Things to Do in Brussels, Belgium
Sunday, August 06, 2023
Morning from Brussels! It was a bittersweet goodbye to Paris but I wanted to discover more of Europe! I arrived to Belgium via train. I left Paris from Gare du Nord on Thalys. I arrived at Brussel-Zuid/Midi and had to make my way to Brussel-Centraal with two suitcases and a tote. Let's just say it was an adventure. There was an option of catching another short train to my destination however, getting on and off the train was a struggle. I opted for an Uber because I thought it would be simple. My Uber driver left me since I took too long to "appear" and I was charged the entire ride fare 😐. I ended up using an airport taxi since it was more convenient. Watch my vlog below and click "Continue Reading" to see more pictures.
The main reason I wanted to go to Belgium? The chocolate. I would say I prefer salty snacks over sweets HOWEVER, that certainly does not apply overseas. I ate so many sweets in Paris and I was not going to stop in Brussels. Brussels is less than 1.5 hours away from Paris via Thalys so I could not miss the opportunity to indulge in some delicious chocolate. The one place that received amazing reviews was Chocolaterie Mary. They have some of the cutest chocolate boxes and their chocolate is divine! Not only did it taste so pure, it felt as if it wasn't loaded with all the extra sugar you would find in typical chocolate bars.
I stayed at the Hilton Grand Place Brussels which was conveniently situated in the heart of the city. There are numerous restaurants and stores nearby including these chocolate shops! One of the shopping arcades I went to was Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries. Specifically Galerie du Roi and Galeries de la Reine. The architecture is phenomenal and I saw some postings in French that apartments were available for rent. That's when I realized the second floor of this mall housed residents of Brussels! Imagine living up there!
Here's another franchised store of Chocolaterie Mary!
The one location I had to visit in Brussels was Grand-Place. This Market Square is surrounded by some of the most ornate buildings I have ever seen... little did I know that they were built in the 14th century! I snapped a selfie with Hôtel de Ville de Bruxelles otherwise known as Brussels Town Hall. It's the only remaining medieval building in this plaza displaying gothic architecture.
This was snapped at Mont des Arts during sunset.
I also managed to run to the Royal Palace of Brussels! I was surprised that no one was around. I didn't mind though since I was able to snap some pictures and enjoy the sight in peace. There were so many beautiful hydrangeas in the garden!
I wanted to get an umbrella I saw on the window display at the Musical Instruments Museum however, they were closed.
I did a lot of exploring since my room wasn't ready yet however, I soon returned to the hotel to freshen up. I stayed at the Hilton Brussels Grand Place.
This was the view out my window.
Of course, I had to go back out for dinner. I revisited Mont des Arts to capture the sun setting behind the trees! The amount of daylight these countries get during the summer is astonishing! It was still bright outside around 11PM!
Just like the chocolate, no trip to Belgium would be complete if I didn't snap a picture with the Smurf statue and admire the Smurf mural!
I hope you enjoyed this post!
Marc Jacobs Snapshot (exact) // Leather Shorts (similar) // MCM Tote (similar) // Michael Kors Sneakers (similar) // Floral Collar Button-Up Shirt (similar)
XO,
Adrienne
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