There’s nothing quite like a festive holiday to a Christmas market-rich destination.
Pre-COVID times I’d treated myself to a few trips during December. One being Berlin, and another being the Cotswolds. The latter obviously when UK travel was okayed, but international wasn’t just yet. Last year we realised that we hadn’t had a holiday yet, due to the wedding. So when we got to Christmas, we decided to treat ourselves to an international overnight stay.
We did a little bit of research into good Christmas markets, and places we could get to quickly, so that a short holiday was worthwhile. We ended up on the Eurostar website, and looking at their suggestions. I can’t really recall exactly why, but we set on Brussels in Belgium. Neither of us had ever been, and it was well priced and a short journey.
And Brussels didn’t disappoint. At Christmas it really embraced the festive season, and offered a lot to look at. A lot of which is also about the rest of the year.
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Marivaux Hotel
The key to accommodation when booking for a short holiday is to go central. You can’t waste valuable tourist-time just getting from your hotel to anything. For Brussels, Marivaux Hotel is a great option. It’s on one of the main Christmas market streets, and a short walk away from the city centre.
Getting to Brussels
Flying to Brussels will land you around a twenty-minute drive from the city centre, and there’s regular public transport that can take you in around twenty five minutes. You can catch a flight from pretty much any European airport, but if you’re traveling from the UK a great option is the Eurostar. The Eurostar drops you off a short walk from the centre. If you haven’t got the Eurostar before, it’s a lot quicker before the journey starts than flying, and it’s just the same as getting a train. We caught it from London.
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What To Do
The good news is there’s lots to do in Brussels, even if you’re not visiting at Christmas. In fact my list is quite a quick list, there’s a lot more than just what we did, so it’s worth looking to see if there’s anything else you’d want to see.
The Christmas Market
The reason why we were visiting, and it’s a great market. It’s unusual because it’s very spaced out across the city. The main area for the market is Place Saint Catherine, it’s where the most chalets are, so it’s worth heading here first. There’s a mixture of stalls selling unique gifts, ice skating, carnival rides, and bars.
Les Galeries Royales Saint Hubert
We didn’t even go inside any of the shops, but it’s a lovely walkthrough. It’s decorated for Christmas and looks extravagant. If you go in the evening at Christmas it’s a great place to be. The shops have warm lighting, and there’s a lot of options for Christmas present buying. Be prepared that it’s quite thin for a shopping spot, so it does get busy.
Grand Place
This is arguably the hub of Brussels, and always a busy area. But it’s worth it. There’s gothic buildings surrounding the square, where the city Christmas tree is displayed, as well as restaurants and bars. At Christmas time they’ll also display a light show in the evenings, so you can get yourself a seat and a drink at one of the bars, then enjoy.
Nehaus
In Grand Place there’s a chocolate shop called Nehaus. This is where praline was first invented. It’s a small shop, but really welcoming, and often they’ll have a free sample before you buy. It’s worth purchasing a sample box of some sort just to try the delicious chocolates.
Manneken Pis
This is the symbol of Brussels, and while it’s a little unusual, it’s worth visiting. It’s a statue of a little boy ‘relieving’ himself – but there is a good story behind it. The most famous legend behind the symbol says that the statue shows a young boy who saved Brussels from potential disaster. It says that the young boy relieved himself while an enemy was attempting to bring down the walls of the city – extinguishing the gunpowder fuse they were lighting at the same time.
While it’s not the original statue, which was taken away due to repeated damaging or stealing of it, the current standing one is an impressive replica. The original is stored inside the Brussels City Museum. The statue is dressed up in costumes for different occasions or times of the year – they say it has around 1000 costumes.
Zinneke Pis
One of my favourite parts of Brussels, and a must for any dog-lover. Zinneke Pis is the dog version of Manneken Pis. It’s a rather adorable statue of a dog lifting its leg on a post. While it’s more of a folk-humour piece, rather than telling a story, it does also have its own tale.
In 2007 the statue went missing, and the authorities treated it as a theft. They dealt with reports that it had been stolen, but after beginning an investigation, it turned out that local residents had taken it away to fix it after vandals had tried to forcibly remove it. It was given to the original designer to fix, then replaced in its current spot.
Mont Des Arts
This is a spot that takes you from the lower part of the city to the upper part. It’s a pretty garden area with benches and decorative hedge planting that’s great for a quick break in between your exploring. There’s usually some sort of busker nearby.
Look out for Mural Paintings
Brussels is the host to some incredible mural paintings on its building walls. If you’ve heard of Tintin, Asterix or the Smurfs, just to mention a few, then chances are you’ll see some artwork you recognise at some point. If you’re interested to see all of them, you can go on a walking tour route like this.
Where to Eat and Drink
Chateau Moderne
Chateau Moderne looks over the Mont Des Arts, so can usually be inserted as a pitstop on your tour of the city. It’s very aesthetically pleasing on the inside and serves delicious drinks. They also have a food menu, although we only came here for beverages.
Oats Day Long
We visited Oats Day Long for our breakfast, and it’s delicious. Their menu is all based around – you guessed it – oats, including oat-topped bagels, acai bowls and salads. I went for a chicken and pesto option, although their menu changes seasonally, so take a look before your visit to see your choices. This venue is quite small, so it’s not ideal for a large group.
Bao bun place
We hadn’t booked dinner for our evening, so we were in a bit of a panic, and eventually chose Baogo, mainly because I love bao buns. Baogo uses bao buns instead of burger buns, as well as offering other Asian-inspired dishes. It’s something a little bit different, even if it isn’t Brussels-based, and is still well worth a stop.
Belgium Waffles
It’s not a surprise that Brussels does incredible Belgium waffles, and whether you like them simply topped with icing sugar or covered in sweet treats, you’ll be able to find some somewhere in the city. There are a couple of options, including Gaufres & Waffles, and Gaufres de Bruxelles.
Speculoos
Speculoos are yummy biscuits, a little bit like shortbread. They’re usually shaped into something interesting, like windmills or animals, and spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. They’re a lovely taste if you’re visiting in Winter. You can find some at Maison Dandoy.
Frites
Frites are essentially chips, but Belgium is famous for its version. These are a great option for a walking lunch so you can continue with your exploring, especially if you’re only on a short trip like we were. Again, you can find these pretty much everywhere in the city, and we stopped near the Mannekin Pis, but another great place is Maison Antoine.
