Thread 2821381

Greetings, /trv/
I'll be in Brussels in October.
Interested to know about:
>tourism recommendations for an intelligent, professional gentleman unconcerned about budget that appreciates history, culture and the arts
>dive bars where drinking 8-10 beers isn't unusual behaviour
>getting from Charleroi airport to Brussels proper
>areas with a hazardous level of diversity that need to be avoided
All advice appreciated, boys.

>>2821381 (OP)
>intelligent
ok once you are done sniffing your own farts you can go and sniff eurocrat farts instead. you can go into the eu parliament if you show your passport, you may have to book online but i just showed up, waved my brexit passport and got let in. there you can look around the public areas listening to the audio tour explain how the eu is saving the world by passing environmental and diversity legislation. they also have a museum nearby which gives a generalistic history of europe and how superior the eu and cooperation and how evil nazis are and all that shit is that you already know, via some retarded location based ipad thing that barely worked correctly and i had to keep backtracking rooms on but im sure it looked good on paper to the politicians tasked with creating that place. the entrance to the museum is opposite where this photo was taken. of course you recognise more than just einstein, right?
>unconcerned about budget
fuck your money, the above is all free cause the eu taxpayer paid for it 100x over already

>>2821396
i forgot the photo

I recommend trying their famous sprouts

>>2821381 (OP)
>tourism recommendations for an intelligent, professional gentleman unconcerned about budget that appreciates history, culture and the arts
KEK
If you really appreciate history, culture and the arts then why are you going to one of the ugliest and most soulless capitals in Europe?
Are you completely unaware of Brusselization?
You can go see the Manneken Pis and... that's it really. Kek

>>2821492
ah Manneken Pis. A tiny statue in a small corner, filled to the brim with people taking selfies and surrounded by tat shops.

I was just generally disappointed in Brussels. I guess you could do one of the Asterix/Tintin tours or shop in that arcade of insanely expensive chocolate stores but it I just found it a pretty boring place. Hop on the train to Bruges instead.

>>2821396
>i just showed up, waved my brexit passport and got let in
Yep, that's what we voted for. Based.

>>2821492
>If you really appreciate history, culture and the arts then why are you going to one of the ugliest and most soulless capitals in Europe?
Because one of my mates who lives a long way away has a work trip scheduled for Brussels.
>Are you completely unaware of Brusselization?
Yes, pic related

>>2821414
please explain
>Verification not requried

Have you asked ChatGPT?

>>2821381 (OP)
Parc du Cinquantenaire/Jubelpark and the royal museums around it were worth seeing. I could've spent an entire day there, but sadly my travel partners lacked the patience for that.
"Washington D.C, Euro-flavor" is accurate description, perhaps uncomfortably so for those who take pride in the differences.

Go to Ghent and Bruges instead.

>>2821666
Stayed in Ghent, beautiful town, has a neat christmas market too (complete with a bar full of schoolkids getting drunk)

>>2821414
It's a type of small cabbage-like vegetable that is an acquired taste, notoriously hated by children but pretty healthy, I like them with butter.
I definitely recommend trying carbonnade flamande, one of the best meal I've ever had, I went at Cave du Roy in Grand Place, it had reasonable prices.
You can also get fries cooked in beef tallow at food stands for cheap, it's pretty neat.

>>2821532
thanks anon

>>2821666
>>2821711
checked
I hear good things about Ghent but it'll have to be next time

>>2821811
Thanks for this too. I'll seek some sprouts out there now for sure.
And those fries cooked in beef tallow sound pretty decadent but also pretty good.
Cheers.

It was a while ago, but stayed in a hotel on the Place du Jeu de Balle in Marollen and it was pretty good. Interesting flea market in the morning and the cafes around the square were filled with people eating and drinking and having a good time. Some interesting bars and cafes in the area, and iirc, there was a divey place across the square that at night was filled with degenerates pounding Jupiler.

But yeah, as other anons have said, Ghent is a much cozier place to stay. Really liked that city.

Museum of Illusions looks like it's a laugh

>>2821666
came here to make this exact post

>>2821492
While I agree with you I must say their car museum is really good. Also, one can use Brussels for a day-trip to Leuven.

>>2821381 (OP)
Brussels has some decent musea:
Comic Art Museum
Institute of natural sciences
MIM Music Museum
Autoworld
Mini-Europe for the lulz

>>2823614
Does the mini-europe museum have mini-cucks around the place drinking soi lattes and reading left wing newspapers?

