|
Brussels, Belgium
Brussels, one of the world's great cosmopolitan capitals, is home to both the European Union and NATO, as well as a wealth of international trade and finance companies.
It is an exciting, modern city, yet it is rich in strikingly beautiful medieval and art nouveau buildings. Aside from the splendid and varied styles of architecture, Brussels also hosts some 80 museums dedicated to art, technology, history, literature, folk-lore and many other subjects, each presenting a different face of the city.
Brussels features a vibrant nightlife and more than 2000 restaurants to satisfy any craving.
|
 |
|
|
 Grand Place
|
Grote Markt/Grand Place
1000 Brussels
|
Located at the center of the city, the Grand Place is usually the first stop for many visitors. It's a great place to experience Belgian hospitality at one of the many terrace cafes dotting the charming square and also serves as a venue for numerous concerts and events throughout the year. Here you'll also find the gothic Town Hall which dates back to the 13th century and features a 315-foot high, needle-like crooked spire topped by the archangel St. Michael.
|
Horta Museum
+32 2 543 04 90
|
25, rue Américaine
1060 Brussels (Saint-Gilles)
|
This is not a museum, in the traditional sense, where objects are displayed to draw all the attention. In this case, the building itself is the object. The Horta Museum was actually the house that Victor Horta built for himself in the late 1890's. It provides an excellent example of the Art Nouveau style that made him one of the most acclaimed architects in Belgium.
|
Autoworld
+32 2 736 41 65
|
Parc du Cinquantenaire 11
1000 Brussels
|
This museum is dedicated to the history of the automotive industry with five extraordinary automobile collections that comprise one of the world's top collections of vintage & classic cars. There is, first of all, an exhibit of Belgian automobiles, as well as cars from the United States, Germany, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom.
|
Mini-Europe
+32 2 478 05 50
|
Bruparck
B-1020 Brussels
|
Mini-Europe features 350 scale models and attractions representing Europe's most popular monuments and times. The incomparable chimes of Big Ben welcome you to the heart of London. The gondolas and mandolins will invite you to discover the charms of Venice. You can make the models work yourself; the eruption of Vesuvius, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the bullfight in Seville and many more.
|
Atomium
+32 2 475 47 77
|
Atomium Square
1020 Brussels
|
Built for the 1958 International Exhibition of Brussels, the Atomium is a representation of an iron molecule's nine atoms - magnified 165 billion times. The building stands 335 feet tall and the nine spheres, 54 feet in diameter, that make up the "molecule" are linked by escalators. In the topmost sphere you can find a restaurant and a viewpoint situated below.
|
Walibi Belgium
+32 10 42 15 00
|
Rue J.Deschamps, 9
1300 Wavre
|
The Walibi Belgium amusement park has more than 50 rides, including the only wooden roller-coaster in Belgium. For the thrill seekers, there are seven rollercoasters, as well as other rides, with the means to take your breath away. As for the younger visitors, they will also be entertained, with over fifteen rides throughout the park including Walibi Folies, a magical area created just for them. And for the water lovers there's Aqualibi, an exotic island where the water temperature is kept at a constant 84ºF (29ºC).
|
|
Photo credit: Belgian Tourist Office NYC/USA
|
