The floral carpet is one of those things that most visitors to Belgium see on every single…read morepostcard, but rarely get to experience live. It takes a certain degree of planning - first of all, you have to go in an even year (there was one this year, the next is in 2010), then there are the exact dates of the carpet as it only lasts for two weeks. And just when you've cracked all that, turning up to Grand Place and looking at a sea of petals from ground level isn't particularly impressive, so you need to go the final mile and pay EUR3 or so to get into the Town Hall, queue up patiently, climb the steps to the tower and view it from above on the balconies (though to be fair, you pass some excellent and interesting rooms in the Town Hall as you wait to get to a balcony). It's worth it though. The 2006 carpet had rotating flowerbeds on, and when you consider just how many thousands of flowerheads have been diligently pressed into moss, it makes Derbyshire well dressing look like child's play.

É lindo da mais !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!read more

Brass is the cultural centre of Forest since 2008. Located in the building next to Wiels, it used…read moreto be part of the old Wielemans-Ceuppens brewery. I love the atmosphere and the old brewery elements in the event venue, the space intertwines perfectly with art installations. The events that are taking place are mostly creative projects around young arts and crafts, I've been to 2 of them and adored it (Designers against aids and Poppositions). There also is a library par, but I haven't been there just yet, to be continued.

If one wants to visit a UNESCO heritage site and be surrounded by historical buildings (town hall,…read moreguild halls to name a couple), museum (inside the King's House), restaurants and lots of Belgian chocolate shops (Neuhaus was my fav) then this is the place. Of course the Grand Place offers more than what I've listed as it's the heart of Brussels and the bee hive of visitors and activity was constant all day. The Grand Place most popular photo backdrop was the Hotel De Ville, town hall, as it dominated the square. In summer one had to wait until late (after 10pm) before the sunlight faded from the sky and the lights in the Grand Place started to turn on (versus 6pm during my first winter visit in February). As one spins around 360 from the town hall, the different styles of the surrounding guild houses added a lot of character with their elaborate, unique facades and statues and even the darker King's House. It was nice to just stand around and not be bothered by any random person coming up to beg or sell something. From here it was an easy stroll to the Manneken Pis statue, the TinTin shop and mural, Royal Gallery of St Hubert and more.

This historic central square is probably one of the most beautiful I've ever seen. What an amazing…read moreplace to feel what it must have been like centuries ago, eat lunch, or people watch. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site that's pedestrian only. We've hung out and strolled through in the early morning, afternoon, late evening, and even after dark well after midnight. Every two years in August, a floral carpet is installed in the middle of the centre. It's a ginormous arrangement of breathtaking flowers. A Christmas tree and lights go up every year. The neo-gothic architecture is outstanding from the kings's house to the town hall. Such an amazing piece of history that should be on everyone's sightseeing list.

Lovely old 'Art Deco' pool. Clean water. Not much lane discipline. You need speedo type swimwear…read moreand a hat (lifeguards lent me the latter). €3.50 good value for a visiting Londoner.

If you love comics then Brussels is the city to see them. You will see characters like Tintin,…read moreSpirou, Smurfs and so many more. They are all over the city and there is a comic strip route you can take and discover them all. Places I saw them in my trip were buildings, walls, museums, galleries, comic book shops etc. We actually found the history behind the comics in our walking tour. The tour guide highlighted them and stopped to discuss some of them. If you do not want to do a walking group tour related to comic books etc...You can discover them on your own or check out all the locations with their visiting Brussels website - https://www.brussels.be/comic-book-route It's definitely a fun visual way to see this city. Side Note- Don't forget to buy classic comic books. Ton of book stores sell them throughout the city.

Another large and beautiful church we saw on our visit to Brussels…read more The church was massive and magnificent! The stained glass windows were beautiful. We came at the perfect time to see some light peeking through the glass into the pews. It was an amazing part of our journey. This is why we stop into churches and take a moment to look around.

Just a gorgeous well kept church that must visit while in town. They also have a small section of…read moreart exhibition that cost 3 euro.

I came for a quick panoramic view of the city from the top, which was extremely nice, and instead…read morefound myself lingering to check out the delightful little museum housed here, all for the great price of only 5 Euro. The audio guide is included in the price, and you will want to get it as there are not many signs here, and the history is interesting. There is an English audio guide. You aren't forced to listen to everything, as you can just type in the buttons for what you want to hear. The staff were extremely friendly and encouraged me to try on the pieces of armour they had in the main floor, I had thought they were only for kids to check out and had passed by. The Porte de Hal was built in 1381 as one of six gateways which were part of the second set of defensive walls enclosing Brussels. This gate only survived because it was used as a prison, then later as a customs house, a grain storage, and even a Lutheran church. Between 1868 and 1870, the building was restored to what you see today. They took the medieval tower and touched it up with some romantic Neo Gothic extras. The entrance facing Saint- Gilles, is closest to the original appearance, and the entrance facing Brussels has the updated touches including the circular tower with a conical roof and turrets. It is this tower that houses the beautiful spiral stair case that you climb to reach the different levels of the museum and the ultimate panoramic view from the top. I would have just been happy to see the view and staircase, the rest was bonus. The other floors of the museum have a unique collection on information regarding the history of Brussels fortification system, the role of the trade guilds in Brussels (interesting after seeing all the Guild Houses in the Grand Place), and some armour including the parade armour of Archduke Albert of Austria. This was fascinating as it included the actual preserved hides of Albert's horses. You could even see the bullet wound that had killed one of the horses in battle. Per the audio guide these are some of the best preserved horses in the world. Whether you are a history buff or not, there is a bit of something here for everyone. Definitely a pleasant surprise.

Some very interesting history surrounding this building and the last 700 years of Brussels…read moreHowever the elderly staff are quite rude and unhelpful and offer no advice on how to tour the building. (You can get an audio guide to listen to but some friendly information wouldn't go astray) The building seems to be undergoing some refurbishment so level three was completely empty (no mention of this from the staff) but the view from the top was spectacular! Be warned this is near a dodgy part of town so keep an eye on your personals. One piece of advice; the tour is 5 euro however it's only 1.50 euro if you are under 26 so if you have a fresh looking face say you're only 25 and save yourself some cash because it isn't worth 5 euro!