When I hear Brussels, all that comes to my mind is beers, waffles and chocolates. I’ve been in Brussels seven times (all of them for business) most of the times visiting the European Commission.  The first time I visited Brussels was in 201,0 and since then I go there every year. It’s the capital of the European Union which hosts the European Commission (my previous job was related to the EC), Council and Union.

Getting to Brussels

The city has two airports, Brussels Airport and Charleroi Airport (flights at this airport tend to be cheaper since it’s not in the centre of Brussels). From Brussels Airport, you can take the train to the city centre; the journey takes about 30 minutes and costs 8.50. If you get off at Charleroi, there’s a shuttle bus (10 euros) that takes about an hour to the Midi station. From there, you can get the metro to anywhere you wish within the city. Please don’t get a taxi from Charleroi to the Brussels city centre, it will cost you around 150 Euros.

If you are reading this and you are from Cyprus, then you might know that Ryanair has cheap and direct flights to Brussels from Larnaca airport.

I’ve stayed at five hotel,s including:

My top choice is, of course, Hotel Bloom! Excellent rooms, very near the shops, and they provide you with a coffee machine in the room. Loved it and stayed there twice. Pantone and Chelton are my next two top choices compared to Alma (centrally located, but you cannot control the central heating yourself, you have to call reception all the time) and Theatre (in a rough area near the Red Light District, so avoid it, although it’s relatively cheap and friendly).

Beers, Chocolates and Waffles

Brussels is about beers, chocolates and waffles. Many stores sell a variety of chocolates, each with its own distinctive taste. Marcolini is renowned for its chocolates and is located at the Grand Place.

Delirium is my favourite bar, offering more than 2,000 beers from around the world. They even have beer from Cyprus. Here, you can enjoy beers with cherry, chocolate, and even banana flavours. If you are in Brussel,s you have to go there. Check out their Facebook page for more information. I’ve even bought the menu with all the beers since I’m a fan.

Eating in Brussels

There are a variety of places to eat, with cuisines such as Belgian, French, Italian, Greek, etc. The classic dishes to have are mussels and fries (frites, as you’ll see in the ads). I’ve tried mussels once, but I didn’t find the dish special. My favourite spots for food in Brussels are Hard Rock Brussels and 9 Et Voisins (really, this place is fantastic).

I would recommend avoiding lunch or dinner near the tourist and shopping districts (it’s easy to spot these places, since the people working there are ‘begging’ you to go inside for food). They will indicate that with a fixed price, you can have a 2 or 3-course meal, but service is not included, and at the end, you will be disappointed by the price and service. Also, consult TripAdvisor to see what others have said about a place.

Things to see and do in Brussels

Grand Place-Grote Markt is Brussels’s main attraction. The city tower and beautiful old buildings surround it.

Manneken Pis is a bronze statue of a child urinating into a pool. Everywhere you go, you will see this, on outfits, chocolate figures, etc. This is near the Grand Place. Apparently, there’s also the female version of this statue called Jeanneke Pis. You’re guessing right, it’s a little girl urinating. This is located on the east side of the Fidelity Alley.

The Atomium is one of Brussels’ icons. I’ve been here once when I had some free time, but to be honest, there’s not much to see apart from the views. You can enjoy spectacular views of the city from the upper sphere. You can see Mini-Europe, a collection of scale models of famous European landmarks such as Big Ben and the Eiffel Tower.

Leopold Park is a nice public park located near the European Parliament. If you are around there, it’s worth having a walk – and you’ll be lucky if this is on a sunny day.

Tip: If you’ve heard of the Red Light District in Brussels, you should know that it’s totally different from the one in Amsterdam, and it’s a waste of time (the area is illegal, and these places are said to be ‘bars’, but in reality they’re not. Avoid.

Photos I’ve taken in Brussels