Why Brussels?
I've always had an interest in visiting Brussels over Christmas time and we always do a Christmas trip so I thought it was a perfect opportunity. It also meant that we didn't have to fly, which I was super excited about!
Quick tips-
You can get a day travel card for €8 each at the ticket machines or you can use contactless at each of the barriers (which is cheaper). The contactless has a cap of €7.50 and is perfect if you aren't really sure how many times you'll use the transport system in one day!
Everyone speaks perfect English, but the language in Brussels is predominately French and outside Brussels it's Flemish
In Brussles, you can either get a 'Brussels waffle' (rectangular shape) or a 'Liege waffle' (rounded waffle). The liege one has little lumps of sugar and the Brussles waffle is sprinkled with sugar. We really recommend trying both and without any toppings (just like our guide recommended!)
Mostly everywhere took cards, but some places in the Xmas markets only took cash
Every public toilet we used costs around €0.50-€1 to use- so have change for that!
Where we stayed in Brussels
We actually had a change of dates and a bit of a mix-up of hotel booking, so we ended up in two hotels. We tried to cancel the second one or add a night, but their policy is no refunds and if we were to book an extra night, they would have charged us more than other hotels- so we ended up booking our first hotel as well.
Our first was called Hotel Les Ecrins, it was a small hotel (kind of like a converted house) but in a good location. The bed was comfy and very clean. It was a little random having a shower in the main room with a curtain to draw across for privacy, but it didn't cause us any problems.
Our second hotel was B-aparthotel Regent. This was also in a good location and close to a metro stop but was uphill from everything (this meant a hill on the way home after a few drinks...). The hotel doesn't have a receptionist and check-in is all through accessing safes, but this was all fine and we were given a number to call if we needed any help. The room was huge, and the bed was massive. I felt the rooms needed a bit of TLC as they were a bit scuffed up, but it was still clean.
Both hotels were nice, but not the best I've stayed in, so maybe have a look around for others if staying in Brussels.
Day 1- Eurostar, walking tour and Xmas markets
We started off the day by catching a train from Brighton to London very early in the morning for our Eurostar at 8:15. The Eurostar was great and very comfy and check-in was so simple. We arrived in Brussels at around 11:15 and headed straight to the tram to our hotel (we bought a day ticket for €8 each). Once there, we were really lucky as we were able to get checked in early and so we dumped our bags and headed out.
Our first plan was to get lunch, and I'd seen online a place called BALLEKES. Meatballs are one of the main dishes of Belgium and so we had to give it a go. We each got the lunch menu for €12.50, which included a beer each, a side (fries or potato croquet), a meatball (chicken, beef/pork or vegan) and then a sauce. I went for the chicken meatball with Belgium cheese sauce. I loved the sauce and the chicken meatball was good but I'd also love to of tried the vegan option. Adam has the beef/pork ball and classic tomato sauce and said it was great. This spot is perfect for lunch, as it's just the right amount of food.
After lunch, we headed to the Grand Place, which was the meeting point of our free walking tour. The group was around 9 people and the guide was great. I'd even say it was one of the best I've been on. It had a balance of history, local legends, current news and recommendations- we were also given the opportunity to have a beer at Scott's within a little break. During the tour. We saw sights such as Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral, Manneken-pis (who was wearing a firefighter costume) and ended at Mont des Arts. Here we were told about laurent gerbaud, which was up the road (it was elected Brussel's best chocolatier in 2021.) and ended up buying a bag full of chocolates. We then headed back to the hotel to put on some more layers.
In the evening, we decided to check out all the Christmas markets. Our hotel was right next to the 'main' Christmas market with the Ferris wheel and so we headed there first. We shared a pot of carbonara and a hot dog, as well as getting a hot wine and alcoholic hot choc. We also went on the 'snow monster' walk-through ride and Ferris wheel and saw great views of Brussels.
