24 Hours in Brussels

As a world traveler, my adventures often lead me to unexpected places. After my successful trips to Copenhagen, Amsterdam, London, Bath, Santorini, and Paris, a third trip to Europe was inevitable. I had my eyes set on Barcelona, Bilbao, and Lisbon: three cities on the Iberian Peninsula that I had always wanted to visit.

I had a Norwegian Airlines flight to Barcelona set and ready for December 23^rd, 2018. Unfortunately, the airline’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner planes were affected by a Rolls-Royce engine problem that led to the suspension of several routes. In late September that year, I received an email that my flight would no longer be operating.

At first, I was disappointed, as I knew I had to look for an alternative flight that was still affordable. Instead of rebooking with Norwegian for an indirect flight to Barcelona, I used this unexpected change in plans as an opportunity to add a new city and country to my list! TUI Fly, a Belgian leisure airline, offered direct flights from Miami to Brussels at a similar cost to my original flight.

Without thinking too much, I booked a flight for December 22^nd to Brussels! Fast forward to that day, and I was once again on a plane headed across the pond. I arrived in Belgium early, at around 7:00 a.m. The sun had not even risen yet on this cold winter day. After going through immigration, I boarded a train from the airport headed for Gare de Bruxelles-Nord Station.

Libertés

From there, it was a quick metro ride to my hostel located in the Libertés district just outside of the city center. I waited for the sun to rise before beginning my explorations of the city. Since I only had one full day before heading off to Barcelona, I wanted to visit all the major highlights and try the delicious food and beer. Thankfully, my hostel offered a free walking tour to many of these sites.

At around 10:30 a.m., a man arrived at the hostel and escorted me and several guests towards the Grand Place, where our tour would begin. We walked through the city’s outer streets on our way towards the center. My first impression was that it reminded me quite a lot of Paris, without as many of the crowds. The city also boasts a tram system, much like Amsterdam.

As we got closer, the streets became narrower and more crowded. In the distance, I could see ornate buildings come into view. We had arrived at the Grand Place to meet up with our tour guides.

Grand Place

This square is easily one of the most beautiful in Europe. The most prominent building here is Brussels Town Hall, which is also the oldest structure in the plaza. This gothic building has a spire that towers over the rest of the square. The main façade is lined with statues representing saints and other important figures. Although I did not see it at first glance, the building is actually asymmetrical, with more window bays on the left side of the façade.

The rest of the Grand Place is lined with beautiful guild houses from the Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque styles. Much like Amsterdam’s canal homes, these five-story buildings are tall and narrow and have prominent gabled roofs.  Unlike the canal houses, they have a larger number of bays, ranging from three to five. The façades are rich in gilded ornamentation, especially compared to the surrounding buildings of the city center.

Manneken Pis

One of our tour’s first stops was at the city’s iconic Manneken Pis. This small bronze statue depicts a boy peeing into the fountain below, and is a common spot for selfies. The city often dresses the statue in various costumes that have included Dracula, Casanova, and Adolphe Sax. The costumes usually commemorate a holiday or birthday, and a permanent collection of them can be seen at the nearby City Museum.

We continued our tour through the city center. The narrow streets feature buildings that are similar to those found in other northern European cities. Our tour guide also took us to a narrow alley where the Manneken Pis’ sister statue, the Jeanneke Pis, is located.

Our next stop brought us to the Saint-Hubert Royal Galleries. This long shopping arcade features a large glass roof and includes a variety of shops, from clothes to chocolates. It was also beautifully decorated for the holidays!

Parc de Bruxelles and Royal Palace

The arcade led us back outside, past a cathedral that I would revisit later. We walked through the Parc de Bruxelles: the city center’s largest green space. Similar to my visits to the King’s Garden and Vondelpark, my experience here was a dreary one on this rainy day. However, I imagined it would be beautiful on a spring or summer day.

The garden is on axis with the Royal Palace of Brussels: the city residence of the Belgian Royal Family. The building is a prime example of Neoclassical architecture, with Corinthian columns, a large central pediment, and a commanding roof. Although the floor area of this building is much smaller than that of Buckingham Palace, its façade is 50% longer.

We ended our tour near the Mont des Arts, where our group posed for a photo. I tipped our guide, who was extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the city.  It was still only mid-afternoon, so I had more time to explore before it got dark.

Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula

I walked back over to a building that the tour passed by earlier: the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula. This is another impressive example of Gothic architecture. It looks like a simplified version of Notre Dame, with two bell towers, vaulted stained glass windows, flying buttresses, and ornate pinnacles topping the central nave. There are decorative statues lining the main entrance, although in general, the church has much less ornamentation than Notre Dame.

Inside, I walked into a prominent central nave, with a classic rib-vaulted ceiling and plenty of natural light. The nave is lined with vaulted arches held up by decorative columns. The octagonal capitals are inspired by Corinthian capitals but do not appear to follow any classical order. Statues of famous apostles adorn each of these columns.

I left the church and walked over to one of the wide boulevards outside the city center. Unfortunately, the rest of Brussels does not have the same charm as most other European cities I have visited. Most of the buildings are generic and modern, and the city feels more business–like than romantic.

Belgian Food

Instead of lingering in this area, I walked back into the city center to try some of the amazing Belgian food. First on my list was to try Belgian frites. Contrary to popular belief, French fries were actually invented in Belgium. Also in contrast to America, the Belgians eat their fries with mayonnaise instead of ketchup. The fries had the perfect blend of crispiness and savory potato flavor and were certainly some of the best I have ever tasted.

Belgium is also famous for amazing waffles and tasty chocolates. I had already had a waffle that morning, so I headed for a nearby chocolate shop near the Grand Place. The shop offered free samples, so I got to taste some of the rich and creamy chocolate. Much like the chocolate I had in Zaanse Schans, the quality here is no comparison to what we have in America.

I ended my walk around Brussels around 4:00 p.m. as the sun was beginning to set. The city center had a lovely Christmas market, and the lights were beginning to shine. The market was right in front of a beautiful Neo-Palladian building that is home to the Brussels Stock Exchange.

My Overall Thoughts

As evening fell, I walked back over to my hostel in the northeast corner of the city center. Overall, while Brussels is a beautiful city, it did not wow me in the same way as other European cities have. Besides the ornate Grand Place and the charming city center, there aren’t many attractions to see. One full day was plenty of time to see the highlights.

Brussels is the capital of the European Union, so it seems to cater more towards business travelers than tourists. This was evident at my hostel, which lacked the backpacker vibe that many others have. There were even families with little kids staying in some of the private rooms. Despite this, the hostel still had a lovely bar serving some tasty Belgian craft beers.

The bartender was from Guinea, a French-speaking African country, and was super friendly. I also had some great conversations with my fellow guests. Even though it wasn’t the best hostel, it was still a welcoming one. Overall, I enjoyed my 24 hours in Brussels and was happy to have finally made it to Belgium!