Travel tips Brussels

5 travel tips for Brussels

 

Discover the best buys at the flea market in the Marollen

In this working-class area, which is situated between the Palace of Justice and the Zuidstation, you can visit a quaint flea market any day of the week on the Vossen square in the centre of the city. The best buys can be found early in the morning – when various cafes and restaurants are also open early. Traders frequent these places for an early breakfast. If you cannot find what you are looking for at the market, you will find many small rummage sale shops in the Blaes street where you may have more luck. In addition, many fantastic antique and furniture shops are located in the nearby suburb of De Zavel.

Vossen square, daily flea market from 07.00 hrs, metro Hallepoort

Bruparck (or as it is called in Brussels - De Heizel)

This theme park at the Atomium has four different types of attractions:
- At The Village you will find many small shops, bars, restaurants, a discotheque and attractions for children.
- Mini-Europe is similar to Madurodam, but its theme is ‘Europe’. For example, it contains a miniature of the London's Big Ben, you can see the gondolas on the canals of Venice and watch the French TGVs doing their rounds.
- The huge Océade swimmer’s paradise is a sub-tropical environment with lush plants. It has eleven slides, including one of no less than 140 meters long! You can also use the bubble baths, waves, a rapids route, churning waters, geysers, jet streams and saunas.
- Kinepolis is an enormous film theatre complex, which has the largest IMAX screen in Europe and a spectacular surround sound system in all of the 28 modern and extremely luxurious theatres.

Bruparck, open 09.30-18.00 hrs (in July and August until 20h00) The Village, free. Mini Europe, entrance fee € 12.20, children younger than 12 years € 9.20, smaller than 1.20m free of charge. Océade, entrance fee € 15.00, children younger than 12 years € 12.00. Kinepolis, entrance fee € 7.00, children from 3 to 12 years € 6, younger than 3 years free of charge. A combination ticket is available for a visit to multiple attractions.

 

Comic strip route & Comic strip museum

In the past ten years, thirty unattractive walls in Brussels have been decorated with paintings from famous comic strip stories. After all, Wallonia is where the comic strip originated. The images were created by artists such as Hergé, Morris and Franquin. At the Tourist Office in the City Hall on the Grote Markt, you can get a free map which stipulates the route past the most interesting murals. It will take you approximately two hours to walk the entire route. You will come across gigantic wall paintings based on the stories from, amongst others, Lucky Luke (Morris), Suske & Wiske (Vandersteen), Guust Flater (Franquin) and Kwik & Flupke (Hergé). If you still haven't had enough, there is also a comic strip museum you could visit.

Comic strip museum, Zandstraat 20, open Tuesday through Sunday 10.00-18.00 hrs, www.stripmuseum.be.

 

 

Les Jardins de Bagatelle

On hot summer evenings you can dine in the tranquil garden of this restaurant. And in the winter when you sit indoors, this restaurant, with its exotic colours, woodwork and plants will make you feel like you're out in a summer garden. The specialities of this restaurant are varied: Thai, Congolese and Belgian regional dishes, including fish or meat, as well as vegetarian.

Herderstraat 17, tel.: +32 (0)2 512 12 76, open Tuesdays - Fridays 12.00-14.00 hrs & 19.00-22.00 hrs, Saturdays 19.00-22.30 hrs, price: € 17, metro: Naamse Poort.

 

Ter Kameren forest

This idyllic piece of forest is located in the city centre and once formed part of the Zoniën forest. Enjoy a cup of tea in one of the tea rooms located beside the lake and then visit a performance in the avant-garde ‘Théâtre de Poche’, which is situated in the middle of the forest.

On the corner of Louizalaan and Ter Kamerenlaan, metro Louiza.

* Prices based on single, 2nd class Low Fixed fares. Limited available.