Birthday gift trip - city chosen sounds dangerous!

Brussels is a great city! I don’t understand what you’re worried about.
Definitely go to Bruges as well, it’s absolutely beautiful.

I think Brussels is quite similar to London in that there are areas with issues with knife crime, drugs and a generally high terrorist threat, but that tourists, and most residents even, don't encounter these at all. Don't go walking at night into the more downmarket suburbs, watch your bag and pockets around the main train station but really its no worse than London, Paris, Rome etc.

Brussels is not dangerous! I’ve been there a few times and felt incredibly safe.

And I wouldn’t call it boring either. Day trip to Ghent sounds really good as a pp suggested too.

I went at Christmas, there can be a few unsavoury people around the railway stations but no more than any other city.

There’s certain enough to fill your days there or you could travel to Bruges for the day.

LOL. All big cities have some dodgy areas but Brussels is no more dangerous than any other capital city in Europe.

I seriously thought you were going to say you were being taken to Port-au-Prince or Baghdad. Brussels is really, really not an adventurous trip.

You think Amsterdam is safer than Brussels?

It’s the same as any capital city. My brother has lived there for years and raised a family there, albeit in a very affluent area.

Like all cities you probably don’t want to hang out around the train station and keep an eye on your bags in touristy areas. The metro can be edgier and dirtier than London, but it’s mostly fine.

I wouldn’t say it’s the most thrilling city in the Europe - Barcelona or Berlin are livelier. It’s not the prettiest, Bruges or Amsterdam would be better if you want photogenic. It’s just a nice enough, smallish city with excellent chocolate, beer, and frites.

If the weather is good, take a picnic to the Bois de la Cambre. Potter around the Sunday antique market at the Sablon. Buy some Pierre Marcolini chocolate, visit the Atomium.

Isn’t that the same as the current threat level across the whole of the UK?

Of course it's not dangerous! I've never read such nonsense. Just go and enjoy

I thought you were going to say he’s taking you to the Darien Gap or somewhere-but Brussels? You’ll be fine.

There was a stabbing last week 5 minutes from me in SE London. And yet, life goes on.

This is silly. Brussels is perfectly safe. Just stay out of Molenbeek which is a no go zone (I once found myself there by accident and never again, and it will be wonderful.

Brussels is neither unsafe nor boring. Last time I went to Amsterdam there was a multiple stabbing incident in Dam Square - it’s still no more unsafe than any other large city. Are you generally very anxious?

You do realise the UK is on level 5 currently! Brussels is no more dangerous than any other large city in the UK! Just go and enjoy the culture!

So was my son. The only city where I’ve ever been robbed was Berlin and I’ve been to Tel Aviv and Cairo. As tourist destinations go I’d say Brussels is close to the top of the list of the safest.

It is as dirty and dangerous as any big city. It is more beautiful and historically interesting than many. I think that you will enjoy it.

Bloody hell I thought you were going to say Mogadishu not Brussels - it's lovely, food is amazing, loads to do and see. You sound ridiculously anxious - your poor DP. Google "is London safe for tourists" and see what that says - you would think everyone was being stabbed the moment they left their hotel.

Oh come on, there’s nothing wrong about a weekend trip to a European capital. Sounds like your DH can’t get anything right? Around the station isn’t great in Brussels but that’s the same in Paris. And crime stats, terror threats, drug use etc is definitely not worse than London, Amsterdam, Paris which all seem to be fine for you to visit?

Go to Amsterdam instead of Brussels because you won't feel so unsafe? You do know that Amsterdam has a major red light district (prostitution is legal) as well as still being a place for drug-touring (afaik)? And you think Brussels is worse!

I live in Brussels so I was surprised to see that there was a level 3 terrorist threat and I went off to google...
now the only thing I could find was this website which seems to contradict itself... if you read the bit about belgium the "latest update" sentence says use normal safety precautions... I think the bit further down is where you might have gotten your info... but there's no terrorist threat in action at the moment. I work in an environment where we would have to be informed and we've had nothing...

now as for public transport strikes... we get those regularly!!! today for example... no flights in or out of either airport... fun times!

www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/belgium#:~:text=There's%20an%20ongoing%20threat%20of,public%20areas%20are%20possible%20targets.

I bet London is at high alert now because of the Iran bombings, and yet millions of us just go about our lives.

Brussels is a great city. I took my own DC there last summer for a few days and we had a lovely time. We walked all over and never felt unsafe. You need to be sensible in the same way that you do in any big city but its hardly akin to visiting Terhan right now! You can also easily get the train to Bruges or Ghent if you run out of things to do. Try not to let anxiety spoil your trip and you will have a great time.

Oh my good lord. Peak MN.
Logged on expecting to see Tehran or Damacus.

Don't believe all you read online. Also, any city is going to have those things going on. You might like to check the chance of a terrorist event in London, esp central London, which should give some perspective.
Brussels is perfectly safe and a pleasant city to visit - DD and DB go quite often (tho' mostly work).
Go and have fun. NB Never look a gift horse in the mouth.

I once worked for a company whose head office was in Brussels and most of my colleagues lived there. he sense I got was that there are some really nice parts (and I have experienced some lovely parts) and some very very dodgy parts. The difference between the two is bigger than in some cities. Also be prepared to pay a fortune to travel from your station to hotel. Being home to various large NGOs, multinational corps and European Commission. NATO etc a lot of things are a major rip off. Taxi from airport to hotel one kilometre away - 20 euros.