Guide to Brussels and the Most Charming Town in Belgium

If mouth watering waffles aren’t calling you to Belgium, then the charming cities of Brussels and Bruges definitely will! Despite being one of the smallest countries in Europe, Belgium has so much to offer. From its intricate architecture dating from the 12th century to canals that rival Amsterdam, Belgium has something to offer everyone.

Language: Belgium has three official languages: Dutch, French, and German. However, English is also widely spoken here.
Currency: The official currency is the Euro. However, cards are accepted almost everywhere. In fact, many places only accept cards! ATMs can be found if cash is needed for any reason.
Transportation: Belgium has a great public transportation system. Trains are widely used and are usually the quickest form of transportation. Tickets are easy to buy, whether online or at the ticket machines.
Weather: Winters are cold and damp with frequent fog, while summers remain very mild. The weather stays fairly nice year-round.

Getting There:

A look at the standby list with 42 seats told us at the last minute that we needed to go to Belgium! We flew directly from JFK to BRU, and our adventure began from there. We landed around 8:30 am. After our flight, we followed the signs for public transportation/trains, leading us down a few escalators. We bought two tickets using the ticket machines to Brussels-Central Station, which came out to be about 24€. Then, it was just a quick walk into the city center. After exploring for a few hours, we made our way back to Brussels-Central Station and bought two tickets to Bruges, which cost about 14€. Many workers can lead you to the right platform if you need assistance. You can also buy tickets in advance using the Belgian Train Website. The website shows all the platform numbers and timetables as well. The train from Brussels to Bruges only took about 1.5 hours.

The way home was much less complicated. We took a direct train from Bruges to Brussels Airport and bought our tickets online. It was simple, easy, and so efficient!

Pro tip: If you are under 26 years old, you can buy a youth ticket at a discounted price. There are also discounts for families, military personnel, and seniors. Check the website for more details.

Where we stayed:

We stayed at an adorable bed and breakfast on Airbnb located just outside the city center in Bruges. Our host was wonderful and had thought of all the details in the place. It was a fun walk to and from the city, with a gorgeous terrace, a renovated bathroom, and new bikes available for use. We couldn’t recommend this place more!

What we ate:

Everything we ate was delicious and fairly cheap. Most of our meals cost 5-6€ per person. Belgium is known for its chocolate, and it’s absolutely delectable (I can attest to this). They are also known for their waffles and fries, or “frites” as they call them. When asking for French Fries while ordering, we quickly realized that we made a mistake. After receiving a good lecture, we learned that long ago, the original “fries” were actually stolen by the French who named them “French Fries,” and the name took off, making them famous worldwide!

• Fritland (Frites): This is a great place right near the city center in Brussels that serves great fries in giant cones. They have numerous sauces to choose from and are super cheap!

• Chez Vincent (Frites): A great “Belgium Fry” place! Located in Bruges near the Sint-Salvatorskathedraal. In addition to fries, they also have a variety of other options.
• Casa Patata (Frites): These fries are located near the Rozenhoedkaai viewpoint. They are slightly more expensive than other places, but they have a variety of different sauces and flavors that are very filling.
• Mr. Waffle & Sandwich (Paninis): Next to Casa Patata, this sandwich place did the trick when we needed something small and tasty! I loved their ham & cheese sandwich, which was super cheap and delicious!
• The Olive Street Food (Gyros): We were not planning on eating at this particular restaurant until our noses were struck with the most delicious aromas. This ended up being one of the best meals we had the entire trip. HUGE overfilling gyros that were absolutely scrumptious.
• Chez Albert (Waffles): My favorite waffles we got in Bruges. They were so good I went multiple times!

• The Old Chocolate House (Hot chocolate and chocolate): This adorable chocolate house has a tea room upstairs where they serve fantastic “melt in your mouth” hot chocolate out of giant mugs. They serve you your desired flavor and the milk separately so that you can “make your own hot chocolate.” We ended up going twice, and our palates couldn’t have been happier. We also bought quite a bit of chocolate at this particular establishment.
• House of Waffles (waffles): This is a great “sit-down” place for waffles in Bruges. It is more expensive than any waffle stand you might find. This is where we learned there are two types of waffles in Belgium: Brussels waffles and Liege waffles. We ordered Liege waffles, and 9/10 times I would recommend the fluffy and iconic Liege waffles. However, at this particular establishment, the Brussels waffles looked quite amazing!
• La Belgique Gourmande (chocolate): Another chocolate house you’ll find all over the city. I mention this brand because, although there are chocolate houses on every corner, this brand is so picturesque!

What we did:

Brussels:

• Grand Place City Hall: Many events and markets take place in Grand Place. One of the most famous buildings in this square is the City Hall from the Middle Ages. There are also a few museums in this area.
• St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral
• Royal Palace of Brussels: The official (not active) residence of the Belgian royal family. The inside of the palace will open to the public around the summer of 2024 after renovations.
• Parc de Bruxelles: A nice park leading toward the Royal Palace.
• Square De La Putterie: Gardens and fountains near the central train station.
• Mannekin Pis: I’ll be honest, there are many legends about why this little statue of a peeing man is famous. No one really knows the true story. However, this little man is known worldwide! People come from all over the world to see his different outfits and costumes throughout the year.

• Cinquantenaire & Triumphal Arch: See the triple arch and green park pastures.
• Palais de Justice: The largest courthouse in the world. Boasts unique architecture.
• Comic Strip Walk: Different comic book wall murals located throughout the city. The most famous being Tintin.
• Les Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert: Built in 1837, this building inspired many other glass-covered shopping malls throughout the world. It is the oldest shopping gallery in Europe.

Bruges:

• Church of Our Lady: This beautiful church is the second tallest brick building in the world and is most famously known for housing Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child statue. Tickets to go inside the church are 7-8€. We learned so much while touring this church and loved seeing the painted coffins from the 14th century.
• Bonifaciusbrug Pont Boniface: Gorgeous bridge you don’t want to miss.

• Sint-Salvatorskathedraal
• Dijver Canal: A tree-lined walkway along the Dijver Canal.
• Vismarkt
• Groenerei/Peerdenstraat: A great viewpoint of the canal.
• Market Square Grand Place: Most markets and events take place here in the center of the city. You can climb the Belfry tower, enjoy the history museum, or spend time soaking in the classic Belgian architecture.
• Rozenhoedkaai: The most famous viewpoint in Bruges.

• Bruges City Hall
• Basilica of the Holy Blood: This church is unlike any other. It is incredibly unique in many different ways, and the interior is incredible. It was originally built in the 12th century and houses a venerated relic of the Holy Blood of Jesus Christ, allegedly collected by Joseph of Arimathea. It is free to enter.
• De Vlaamsche Pot: The cutest and most picturesque restaurant. We didn’t eat here, so I can’t comment on the food, but the atmosphere is wonderfully quaint.

• Koningstraat
• Biking: I recommend biking the trail along Minnewater Park/Lake, Begijnhof, and Ten Wijngaerde, and to see the windmills. Begijnhof is a place of tranquility with its white-colored houses and peaceful convent gardens. It was founded in 1245, and nuns still live there to this day. There are four main windmills that can be seen on the east side of town. There is a trail that connects Begijnhof, Minnewater, and the fantastic windmills.

• Canal boat ride: The canal boat tour usually lasts around 30-35 minutes and gives you a unique view of the town and is full of historical facts about Bruges. It’s a great way to get to know the city better!
• Visit a Museum: There are so many museums to visit in Bruges, including The Chocolate Museum, The Torture Museum, The History Museum, Fries or Frietmuseum, Groeningemuseum art museum, and many more!