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Brussels is the capital city of Belgium, but many also consider it the capital of the European Union. Though Brussels is the headquarters of both NATO and the European Union, you do not have to worry about being surrounded by just international diplomats. The beautiful city has several vibrant areas, such as Elsene, which is packed with restaurants and bars. Brussels has fairly warm summers and mild winters and early summer and early fall are usually warm and mild. If you’re traveling to Brussels in the summer you’ll get temperatures up to the 80s (F), and if you’re going in the winter temperatures range from the low 30s to mid-40s. You shouldn’t worry too much about it, but it does actually snow every now and then in the winter. If you’re not big on rain, avoid traveling to Brussels in January, because it usually is the month when it rains the most. Brussels is surrounded by parks and one of the most popular is the Cinquantenaire park. The entrance from the city is a huge arch and you can walk or take the elevator to the top for a fantastic view. Students looking for a fun trip to Europe might find Brussels to be a great starting point. You can find cheap flights to Brussels and since the beautiful and scenic city is right in the heart of Europe you can easily get to other European hot-spots in a rental car or with a rail pass.

Brussels Pictures

Things to do in Brussels

There are several well-known landmarks in Brussels. One that is a must see is the Grand Place, or the Grote Markt as it is called in Dutch. This breathtaking spot is surrounded by the city tower and 300 year old buildings. The Manneken Pis, which can be found just a short walk from the Grand Place is a well-known statue of a little boy peeing. Have you ever seen a sculpture of an atomic unit cell? The Atomium is truly unique and to many, the Eiffel tower of Brussels which is definitely worth a visit. Brussels is also great when it comes to museums, with more than 10 museums worth visiting. A few fun ones worth mentioning is the Filmmuseum, the Belgian Comic Strip Center, and the Autoworld. If you have time you can also travel to the Waterloo battlefield, which is right outside the city.

Nightlife in Brussels

Brussels has a lot to offer, both in tradition and variety. As a result of the long tradition there are several great pubs and bars in Brussels. If someone asks you if you want a “half-en-half” it’s good to know that it is a unique drink made up of white whine and champagne. Also, jazz is popular for nightlife with constant live bands in many of the bars and clubs.

Dining in Brussels

We’ve all heard about Belgian waffles (for good reason) and Belgian beers, but there are really three classics that you need to enjoy while you’re in Brussels: Mussels, Frites and Chocolate. Because of the number of diplomats visiting Brussels there are a lot of fantastic restaurants in the city, that’s not to say that those work when you’re on a student budget, but if you feel like treating yourself one night, you won’t be hard pressed finding something really good. Don’t worry though, you’ll find plenty of cozy restaurants that serve great local and international dishes.

Shopping in Brussels

Brussels had the world’s first shopping mall called Galeries Saint Hubert and it opened in 1847. Shopping in Brussels is a fun thing to do when there, but remember that most stores don’t open before 10AM and a lot of the stores are closed on Sunday and even Monday. If you would like to check out some of the most popular shopping areas, go shopping around Grand Place and on Rue Neuve, where you’ll find department stores and great boutiques.

BrusselsTravel Tips

• Brussels is a bilingual city with the official languages being French and Dutch so you might want to bring both kinds of dictionaries.
• Belgium is known for having some of the best chocolate in the world, so don’t miss out!
• Brussels is relatively central to other great locations: Paris is only an hour and a half and London is only about 3 hours away; both by train.