What to do with one day in Brussels?

[whitershadeofpale]

On a whim when the Eurostar had a sale we decided to book a day trip to Brussels in mid December.

We were hoping to see the Christmas market and maybe get some gifts. Plus we’re considering the Van Gogh interactive experience.

We’ll be getting in around 10 am and leaving about 7.30 so was hoping you could give some top tips of must sees/ places to eat as we want to make the most of the limited time we have.

We want to bring back some Belgium chocolates too so any recommendations of good but not extortionate places would be great.

It’s just me and DP, no DCs so doesn’t need to be child-friendly.

TIA

Why not try and fix Brexit ? You can't do any worse job ...

I think that may take a lot longer than a day 😂

I’m going in 2 weeks for 2 days and wondered the same.

The centre is really compact and easy to wander around.

Grand Place.
Skip the Mannekin Pis unless you want to tick it off a list.
Sablon for cafes and chocolate shops
There are loads of good restaurants. Place Saints Catherine is good for brasserie type places which is probably what you'll want for lunch.

Thank you @eurochick

Any more tips for me and @Gohackyourself ?

I came on to say wander round Sablon. I used to live there and loved walking to the Sablon for some chocs and then walking back down into town ...

Loads of shops round Grand Place (thought not lots of good restaurants). I favour Leonidas which is much cheaper there, but I much prefer to other brands.

Buy speculoos biscuits

If you're into art nouveau, there is some lovely architecture, including this museum:

www.brussels.info/horta-museum/

You have to go to the Atomium, although it is a bit out of the way.

Ideas

Eat lobster and chips. Eat mussels and chips. Eat pastries. Go for a meander around.

The Christmas market can take a while if you do it all from the Grand Place down to St Catherine. Realistically you'll have from about 1100 to 1700 as you have to get back to Midi roughly an hour before the Eurostar leaves for check in.

There is a good Breughel exhibition at the Beaux arts, the Magritte museum is good, as is the Modern Instrument Museum, and the cafe at the top is fab.

This is the website for the Christmas market: www.plaisirsdhiver.be/en/

Leonidas is the best value for chocs to take back, although I love Neuhaus. Pierre Marcolini doesn't have prices on. Leonidas are about €28 per kg, whereas Neuhaus are €72 per kg.

Yay I love Brussels! I lived there for years.

The market will be in and around the Grand Place and will take a fair bit of time. There are lovely cafes on the GP and around too.

Don't try and get to the atomium because it will take too much time. Plan a return trip for that and Mini Europe.

The musical instrument museum has a lovely roof top cafe.

I second Leonidas chocolates. Cheaper than many and very nice. Lots of places sell them around the GP.

Toons puppet cafe is interesting.

Galeries St Hubert just off the GP is a beautiful old fashupned shoppibg arcade with some very fancy shops then you can turn right out of there onto the rue des bouchers to see the fish restaurants. The mannekin pls is just off the GP too and has to be seen. There's a girl version too off the street with the fish restaurants, called the Janneke Pls.

All that will fill a day. What time do you arrive / leave? And you can easily walk from the central station into the GP.

I second Leonidas. Their white chocolate pralines are lovely.

Our train back is actually at 8.20 and I think you need to be at the station 45mins before deeparture and gets in at 10 am.

Leonidas seems to be a must.

Have lunch at Aux armes de Bruxelles just off the grande place. Ignore the touts trying to get you into the tourist traps on the way. Have a drink in L’archiduc bar which is like an Art Deco liner.

My favourite restaurant in Brussels is just off the Grand Place (Town Hall end) at 26 Rue de Chapeliers. Brasserie de la Roue d'Or is a lovely Belle Epoque setting that serves classic Belgian dishes cooked to perfection!

I nearly forgot the chocolate museum. It's a sweet little old fashioned museum in the corner of the GP and you learn loads about chocolate while also getting to sample some. Really interesting to taste the range from white chocolate through to almost 100% cocoa.

The Musee des Beaux Arts has some wonderful works, and is about a ten minute walk from the Grand Place.

Thanks for all the tips- do keep them coming, getting excited now 😃

I wouldn't bother with Atomium. Your time is short, so stick to the centre: Christmas market/Grand Place, Musee des Beaux Arts, and allow time for a leisurely beer after lunch. I love Au Bons Vieux Temps (down an alleyway just off Grand Place). Other good options here

I love Arcadi café, also nearby. They used to do the best onion tart ever [cries].

Thanks all x