If Belgium is the host country for equality, Brussels is the core of European diplomacy. As the headquarters of both NATO and the European Union, you’re likely to meet at least one international diplomat on your flight to Brussels. But you don’t have to be an ambassador to book a Brussels flight.
Travelers looking for inexpensive vacations can book cheap flights to Brussels and enjoy everything from hot waffles to designer shops. Brussels is brimming with forests welcoming nature lovers on hikes, and some cafes and pubs are open all-night for visitors wanting to relax with a Belgian beer after a long day’s walk through the city. Whether you’re on peace-keeping mission or visiting Brussels for personal exploration, there’s something for every traveler to enjoy.
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Brussels has a maritime temperate climate, with warm summers and mild winters. Early summer and early fall are typically warm and mild. Summer temperatures can reach the 80s (F), and winter temperatures range from the low 30s to mid-40s. Snow is possible in winter, but is not a common occurrence. Brussels has a high average annual rainfall; January is usually the wettest month, but expect rain any time of year. Winter days are short, but the sun does not set until 9pm or 10pm in summer.
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Peak Season:
May and September have the best weather and the most visitors. These months can be downright crowded and accommodations hard to come by. Book flights to Brussels and hotel accommodations early to get the best rates.
Off Season:
Most Belgians take their vacations in July and August, making Brussels quieter to visit. You may get cheap flights to Brussels and a discounted hotel rate, especially over a weekend, but many restaurants and shops will be closed.
The weather November to March is wet and cold with few tourists and quiet museums and markets.
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The train station is located on the lower level of Brussels International Airport (1st Floor). There is a train shuttle service from the airport to the North, South and Central stations of Brussels. The shuttle runs every 15-20 minutes and the journey takes approximately 20 minutes. It operates between 5.30am and 12.20am from the airport. From the city it operates between 4.45am and 11.10pm. There are also buses that serve Brussels, Antwerp and Eindhoven; the bus station is below the Arrivals hall. There are metered taxis available outside the Arrivals hall; the journey to Brussels takes 30 minutes.
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In the city center, walking is the best way to see the sights.
For getting from one side of the center to another or to outlying attractions, public transportation is the best option. The Société des Transports Intercommunaux de Bruxelles (STIB) provides excellent, easy to use, and inexpensive transport. STIB covers the city with buses, trams, underground trams, and metro lines. Best of all, most metro stations are decorated with works of art by leading Belgian modern artists.
The STIB operates from 6am to midnight, when a night-bus system takes over. Try to avoid the rush hour in morning and evening.
Driving in Brussels is not for the faint hearted. Local drivers are aggressive, traffic is congested, and parking is a hassle. In the same vein, cycling in central Brussels is for daredevils. Hazards are in the form of intolerant drivers, cobblestones, and tram tracks. There are, however, some bike lanes on the outskirts of the city.
Taxis are metered and expensive; the tax and tips are figured into the meter price.
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- Brussels is a small city and can easily be walked. Take a tour from the Grand Place to Manneken Pis and then on to the Musee des Beaux Arts and you will see much of the old city center.
- The Musee Royeaux des Beaux Arts is one of the finest galleries in Europe. If you want to see all it has to offer, make sure you arrive in the morning: you can easily spend an entire day here, just looking at its most famous paintings. The room with Bruegel’s works is the setting for W. H. Auden’s poem of the same name.
- The city is surrounded by parks – one of the most impressive is the Cinquantenaire park designed to commemorate 50 years of Independence in 1880. Its entrance from the city is a huge arch; walk to the top (or take the lift) for a stunning view of Brussels.
- Autoworld is a museum situated in the Cinquantenaire park dedicated entirely to cars. The museum has exhibits from the first ever cars, through to the “golden age in Europe”.
- The giant Atomium monument from the World Fair of 1958 has become as much of a symbol of Brussels as the Grand Place. The surrounding area is a pleasant park to visit, and includes “mini Europe” – small replicas of all the most important buildings of the European Union, including the Eiffel Tower and Big Ben. The Atomium and Mini-Europe are at the edge of the city in the Heysel area. Get here by Metro, alighting at the Heysel stop.
- To enjoy a spot of culture and shopping at the same time, visit the Galleries Royales Saint-Hubert. Completed in 1847, this was the world's first ever shopping mall. An ornate glass ceiling covers the row of boutique balustraded shops. The motto, displayed on the entrance, is Omnibus Omnia (“something for everyone”) which still holds true today as the gallery houses everything from designer shops to grocers. There are also a few cafés, where you can sit and watch the world go by.
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