For our dinner we tried out McDonald's (always got to try it in different countries), it was very similar to home apart from the chicken wings. We then made our way to the Grand Place to watch the light show (every 30mins). It was great, it had both music and pretty lights on all the buildings in the square- I'd definitely recommend it if you are in Brussels around Xmas! We then headed back to the hotel and went to bed.
Day 2- Chocolate workshop, Atomium and WOLF
We had another early start as we had to switch over hotels before we made our way to the chocolate-making workshop.
Once there, we were told lots of history about the cocoa
Bean and what to look out for in the best chocolate. Each couple had a go tempering their own chocolate, which we then put into moulds to make our own pralines. Our chocolate was a little cold, so mine ended up being a bit thick, but Adams came out perfectly! Once put in the freezer, we then learnt how to make our own Ganash and also how to craft Mendiant chocolates, which we were able to decorate with nuts and dry fruits. Once we finished making our mendiant chocolates, they were put in the freezer and our praline moulds came back out to fill. They then needed to freeze, and we had hot chocolate with the leftover garnish for a sweet treat! We really enjoyed the workshop, and it was super fun learning how to make chocolate!
After it had finished, we headed to the nearest tram station and headed to the Atomium. We ended up buying a ticket, which included both the Atomium and mini Europe for €22.80 each (student price). I grabbed a quick toastie from the coffee shop (€7) and we headed inside. The Atomium was pretty cool and after reading a little about the history we discovered they had a light show which we sat and watched for a while. We also got the lift to the top and took some photos of the view.
After we finish at the Atomium, we walked over to mini Europe and stopped off at the snack bar outside called Les délices d'Eric. We shared a portion of Belgian fries, had a beer each, and Adam had a burger. The food was nice and perfect for a quick lunch.
Mini Europe was actually better than I thought. We spent ages in there reading about each attraction and pushing all the interactive buttons. I really liked being able to go round and point out where I've been and we have even decided where we want to go for our next winter holiday!
After we finished walking around Mini Europe, we headed back to the hotel. We got changed and made our way to WOLF for dinner. WOLF was recommended online for the many different food choices and own beers. The place was incredibly busy, and we had to wait for people to leave to take a table. The food, however, was amazing. We each got a bao bun, and I got a hotdog (It was good but I'd choose something else if I went again) and Adam some bbq ribs. The beer from the brewery was nice and you could even get big jugs of it!
After food, we headed into central town and came across a pop-up hurling rink. We were told we had to wait 15 mins so grabbed a glass of wine and hot choc and sat under a heat lamp. We both weren't the best at hurling, but Adam did win by miles. We then headed back up to the hotel and went to bed.
Day 3- The EU, bao buns and Stella
We had a ticket to visit the Parlamentarium at 11 am on Saturday morning and after popping into a local supermarket to grab an iced coffee and pastry we made our way to the entrance. The visitor centre is free, but it's recommended to book online beforehand. You are given a little guide to take around which tells you facts and the history of the EU. There are lots of interactive parts and plenty of room to sit down and listen to the audio device. We didn't spend too long in here, but probably just over an hour.
For lunch, we really wanted to try out a bao bun spot, called Baogo, which I had seen on TikTok. It's basically a bao bun as the burger bread and a filling inside. We both went for the meal, which included any of the buns and a side of fries (€14). I went for the tofu burger and then sweet potato fries. I loved the idea, and the filling was so flavourful but after all the filling was eaten and I was left with just tofu and bun, it was a little dry. The sweet potato fries on the overhand were the best I've ever had! I don't know what it was, but they were a perfect size, perfectly cooked and just full of flavour. Adam had the beef brisket and said it was unreal as well.
After lunch, we headed for the train station, grabbed a waffle from Los Churros & Waffle and got the train to Leuven for the Stella Artois factory. The tour was €12 online, and I'd advise booking as they only had certain dates for an English tour. The train only took just over 20 minutes, and it was a short walk to the factory.
