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Brussels is the capital of Belgium. This city is quite unique and very lovely. This is the location for many European organizations. As a result it has been dubbed the capital of the European Union. As far as Europe is concerned, Brussels is a melting pot of cultures. It is situated conveniently just south of the Germanic influences and right above the romantic influences of the south. Brussels is considered a metropolitan city with just over two million people living in the city. Full of fun and culture and the perfect city to study abroad. You get everything you need here as a student of the world.

Brussels Pictures

Things to do in Brussels

Landmarks in this city are one of the most important reasons to come here. Grand Place-Grote Markt is one of the most gorgeous buildings in all of Europe. Bourse-Beurs is another beautiful sight. Atomium is an incredible statue like object that was created for the 1958 Brussels World Fair. It is a 335 foot tall representation of an atomic unit cell. It is composed of nine steel spheres 54 feet in diameter connect via tubes with elevators 105 feet long. Parc du Cinquantenaire-Jubelpark gives you a great view of the city. There are several museums with various interests. Musée du Cinéma-Filmmuseum gives you a look into the history and making of cinema and film. Musées Royaux des Beaux Arts – Koninklijke Musea voor Schone Kunsten has pieces by Rubens, Van Dyck, Frans Hals, and Rembrandt.

Nightlife in Brussels

Belgium is known for its beer and Brussels lives up the claim as well. There are a few famous beer gardens here. La Fleur a Papier Dore was a meeting place in the 1920’s for surrealists. La Porte Noire has been around since the late 1800s and is located in a beer cellar. La Mort Subite has the best fruit flavored beer in the city. Brussels also has some great trendy bars and cafes. Music Bars and Caberets can be found here and should be checked out. As we all know the beer is the favorite, especially among college students. Try the local brews and breweries.

Colleges and Classes in Brussels

There are only a few colleges in Brussels in the center of the city. Your home university will most likely have a program set up with one of the schools in Brussels. This helps with securing a school and housing as well as transferring back credits to your home university. While in Brussels you can take a language class, European history classes, Art or Art History classes, as well as food courses.

Travel From Brussels

Lion Mound is where you will find the Waterloo Battle ground. The field is unchanged since 1815 when the battle took place. This is where Wellington faced Napoleon in a historic battle that changed history forever. You can take an interactive reenacting tour. At the Atomium you can see Mini-Europe. The collection holds several scaled down versions of famous buildings all over Europe. The Netherlands, France, Germany, and Luxemberg all surround Belgium. Luxemberg is a gorgeous country to visit. The countryside of France makes for a nice weekend trip. All of these countries can be reached by the train. Studentuniverse.com offers inexpensive rail tickets as well as hostel and hotel accommodations.

Brussels Study Abroad Tips

• Belgium gets very cold in the winter, so layer up.
• The language in Brussels is Dutch.
• The currency in Brussels is the Euro.