Grand-Place Gold and Art Nouveau Elegance
Brussels is the capital of Belgium and a major European centre, known for its ornate Grand-Place, its Art Nouveau architecture, its chocolate and beer culture and its role as home to key European institutions. The Grand-Place, ringed by guildhalls with gilded facades and the Gothic town hall, was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998, and at night it is lit with a warmth that draws every visitor. A short walk away stands the small bronze Manneken Pis, the city's cheerful and irreverent mascot.
Art Nouveau is Brussels' other signature. Victor Horta's townhouses, including the Hotel Tassel, are listed by UNESCO as major works of the style, and the Horta Museum shows the movement's sinuous staircases and stained glass at their best. The Royal Galleries of Saint-Hubert, one of Europe's first covered shopping arcades, shelter chocolatiers and booksellers beneath a glass roof. Travellers who enjoy compact, characterful capitals often pair Brussels with Berlin or with Baltic stops such as Tallinn on a wider European tour.
Chocolate, Frites, Beer and Comic Strips
Food in Brussels is a joy. Pralines were invented here, and chocolate shops around the Sablon and Grand-Place offer everything from classic ganache to modern bean-to-bar experiments. Waffles come either light and sugared or crisp and caramelised, frites are served in paper cones with a choice of sauces, and mussels with chips remain the great national dish. Belgian beer culture is recognised by UNESCO as intangible heritage, and traditional cafes serve Trappist, lambic and gueuze with a sense of ceremony.
The city is also a capital of the comic strip, home to the creators of Tintin and the Smurfs, and a trail of murals across the centre celebrates its heroes. The Magritte Museum devotes itself to Belgium's great Surrealist, and the Atomium, built for the 1958 World's Fair, remains a bold symbol of optimism. A hotel group can use this blend of design, taste and humour to showcase a distinctive boutique city stay.
Read the full Brussels guide on Visit Travel Group, or see Brussels.uk on Visit Travel Group.