Brussels Holiday Packages, Deals & City Breaks by Fred.\- Holidays in Belgium

Destinations » Belgium » Brussels Travel Guide

From its breathtaking medieval centre to its 21st-century temple to Surrealism, the new Magritte Museum, Brussels offers the visitor a great deal more than just beer and chocolate.

Brussels's compact city centre is clustered with bars, restaurants and museums set along cobbled streets which open suddenly into the Grand-Place. With its ornate guild houses, impressive Town Hall and buzzing atmosphere, it would be difficult to find a more beautiful square in the whole of Europe.

For more information and to book, please visit the Brussels City Break page

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Designer shops and boutiques can be found in the Avenue Louise and Boulevard de Waterloo area, Place Stephanie, Place du Grand Sablon and on Rue Antoine Dansaert. Specialty shops are at Rue Haute and Rue Blaes.

The main pedestrian shopping street, the longest one in Brussels, is the Rue Neuve. This street has mainly international chain stores. More original smaller shops can be found between the Grand Place and the Rue Lemonnier.

Chocolate: Belgian chocolate is one of the most famous Belgian quality products. Brussels has a good selection of luxurious chocolate shops:

Pierre Marcolini, Place du Grand Sablon 39

Wittamer, Place du Grand Sablon 6-12

Godiva, Grand Place 22

Dandoy, Rue au Beurre 31.

Aux Armes de Bruxelles

This family-owned establishment is an excellent place for your introduction to Belgian cooking, since it combines traditional cuisine with great quality, and offers just about every regional specialty you can think of.

Taverne du Passage

Located in the city's most elegant shopping gallery, this stylish brasserie offers a wide variety of seafood.

't Kelderke

As many locals as tourists meet at the long wooden tables in a 17th-century,brick-arched cellar, a great place to try local specialties.

Grand Place (Central Square)

The Grand Place is the heart of Brussels and has been since the Middle Ages. One of Europe's more beautiful squares, it lies in the centre of small cobbled streets, and is surrounded by richly decorated 17th century Baroque Guildhouses.

Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall)

Brussels' Town Hall is rated as one of the most splendid civic buildings in Europe. The foundations were laid in 1402 and it survived the bombing during World War 2 when most of the other buildings on the Grand Place were destroyed.

Galeries Royales Saint Hubert

Europe's very first shopping arcade opened in 1847. The building itself is an architectural masterpiece arcaded shop fronts across two floors are separated by pilasters. Between the various shops you will find cafés, restaurants and theatres.

Royal Museums of Fine Arts

An unmissable attraction for art lovers: the twin Museum of Ancient Art and the Museum of Modern Art are Brussels' premier art museums. They feature art from the 15th to 18th centuries (ancient) and 19th century to the present day (modern).