Atomium, Brussels, Belgium by Angus

The historic city of Brussels has a fascinating history and is home to several iconic landmarks. Belgium’s capital is perhaps best known these days as one of the homes of the European Parliament, but it’s important to remember there is so much more to the city than that. And because of its convenient location it can be easily reached by tourists from the United Kingdom, France, Scandinavia and Germany.

One of the more quirky landmarks in Brussels is the Atomium, a highly distinctive structure that’s located in the city’s Heysel Park. It stands at 102 metres high, and consists of nine inter-connected steel spheres. Originally created for the 1958 World’s Fair, more commonly known as Expo ’58, several of the spheres are accessible to the public by escalators, and the views across the city are truly spectacular.

Quirky, Charming, Spectacular

Close to the centre of Brussels at the intersection of Rue de l’Étuve/Stoofstraatand Rue du Chêne/Eikstraat, you’ll find one of the world’s most famous statues. The Mannekin Pis has become a cultural symbol of the city, and dates back to the 17th century. The urinating boy is often dressed in some sort of relevant costume, and it has become something of a must-visit for tourists from all over the world.

Grand Place, Brussels, Belgium by Vase Petrovski

Measuring more than 110 metres in length, the Grand Place is a huge square in the centre of the city. It’s home to the Town Hall and several important cultural buildings, and presents a wonderful photo opportunity for visitors to Brussels. Because of its location in the very heart of the metropolis, the Grand Place is often used as a meeting point for visitors, as well as a collection area for large groups of tourists.

As well as the many historic buildings that are found in Brussels, there are several more modern landmarks which are well worth a visit. The Basilica of the Sacred Heart, for example, was opened in 1935, and is a masterpiece of art deco architecture. Sitting at the top of Koekelberg Hill, it’s in a wonderful location and should be on the itinerary of every traveller who comes to Brussels.

David Showell lives and works in southern England, and has visited many European cities. He always likes to hire a car when he’s in Europe.

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The Mini Europe park is located just few steps from Atomium and is the most popular tourist destination in Brussels. With 300,000 visitors per year and a turnover of 3 million euro, Mini Europe Park is one of Brussels’ leading attractions.

In the area of the park you can enjoy e.g. the animation of the earthquake during the eruption of Vesuvius.

The basic admission fee in 2010 is €13.10
Openning hours

• From 20/03/2010 to 30/06/2010 from 9:30 to 18:00 (cash desk untill 17:00)
• From 01/07/2010 to 31/08/2010 from 9:30 to 20:00 (cash desk untill 19:00)
• From 01/09/2010 to 30/09/2010 from 9:30 to 18:00 (cash desk untill 17:00)
• From 01/10/2010 to 09/01/2011 from 10:00 to 18:00 (cash desk untill 17:00)
• 24, 31/12 – from 10:00 to 17:00 (cash desk untill 16:00)

During summer months you can visit the Park also during the night.

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Belgium is interesting with the diversity of its population. The country is divided into 3 areas, Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels. In the northern part of Flanders, live Flemish, who speak Flemish (Belgian Flemish is a variant of Dutch). In the southern part, Wallonia, live Walloons, who speak French. In the region of Brussels there are Flemish and French speaking residents but also many foreigners. The third official language alongside French and Flemish in Belgium, is German.

Flemish are closer to the Dutch and Walloons to the French, both with the mentality and temperament, and way of life. Between Flemish and Walloons, there is a certain degree of jealousy and they are sometimes even talking about the possibility of division of land into two states.

Brussels – the capital of the EU
The capital of Belgium – Brussels is also sometimes called the capital of the European Union. Brussels houses the Council of Ministers and the European Commission, but also the European Parliament.

Brussels is bilingual, but if you go through the streets, you can hear a lot more languages ​​than just French or Flemish. A large number of foreigners live here, many of which are currently working in the institutions of the European Union. Brussels is a truly cosmopolitan city that offers many tourist sights and attractions such as: the Grand Place with historic houses and town hall, the famous Atomium and Mini-Europe – an entertainment center with models of buildings from different cities of the European Union.

Not least among the advantages of Belgium are their specialties and typical dishes and drinks. A very popular is fish in many ways, mussels, cheese or french fries with mayonnaise. From the candies you should try waffles and of course the world famous Belgian chocolates.

The most popular drink is beer. The best-known brands include Leffe, Chimey, Duvel, Jupiler, Maes, Hoegaarden and Stella Artois. They also have flavoured beers, such as cherry, strawberry or currant.

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