I am a student on hiatus, living in the Netherlands for 1 year. I recently visited Brussels for three and a half days, and I would like to share some of my experiences and impressions. Let me preface my remarks by saying that I am a budget traveler, favoring free attractions where possible, cheap food, and hostels rather than hotels, so this produces a particular experience of the places that I visit. All prices are in euros

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Brussels is a city that calls itself "the capital of Europe". It lays claim to this title by virtue of its status as the seat of the European Union, and this distinction does produce a very international feel. It also makes for a very multi-lingual city: waiting in line for fries, I heard the vendor speak 4 different languages (French, Dutch, German and English), but the North American tourist need not worry -- English is spoken, to some extent, by nearly everybody.

I spent most of my time in the old centre of town, taking in the cheap and the free sights and attractions. The following is a partial list of attractions and what they offer:

Grote Markt or Grand Place - The Dutch and French appellations of this beautiful cobblestoned square convey the same meaning: a large, open-aired market. French novellist Victor Hugo once described this square as the most beautiful in the world, and I have a hard time disputing this claim. The two main buildings, the Hotel de ville (City Hall) and Museum van de stad de Brussel (city museum) are breathtaking and imposing structures at opposite sides of the square (rectangle, really). The plaza hosts a daily flower market and an endless stream of camera-toting tourists, as well as a good selection of mid-priced cafes. I found the Grand Place a great place to simply sit, take in the atmosphere, and watch the tourists and locals.

City Museum - This building, pictured at the top of this review, is a site in itself. It is located on Grand Place, so it is easy to find. Inside is a good museum that outlines the history of the city. It contains many ancient and more recent pieces of art, but the most interesting exhibits portray the evolution of the city's topography, economy, and people. A working command of French or Dutch will add to your appreciation of the museum as not all exhibits have English information. It also contains many costumes that have been worn by the city's unofficial mascot, the Mannekin Pis. Admission is relatively inexpensive: the student price is 3.50, while full price is 5.00.

Mannekin Pis - This statue of a peeing boy, Julien, is steeped in history. The official story is that a noble, upon recovering his child who had been lost in the city for several days, erected this statue of his son in celebration. A more apocryphal tale has a boy diffusing a bomb intended for Grand Place by urinating on it. For such a big attraction, the statue is quite small. The costume he is wearing is changed several times a month; typically he wears the uniform of some organization or society.

Museum of Ancient and Modern Art - This is perhaps one of the jewels of the city's museum scene. The modern half of the museum is extends 8 floors underground and contains art from the 19th to the 20th centuries, including works by such luminaries as Picasso and Salvador Dali, and a whole assortment of lesser known Belgian artists. Give yourself a lot of time to take in this museum: in 3 hours I was only able to get through part of the modern section. I was surprised to see Rodin's famous sculpture, "Le Penseur" (The Thinker) in a fairly inconspicuous corner of one of the galleries. For so much museum, it is very reasonably priced. As a student, I paid only 2.50 to get in.

Cathédrale St. Michel - A cavernous cathedral, and a museum in itself, with paintings and other exhibits. The organ was playing while I was there and it was worthwhile simply to sit and listen to that marvelous instrument. Located near the Grand Place and Central Station, it is free to visit, but very much worth the investment of time.

I traveled only on foot while I was in Brussels, and in the course of my travels I also saw the Palais Royal, the Jardin Botanique - a beautiful part with wide lanes, a lovely fountain and mature trees, and many other elegant buildings, old and new, which together make Brussels a beautiful city. However, public transit is affordable and efficient, and is another great way of getting around the city. A 2-day transit pass, which also provides discounts to many museums, is available for 7.50.

While in Brussels, I stayed at two youth hostels. The first, the Bruegel International Youth Hostel, which is affiliated with Hosteling International (HI), was almost hotel-like in its cleanliness and overall appearance. The prices were reasonable: 16.75 for a dorm-style bed (HI non-members pay an extra 2.50), and the rooms were well-kept and fairly spacious. A bonus of this hostel is that it is located very near a surviving section of the 800-year old original city wall, which is a good place to pose for a photo. The second hostel, Sleep Well Brussels offered similar accommodations and prices. There are many other hostels and hotels in the city, but in the peak tourist period, I would highly recommend booking in advance. Even in October, I was only able to stay in the Bruegel hostel for one night because of lack of beds.

The food in Brussels was excellent. Brussels can be an expensive city, and it is sometimes hard to find a cheap place to grab a sandwich, so for the budget traveler, a trip to a grocery store might be a better mealtime option. I did this a few times, choosing to make my own sandwiches and eat in the splendour of the Grand Place. Still, you would be remiss if you didn't at try the waffles (expect to pay around 3.00 for a fully-loaded and topped waffle) or fries (around 2.00, with sauce, for a good-sized serving) which are the city's (albeit clichéed) specialties.

I would recommend a visit to Brussels for anyone who is doing a trip to Europe. It is an easy jaunt from Amsterdam (just under 3 hours by train, and between 20 and 40 euros depending on age and other factors), while the trip to Paris is only a little longer in the other direction.

I very much enjoyed my trip to Brussels and hope to go back some day.

Recommended: Yes

Best Suited For: Friends
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime