From 5 April 2024, Singapore Airlines will fly non-stop to Brussels, operating four flights every week. Curious to know what the Belgian capital has to offer? Here’s our holiday guide for travellers keen on exploring a different European city and sampling the unique experiences it has to offer. Famous for its rich history, food, beer, art, and comics, Brussels promises something for everyone. Read on to find out more about what to do when visiting the city.
Brussels is almost synonymous with these three things it’s most well-known for – waffles, fries (or frites) and beers. No trip to Brussels is complete without sampling any of the three. For starters, head to Gaufres & Waffles for a taste of both sweet and savoury waffles, with toppings that range from chocolate and apples to duck, foie gras and beef tartar. Helmed by two Michelin-starred chef Yves Mattagne, the waffles here are a must-try.
Next, take your pick from the numerous friteries to try their fries, typically served in paper cones. Popular ones include Maison Antoine, Chéz Clementine and Friterie du Café Georgette.
If beer is your tipple of choice, Brussels has plenty to offer. This is unsurprising since Belgian beer culture was added to the UNESCO list of intangible culture heritage in 2016. Don’t miss out on visiting breweries like Brasserie de la Senne or En Stoemelings. Take it up a notch by visiting a beer spa if you like your drink and lounging in it too.
Why are Belgian chocolates so highly raved about? Brussels, crowned the chocolate capital of the world, is the perfect place to find out for yourself. If you have a sweet tooth, treat yourself to the finest confectionery delights at Brussels’ world-famous chocolatiers. Take your pick from Neuhaus, which invented pralines, or Laurent Gerbaud, which promises to surprise you with unexpected flavour pairings in its artisanal offerings. Craving for more? Add Wittamer, Pierre Marcolini and Mary to your list.
You can also learn more about cocoa and its history at The Belgian Chocolate Village, located in the former site of chocolate and biscuit factory, Victoria. Apart from the interactive tour, you can also marvel at unique chocolate sculptures and watch live demonstrations by chocolatiers.
An aspiring chocolatier yourself? Book a session to make your own chocolates at Choco-Story Brussels on Pelago.
Comics, also known as the ninth art, seems to come alive in Brussels. For comic book enthusiasts, the Belgium capital’s Comic Book Route is a must, with vibrant murals adorning the exterior walls of houses and buildings along the trail. The project started in 1991, and since then, has birthed over 60 murals with plans to add more in the future.
Comic book fans will recognise classic characters like Tintin, Asterix and the Smurfs, among many others. Keen to learn more about the murals as you go along? Simply scan the QR codes located at the bottom of the artwork. If time permits, don’t miss a stop at the Belgian Comic Strip Center to dive deep into the history of comics in Brussels.
You can think of Brussels as an open-air museum, with buildings, facades and architecture spanning various eras and styles, that a walk through the city is a lesson in history like no other. Fascinated by Art Nouveau founded by Belgian architect-designer Victor Horta? Plan your day around Solvay House, The Horta Museum and The Hannon House, all considered some of the greatest Art Nouveau masterpieces in the city.
Is Neoclassical architecture up your alley? It might not be as far-reaching as its counterparts but is of equally great importance in the architectural history of the city. One place not to be missed is the Palace of Charles of Lorraine.
And last, but certainly not least, architecture buff or otherwise, don’t leave out The Grand-Place from your itinerary. The UNESCO Heritage site in all of its Gothic grandeur will simply leave you in awe.
Inspired to plan the trip of a lifetime? As a KrisFlyer member, you’ll earn KrisFlyer miles when you fly on Singapore Airlines or you can choose to redeem your KrisFlyer miles for that unforgettable vacation.
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