1. Brussels is the administrative capital of the Europe Union. Although the EU parliament is located in Strasbourg, France, the daily operations are run out of the EU offices in Brussels.Through the modern ages, Belgium was ruled by generations of Hapsburgs before becoming independent in 1831 following a revolution. Brussels was declared the capital city and has remained so ever since. The cultural identity of both the city and nation were shaped by the mixed heritage of the Hapsburg rulers. Belgium has 3 official languages – Dutch, French and German. Dutch or Flemish (a Belgian version of Dutch with French influence) is the most prevalent but French is widely spoken as well especially in Brussels.

2. Grand Place is the most popular square in Belgium. The name is derived from the grandness of the Baroque, Gothic and Neo-gothic structures in the Square. The Town Hall is definitely the center piece but the guild houses are prominent too. The square is considered to be the starting point for the city of Brussels itself. It started out as a fort but commerce took over and marketplaces for bread, cloth and meat trading were added. The town hall and other structures came much later. All except the town hall were destroyed in 1695 by the French army during a battle with the League of Augsburg. It was rebuilt by the city’s guilds but continue to declined before being revitalized in the late 19th century. Today, the Square is great place to grab a beer or a meal and soak in the atmosphere. Manneken Pis is a sculpture that depicts a naked boy urinating into the fountain’s basin. It is unclear what led to its popularity but for some reason it is considered a stop when in the vicinity of Grand Place. 

3. Atomium is a popular tourist attraction that was constructed for the World Expo that was held here in 1958. It is shaped like an atom with nine spheres. The shape is cool but I was fascinated to learn that it was never intended to last beyond the expo timeframe but it became too popular to be dismantled. It was even renovated in the early 2000s and now serves as a museum. It was much smaller than I thought. So, I passed on the viewing opportunity from the topmost sphere. 

4. Belgian cuisine may not have made much of a name outside the country. But we are guaranteed to have heard of the Belgian waffle, an American appropriation. In Belgium, there are two types of waffles – Brussels Waffle and Liege Waffle. Brussels waffles are light and crispy with deep pockets as they are made with a yeast leavened batter while the Liege waffles are thick and chewy as they are made with bread like dough with pearl sugar mixed in. Visually, they are easily distinguishable with Brussels waffle being rectangular with defined edges while the Liege one is uneven. My pick was definitely the liege waffle at the local chain Belgaufra. It is a great snack to eat on the go and stands on its own with its caramelized sugar coating. Maison Antoine is known for the thick thrice cooked fries. It was served with mayo and it totally made me question about this thing called Ketchup. Maison Dandoy is a classy joint for a cup of coffee. Plus, they serve delicious waffles, hot chocolate and their famous gingerbread. 

5. Connoisseurs of chocolate rejoice, Brussels is known for it. There is interesting history behind it too. Even though Spanish explorers introduced the Belgian royalty to cocoa in the 17th century, it was the colonization of Congo that gave Belgium access to high quality cocoa.This helped Belgium become be the top trader of raw cocoa as well as chocolate. It was Jean Neuhaus that pioneered the boutique chocolate business in Brussels in 1857 by converting his pharmacy to a chocolaterie. His grandson, also a Jean cemented that position by inventing the now famous praline in 1912. Godiva was started in Brussels by the Draps family with their own version of the praline in 1926 and is now a worldwide brand. Leonidas, another global brand was born in Ghent but soon established their brand in Brussels. Today, chocolatiers like Pierre Marcolini are carrying on the legacy. Everything I tried there blew my mind.