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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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