Brussels - THANKS for your recommendations of what to see!

[PeckhamRose]

Thanks! (I'm not being lazy, I'll research, but personal recommendations are great and were SO good for when we did New England!)

[jacks09]

There is an amazing hotel called BLOOM. I would go back to Brussels justbto stay atbthe hotel! Also we did a chocolate making class which was so fun!

[edw]

There's a museum of musical instruments which is well worth a visit if you're interested in that sort of thing.

[Siduhe]

Depends on your tastes, but we had an amazing (not cheap) seafood platter and cocktails at this place. Is a converted turn of the century (the one before this one) bank and quite stunning.

http://www.concierge.com/travelguide/brussels/restaurants/14233

Edited to add this was about 3-4 years ago. Not sure how much it's changed.

[BrandNewGuy]

The Cantillon Brewery - very near Bruxelles Midi station. Wonderful beers.

http://www.cantillon.be/

[maxxi]

I had some very good Japanese food in Brussels at a couple of places a few years back - one especially good, large place like a converted pharmacy - can't remember the name though but locals might know it by that description.

[Marmora Man]

A bar called "Le Cercueil" was a lot of fun 20++ years ago - tho' I hear from recent visitors its now a part of the accepted tourist trail and not a lot better than The London Dungeons and similar tourist tat.

it used to be decorated in dark and macabre way - with coffins as the tables and faux skulls to drink out of. It's somewhere off Rue des Harengs.

ETA: My best memories are drinking good beers, eating moules frite and watching the world go by in the streets off the Grand Place. If you have wheels getting out of town to visit the Battle of Waterloo site is worthwhile (at least I thought so), tho' you wouldn't know the the British were even present, let alone won the battle, from the rather Francophile museum.

[indiepanda]

BrandNewGuy Wrote:

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> The Cantillon Brewery - very near Bruxelles Midi

> station. Wonderful beers.

> http://www.cantillon.be/

I'd recommend this too, I went a couple of weeks ago. It's an old family run brewery still using the traditional methods.

[malumbu]

Get on a train and go to Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges or somewhere else.

Or just go to the Mort Subite and don'e leave www.alamortsubite.com/

[EatsDulwich]

Are you going in the run up to Christmas PeckhamRose? If so, I'd recommend a wander around Grand Sablon, especially in the evening when all the pretty lights are lit. There used to be carol singing and live music in the run up to Christmas so you may be able to find litsings for that. There's also a massive Christmas shop up that way which links between 2 roads I can't remember the names of for the life of me...all the decorations you could wish for! I'll take a look at the map and see if I can remember.

For Sunday brunch I always loved Le Perroquet in Sablon - a cosy (OK, maybe quite cramped!) welcoming room, a menu of pittas as long as your arm and a Westmalle Triple eased many a Sunday morning hangover... Whilst you're up there treat yourself to some chocs from Pierre Marcolini.

I second malumbu's recommendation for La Morte Subite if you like beers. It's a traditional Belgian bar with fantastic brusque waiters, amazing beer and traditional bar snacks of cheese and meats. I have spent way too much time there.

For 'cultural' stuff, I quite liked the Centre Belge de la bande Dessinee (http://www.comicscenter.net/en/home) and long walks around the city, taking in the Palais de Justice, Sablon, etc (all interspersed with frequent beer pitstops).

It's a few years since I was last there so I'm not sure which restaurants are good these days...

[EatsDulwich]

Oh and you need to eat frites. Some people rave about Antoine on Place Jourdan, but I don't ever recall having them there. I used to get them on Place Saint Josse but I just did a quick search and it seems like the guy who used to sell them there has retired so not sure what it's like now.

[PeckhamRose]

You are all wonderful, thanks, for posting your recommendations. We leave Saturday morning on the Eurostar and return Monday night. I shall write it all down and plot the map! A friend said we must see the sprouts museum...

[civilservant]

If you're on Sablon, try Pierre Marcolini for chocolate and Wittamer across the way for cake and deli. If choco-slumming is your thing, though, there's a Godiva at the bottom of the Sablon as well.

Down a way from Sablon are the Rue Haute and the rue Blaes for 'antique' shops and the Sunday morning street market on the Place du Jeu de Balles

[Gidget]

Is Godiva the equivalent of Cadbury over there?

[haruki]

Well clearly you need to stop by the Manneken Pis, even if he is one of the world's most anti-climactic tourist attractions.

I'm also a fan of the Atomium, which is pretty easy to get to on the metro.

And for drinking, the Delirium village got rave reviews from my sister recently. It's a collection of bars, each specialising in a different drink: beer, absinthe, rum etc!

[EatsDulwich]

Rue Blaes - that's where the Christmas shop used to be! It has an entrance on 2 roads, the other one must be rue Haute. Thanks civilservant for reminding me...

[civilservant]

Gidget Wrote:

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> Is Godiva the equivalent of Cadbury over there?

yes, alas. and Leonidas is even lower in the hierarchy

[stacker285]

Great timing for this thread as I'm off to Brussels friday afternoon, returning sunday. We get there just in time for the inaugural christmas market parade on friday night. Was debating taking a train to Brugge on sat, but may just play that by ear (beer). Thread now printed out with all your wonderful ideas. Thanks!

[PeckhamRose]

Hey stacker285! Could see you and not realise it. We're going Sat morning and returning Monday night. Didn't know abot the christmas market parade.

[OliviaPasora]

If you want to do something nice in Brussels you have to go the Winter Wonders ! It's on the Grand Place and Place Sainte Catherine. It's during the month of december until january I think. I went last year with my husband and it was great! So I advice you to go if you go to Brussels. I found some good information on this website http://www.brusselscity.net/winter-wonders/ maybe it can help you :)

[PeckhamRose]

We're baaaaaaaack! We did much of the above, including the Antonium today in miserable rain.

Had a great time, yes we had "visit Brussels" to hand but it's always great to get personal recommendations.

It was an enjoyable weekend away though we woke to heavy snow yesterday! Thanks everyone who contributed ideas!

[stacker285]

Hey PeckhamRose - sorry, didn't see your message!

Had a lovely time, altho must admit we didn't really do that much. I did however discover that hot chocolate can be enhanced by many different spirits - even jagermeister!

Did you go to the Delirium bars, PR? Quite staggering!