This New Year some friends from Sweden are coming over so I decided to put together a small (7K) walk around Brussels centre. The walk starts from Metro Rogier and follows Nieuvstraat, which is one of the major shopping streets. Half way down on a small sidestreet one of Hortas creations Taverne Esperanza can be found. Further down on Adolphe Maxlaan is one of the Grand old Hotels of Brussels Metropole which is worthwhile taking a closer look at. Now set your sights for the Beurse and here you will find plenty of bars and restaurants to have your lunch. One good choice would be Le Cirio. Just around the corner towards Grand Place is two well-known old pubs A La Becasse and Aux Bon Vieux Temp situated. Continue to Grand Place just before you reach it on the left hand side you find one of my favourite chocolate places Leonidas. They got very good quality chocolate to a decent price, taste it! Grand Place of course very impressive and here you can for instance make a vist to the Brewery Museum. Just behind Grand Place is a very nice Belgian restaurant Roue D’Or. Walk behind Grand Place and at the next corner there is a fountain and in the pavement you find shells that lead you to La Compostella, yes one of the pilgrim routes starts here. Continue down the street and you pass one the first of many wall murals in Brussels just opposite the police station. Continue to Plattesteen a well-known gathering place for the gay community. Here two additional wall murals can be found.
Brussel City walk
Continue to Place Saint-Gery, a nice area both during day and night with its bars and restaurants around the old Food Hall. The hall was built to cover up the Senne river that now runs underneath Brussels.
Senne river in the old days
More cartoons can be found on the way to another of Brussels major tourist attractions Manneken Pis. Before you reach it you will walk over an Anspachbulten. Under this bulb in the street runs the Senne river. After a look at the boy you might be thirsty I suggest a visit to Pochenellekeller just besides the fountain. The pub has a different interior design well worth a visit, in addition they serve a decent selections of beers. On the way to Lombard street you find yet another mural, on the left Planet Chocolate (learn how to make chocolate) and on the right a textile market which is quite nice. Continue up towards Sablon, before you reach it you will find part of the old City wall. Follow a narrow street with a lot of restaurants on the right side you will see the oldest restaurant in Brussels probably in Belgium as well L’Estrille du vieux from 1587. Continue towards Eglise Notre Dam du Sablon. In front of the church is a famous antique market. Make a left and now we are getting close to the cultural centre of Brussel, Kunstberg where most of the museums can be found. You soon reach Koningsplein and impressive square with the Royal Castle on the back of it (walk around the corner if you like to see it). Take a left down Kunstberg (enjoy the view) and here you see The Old England building. This is an impressive Art Nouveau creation, today it houses the Museum of Musical instrument with a nice view of Brussels from the café/restaurant on top. Around the corner yet another of Hortas many designs Bozar- Palais de Beaux Arts. Opposite you find the entrance to one of many gallerias this one is named Ravenstein walk through and you soon reach Brussels Centraal the train station designed also by Horta. It was his longest project and he was still working on it when he died. Now we are getting close to Grand Place and Grasmarkt with a small square with the statue of one of Brussels most recognised majors Charles Buls. Yet another galleria this time the Royal Gallery of Saint-Hubert, it is very impressive. Walk through and feel free to test the chocolate in the many fancy shops and soon one of Brussels most well-known pubs can be visited A La Mort Subite. After tasting their Lambic a short walk back into the old galleria take a right and your are in the infamous restaurant district along rue de Boucher. Don’t be put down by the first look there are some nice ones here. Look for the restaurants without barkers like Chez Leon or Restaurant Vincent to mention two of my favourites.
Around the corner from Chez Leon you will find the pub in Europe with most beers on tap Delirium café. They got some very strange beers as well, if you dare. Opposite this establishment Manneken Pis girlfriend can be found, Jeanneke Pis, yes a peeing girl. Back to the start and parallel with the shopping street is a very nice and quiet Square of the Martyrs cross it and you are back on Nieuwstraat.
- Metro Rogier- Nieuwstraat /shopping
- Horta- Taverne Esperanza, Rue Du Finistère 22
- Café / Hotel Metropole, 1895 classic hotel
- Le Cirio
- A La Becasse
- Au Bon Vieux Temp
- Leonidas
- Grand Place +++
- Brewery Museum
- Restaurant Roue D’Or
- Fontaine
- Cartoon 1
- Plattesteen
- Cartoon 2
- Cartoon 3
- Place Saint-Gery
- Food hall
- Cartoon 4
- Anspachbulten
- Cartoon 5
- Manneken Pis
- Pochenellekeller
- Cartoon 6
- Textile Market
- Planet Chocolate
- Part of the old city wall
- Part of the old city wall
- Rest L’Estrille anno 1587
- Eglise Notre Dame du Sablon
- Sablon antique market
- Koningsplein
- MIM Music Instrument Museum
- Horta- Bozar – Palais des Beaux Arts
- Galleria Ravenstein
- Horta-Brussels Centraal
- Grasmarkt, Charles Buls
- Royal Galleries of Saint-Hubert
- A La Mort Sorbite
- Rest Vincent
- Rest Chez Leon
- Jeanneke Pis
- Delirium cafe
- Square of the Martyrs
Duivels dunkel 8% this is a so called Belgian Strong Ale that has very dark color with a sweet and malty taste.This is a decent quite OK beer.
Coming weeks:
- EU continued
- In search for the best beer (an on-going quest for the perfect pint)
- More seafood
- Cheese
- Parks
- Culture, Comics
- Markets
- Politics
Facts of the week;
Drink; Duivels dunkel 8%
Location: Brussel City Walk
POI : se list above
