24 Hours in Brussels

Discover the city of beer, Tintin and the best hot chocolate in the world.

Okay so technically this part of the trip was another 48 hours but I was on such a high due to my engagement that I didn’t take as many photos as I had planned, so have managed to condense this into an over night 24 hours trip instead. I’ve been to Brussels twice before on day trips so it was nice to do a slightly longer trip. The Mr had picked the hotel (Zoom) and wow did he do well. It is a slight walk out of town but it was nice to be out of the hustle and bustle plus it has a craft beer bar on site. We arrived by local train from Ghent but again the Eurostar if you’re travelling from London is the best bet as you go right into the centre of town.

Tintin and Toys Galore

Okay so we are jumping straight in with two museum recommendations, I have visited the Toy Museum on both my other visits but I couldn’t not take the Mr to one of the whackiest but loveliest museums I’ve ever been in to. It’s like walking into an Aladdins cave of vintage toys. All piled up to the ceiling on three floors, some precariously balanced on top of each, other’s carefully stowed away behind glass. If that all sounds too whacky for you then head to the Comic Book Museum, it’s a more traditional layout and has large amounts dedicated to one of my favourite characters. Tintin. I could have spent all day wandering around learning about the art of comics but time was ticking so we sped off for the next adventure.

When in Brussels Drink Beer

This part of the trip was very much dedicated to the Mr and his love of craft beer, hence why there are not as many pictures or content because we spent large quantities of time in bars drinking delicious beer! We headed off to Cantillion Brewery. Now my average reader is probably not a huge craft beer fan, so I will put this in the simplest terms; Cantillion is basically beer royalty! I was a little apprehensive about enduring a full brewery tour but I actually throughly enjoyed myself. There aren’t that many tours in English so make sure you book in advance and there is a free tasting afterwards.

Ballekes and More Beer

Stomachs grumbling and heads a little fuzzy we made our way to Ballekes after it was recommended to us by my sister and brother in law after their most recent trip. It’s fast food the Belgium way and it’s bloomin’ delicious. You select your ‘ball’ I went for the vegetarian option, the Mr chose one chicken and one beef, choose a sauce and a side, add a beer (or soft drink) and voila dinner, lunch, snack done. (We dined here twice it was so good!) This is a great place if your on a budget, but even if you’re not you should check it out. Stomachs full and a few more beers later we tumbled into bed ready for our final day.

The Best Chocolate In The World

We woke up, checked out and made our way to Le Grand Place for a bit of shopping. I had barely had enough chocolate during my trip so I went on the hunt to satisfy my sweet tooth which is where I discovered Chocolaterie Mary. I fell in love with the whole aesthetic but I fell head over heels when the lady serving us told us the amazing story behind the store. Mary Delluc was the first and only woman to be bestowed with the title and honour of Belgian Royal Warrant Holder and this is still so today. If you can get a cup of hot chocolate do it because it is like drinking silk. Pick up the beautiful bon bons for friends and family and maybe treat yourself to some as well.

Homeward Bound

And just like that the adventure was over. We were homeward bound, bags filled with treats and a whole new exciting chapter ahead of us. Make sure you haven’t missed out on the other two parts of the journey. Amsterdam and Ghent.