Brussels

Travel and Tourist Information

ABOVE: Grande-Place, Brussels.

Brussels, Belgium may be the most underrated of Western Europe's capitals. Many travelers who haven't been there picture a Franco-Flemish Frankfurt am Main, with clusters of glass skyscrapers inhabited by faceless Eurocrats. And while it's true that Brussels has more than its share of office blocks and EU functionaries, the city also tempts visitors with an attractive historic center, Art Nouveau houses, 19th Century palaces, the world's best pommes frites, innumerable chocolate shops, and the strongest beer in Europe.

What's more, Brussels is easy to reach: about an hour an a half from Paris by high-speed Thalys train, just under three hours from Amsterdam, 2 hours 45 minutes from Cologne, and only 3 hours 15 minutes from London via the Eurostar and the English Channel Tunnel. Step off the train at the Central Station, and you're just a short walk from the Grand-Place (see photo above), the royal palace, and a host of museums--along with enough restaurants, beer cafés, and chocolatiers to fuel a year's worth of sightseeing.

Where to start

This 17-page Web guide to Brussels is a convenient starting point for your travel planning. Use the navigation table at the bottom of each page to find travel tips and annotated Web links on hotels, transportation, sightseeing, and other topics.

I also recommend investing in a good guidebook. Time Out Guide: Brussels is the liveliest and most useful, with Anthony Mason's Cadogan Brussels being a close runner-up (and perhaps a better choice for background reading). Michelin's Green Guide to Brussels is organized by quarter, which makes it handy as a sightseeing guide. If you're spending only a short time in Brussels, you can get by with the inexpensive Berlitz Brussels Pocket Guide.

 

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