Brussels City Guide

Brussels Overview

Chocolate moulded by surrealists and beer poured by old masters.

The city of choice for Eurocrats, Brussels is sumptuous, historic and luxuriously cosy. With artistry richer than chocolate, architecture as graceful as its cuisine and diversity frothier than the beer, Brussels is an heirloom of northern culture at its best.

What makes Brussels special? Seafood in great restaurants, the smell of hot waffles on a cold winter's day, cafes and pubs that never close, the cosmopolitan but neighbourly feel, forests practically on the doorstep, pheasant and truffles in autumn, comic strips, designer shops...

Brussels Photo Gallery

Photographs of Brussels

Manneken Pis: world's most famous urinating statue

Interior of Palais de Justice Law Courts, built between 1866 and 1883

Three lonely travellers on steps of Brussels Stock Exchange

Brussels Fast Facts

Facts about Brussels

Currency in Brussels

Notes in Belgium

Euro notes come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500. It is often difficult to get change for a Euro500 note.

Coins in Belgium

One euro is divided into 100 cents or centimes. Coins of 1, 2 and 5 centimes are copper-coloured; coins of 10, 20 and 50 centimes are gold-coloured; 1 and 2 euro coins are gold-and-silver coloured. It's a good idea to keep a supply of various coins for parking meters, laundrettes, tolls etc.

Preferred Form of Payment in Brussels

Belgium is still largely a cash-based society, locals generally use cash for small purchases so you can't avoid having at least some cash in your pocket. Major credit cards are widely accepted at top and mid-range hotels and restaurants, and in many shops and petrol stations. City centres are well populated with ATMs.

Changing Your Money in Brussels

Banks are the best place to change your money, charging only a small commission on travellers' cheques. Out of hours, there are the less generous exchange bureaus.

Using a Telephone in Brussels

Call boxes take most coins and Telecards. Calls anywhere within Belgium are metered and cost a minimum of 00.30 EUR.

If national directory inquiries are on your menu then they come in three diverse flavours - 1405 (English), 1207 (Flemish) and 1307 (French) - all of which are charged at gourmet prices.

Using a Mobile Phone in Brussels

For travellers with mobile phones, Belgium uses GSM 900/1800, which is compatible with the rest of Europe and Australia, but not with the systems used in North America or Japan. Belgacom outlets can provide phones, SIM cards and accessories. Mobiles can be rented from Locaphone (tel 02 652 14 14) in the arrivals hall at Brussels Airport. Prices start at 9.05 EUR per day for the first five days then drop to 3.22 EUR per day (not including 21% VAT). Payment is by credit card only and there's a one-off insurance payment of 10.66 EUR. Note, it's illegal to use hand-held mobile phones while driving a vehicle in Belgium.

Doing Business in Brussels

Brussels International Airport Company (BIAC) houses The Regus Skyport Meeting Centre (tel: 02 714 0200) with ten meeting rooms, secretarial services and wireless Internet connection. Airport Forum (tel: 02 714 0770) provides welcome desks and lounges, telecommunication facilities and other services. The Sky Hall Reception Room (tel: 02 280 8410) has event space for up to 1,500 people. Most major hotels include business centres and some have a range of conference rooms for use as well.

The EU area lies east of central Brussels. The two main thoroughfares - Rue de la Loi and Rue Belliard - house ugly office blocks and bellow with traffic. The Upper Town rises to the east and southeast of the Grand Place and was traditionally home of Belgium's French-speaking elite. This is where you'll find the Belgian parliament and government headquarters. North of the old city centre is a business district built around Blvd Émile Jacqmain and resembling a miniature Manhattan.

Media in Brussels

Brussels' media is, like Belgium itself, divided between French and Flemish. The city's status as a European capital, however, means that the major print media publications are readily available. Free-to-air television is, again, in either French or Flemish, but cable television is widely available and includes international stations, including BBC 1, BBC 2, CNN, MTV and Eurosport.

Periodicals in Brussels

Radio Stations in Brussels

Books in Brussels