On the bus trip between Paris and Amsterdam, we made a stop for several hours in Brussels, Belgium and took some time to explore the gorgeous city. Look how perfectly placed this beauty is between these two bucket list destinations!
I am a big fan of the European road trip; driving from European country to European country is so easy (at least for now), and everything is relatively close (only 330 miles from France to the Netherlands, which is a shorter drive than from LA to San Francisco!). The best part is that you can stop in some smaller places in between your bigger priority destinations and explore, an option that is not available to you when you fly. Brussels, though an exciting city where you would never get bored even after many weeks of visiting, is also nice for a shorter visit, and it was the first city where we really reaped the reward of this road trip benefit.
What to Do
Grand Place. This capital city is certainly not talked about as much as, say, Paris or Amsterdam, and it is a relatively small cultural hub in a relatively small country. But did you know that Brussels is home to what is considered the most beautiful square in all of Western Europe? I feel like that is quite a feat.
Manneken-Pis. Brussels is also home to one of the most sought-after tourist attractions in the region, which is, unexpectedly, a small boy statue pissing into a fountain, and which has several different legends to explain its existence. The most popular story is that he was a two-year-old lord whose troops were battling against the Berthouts; the boy peed on the enemy troops, who eventually lost the battle. He is dressed in different costumes at different times of the week according to a schedule on the fountain. His close proximity to Grand Place makes a little visit to this famous and beloved statue worthwhile.
Eat Belgian waffles and Belgian chocolate. To be honest, a big chunk of the day was spent searching for the perfect Belgian waffle and Belgian chocolate for my mother — a typical day in the life of a glutton with a gluttonous upbringing, unfortunately. Some of the best spots for waffles in the city are Waffle Factory, which serve a variety of waffles including the deliciously savory Lunchwhaf, filled with cheese and ham and goodness, and Maison Dandoy, offering one of the fluffiest and highest quality Leige waffles anywhere.
Your best bet for chocolates, if you stray away from the tourist Belgian chocolate shops near Grand Place (and you should), is Laurent Gerbaud, specializing in fruity and spicy chocolates, and Zaabär, which allows you to also get a glimpse into the production side of things.
Drink Belgian beer. I would also suggest taking a little time to seek out some scrumptious Belgian beers to wash down the Belgian waffles, because there are some really good beers here. I love a good beer, and Belgium is known for its good beer (much like its beer-obsessed neighbor Germany). Moeder Lambic is recognized for its extensive list of craft beers and funky atmosphere.
Street art. Because you’ll have several hundred calories weighing you down after all of this consumption, take a walk to enjoy some wall art! A unique aspect of Brussels is its various wall art all over the city, particularly its comic strip route, consisting of comic strip murals from popular Belgian comics, with over 50 murals lining the streets today.
It was a short trip, but a good one, and it’s such an easy stop on a European road trip on the way between Paris and Amsterdam, so there is absolutely no reason to not experience the capital of this underrated country (even if it’s just for a day!).
