Brussels

Like all the other big European cities, Brussels deserves more, than one day. But you, still, can see a lot even in a short time. I recommend a number of key attractions of Brussels that I managed to see in one day.

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The best location where to start exploring Brussels is, for sure, the Grand place. Historically, it is the central square and the heart of the city as well as one of its major landmarks.

It is relatively quiet in the morning, so you can leisurely enjoy a cup of Belgian chocolate in one of the cafes, admiring Brussels Town Hall and the King's House, as if woven from fine lace, located justin front of you.

And, of course, Brussels is the place where you must but chocolate. Right on the square, you will find a wide selection in the chocolate shops.

My favorite sweets shop is “Bruyerre” on Grand Place 20, right at the corner of a house. Chocolate bars with ginger or lavender are my favorite ones among the whole assortment. The shop sells over 80 kinds of pralines, overall!

Not so far away from Grand place, there is the statue of Peeing Boy.

This unique landmark has become a non-official icon of Brussels and the country of Belgium as well. And the curious fact is that nobody exactly knows why and when it appeared. 

And to the left of the statue, there is a café, where you can try Belgian waffles at a price of €1 for one and buy excellent chocolate in the nearby shop. You can find really very delicious handmade sweets there.

Be sure to visit The Beussels Cathedral. Actually, there are many cathedrals in Belgian capital and, of course, you will not be able to visit them all in one day. But this one is definitely worth seeing as it is an outstanding example of Gothic art. And, it is very well-preserved! The church is always open and the entrance is free.

Besides the well-known Peeing Boy, there is a statue of a Peeing Girl in Brussels on Impasse de la Fidélité 10-12. It is a 5-minute walking from The Brussels Cathedral.

And from there, take a walk to Place Des Martyrs. This quiet and deserted square is surprisingly tranquil and bright. It houses the monument in honor of those who died for country independence.

This is a statue of a woman, an avatar of Freedom, standing on a big pedestal. At her feet there is a lion with broken chains and four angels in the corners, guarding the dead. One of the plates of the pedestal is decorated with the inscription "Patria", which means" Fatherland", and the rest of the plates have bronze wreaths.

Then, you can go by metro to the Atomium. This is a very odd structure in the shape of a gigantically enlarged molecule of Iron. And it also features one of the fastest elevators in Europe that can quickly take you to the panoramic platform, from where you can enjoy a dazzling view of Brussels.

Open hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

You need to allocate at least an hour for a visit to the Atomium.

And after visiting the Atomium, you can go to the miniature park, “Mini –Europe”.

It has not only the reduced copies of the landmarks of all European cities, but also trains, ships, planes and the citizens of these cities with their own plots. The park displays about 80 cities and 350 buildings on a scale of 1/25, which makes it easy to take photos against the background of many installations.

Open hours: from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., on fireworks days – open until midnight.

Closed: from 8 January to 10 March.

Ticket price: €15 for adults and €11 for children. Children under 120 cm — free of charge.

And as for dinner, I can recommend a great place "Chez Leon". They serve wonderful Belgian mussels here (and you should definitely try them in Brussels!). Those, who do not like mussels, can opt to fresh oysters. And, of course, as a dessert, have delicious Belgian waffles melting in your mouth. Don't forget to try local beer known as one of the best in the world!

You can finish your walk with a visit to the Brussels Park. There is the building of the League of Nations next to it, so it is easy to find this place. The park is well looked-after and beautiful, and there are just few tourists in the evening