Hello Fellow BA's from Brussels, A friend and I are visiting Brussels From April 2nd to the 5th. We are looking to share some bottles from the U.S. with anyone that might be interested. Also to maybe show us around the city. It is our first time there and we would love to have a local show us the ropes! Cheers! Oh yeah, Bottle list: 2009 Bourbon County Coffee Abraxas '13 Darklord Bourbon County Backyard Bourbon County Prop Bourbon County Barleywine CW 16 Bourbon County Coffee Maybe more, and open to suggestions and trades.
I just spent a couple days there. We had the perfect hotel location about 300 meters from Delirium, a 3 min stroll to the Grand Palace and Manneken Pis and an easy 20 min walk to Cantillon.
Seriously, Seriously, that's hardly a perfect location. It's smack in the middle of the most heavily touristed area in Brussels and full of overpriced, mediocre, tourist trap restaurants and shops. There are much better areas to stay in where you can get a feel for the real Brussels. I certainly understand why first time visitors would want to see those places, but there's no need to camp in the middle of it.
I agree with Tut, Brussels is not the town to stay. I always feel very uncomfortable when i am there. I have a much better feeling when i am in Antwerps. I always try to stay as far as i can from Brussels.....
If I have to stay in Brussels, I've always resided in Sainte-Catherine. Typically it's only for a night before I visit elsewhere in Belgium but that area has been good to me with the seafood along Quai Briques.
I wasn't saying not to stay in Brussels - just don't stay in the heart of the touristy center. I like Brussels a lot and have spent much time there over the years. It's as good as you make it. Get out of the tourist area and explore. People uncomfortable in busy, large cities will be uncomfortable in Brussels. The opposite is also true.
I like to stay in this area. It's a 15 min. walk to the Grand Place and city center, but away from the tourist crowds. There's a small park, Place de la Liberte, with a couple cafes with nice outside seating in good weather. There are three small hotels at several budget levels nearby - Hotel du Congres, La Tasse d' Argent, and Hotel Sabina. The Madou subway station is a couple min. away. It's very convenient for public transportation links to the rest of Brussels. The best part of this location is that Le Bier Circus is less than two blocks from the small park. http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?srv=place&hl=en&fmt=bin&q=Place de la Liberté&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq&hnear=0x47c3c37dcbd5275d:0xb981cdefec8edc73,Place de la Liberté&gl=uk&hl=en&gl=us There's a street view available of the park and cafes if you can access it.
Something changed in the above link and it takes me to the city of Brest?? Try this. The problem might be with my WiFi tablet, the link appears correct. http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?srv=place&hl=en&fmt=bin&q=Place de la Liberté&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq&hnear=0x47c3c37dcbd5275d:0xb981cdefec8edc73,Place de la Liberté&gl=uk&hl=en&gl=us
If you're staying in Brussels, you don't have to write off the entire center just because the area between Grand' Place and the two rues de Boucher (Delirium). You can be 200 meters away and have a local feeling. I'm not great for specific hotel recs. Place de la Liberte is easily walkable to GP and indeed right by Bier Circus, close to a couple concert halls (Cirque Royal and Botanique), and it's a very pretty little square, and I could mention two chocolate shops but let's not go overboard. Just beware, it's in a bit of a dead area, mainly government offices and the people who love 'em. But as said, you can walk to GP or make a nice enough stroll in another direction past the Belgian parliament and royal palace, into the Sablon (museums and such) and from there the Marolles -- all that is a big chunk of what there is to do for sight seeing. (Or, hey, set out in the opposition direction and see a little bit of central Turkey right in Brussels -- one of the most interesting places in town but maybe not at the top of the list for a first visit.) Anyway, either of those routes can circle around with St. Gery, the Antoine Dansaert quarter and St. Catherine -- all lively and central stuff and plenty of locals around.
grand palace was amazing. tourists aside, i spent 3 days there this past week and loved it. outside grand palace was a bit boring.
