So you wake up one morning and you’ve been warped to Belgium. On Erasmus, on Socrates, you name it. No idea what to do, where to go or what shoes to wear for the occasion. All you have to do is hold on tight to the custom-made hitchhiker’s guide to the capital of Europe that will put an end to your crisis! Map not included.
Now, Brussels is a big city, and you might miss big cities if you’re a foreigner living in Belgium. Just get off at Central Station and contemplate the feeling of being in the heart of the heart of Europe. What I did on a sunny Wednesday morning was to head right to the neighbouring Mont des Arts. If you’re an art lover like me you’ll certainly appreciate this hotspot of cultural density: it rounds up the so-called Royal Museums of Fine Arts (housing collections of ancient to modern art), the Magritte Museum, the Museum of Musical Instruments and the stunning arts center Bozar.
Everyone needs a bit of fresh air after a culture shot, and what could be better than the nearby Parc de Bruxelles? It’s the biggest green area in the city center and makes for a charming lunch stop. I somehow always end up there, probably drawn like a magnet to the Kiosk, a covered stage for small orchestras located right off the main paths. What makes it special is the isolation and quietness of the dozens of benches placed in a fan-like shape looking towards the empty stage. A must-see for bohemians!
Across the street from the park lies the Royal Palace, and if you circle this distant beauty (visitable only around the time of Belgium’s national holiday) you’ll find yourself on a bustling boulevard bordered with fashion stores. It’s all uphill from here: as you walk along the stylish shop windows throwing curious glances at famous brands, you’re slowly but surely making your way to the top of the city at the Palace of Justice. Apart from the impressiveness of the building – apparently the biggest one constructed in the 19th century, says UNESCO – you get a great view of Brussels seen from up high. That’s pretty rare for a low country, right?
2000 beers
I generally keep the touristic for last, so off I go to the bleak monumental Grand Place. The side streets are full of sensual temptations… No, not that! I’m talking chocolate, ice-cream and waffles here! All in all an over-priced quarter but walking and looking are still free. Galerie de la Reine is a covered Belle Epoque passage with an unexpectedly non-mainstream cinema called Arenberg. The movies they play have been awarded prizes at the most important film festivals in the world.
I make my way through the seafood restaurants full of inviting waiters in the Rue des Bouchers, off to a pub that serves over 2000 brands of beer: Delirium, located in a short dead-end street that’s also home to Jeanneke Pis (a.k.a. Manneken’s sis). Good luck choosing your beer!
Moving further north, the Stock Market could be your last tick for the day since you will have already seen enough. The final stop could either be some fries stand, a concert venue (the Ancienne Belgique is close by) or the theatre. Personally, I ended my day with a play at the Theatre 140, which despite being far outside the ring around Brussels made up for that with its professionalism. Their audio and visual equipment is versatile, and on that night catered to a guest show by showing high quality standards. The great thing is the café right next door to the stage where you can sip a glass of wine and talk to the actors (an offer I can’t refuse).
Even if you take the train back home or plan to do an all-nighter in the pubs, you’ll still come back again for the same or for some more. And why is that? Because a Brussels day… it just keeps you hanging on.
28 maart 2010
