Five fantastic attractions to visit in Brussels

View PDF | Print View
by: bythesea
Total views: 8
Word Count: 499
Date: Sun, 7 Nov 2010 Time: 6:25 PM
0 comments

Brussels is a beautiful city that offers a little bit of something for everyone, making it a perfect weekend break destination. Holidaymakers have enough on their plate what with organising holiday insurance and exchanging foreign currency, so here are five ideas for ways to spend time in Belgium's capital.

Grand Place

One of the most popular tourist attractions in Brussels is the Grand Place - but for once this is a tourist trap that is worth fighting through the crowds to experience. The central square of Brussels, the Grand Place is surrounded by fantastic architecture including the city's Town Hall and various guild halls. If you're lucky with your timing, you may also get to experience the ‘flower carpet', a 24m by 77m carpet featuring a million begonias, which is set up in the square every two years in August.

Atomium

Designed by André Waterkeyn and built for the Brussels World's Fair in 1958, the Atomium is a spectacular structure that houses nine giant steel spheres connected by tubular walkways to form a scale unit cell of an iron crystal. The Atomium makes a striking sight from ground level - but also offers visitors who venture to the peak of the monument an unparalleled view of the city. Well worth the trek to the top.

Manneken Pis

A small bronze fountain sculpture featuring a boy urinating into a basin might not sound like something you should go out of your way to see, but nevertheless the Manneken Pis is a hugely popular feature that attracts large numbers of tourists. The fun comes from the fact that the statue is dressed in hundreds of different costumes which are changed several times a week. And you never know: you might be one of the lucky ones passing when the Manneken Pis is connected to a keg of beer, during which times passers by are given a free ‘sample'.

Brussels Park

If a relaxing stroll sounds good to you after a busy day of sightseeing, Brussels Park offers the perfect opportunity to take a wander. And you'll still be able to see some of the most iconic buildings in the city, as the park is surrounded by the Royal Palace of Brussels as well as the Belgian Parliament and the US embassy. If you're there during the warmer months, take advantage of one of the free parties that are laid on every weekend during the summer.

Parc du Cinquantenaire

Another perfect place for quiet contemplation, the Parc du Cinquantenaire is a huge public park that boasts a number of buildings commissioned by King Leopold II in time for the 1880 National Exhibition to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Belgian independence. Attractions include the Royal Military Museum, the Cinquantenaire Art Museum and the Temple of Human Passions.

About the Author

Before making your trip to Brussels, make sure to look into some holiday insurance