>>2821381 (OP)
brussels is ok and the beer and the chocolate really are awesome
but a lot of the locals are absolute cunts even the ones who work in bars and restaurants and so on. they are almost at paris levels of arrogant rudeness
and stay away from the immigrants too, they are fucking savages

>>2823631
You'll find the rude Belgians are the French speaking ones

>>2821492
>OP ask a simple question
>Frog poster spergs out

>>2823631
What?
Belgians are known for being really friendly. Maybe it’s different for me because I speak French as well but I always felt welcome in Brussels and the people were very nice.

>>2821818
>decadent
That’s how all fries were cooked until the 1980s

>>2823679
>Belgians are known for being really friendly
belgians aren't really known for anything except beer, chocolate, tintin and putting mayonnaise on their chips
i've been to a few places around the country and i agree that in general the people are ok. it's really only brussels where they are pompous knobs
>Maybe it’s different for me because I speak French as well
hardly a unique trait, anon

>>2821381 (OP)
I was in Belgium when you posted this, I stayed in Waterloo which a pretty chill place. But I did have a day in Brussels and I'll recommend a boozer called Casco, good music, laid back and the locals like a drink.

>>2821381 (OP)
>>tourism recommendations for an intelligent, professional gentleman unconcerned about budget that appreciates history, culture and the arts
why go to that shithole of a town
go to vienna or something

>>2824233
Casco, thanks anon.
I'll tell them that a right wing incel sent me there. Only joking, don't worry - I'll say it was a tranny. Only joking, the bar does look good and I'll check it out with my pal.

Oops
This >>2824611 was meant for >>2824220

>>2824233
I said I had a pal who was going there. Don't you autistically read every single word of every shit post in a thread before posting?
Tut, tut anon. Tut, tut.

>>2821381 (OP)
Avoid the north, east and west part of the town... in fact ignore everything that isn't the center and the south part because that's where all the good stuff is, except from clubs that are mostly located in the less trustworthy areas. From Charleroi you take a buss that brings you directly to Brussels midi - one of the shittest part of the city

The city center is fine, you can take a free tour of it which better explain the architecture and give some context, is pretty decent. In the evening you can go to the delirium bar, it's very touristy and over priced but you hit on clueless tourists

In the EU area you can visit the parliament and the adjacent exposition on the EU for free, as well as watching a public hearing if you are in time. Both activities take just a couple hours

The atomium is there... it's not particularly interesting and the inside it's just some lighting show and an exposition on the atomium itself, but the parks around the area are nice and less visited

In Saint gilles there's the congolese quarter which has some cheap bars to get drunk and decent restaurants, it's not really dangerous if you can bear the high levels of melanin in the area

The Magritte museum is nice, and so is the military history museum. The second is located at park of cinquantenarie which is a pretty park all around

Overall I think that Brussels it's a pretty boring city to visit, there's some cool stuff here and there but mostly is boring, make yourself a favor and get a train ticket to Bruges, Ghent and Leuven if you plan to stay here for a few days

>>2824958
Thanks for this anon
>From Charleroi you take a buss that brings you directly to Brussels midi
OK great, this is the 20 Euro airport bus right?
>one of the shittest part of the city
Okay but short walk from city centre by the looks of it?
>In the EU area you can visit the parliament and the adjacent exposition on the EU for free, as well as watching a public hearing if you are in time
This is a great idea anon. Something a bit different.
>congolese quarter
>if you can bear the high levels of melanin in the area
Anon, I...

Great post again anon. Cheers

>>2823679
Belgians are not friendly. I happen to be a long time associate of a Belgian social circle because I lived with a guy and became friends with him. But Belgian social circles are very exclusive, despite being quite large. I probably personally know 20-30 Belgians at this point, but we aren’t friends and they would never invite me to any kind of party or event. Only my based Belgian friend does. My French is not perfect but i do speak it fluently btw.

Anyway yeah they are some of the least friendly Europeans, among all the others

>>2827722
>French

Well there's the problem, hang out with Dutch speaking Belgians.

I am one of the last Brusselairs, ask my anything.
There are some interesting museums in Brussels, my favorite is the middle age section of the Art & History museum in Cinquentenaire, they recreated a cloister to put the artworks in.
The Old Master section in the Royal Museum of Fine Arts is also really worth it, maybe do the Magritte one too. The Museum of Musical Instruments was my favorite as a child.
The Grand Place is must do, I guess. The Cathedral is really pretty, Notre Dame du Sablon as well.
Stay in the center, don't try to go to the Atomium or Mini-Europe, it's too far and it's shit.
Nobody will stop you from drinking beer, maybe try place du Luxembourg, place des Anglais, Saint Boniface or Flagey in the evening.
There are no good ways to go from Charleroi to Brussels.
Be really careful around the South station, otherwise the touristic parts are not too bad.
And I agree with the post above that Ghent and Bruges are better for tourists than Brussels (I never understood how there are so many tourists in Brussels).

