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Brussels

Everyone associates Brussels with the EU. In fact, the city is very much shaped by it - and not just because of the institutions and buildings. The people in Brussels are also very international and come from all over the world. But for me, Brussels is so much more than that: beautiful Art Nouveau houses, green parks, countless pubs and bars, diverse neighborhoods, cute little streets and the occasional dirty street. During my three months in Brussels, I really took the city with all its nooks and crannies to my heart. Let me show you why!

30/11/2021

dear(travel)diary,

I'm sitting in the car right now with tears in my eyes. One eye is crying with sadness, the other with joy. Because on the one hand, I'm sad that I have to leave Brussels now. On the other hand, I am so happy about the past three months that I have been able to live in Brussels.

Because the last few months that I lived in Brussels were my highlight of 2021. Not only did I make new friends, but I also had some great experiences. And of course, I always made sure to collect the best insider tips for your next trip to Brussels! If you want to find out what I can recommend as a real Brussels insider, you should definitely read on now!

xx Chiara

Overview:


WHAT TO see & discover

  1. The 3 Brussels must-sees: Grote Markt, Manneken Pis and Atomium
  2. The Inn districts: Quartier du Châtelain, Etterbeek and Ixelles
  3. Marolles, the Palace of Justice & Avenue Louise
  4. Going out in Brussels
  5. The beautiful galleries: Galerie de la Reine et St. Hubert, Galerie Bortier and Passage du Nord
  6. Green Brussels: Bois de la Chambre, Parc de Bruxelles, Parc Cinquantenaire, Parc Leopold, Parc Josephat and Parc de Laeken
  7. Buy chocolate & co.
  8. Visit the countless museums: Magritte Museum, Comic Museum, Musical Instrument Museum, Brussels City Museum, House of European History and Parlamentarium
  9. Other places of interest: Congress Column, Royal Palace, Mont des Arts, Saint-Gilles Prison and Passarello Tondo.
  10. Travel around by train at the weekend: Antwerp, Dinant, Bruges and Ghent


where to eat

I often visited restaurants, cafés and bars in Brussels and was able to try a few for you! My top tips are definitely the Wolf Food Market and the Charlet Robinson. But I have summarized where else you can eat and drink well on a separate page. I also have my favorite places for you at a glance here:

  1. Lunch: Tandem Fiets Café Vélo and Au Fil Des Saveurs
  2. Dinner: La Piola Pizza and Ouzerie Mezedopolio
  3. Cafés: OR Café and GRUUN plants & coffee
  4. Bars: Mappa Mundo
  5. Markets: Place du Châtelain (Wednesdays) and Place Jourdan (Sundays)


ACCOMMODATION

I lived in Brussels for three months and shared an Airbnb with a friend. The price-performance ratio was simply great! We also got a massive monthly discount. However, the accommodation is generally not expensive for its size and facilities. There are also a total of four fixed sleeping places, so the costs are even cheaper for a group.

The accommodation itself is located in Schaarbeek, around 20 minutes away from the city center ring road. However, you can reach the city center very easily. Schaarbeek itself is also worth a visit. There are some cool bars, a great park and beautiful houses. In addition, our host Eve was very nice! She took care of any problem we had immediately.


MY TRAINEESHIP AT THE EU COMMISSION

Why was I in Brussels for three months in the first place? Ever since I majored in International and European Law at university, I wanted to work at a European institution at least once. That's why I completed part of my legal traineeship at the EU Commission in Brussels. I have summarized all the information about my legal traineeship in Brussels in a separate blog post for you!


Costs

As I lived in Brussels for three months, my costs are not comparable to those you will have as a traveler. So I can only give you a rough idea here.

Accommodation costs in Brussels are not cheap, but you can generally find good accommodation for a reasonable price. Food costs are not significantly more expensive than in Germany, but eating out in restaurants is a few euros more expensive than in Germany. However, tipping is less common in Belgium than in Germany, so you will save a little there. Many sights are free to visit, so you can spend your money on souvenirs and snacks.


I have put together a list of all the places on Google Maps.

You can find the list here.

From the community for the community

Tips from the community

Do you have a tip for Brussels? Or a suggestion for the blog? Or would you simply like more information about Belgium's capital? Then write me!