
Brussels is the capital of Belgium and the administrative centre of the European Union. This city has the title of the Capital of Europe. Nowadays it’s the home of nationalities around the world. The French and Flemish cultures coexist here. Since the end of the Second World War, Brussels has been an important centre for international politics. The presence of the main EU institutions as well as the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has made the city a polyglot home of many international organizations, politicians, diplomats and civil servants.
The vibrant atmosphere of Brussels is further enhanced by picturesque medieval streets, lively squares, beautiful boulevards, impressive monuments, spacious parks, cosy cafés, interesting restaurants and an active cultural life.
Brussels contains over 80 museums, including the Museum of Modern Art, and the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. The museum has an extensive collection of various painters, such as the Flemish painters like Bruegel, Rogier van der Weyden, Robert Campin, Anthony van Dyck, and Jacob Jordaens. The world's largest collection of the works of the surrealist René Magritte is housed in the recently opened Magritte Museum.
The city is also a capital of the comic strip; some treasured Belgian characters are Lucky Luke, Tintin, Cubitus, Gaston Lagaffe and Marsupilami. Throughout the city walls are painted with large motifs of comic book characters, and the interiors of some Metro stations are designed by artists. The Belgian Comics Museum combines two artistic leitmotifs of Brussels, being a museum devoted to Belgian comic strips, housed in the former Waucquez department store, designed by Victor Horta in the Art Nouveau style.
The King Baudouin Stadium is a concert and competition facility with a 50,000 seat capacity, the largest in Belgium. The site was formerly occupied by the Heysel Stadium. (Source Wikipedia)
The architecture in Brussels is diverse, and spans from the mediaeval constructions on the Grand Place to the postmodern buildings of the EU institutions.
Main attractions include the Grand Place, since 1988 a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with the Gothic town hall in the old centre, the St. Michael and Gudula Cathedral and the Laken Castle with its large greenhouses. Another famous landmark is the Royal Palace. Other landmarks include the Atomium, the Mini-Europe park, the Manneken Pis, a bronze fountain, The Statue of Europe Unity in Peace, the Cinquantenaire park, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Brussels Stock Exchange, the Palace of Justice and the buildings of EU institutions in the European Quarter. Cultural facilities include the Brussels Theatre and the La Monnaie Theatre and opera house.
Festive, trendy, eccentric and definitely enthusiastic, Brussels’ nightlife is an oasis of every source of enjoyment. Whether you’re looking for a good barrel of beer or record decks playing electro, a lounge sofa or Latino rhythms, you can move quickly from one atmosphere to the next, each as sociable as they are exciting. Go to the Sablon, for example, for a very “stylish” evening. To the upper part of the city to enjoy cost and loungestyle settings. To the area around the Grande-Place to delve into the mysterious secrets of Belgian beer or around Halles Saint-Gery to take the pulse of the trendy lifestyle of the young “bruxellois”. If it were up to you,sometimes you’d prefer the sun not to rise in Brussels. As the “bruxellois” say. (Source Belgiumtheplaceto)
Nightlife in Brussels is so much more than just pub crawling; it is teeming with things to entertain you through the late night hours. There are cocktail bars that vary from the established been-there-for-years sort, the avant-garde, the bizarre, to the nearly but-not-quite nightclub type. There are also cafe theaters, dinner shows, a traditional puppet theater, cafe cabarets, nightclubs, concerts, cool jazz clubs, opera, and ballet. From pubs to nightclubs, Brussels offers you some exciting choices of things you can do while you explore the wonders of Belgium. In this article I'll outline a few of Brussel's hotspots, a quick guide, if you will, to the racier side of Belgium.
One thing you will have to remember when considering a night out in Brussels is that timing is everything when it comes to clubbing. The majority of Discotheques and night clubs do not open their doors until 10 PM, and even then the party doesn't truly get started until at least 11 PM. Now, if you have decided to start your evening early, you can always kill some time before the clubs open by having a walk to the Place Brouckere. This Square is one of the centers of Brussels nightlife. It's also a great place to have a beer and chat a bit with friends.
The nightclubs, bars, and discos in the Lower City are generally more relaxed and pay less attention to dress codes than those of the Upper City. A lot of these nightclubs are private clubs, especially those in the Upper City, but the good news is most are willing to allow a one night membership. Remember ultra casual dress isn't recommended when attending one of these stylish clubs. They can be rather picky about the clientele they allow within their walls. Also, it would be wise to ring ahead to ensure your club of choice is still in existence. Nightclubs in Brussels often change ownership or close all together at a moments notice. (Source essortment).