inner child will thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Treat Yourself To The Delicious Waffles Of Maison Dandoy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ah, waffles! I could swear the whole country smells like waffles. Though I noticed this mostly in Antwerp, I don\u2019t know why. Bruges has a whiff of chocolate, Antwerp smells a lot of freshly-made waffles, and Brussels, I am not sure\u2026 Perhaps french fries?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyway, the Belgians created the waffle so you can\u2019t leave Brussels without eating at least one. Preferably more. And with chocolate syrup. There are two types of waffles in Belgium<\/strong>: the Li\u00e8ge waffle<\/strong> and the Brussels waffle<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\u00a0Brussels waffles<\/strong>\u00a0are light and fluffy, crispy on the outside, soft inside, with the rectangular shape that most of us associate with what a waffle is. The\u00a0Li\u00e8ge waffles<\/strong>\u00a0(Li\u00e8ge is a big city in eastern Belgium by the way), are massively popular, thicker in texture, with a crispy coating of caramelised sugar. You can recognise them by their characteristic rounded corners and smaller size.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I suggest you try them both and decide which one you prefer for yourself. At any rate, you\u2019ll find the best waffles (of either type) at\u00a0Maison Dandoy<\/strong>, a true Brussels institution. They have eight shops in Brussels, but the easiest for visitors to go to is either the one in the\u00a0Galleries Royales<\/strong>\u00a0or the one near\u00a0Grand Place<\/strong>. Oh, forgot to mention, they make amazing speculoos biscuits too.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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