Brussels

Travelers' Takes

Rates and Deals

Brussels-The place for the best Beer and Chocolate.

An October 1999 trip to Brussels by Kathy

This bar was on the Grand PlacMore Photos

This was in conjuntion with our Amsterdam trip. See "Amsterdam in the Fall" We took the train from Amsterdam to Brussels. It took 3 hours and cost was 62.00 guilders per person one way. Brussels is small and very easy to get around. You can see everything in about 3 days. Brussels is a wonderful city to just walk around in. The smell of the chocolate coming from the shops is intoxicating and just to look at the windows is an experience for your senses. There are lots of cafe's all around the Grand Place' and the thing we enjoyed so much was trying all the local beers and they have their own glass with the beer name on the glass. There are some shops that sell the beer glasses but the logistics of taking them home prevented me for buying any.

  • 8 reviews
  • 8 photos

Brussels-The place for the best Beer and Chocolate.Best of IgoUgo

Overview

The street of Brussels
The Grand Place' is the main square. There are a lot of nice cafes in the area.
The Mannekin Pis' is about 3 blocks from the Grand Place', this is the famous statue of the little boy peeing. Big deal. I wasn't that impressed but of course we took pictures.
Well by the title of my review. The highlight of the trip was the wonderful beers.

Quick Tips:

Brussels is very small and you can see a lot in a few days even if you do stop and have a beer. I mean a beer not a few as they are very strong.
We really saw everything in Brussels in the 3 days we spent there, we took an overnight trip to Brugge.
You can do Brugge in a day trip, but then you won't get to see the square lit up at night.

Best Way To Get Around:

Walking and the train.
Brussels is small and walking to get from place to place is the best way to get around, and you never know what wonderful shop you may have missed if you didn't take the long way and enjoy the walk.
Plus you will want to walk off the calories from that beer or scrumptious chocolate that you just ate.

Hotel WelcomeBest of IgoUgo

Hotel

This hotel is above a restaurant La truite d' argent. We didn't eat there as it is very very expensive but we heard the food was wonderful from another couple that was staying at the hotel. The hotel has only 6 rooms but they are planning on expanding to 10 or 12. We liked it a lot but since we were on a cobblestone street near all the fish restaurants the delivery trucks in the morning were very loud but otherwise we enjoyed our stay.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by Kathy on September 6, 2000

Hotel Welcome
5 Rue du Peuplier Brussels, Belgium
32 2 21995 46

Mouton d' OrBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

This is located on the back side of the grand Place'. Similar to the Latin Quarter in Paris. Where they have streets and streets of restaurants. The food was very good. We had Oysters and appetizer and Salmon for dinner and dessert. The service was rather poor, it was slow so the waiters were hanging out at the front door smoking.
Since there are so many restaurants in this area and they all have the menus and prices outside it is hard to pick something.
  • Member Rating 2 out of 5 by Kathy on September 7, 2000

Mouton d' Or
Near Grand Place Brussels, Belgium

Paleis voor Schone Kunsten/Palais des Beaux-ArtsBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Musees royaux des Beaux Arts d Belgique"

This was a very good museum
This is a Modern Art Museum. The day we were there it was not busy at all. They have quite a few Renee' Magritte's. His stuff is rather strange but I really liked it. Also a lot of Bosch, Bruegel, Chagall and even a Keith Haring.
The Building is also very nice.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by Kathy on September 7, 2000

Paleis voor Schone Kunsten/Palais des Beaux-Arts
Ravensteinstraat 23 Rue Ravenstein Brussels, Belgium 1000
+32 2 507 82 11

Danish TavernBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

This is on the corner near the Grand Place'. I really liked the atmosphere. They had a lot of wonderful beers.
The ones we liked best:
Chamay: Made by Trappist Monks.
Grimbergen: Yellow label. They have a couple of different types. This is 7% so watch out. Also our favorite is Duvel and a local one Straffe Henrich. They have a brewery tour in Brugge.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Kathy on September 7, 2000

Danish Tavern
Rue de la Bourse 42 Brussels, Belgium

Barocks CafeBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

This bar was on the Grand Plac'
This is right on the Grand Place'. It was cold the day we were there and they had a fire going so we really liked that. We went back there 2 or 3 times, even though there were other cafes on the Grand Place', we enjoyed this most.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Kathy on September 7, 2000

Barocks Cafe
Grand Place' 15 Brussels, Belgium

Manneken PisBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Mannikin Pis'"

Chocolate shops
This is the cute little statue of the little boy peeing. Everyone comes to see the statue and take pictures. They dress him up for different occasions holidays etc. The street going to the statue is full of chocolate shops and the smell is overwhelming. I think the Mannikin is overrated. (Kind of like the changing of the guard in London and the Peabody ducks in Memphis.) But everyone goes to see it and we were no different.
  • Member Rating 2 out of 5 by Kathy on January 15, 2001

Manneken Pis
Rue de L'Etuve/Stoofstraat Brussels, Belgium 1000

Grand PlaceBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Grand Place'"

One more
This is the main square in Brussels. There are lots of bars and restaurants in the square. We were there in October and it just got very cold so we couldn't sit outside, but there were table outside and it looked great to be able to just sit and watch people. Also you have to go there at night to see it lit up.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Kathy on January 15, 2001

Grand Place
Grand' Place (Grote-markt) Brussels, Belgium

About the Writer

Kathy
Kathy
Northern Va Suburbs of DC, Virginia

Get the Word Out

Share this travel journal beyond IgoUgo with your favorite sharing tools.