Brussels

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Royal Palace, Brussels

Introducing Brussels

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If ever a city could claim split personality, it’s Brussels. French versus Flemish, historic versus hip, bizarre versus boring. Full of contrasts, contradictions and intrigue, this is a multicultural equation that goes much deeper than just red tape and Eurocrats. An historic heirloom is closer to the mark. And in an age where so much is already discovered, Belgium’s capital seduces as one of Western Europe’s unknowns.

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Brussels is a city of fine food, café culture, Art Nouveau architecture and the surreal. Pull up a chair and join laissez-faire locals who value the city’s casual atmosphere. Watch money go down on swish Ave Louise or buy dried caterpillars just blocks away in Matonge, the capital’s African quarter. Some of the world’s most enduring images of surrealist art were created in the nondescript northern suburb of Jette. And the architecture ranges from monumental edifices such as the Grand Place to organic Art Nouveau façades and the EU’s real-life Gotham City.

Constant among all this is the quality of everyday life – the shopping’s great, the restaurants fab, the chocolate shops sublime and the pub scene extraordinary. For a long time Brussels didn’t go out of its way to impress, but its stint as Cultural Capital of Europe in 2000 saw the city dusted and polished in a flurry that brought renewed life to historic buildings and decaying streets. A new spirit, just short of cockiness, emerged, flaming outside interest and inner-city regeneration. Nearly a decade on, Brussels is looking better than ever.

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Last updated: Jan 20, 2012

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Thorn Tree forum discussion

Recent posts

  1. ctown avatar
    Belgium planning ,How does this sound.

    by ctown 14 September 2011

    We will be there from November 4-11th so We are thinking about staying in Brussels for two days after we fly in, the heading to Burges…
  2. anbe avatar
    yellow fever

    by anbe 14 September 2011

    Hi, In a few weeks time we are flying from Brussels to Johannesburg and will be in transit in Addis. I've just read that from October…
  3. arizona avatar
    RE: Care to join my January 2012 Eurotrip

    by arizona 14 September 2011

    As to Strassbourg, the OP might be confused by the wanderlust of the European representatives, meeting in Brussels and from time to time…

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