>>2827793
Also, the best quick lunch is the " Brusselair pain de viande" sandwhich at De Pistolei (they have 2 locations in the center).

>>2821381 (OP)
>where drinking 8-10 beers isn't unusual behaviour
i have yet to find a place in europe where this would be unusual. this is not america that we drink 2 piss beers at most

>>2827783
dutch speaking belgians are even colder bruh

>>2821812
You can get the train straight to ghent from Brussels-Midi airport. Just been, strongly recommend it over Brussels. Especially for a day trip. Brussels.does have some great museums but itll make you weary going to multiple in one day.

>>2827793
Found flibco seem to have set up some decent routes to charleroi.

>>2821381 (OP)
>tourism recommendations
Magritte museum
Bozar
Anything Victor Horta
Royal Museums of Fine Arts (worth a day)
Royal Museum of the Armed Forces (one of the biggest in the world, lots of WWI &II)
If you're into French literature check out the Tropismes bookstore in the Galleries Saint-Hubert. Don't buy chocolate at Neuhaus (same area, decent), go to Herman Van Dender instead (top tier).
>Dive bars
Wherever. Don't puke or fight inside. Try to find one with decent (no Inbev) beer. Look for Gueuze on the beer list (Boon, Oud Beersel, Tilquin, De Cam, Cantillon), even if you don't like sour beer. A good Brussels pub should have good Brussels beer at the very least.
Check out Fuse club if you like techno. Have a look at Le Botanique's program.
Restaurants: "In 't Spinnekopke", Villa Lorraine, Comme Chez Soi, Bozar restaurant, La Paix. If you're mad about beer check out "In De Verzekering Tegen De Grote Dorst" near Brussels, one of the best pubs in the world.
>Charleroi to Brussels
The least of your worries. Don't take the bus though. Belgian trams and subways are top tier, just ask Paris (we built theirs). Avoid trains around rush hour (8AM, 4PM) but otherwise acceptable, unless there's a strike (check the news). A great way to explore the city is by tram. Lots of cosy neighbourhoods with their own vibe and affordable, no-nonsense pubs and restaurants.
>Hazardous diversity
Molenbeek, Anderlecht (you might want to visit brewery Cantillon in Anderlecht though, they're famous for good reason). Anywhere else it's very chill with the usual caveats: poor buildings, lots of litter and/or graffiti = turn around immediately. Police clean up and the problems just move. Sometimes the area around Brussels South train station is tons of fun (lots of Congolese, weekly exotic market, very social), sometimes it's a royal pain like in any decent-size city.

There seems to be a lot of good recommendations for a place that's so much worse than Ghent. I'm sure it's great there too but I think I'll have plenty to do for a few days in Brussels.

>>2827793
Lots of cool stuff here man.
I am a big fan of all the old art and that cloister looks cool.
>Be really careful around the South station
I assume I'll be fine in the day time though. Not planning to be aggro or stupid or anything. Just walking straight to the city centre.

>>2827796
Thanks for this too. I will look in to this place.

>>2827822
Is this one of those things you have to book in advance? Or can you just hop on?

>>2827864
Thanks for this
>Bozar
OP gun in Fallout 2. Based.
That tip about chocolate will be appreciated by some of my party.
>Look for Gueuze on the beer list (Boon, Oud Beersel, Tilquin, De Cam, Cantillon), even if you don't like sour beer.
Yes sir. I don't usually drink sours but if it's the thing to do there I'll certainly give it a go.
> "In 't Spinnekopke", Villa Lorraine, Comme Chez Soi, Bozar restaurant, La Paix. If you're mad about beer check out "In De Verzekering Tegen De Grote Dorst" near Brussels, one of the best pubs in the world.
Thanks

>Don't take the bus though. Belgian trams and subways are top tier
So which is better from Chareleroi to Brussels?
I'm not travelling particularly heavy. Not in a crazy rush, but not necessarily looking for just the cheapest thing either.

OP here
Giving my thread a lil' bump.
Thanks again for the cultural recommendations. We have plenty now and basically this thread will determine our itinerary in the daytime.
As for the night time... any late October midweek binge drinking options in central Brussels?

>>2828964
The center of Brussels is full of places to drink, just pick one. You can go to Sainte Catherine, rue Quai aux Briques, there are dozens of bars.

>>2823627
depends if you show up or not