Keen to do some solo travelling this year, I booked myself a Eurostar train to and from Brussels. I took the 08:16 train and returned on the 20:56 train. The journey was approximately two hours each way. The cost of the tickets came to £158.00; I could possibly have found something cheaper but given that I booked two days' prior and had no accommodation, I was not complaining.
Grand Place
My first stop was the Grand Place which is just a stone's throw away from the station. It takes about a 10-minute walk to there (less if you're a faster walker and don't get distracted so easily).
City Hall
The City Hall is tucked in the Grand Place. If you were interested, you could go inside dnd book yourself in for a tour. I didn't explore this, but just ducked my head in a little to have a nosey....you may see it if you watch my vlog about my Brussels trip!!
Manneken Pis
Manneken Pis is a statue of a little boy, just a five minute walk from the Grand Place and by the junction of Rue du Chêne/ Eikstraat. The staute is small, standing at only 55cm. The original version of the statue has been locked away safely in a museum as it was often stolen and vandalised. There have been many versions of the statue in the place of where the current one stands. As the Manneken Pis attracts local and tourists, he is often seen to be dressed in different outfits; this would be in line with any current affairs (global or local). You can even see his outfits in a local museum nearby.
Jeanneke Pis
There is a female version of the peeing statue. While the Manneken Pis was erected (excuse the pun) in 1619, the Jeanneke Pis was commisioned in 1985 and erected in 1987. Unlike the Manneken Pis, Jeanneke Pis is tucked away in a small side street and it is so easy to miss. It was commissioned by the owner of a nearby restaurant.
Zinneke Pis
The last of the peeing statues is the peeing dog, called the Zinneke Pis. This was erected in 1998 and so is the most recent of the three peeing statues. Unlike the boy and girl statues, the Zinneke Pis does not have any water coming out of it; instead we see a yellow stain under him, representing yellow pee.
Tintin store
Belgium is the birthplace to many comic. One of the biggest comic exports from Belgium is Tintin. You can see art murals of Tintin and other comics dotted around the city. And if you have time, you can even do a tour of the murals. Just scan the QR code and it'll show you a map of all the illustrations. You should also go into the Tintin shop, it's close to the centre and fun to see.
Royal Galleries (shopping)
If shopping is your thing, then the Royal Galleries is the place for you to go to on your visit. However, as shopping is not something I enjoy, I did not spend much time here. I did however, enjoy marvelling at the architect of the place.
The Atomium
The Atomium to Brussels is what Big Ben is to London. So, if you're there, you can't miss this out on your itinerary. Admittedly, I didn't go inside cause of timing but if you wanted to go inside, make sure to get there in good time. Although that being said, it was quite the marvel from the outside and I do not feel I missed out on anything by not going inside. If you're wondering what the structure is about; in one word, science. The name 'Atomium' comes atom and aluminium. The structure is supposed to represent atoms and aluminium is what it is made of.
Walking Tour
If you want to cover a lot of ground in a short space of time, consider booking a walking tour. I booked with Guru Walk. On the website, it appears to be a free walking guide however, it is expected (and heavily encouraged) to pay for it. Online, the minimum suggested donation is €10. However, our tour guide recommended €20....you pay for whatever you think the tour is worth.
The tour was really good. We walked by Breughel De Oudeplein and saw the Justice Palace (currently has a lot of scaffolding in place and due to politics, it's unclear when that will come down, we saw the Royal Palace, Royal Museum and the Royal Quarter.
All that done in a day. Still so much left of Brussels to see (the EU Headquarters for instance!!). So will definitely be back here again at some point
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