Birthday gift trip - city chosen sounds dangerous!

[Lyrixs21]

It was my birthday yesterday, and my partner booked a surprise trip for the two of us plus our 3 year old to go to Brussels on the Eurostar for two nights next weekend (4th July).

Neither of us have been to Brussels before, or indeed Belgium, so I excitedly started to do some research last night once he told me what the surprise was. As I delved into searches about Brussels, once thing kept coming up - how unsafe it is! I didn't go looking for information on safety, but it just seems to be a constant feature of discussions on the city. It's not a city I know anything about (bar always thinking it sounds a bit boring) but my main takeaways from my extensive research last night is that it is unsafe (shootings, drugs, petty crime) has a level 3 terrorist threat currently ('Serious') and is just generally dirty, unsavoury, and boring.

I now don't want to go after reading all that, and particularly don't want to bring my three year old and put her in any danger. I'm a little surprised my partner booked it in one sense, as it's very hard to find anything positive online about it!

Do I:

• Tell him what I've read online and how I feel and that I'd prefer not to go? This seems a little rude given he has spent time and money researching things and booking it for my birthday, and I know I'll end up feeling bad.

• Or, do I go, put up with it, but potentially not enjoy it because I'm worrying about safety and feel anxious and on edge? Based on what I'm reading I'm really not keen. I have found since we've had our daughter I am more concerned about safety generally but I expect that's normal?!

He did mention he looked at Amsterdam but that the hotels were crazy expensive another option for me might be to offer to pay for the hotel in Amsterdam and we change the Eurostar to go there? That way, we are still going and still going to experience the Eurostar and have the weekend away, but without me fretting and not really wanting to be there!

Any thoughts welcome.

I loved Brussels. The Flemish stew and waffles are delicious. I recommend dinner at omegang brasserie.

I actually didn’t like Ghent - it’s very overrated although maybe it’s because we were there for the Christmas market and lacklustre wasn’t the word. I’d go back to Brussels - wouldn’t go back to Ghent.

I would never have guessed you were going to Brussels from that description 😂 come on, it's a city in Western Europe not Kabul

Same as other people, I can’t believe this is about Brussels! 😂😂😂 I was there in February and the closest I got to a terrifying experience was burning my mouth on fries. We went by Eurostar and perhaps the area the station in isn’t great but no worse than any other major cities I’ve visited. Lots to see and do in the city and places to visit by train.

As a comparison, currently the National Threat Level for the whole of the UK is:

Substantial (An attack is likely)

Assuming you are in the UK, do you generally feel safe going about your business?

I was once sent to Beirut for work. That was a little bit scary, but not too bad. Brussels is going to be fine.

You would see the same info if you searched London in the same way. Go you will be absolutely fine

I visited Brussels with my disabled DM and we had a fantastic time. She wanted to look at the shops, I was happy to stare at the buildings. It was a beautiful city and even in the evenings when everyone tried to hassle us to eat in their cafe we felt 100% safe.

This probably applies to the whole world currently too! People cancelling holidays to Cyprus, Greece, UAE, USA.....

Unless you have a trip planned to Beirut or the Gaza Strip then I imagine everywhere is on high alert currently and it makes no odds whether you are in the UK or on holiday somewhere.

🤦‍♀️

I’ve taken student field trips to Brussels. It’s fine. There has been terrorist trouble - just as there has been in London, Paris and Berlin.

Take the DC to the chocolate museum and the Atomium, and to the mannekin pis! The old covered shopping arcades are lovely and the main square is wonderful. The military museum is interesting too, as is the cartoon museum.

I love Brussels.
I do i often as a daytrip by myself.
The only time I was visually aware of a threat was when there was the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris with more attacks threatened. Security was tight and there was armed guards on the street. I've been loads of times since then and enjoy going.
Im thinking about going again if I get a few days off together in August and I can get a cheap enough flight.

I could not have imagined when I read your title that this would be Brussels

Brussels! Honestly Brussels is fine. The area around the midi station where you arrive is a bit filthy, dodgy late at night, (locals moan about it too), and watch out for pickpockets. Just take a taxi to wherever you’re staying and you’ll be fine! Go and see the grand place, and the area around Sablon, Magritte museum, etc, or for your child: train museum, natural history museum, there are many others. Eat moules frites, waffles, chocolate (go to chocolate museum or do a chocolate workshop), drink Belgian beer, there’s also an ‘Eye’ with a lovely view. Day trip to Ghent Bruges or Antwerp. Honestly you’ll find lots to do, culture, parcs, shopping around Avenue Louise (don’t go to Rue Neuve - a bit of a shitty area), or smaller boutiques in the Dansaert area. You’ll be fine, you’ll have nothing to worry about in Brussels!

Beautiful, underrated and really not dangerous.

Love it!

OP, you need to get a handle on your anxiety. I’d suggest stepping away from the internet.

It’s Brussels not Tehran

Brussels is pretty much like any city……….there’s crime, drug use, homelessness, etc everywhere. And I am not having a go at the homeless before anyone jumps on me for classifying them as criminals…….merely trying to define practically every city I’ve ever visited in Europe, Canada, USA.

Nonsense. US travel advisories rate pretty much all European countries as Level 2 due to an increased risk of terrorism: UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, France, Italy. Brussels is just as safe/dangerous as any other large European city.

How is it any different to London, Manchester, Birmingham, Paris, New York, Beijing wouldn't it be safer not to leave the house thinking like this?

And what do you think people with children themselves do there?

Brussels is fine. But then again, I have brought my kids up in London so am used to life on the edge.

This is really odd, I've been there while pregnant and it's safe and lots to wander rounds and see

Another who's been to Brussels and finds it very safe, and much more relaxed than Amsterdam! There are areas which are a bit edgy, as in every city, but as a tourist you'd never go to one of them anyway.

I think the terrorist threat is probably the same in all Nato counties at the moment, it means more police on the streets, but as a tourist you wouldn't notice anything.

I second taking a trip to Ghent - it's really lovely, 40 mins by train, and you take a boat trip when you get there, great way to see the city.

Lots of English spoken in both.

Do you go to London OP?

Totally agree with this. Bruges is far more interesting.

This is one of those occasions where the internet is not being helpful.

Brussels is a very safe city. Take the usual city precautions of not waving wads of cash about or walking at night in obviously dodgy areas.

Step away from your ‘research’ and enjoy your trip.