Day Trip to Brussels

Visited: The Grand Place, Manneken Pis, Royal Palace, Atomium, Basilica of the Sacred Heart, and Cinquantenaire

Time: August

Weather: A little warm, no rain

I was on a trip in the Netherlands and staying in Utrecht, when I decided to hop on a train for a day trip to Brussels. I had done my research before, so I had a plan of action but I was nervous to be alone in a country where most didn’t speak English, and on top of that I was without WiFi so no phone! There is some WiFi but it wasn’t very reliable. The train from Utrecht to Brussels was about 3 hours long. It was super easy to hop on and it was a straight shot to the Brussels train station. I bought a round trip ticket for about $200.

Arriving in Brussels

A couple of months earlier, I had bought tickets for the City Sightseeing bus tour; it’s a red open top bus. Tickets were $28. The bus has two routes and 22 stops. The first stop is at the Central Station so worked out perfectly. I would highly suggest buying tickets. It saved me soooo much trouble!

The bus stopped at all of the main attractions, which was great, since time was strained. They give you headphones too, so I could listen to the history. Plus saved on taxi money and my legs were happy! Hop off at any stop and hop back on, when the bus comes back around. Super easy.

Main attractions

The Grand Place or Grote Markt is as the name suggests, grand! The Gothic buildings date back to the 14th Century and tower over you. The town hall and museum of Brussels line the Grand Place along with many shops and apartments. I ate lunch at a delicious Italian restaurant, even snagged a limoncello shot. Belgium is a melting pot of different cultures, which I love. Every 2 years, in August, they cover the square in a carpet of flowers. Google some pictures, it’s amazing. Really wish I could have seen it!

I didn’t find many who spoke English, so that was difficult but everyone was very nice and ready to help. Belgium has a lot of German, French, Dutch, and Middle Eastern populations. They are known for their chocolate (my main choice for picking this destination). I bought up bags of various chocolates, and of course had to have as much beer as I could muster! Also, can’t forget about the famous Belgian waffles sold on every corner.

The Royal Palace

The Royal Palace was second on my list to see. It only opens to the public from July – August every year, which the tour is free too! I’m not one to obsess over royalty, but the palace is incredible. My main point in touring, was to see the famous beetle chandelier. The queen had an artist, Jan Fabre, commissioned to cover a chandelier and ceiling with 1.6 million green iridescent beetles. So beautiful. On the ceiling, the beetles form a P, for Queen Paola. I highly suggest planning a trip around the time the palace is open.

Art

I love the art installations everywhere. Walk around any corner or the side of the building, and it would be covered in a massive mural or there would be a cute statue perched on the corner. Sometimes the street was even decorated. It is a great surprise, and something the people are proud of. The popular Belgium comics adorn the sides of buildings.

Manneken Pis is the most famous of the statues. He is a naked little boy bronze statue peeing into a fountain pool. There were tons of people surrounding the fountain when I went, so it was hard to get a picture, plus it’s a small statue. There is also a female statue too, but I wasn’t able to find her, nor did I have the time. I did find the dog peeing on a post though!