Brussels

The information that can be useful for your travel.

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Tourism As capital of Belgium and administrative centre of the European Union, Brussels is a vibrant, modern and cosmopolitan city that’s constantly buzzing with business travellers and tourists alike. It’s an eclectic mix of gleaming skyscrapers and grandiose medieval, neo-classical and Art Nouveau buildings.

The city centre is enclosed by an inner ring road, which follows the course that the medieval city fortifications took. It’s also split into two distinct areas – the Upper Town and Lower Town. There’s a lot to do in the large city centre area, from shopping in the glamorous boutiques and soaking up some culture in the grand museums of the Upper Town, to wandering around the city’s medieval heart in the Lower Town.
Cultura Belgium’s culture blends the Flemish North and the French South to produce something very closely resembling the Parisian style, but slightly off-beat. The Belgians have a particular affinity towards the visual arts and performances, and are invariably involved in multiple forms of theatre, opera, ballet and stage music. Being home to thirty independent theatres upholds Brussels’ name as a mecca of the performing arts. Thus, the National Orchestra and the National Opera House are a must-see upon a visit to this city. Apart from lively alternative rock venues, jazzy crowds and classical music halls, all varieties of cutting-edge arts are popular in this European capital.
Restouran From the traditional Belgian & French fare in and around Grand Place to the more exotic ethnic options such as the enjoyable Italian fare offered by the string of restaurants in “Little Italy” (along rue Franklin), Brussels is choc-a-bloc with engaging dining opportunities.
Of course, we all know that Belgium is associated with Moules (mussels) et Frites (Chips) but it’s also regarded for a number of additional dishes that have been shaped by a variety of influences including the French, Spanish and Dutch who all ruled over the land at some point in History. In fact Belgians' culinary history can be traced back to the middle ages.
You can enjoy starters such as Croquettes aux Crevettes Grises (shrimp) and Fondues au Fromage (a type of cheesy croquette). A speciality Belgian bread that is sweet is Choesels and Ardennes Pâté is a pâté comprised largely of pork and garlic. Then there are main dishes such as Filet Americain (served minced and raw mixed with onions and several spices). The Belgians do enjoy their red meat and it can form the basis of many a meal. Ragout d’agneau is a braised lamb dish that’s marinated with herbs. Pheasant and rabbit are also used in some speciality dishes like Faisan à la Brabançonne and Lapin dishes.
Shopping Brussels shopping is not limited to chocolates, beer and lace, although these three are definitely worth checking out for their quality and craftsmanship. During your Brussels vacation, you can sample the highest quality boutique shops and the most eclectic mix of goods at Brussels markets!
Once you have located the best places to visit for each type of good, you may also want to have a look at how to buy the best Belgian chocolates, where to buy nice Belgian beer (without getting ripped off!) and also a few places to go for duty free and souvenir shopping.
Most Brussels people will shop on Saturdays because shops are closed on Sundays. So if you want to avoid overcrowded shops and messy clothes racks, then avoid shopping on Saturday afternoons. On Sundays the shops near the Grand Place are generally open and so are some of the Brussels markets.
Cost Moving on from the the expenses of Paris I made a short stop in Brussels. I still had a lot of countries to see on my trip and I knew the further north I went, the more expensive everything was going to become. So the plan was simple, meet up with a friend that had been one of the winners of my easter competition and enjoy a few beers.
And that is exactly what I managed to do over the two day stop. Two days you say? how can two days be a good guide to costs in Belgium? I agree spending such a short time anywhere isn’t a very good guide to the overall costs of a place so feel free to take these costs as you please. With that said, here are my expenses.

Brussels, Belgium

Thursday 28, March

From wikipedia about Brussels

Brussels, is the capital of Belgium and hosts the headquarters of the European Union (EU). It is also the largest urban area in Belgium, It is the de facto EU capital as it hosts all major political institutions—though Parliament formally votes in Strasbourg, most political work is carried out in Brussels—and as such is considered the capital by definition. However, it should be noted that it is not formally declared in that language, though its position is spelled out in the Treaty of Amsterdam. See the section dedicated to this issue. comprising 19 municipalities, including the municipality of the City of Brussels, which is the de jure capital of Belgium, in addition to the seat of the French Community of Belgium and of the Flemish Community.

Brussels has grown from a 10th-century fortress town founded by a descendant of Charlemagne into a metropolis of more than one million inhabitants. The metropolitan area has a population of over 1. 8 million, making it the largest in Belgium. Definitions of metropolitan areas in Belgium. The metropolitan area of Brussels is divided into three levels. First, the central agglomeration (geoperationaliseerde agglomeratie) with 1, 451, 047 inhabitants (2008-01-01, adjusted to municipal borders). Adding the closest surroundings (banlieue) gives a total of 1, 831, 496. And, including the outer commuter zone (forensenwoonzone) the population is 2, 676, 701. Retrieved on 18 October 2008.

Since the end of the Second World War, Brussels has been a main center for international politics. Hosting principal EU institutions as well as the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the city has become the polyglot home of numerous international organisations, politicians, diplomats and civil servants.

Although historically Dutch-speaking, Brussels became increasingly French-speaking over the 19th and 20th centuries. Today a majority of inhabitants are native French-speakers, and both languages have official status. Linguistic tensions remain, and the language laws of the municipalities surrounding Brussels are an issue of considerable controversy in Belgium.
Description above from the Wikipedia, licensed under CC-BY-SA full list of contributors here.
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Belgium, Brussels