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In Brussels, one can find everything from lavishly ornate
buildings on the Grand’ Place, trendy bars and avenues, until
the physically imposing Stock Exchange, said to be the best
starting point for exploring the city.
When Brussels became the capital city of a new country in the
19th century, the old town was destroyed in order to make way
for brand new ministries, palaces, schools, army barracks and
office blocks. Thanks to this, only a very small part of the
historical center was preserved, which is highly disappointing
for tourist, due to this it is not the number one tourist
attraction when it comes to Belgium.
Keep in mind that Brussels is a bilingual city, with both French
and Dutch as official languages, so all streets have two names,
if you are lost though, feel free to ask around in English as
the majority speaks the language fluently.
The climate is rather temperate, with cold winter and cool
summers, with the highest temperatures around July, for the rest
of the year the weather can be pleasant, but also rainy, cloudy
and humid! When visiting Brussels, remember, Visa Cards are
accepted virtually nowhere, not even by ATM/Cash machines!
Also keep in mind that shops tend to open around 10am, and that
here you can find the world’s first shopping mall, Galleries
Saint Hubert-Sint Hubertusgalerijen, opened in 1847, a light and
airy triple-gallery enclosing boutiques, bookshops, cafés,
restaurants, a theater, and cinema. A must to try out is the
delicious Belgian chocolate, and in Brussels one can find some
of the best chocolate shops fulfilling all tastes!
Want to move on? We'll show you all the
nice places or at least how to get there. Also we'll
make suggestions for high quality
accommodation and restaurants.
And last but not least we'll let you know what
other travelers
think about Amsterdam. We hope you find this city guide useful and
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