The 96m long Grand Champagne Bar at St. Pancras provides the perfect start to a weekend away. I can’t emphasise enough how easy the Eurostar is for those who haven’t experienced it: it really is a total breeze and so much easier and faster than flying. In just over two hours you arrive in the centre of the city.
The most memorable landmark in Brussels has to be the impressive Grand-Place right in the centre of the city. The web of small cobbled streets winding from this square are lined with sweet little shops stocked with delicious chocolates, intricate lace, Tintin comics as well as the usual tourist miscellany. With this central square as a helpful landmark, even if you drink or eat yourself silly with copious amounts of chocolate, seafood or beer you shouldn’t get too lost.
One of the other must see tourist sites in Brussels is all too easy to miss completely: named the Manneken Pis (Dutch for ‘little pee man’), it is a bronze fountain sculpture of a small boy urinating. If you want to get some great views of the city then visit the bizarre looking 102 metre tall Atomium monument, which was built in 1958 for the Brussels World Fair. Seasonal highlights include the iconic Christmas markets which take place during December and January and are certainly worth catching if you can.
The newly refurbished Rocco Forte Hotel Amigo- a stone’s throw from the Grand-Place definitely gets the Quintessentially Travel stamp of approval, and, built on the site of the town’s old prison is full of character. Design Hotel’s Hotel Dominican was also lovely and would be great for those looking for a more ‘funky’ stay.
In terms of nightlife there a number of bars which are certainly worth a visit for their individuality. The Delirium Bar is a fun local hangout where you have over 2,000 beers to choose from. The second is The Flat Bar, which is set up like a private flat so you can sit your cocktail whilst sitting in the bath or in bed. I would recommend going after 11pm when the atmosphere really picks up.
