Added: 03/09/2006 |
Take City Breaks to Brussels and Enjoy Unique Examples of the Gothic ArchitectureRecognized by many as one of the most vibrant and exciting cities, Brussels is also one of the most diverse cities in the world, with its queer mix of culture and politics. It is home to the two of three main institutions of the European Union: the Council of the European Union and the European Commission. In addition, the city has a chamber where the members of the European Parliament meet to hold the plenary sessions.
Due to its magnificent sites of historic and cultural importance, the city never fails to impress, with city breaks to Brussels seen as a great opportunity to experience the city of contrasts. Its world heritage site -- the Grand Place and the Art Nouveau architecture -- rate currently with the most popular attractions in Europe, and the abundance of antique shops and designer boutiques around the Grand Sablon is evidence that the city is becoming one of the Europe's top shopping destinations and a perfect place to take a short relaxing break.
City breaks to Brussels can offer you much more than mussels, chips and beer. The city boasts a larger amount of Michelin starred restaurants than Paris, and can offer not only traditional Belgian cuisine, but also dishes from around the world to suit every taste and budget. City breaks to Brussels are a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the superb nightlife, with a variety of cafes, bars and nightclubs the city has to offer. Available in all bars are an array of prominent Belgian beers for everyone.
The central market square in Brussels, as well as its major attraction is the Grand Place, surrounded by guild houses, the King's House and the spectacular town hall. Among the prominent sights on the Grand Place are the Neo-Gothic Maison du Roi, the Gothic Hotel de Ville and Maison du Roi just to name a few. Constructed in the second half of the 15th century, the area's origins are still reflected in the neighboring streets, named after the sellers of cheese, butter and herring.
Home to the 1935 World's Fair and the Expo'58, the Heysel Exhibition Park is located in the north of the city's center, boasting a variety of cultural attractions. The most popular of these is its impressive monument Atomium, erected for the 1958 World's Fair. The Heysel Exhibition Park is also the location of the King Bardouin Stadium, reconstructed and renamed in 1968. Other attractions include the large movie theatre Kinepolis, the park hosting miniature models of renowned European buildings, a planetarium and a subtropical water park.
One of the greatest attractions that must be by all means included into your "must-do" list during city breaks to Brussels is a small bronze fountain sculpture, known as Manneken Pis. It depicts a small boy, urinating into the fountain's basin. Since the 1990s the sculpture has had its female equivalent, called Jeanneke Pis. There exist a number of legends behind Manneken Pis, all of them being connected with the history of Brussels in one way or another.
A great number of tourists consider city breaks in Brussels to be a wonderful chance to explore other cities of Belgium, notably Bruges, Antwerp and Ghent.
You may want to bring along an umbrella, because it rains quite a bit.
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