Brussels

Brussels is, of course, the capital of Belgium, and is considered the capital of Europe, due to it being the seat of the European Union. You might suspect this would render the city a faceless, concrete carbuncle, but Brussels is anything but.  You’ll find on your city break in Brussels that the capital has carefully maintained its medieval character.  It is also a very friendly and at times exceptionally lively city.  Brussels is full of treasures; with unique works of art, excellent cuisine and the twin Belgium notables of beer and chocolate.

There something happening in Brussels no matter what time of the year you visit.  The city is green and vibrant in Spring, golden and pleasantly subdued in Autumn and crisp and colourful in Winter, especially when the Christmas fairs commence.

Summer is definitely the best time of year to take a Brussels city break, though.  A sunny spell sees the promenade cafés erupt into life and a partying mood falls over the place.  Summer also sees most of the Belgium festival events occur, such as the Ommegang pageant in July and the Carpet of Flowers in August.  Make sure you pack your rain gear though as showers can sprout up at any time and drench the unsuspecting.

Brussels Airport marks your easiest method of getting to the Belgium capital, and it is served by most major airlines.  The Airport stands nine miles east of the city, and trains travel from the terminals to the three main rail stations frequently.  You can travel in by road or train for your Brussels city break from various places on the European mainland, or by sea to Belgium, landing at either Antwerp, Zeebrugge or Oostende then using road or rail to get to the capital.

Most of the main tourist attractions during your city break in Brussels are reachable on foot, but if you want to explore further, the city has an excellent network of metro, tram and bus services.  Driving yourself around the city is not a problem, although sometimes the volume of traffic can mean laborious journeys and difficulties in finding somewhere to park.

Probably the site you will be most eager to see during your Brussels city break will be the Mannekin Pis, the well-known cultural symbol of the city.  For those not in the know, this is a small bronze statue of a little boy urinating into a fountain.

The statue dates back to 1619, although it had to be re-cast after being stolen by an ex-convict in 1817 and smashed up.  The little boy is often dressed up for significant events and previous costumes can be viewed at the Brussels City Museum.

Brussels staged the 1958 World Expo and a unique structure of a series of globes connected by tubes was commissioned to honour this.  This became known as Atomium; it was only meant to be a temporary showpiece but endeared itself so much to the Brussels public it remained once the fair came to an end.  Your city break to Brussels must take in a walk around inside the structure, visiting the many exhibits and the restaurant and viewing platform in the highest-most globe.

Brussels is much more than bureaucracy, beer and chocolate; book your city break to Brussels to discover all the delights this historic city has to offer.