Brussels Travel Guide

Tour One: Grand Place to the Grand Sablon

A walk in the center of Brussels should start from Grote Markt/Grand Place, or the main market square. If you want to get there by tube there are two stations close by. By De Beurs/La Bourse, which stops at the old stock exchange: follow the road behind the stock exchange up to the main market square. Or if you are arriving by tube or train from Centraal Station, follow the road in front of the station's main entrance, pass the first crossroads, Europa Kruispunt, and on your left there is a little passageway that leads to the main market square.

This is the heart of Brussels, where it all started centuries ago. Face the building with the tall spectacular spire in the center. This is the Stadhuis/Maison Communale; on the right you can see more amazing Gothic facades decorated with statues and golden ornaments. Towards the far right, on the corner of the market square and the Rue au Beurre is Le Roy d'Espagne, a very well-known old pub which has been around for years, and is an ideal meeting place. If you are still facing the Town Hall, you can find the Museum van Cacao en Chocolade on your right.

Right next to the Town Hall is Rue de l'Etuve, a quaint cobbled street with an abundance of small lace shops. Walking further down this road and crossing Rue du Lombard you will discover the famous little bronze statue, Manneken Pis. Walk up the hill on the Rue des Bogards and Rue des Alexiens until you arrive at Place de la Chapelle. When you cross this square you can see an old medieval wall which used to be part of the old town wall in the 12th century. Walking down Rue de Rollebeek, you arrive at Grote Zavel/Place du Grand Sablon, Brussels' center for antiques. Hundreds of objects ranging from expensive to bargains are displayed in a one-mile radius here.

Tour Two: From the Place Poelaert to the Place Royale

The closest public transport here is metro stop Louise, situated at the end of the Avenue Louise. If you can resist shopping on this major shopping street, cross Boulevard de Waterloo and Avenue de la Toison d'Or down Rue de 4 bras and end up at Place Poelaert. Here you'll find one of the best views in Brussels. In the distance on your right you can even see the Atomium. Walk down Rue de la Regence, and 200m further on your right you'll pass Grote Zavel/Place du Grand Sablon, where you can find the world famous chocolatier Pierre Marcolini, the Wittamer Pâtissier, and the famous brasserie Au Vieux Saint-Martin, where Bill Clinton signed one of the tables. On the other side is the Place du Petit Sablon, with a lovely little garden designed in the 1890s and surrounded by 48 sculptures, each representing an ancient craft. A bit further down on your right at number 3 is the main building of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. There are two museums here, the Museum of Modern Art and the Musée d'Art Ancient (The Museum of Ancient Art). You will then come to the Palais Royal. The first street on your right is Rue Montagne de la Cour, where there's an amazing art deco building housing the Early Musical Instruments Museum. If you decide not to go in, cross the square and you will arrive at the corner of the Parc de Bruxelles, Brussels's largest park. You will find Paleis voor Schone Kunsten/Palais des Beaux-Arts on your right, and Palais Royal and the Museum of the State on your left.

If all this walking is not really your thing, the Metro is one of the cheapest ways to see Brussels. All over the city you'll see signs for the Metro with a huge blue "M" on a black and white background. There are 48 metro Stations in and around the city. Information bureaus are located at the Porte de Namur, Rogier and Midi stations.

A lovely way to see Brussels is by horse and carriage. These can be found at Grote Markt/Grand Place and are very popular with tourists. From the carriages you can absorb Brussels's wonderful atmosphere and get a great view of all the lovely historic buildings.2008-08-02T07:29:22.000 13