On our eight-day trip to the Netherlands, we quickly stopped in Brussels, Belgium, to explore the area for about 24 hours. Here is what we did, what we ate, what we saw, and what we learned!
We took the train from Amsterdam Central to Brussels Central, which was about 50 euros. The train ride was about three and a half hours. We cruised through the country onto Belgium. This train had no outlets or food service, so be prepared for your journey. They did have bathrooms, though, which is always great!
Once we arrived in Brussels, we checked into our Airbnb. We stayed in the Ixelles neighborhood, and this neighborhood is known for being trendy, hipster, and upbeat. There were many restaurants and shops nearby.
Our Airbnb was nothing fancy, we stayed for one night and only planned to spend a little time in the room, so it was perfect for us. The owners were friendly and made sure that we had coffee and tea! If you rent this room, note that the toilet is not in your room, and it is in the common hallway, but there is a bathtub and sink in the room.
After checking in, we went to find some lunch, and oh my goodness, we hit the jackpot!! The place was Tonton Garby, a sandwich shop. It is a tiny little place, and you will have to wait in line because the owner likes to take his time and talk with the customers and share his passion for cheese.
You would see the owner run upstairs to bring down the fresh loaves of bread, and you could smell the delicious goodness from the streets. Now, he has a menu, but from what I experienced, you don’t need one. He will ask you what cheeses you like or what you are looking for, and he will custom-make every sandwich.
We ended up getting three sandwiches for us three. One was a version of the Fiona with an olive paste, a sweet sandwich with honey, walnuts, and cranberries, and one with three types of cheese and an onion base. Of course, the owner will only let you go once you have tried a bite of the sandwich. “One bite for pleasure,” he would say, and “If you don’t like it, I will make you another.”
This sandwich shop was a whole experience. There is a wait, but it is 100% worth it. I would go back to Brussels just for the sandwich.
After lunch, we attempted the comic book route to see the city. Brussels is known for its comic book history and has multiple murals in the city that you can walk to and see the city’s sights as well. I found this itinerary that is great for exploring the center of Brussels.
We only made it a little before we got distracted by St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral. This cathedral is beautiful, and it is free to enter and explore. It was magnificent, and the stained glass was extraordinary, along with the architecture.
Then we ventured to The Manneken Pis – a sculpture you must stop by in your journey through Brussels. We got to the fountain at the same time a ceremony was happening. A live band and speeches were being made, which turned into a parade down the street. That is the one thing I love about Brussels; something exciting is always going on.
We wandered through the streets in the Ilot Sacre (Sacred Isle) area and found a cone of frites to enjoy, a delicacy of Brussels and the Dutch. They were delicious.
While in the Ilot Sacre area, we stopped to take in The Grand Place. This place is hard to put into words – its architecture is impressive, and the detail is astounding. The Grand Place is a body of public and private buildings and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
After exploring the streets and shops, we stopped at Delirium Village. This place holds the Guinness World Record for the most beers offered. In this village, there are eight different bars that you can visit. We were at the bar around 4:00 p.m. on a Tuesday, and the crowds were very light. It was a fun experience going to the different bars and trying out Belgium Beers.
We went to the Wolf Sharing Food Market for dinner. This location has seventeen different restaurants and two bars. I recommend getting there right before 6:00 p.m. when all the restaurants are about to open, and you can beat the rush and find seating. Once 6:10 p.m. rolled around, there was very little seating available.
After dinner, we took the metro to Triumphal Arch. Riding on the metro was very easy to figure out, and it was a short ride to get to and was worth it!
We timed it perfectly to where it was just about sunset time. The flowers were blooming, and the sun was setting. It was beautiful! The Arch is in a big park where you can walk around and enjoy a stroll. We wanted to try to find Belgian Waffles to eat, but once you get out of the touristy area, there are no options (I guess this means Belgian Waffles are just a tourist thing?). After enjoying the park, we walked to the Center of Town.
The walk was enjoyable because we walked past the European Union Buildings. This area felt like a very modern city, far from the old building and architecture just a mile away. It was fun to see the city change from contemporary to more historical.
Sadly, this night did not end with waffles, but it ended with delicious gelato and beers from CASCO and a good night’s sleep.
The following day, we went end enjoyed breakfast at Poz Chatelain – the cutest little place to grab breakfast. They specialized in sweet and savory pancakes and loaded toasted. The vibe of this restaurant was perfect! It was filled with home chairs and decorations, and the food was fabulous!
Of course, we had to go to Choco-Story and see the museum about chocolate. I mean, Belgium Chocolate, hello! This museum took us about 2.5 hours to go through. Everything was on an automated headphone set where you scanned QR Codes to listen to the station. It was fascinating, and it ended with a chocolate tasting and a demonstration from a chocolatier!
Once we got our chocolate fix, we had to try Belgian Waffles (even if they were just for tourists). We found the Perfect shop to get some waffles, Le Roi de LA Gaufre. We went with a plain waffle and one with Nutella and Strawberries. I don’t care what they say; they were the best waffles ever!!
After washing our waffles down with some espresso, we enjoyed the rest of our time relaxing at Mont des Arts. It was a beautiful day outside, and everyone lounged around, enjoying the outdoors, playing music, painting, drinking, and chatting. It was the perfect way to end our 24-hour trip to Brussels!
