Brussels

Oops, sorry Christy I forgot to mention. Try to stay in the center of Brussels near Gare Centraal and the Grand Place. If you're walking distance to Gare Centraal then you can also squeeze in a daytrip to either Bruges or Ghent. I would guess they have hourly trains to both cities. I think you can take the metro or regional train to Anderlechts and visit the Cantillion Brewery. If you like Lambic (Geuze) style beer that's the place to sample it. You can also find it in many bars and pubs too. http://www.cantillon.be/br/3_1 @bronwen, Ghent was nice surprise. Glad I went.

To reach Brussels from Paris take the Thalys high-speed train. The earlier you book the cheaper it will be: http://www.thalys.com A car for touring around Brussels is about has useful as a car for Paris:) Walking, trams, and the metro will get you to every corner of the city. Check out the Novotel or Ibis hotels near Centraal Station. http://wikitravel.org/en/Brussels

Hi Christy, here are a couple places I can recommend. http://alamortsubite.com/ http://www.deliriumcafe.be/ Cheers!

Mike - I was about to suggest the exact same places! My favorite city in Belgium is Ghent. If possible, go to Ghent.

Christy, I lived in Brussels for 5 yrs. A car is definitely not required. Like the advice previously provided - try to stay near the Grand Place, travel to Ghent and/or Brugges if you have the chance.

2000+ beers at the Delirium Cafe in Brussels! the day I was there they played a lot of "classic rock"... there is a brewery tour in Brugge and some great chocolate at Dumons. look around on the internet for a show that was on the travel channel called Three Sheets- 1 of the first shows was a trip to Brussels.

The best place to sample Belgian beers is eating in a restaurant, any restaurant. Many Belgian beers have a very high alcohol content, so realistically, at most you may be able to down about three beers without getting sloppy drunk. Best to go slow and temper your intake with food. Very fancy, Michelin-type restaurants tend to serve only wine and hard liquor. But most mid-level establishments will have a pretty good selection of beers available. And one of the hidden secrets of Belgium- it's almost impossible to have a bad meal here. Despite France's justified food reputation, I've on occasion had some pretty bad meals there. Skip the restaurants on Rue Boucher. They mostly serve the same food and compete with each other on price, not quality. For better food, check out the square near Eglise Sainte-Catherine. This is a particularly good area for seafood. Mussels should still be in season in August.

Can I respectfully say that , primarily to sample beers and Do we need a car when we get there? do not go together in Europe. The drink driving laws are so strict that you should never drink (even a little) and drive (even a little).