I am headed to Brussels, Ghent, and Brugge for 4.5 days. I plan on hitting the major sights, but is there anything off the beaten path or any restaurants/cafes, etc. that anyone thinks are must see/ can't miss? Or, any other suggestions? Thanks!!
Posted by
Danville, VT
12040 posts
As you've probably heard, Brussels isn't the most immediately pretty city. It has a lot of wonderful architecture, but it can be interspersed with dull post-war concrete and glass structures. Don't make the same mistake that many visitors do of assuming there's nothing worth visiting outside of the immediate area of the Grand Place. Some of the better seafood restaurants in town are clustered around Place Sainte-Catherine. The two best museums in town are the Musical Instrument museum (very close to the royal palace), and if the world wars interest you, the Royal Museum of Military History has a huge collection of material. As far as I know, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at Koekelberg is the world's only Art Deco cathedral. Love it or hate it, it's definately worth a visit. If you have any kids in your party, visit MiniEurope now, because it's scheduled to close next year. If the weather is pleasent, enjoy a stroll through the royal parkland in Domein van Laken. In Brugge, if you want to splurge on an unforgettable meal, bring a set of nice clothes and make reservations at De Karmeliet.
Posted by
Atlanta
3262 posts
For an eclectic restaurant in Brussels we'd recommend Fin de Siecle (Rue des Chartreux 9, Brussels 1000, Belgium.)
Posted by
Columbia, MD - Maryl, United States
4 posts
For Brussels: Within walking distance of La Grande Place is Le Sablon, a smaller square. On this square is Notre Dame du Sablon, a small cathedral which doesn't look like much from the outside, but from the inside has spactacular stained glass and a very interesting tour. Also on that square is Wittamer, one of the most decadent pastry shops in Brussels. On Sundays, there's a quaint antique market. We lived in Brussels for seven years, and our favorite restaurants were Au Stekkerlapatte (Rue des Prêtres 4 Marolles, behind the Palais de Justice), In het Spinnekopke (place du Jardin aux Fleurs 1) and Chez Vincent (Rue des Dominicains) - both walking distance from the Grand Place)
Chez Vincent is great for seafood, and the other two serve truly authentic Belgian food with loads of atmosphere. Aux Armes de Bruxelles is also an excellent restaurant, just off of the Grande Place, but a little more expensive. For an aperatif or afternoon pick-me-up, try Falstaff across from La Bourse just to see the Grand old Art Nouveau interior. Bon Apetit!