Once there, we were given a high-vis jacket and taken into a room to learn about the history of Stella. We were then taken into the brewing room and told about the heating and cooling process that the beer goes through. Lastly, we were taken to the bottling room, which was amazing to see. The tour ended with a free bar where you are offered a glass of Stella on arrival and then you have about half an hour to continue drinking or visit the gift shop. You are also given a little present at the end of the tour.
By the time it finished, we had to head back to Brussels pretty quickly, as Adam wanted to watch the football.
We headed straight to a well-known sports bar in Brussels called O'Reilly's. The bar did cost entry to get in, but this included two free drinks. The bar was very busy and finding a seat was difficult, but everyone was very friendly and we had a good night (even though we lost... ).
For dinner, we fancied pizza and ended up going to Pizza Pronto as it was the only place open nearby and had the best reviews. The pizza was great. We each got pepperoni and mushroom and filled us both up. We then headed back to the hotel.
Day 4- Day trip to Bruges and Ghent
It was another early start this morning, as we had to get to the tourist office early for our day tour to Ghent and Bruges. Once there, I grabbed a coffee and an oreo doughnut (yep, for breakfast...) from Lloyd Coffee Eatery Louise and headed for our coach.
Our tour guide said usually they visit Ghent first and then Bruges. But we did it the other way around due to Xmas lights being better in Ghent. The coach was really comfy. You are told lots of history by the guide and we were also able to get a quick nap.
Once arriving in Bruges, we were taken on a walking tour by our guide and saw sights such as the old beguinage, the Basilica of the Holy Blood and the Belfry of Bruges. We were also given some free time in one of the Xmas markets to grab a quick hot choc!
After the tour finished, we were given the opportunity for a boat tour through Bruges for €11 euros each. The boat tour was a great way to see a little more of Bruges from the river, but also gave us a few more facts about the city! It was incredibly cold though, and the sailor said soon the tours finish as the river freezes over!
After our boat tour, we were then given the opportunity to eat at the tour's recommended restaurant. We decided we'd give it a go as it was supposedly quick service. Our experience here wasn't great, and we ended up feeling a little disheartened by the owner. Although to make up for our poor lunch, we ended up getting a Bruges waffle at Otto Waffle Atelier (€8.50) (even though our walking tour said to go plain always; I had to try the Xmas special!), probably wasn't the best waffle I have had, but definitely made us feel a lot happier and filled my sweet spot until Ghent!
It was a short coach journey to Ghent and once off the coach, we had another walking tour by our guide. We saw sights such as Saint Bavo's Cathedral, the Castle of the Counts of Flanders and the medieval harbour Graslei. We had more free time in the Xmas markets, got two hot chocolates and headed back to the coach.
Once back in Brussels, we set for the Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert and went to all the chocolate shops we could find and bought two or more chocolates each! After filling our faces, we made our way to the Delirium café and had a choice of two drinks from the bartender. We then went upstairs and bought the set of 10 beers they had on tap (€21) and tried every one. We then had our own choice of a pint- I went for a cherry beer (which was nice) and then we headed for a pizza dinner.
I was a little drunk, I'd admit, but we ended up googling a pizza place and ended up in the same place we went to the night before (Pizza Pronto) without realising it. This time I went for the chicken pizza and was able to save some for the journey home the next day. As the day before the pizza was great, filling and full of flavour. For pudding, we ended up grabbing a waffle with chocolate on top from Los Churros & Waffle (€3) and got an uber back to the hotel.
Day 5- Eurostar home
Our Eurostar home was at 9:49, so we had to get up and out pretty early. The journey home was fine and I was able to sleep most of the way. Our train to Brighton was delayed a little due to the snow, but we still made it home by 1 pm.
Overall, I had a great time in Brussels and I would recommend it to anyone. The Eurostar is so easy to use and makes such a difference compared to flying. I don't know what Brussels would be like during Summer but I'd 100% recommend it during the winter. Every corner had new markets, lights or a Christmas activity and it was just so pretty. Brussels isn't huge but I still think I haven't seen everything and so I reckon I'll be back there pretty soon!
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