Sometimes imperfection makes perfect. Destroyed and grunge are beautiful too. Contrasts reinforce the shades. Brussels isn’t love at first sight. But it’s love alright. The ugly and the pretty. Hipster Chatelain and rough Old Chicago. Street art covered walls in Porte de Hal and touristy Grand Place. Trash made poetry. There’s a lot to see in Brussels. And even more to live. Concerts in hidden garages. Street markets in every hood. Eurocrats and chavs chatting and pluxing. Trendy concept stores and one-euro shops. All blending together to create a Human-sized cosmopolite bustling city full of foodie gems and Bad Boy Radness. Welcome to Brussels. I’ll leave you with 5 things I love about the city. And if you happen to be staying for a while, check out Spotahome Blog to find your nest in this amazing place.
Human-Sized City
Having lived in Montevideo and Strasbourg, I like places that feel human-sized. Don’t know about you, but I just don’t feel comfortable in cities where everyone seems a tiny ant running around scattered in a time-dictated frenzy. Brussels is the perfect size for me. Small enough that you can walk pretty much everywhere if you’re not too rushed. Big enough to hold enough people and places to keep you interested.
Foodie Gems
I’m not a big cook. And there’s just something about eating out. The ease of picking the menu and voilà. Not doing the dishes. The succulent discoveries. The atmosphere, the design, the diners. Brussels has restaurants and cafés for every taste and occasion. From Michelin starred kitchens to casual dining cafés. The fritkots. The chic chocolatiers. The mussels-selling tourist-traps. The hidden gems. The pop up joints. Dinners in the sky. Trams turned into restaurants. Design stores selling food. Pharmacies turned into Bars. Whatever you want, whatever the size of your wallet.
Bad Boy Radness
I find certain corners of Brussels to be absolutely exhilarating in their destroyed-attitude. Rad walls and rebel spots that remind me of Berlin and the street-art spirit. I’m thinking of the corner between Quai aux Briques and Rue du Marché aux Porcs. The walls next to Potemkine…
Sainte Catherine and the Old Chicago
The area is full of teasers. For an openly foodie and a self-assumed fashion-addict, Ste Catherine is just like a mean drug-dealer, always lurking and tempting me to the sweetest treats. The Dansaert and Rue du Marché au Charbon shops: from the fast-fashion brands like Maje and Sandro to the concept designer stores like A suivre, Hunting and Collecting, Icon and Rue Blanche. The endless list of food addresses: Les Filles, Chicago, Walvis, John&Rose, SAN, Bonsoir Clara, Publico… Gives me such a high…
Absolutely Multicultural
I love wandering the streets trying to guess what language the next by-passer is going to speak. How you can meet people from all over the globe, from Danish Green idealists to American uptight diplomats. Flemish Finance Boys and Taiwanese lobbyists. South American Daddy’s little girls and Dandy Aussies. There’s a place for everyone and everywhere seems like around the corner. Plus if you ever feel like you need a break from Brussels, you’re literally near everywhere. Amsterdam is at 200 km distance. Barcelona at two hours’ flight. Paris, an hour and a half train trip away… And you can get to uber creative Antwerp in the blink of an eye. Hello, what else do you need?
