This little boy of only 50 centimeters is undoubtedly the maximum icon of the city of Brussels. This statue was created in 1388, but its real inspiration is wrapped in a lot of myths and legends. Perhaps the most peculiar thing about this statue is not that it is inspired by a child urinating in a fountain, but that it officially has a lot of different costumes, which are changing season by season. A tradition that grew over time and today wears more than 1,000 costumes and there is even one person who is dedicated only to change the Manneken Pis dress. In Brussels there are also the statues of Jeanneke Pis and Zinneke Pis. The first is a urinated girl and the other the same but from the hand of a dog.
In the beautiful Old England building constructed of forged steel and glass, there is the museum of musical instruments, one of the most curious and charming in all of Brussels. As the name implies, this is a museum dedicated exclusively to instruments of all kinds, from all countries and from all eras. In total, the museum has a collection of almost 8,000 different instruments, of which 1500 are displayed here. Also on the terrace of the building there is a restaurant where you can make a brunch with incredible views of the entire Belgian capital.
Is there anything more Belgian than this combination? Belgian beers are one of the best in the world and there is a huge amount of them. One fact … each brand of beer is served in a different glass, and you should never get confused! When the chocolate arrived from the new continent the Belgians adopted it as their own and in a short time they became chocolatiers, something that is seen in the specialized stores of the center. Finally, French fries are undoubtedly the maximum gastronomic icon of all Belgium, a simple but certainly delicious dish that always makes us want to try again!
With 102 meters high, this sculpture-museum is one of those places that you undoubtedly have to visit on your trip to Brussels. The Atomium was built in 1958 and represents the atom of an iron crystal but expanded about 165,000,000 times. Six of its nine 18 meter diameter spheres are connected with escalators and can be visited, each one is dedicated to a specific topic, from the city’s history to scientific dissemination. In its highest sphere there is also a restaurant with a viewpoint, which offers wonderful views of the city and the park that surrounds the Atomium.
Created under the impulse of King Leopold II, this museum initially dedicated to exposing the treasures of the Belgian African colonies in 1897, was converted a few years ago to show us the other side of that colonialism. An ideal museum for travelers, where we will learn about the cultures of Central Africa, the geography and zoology of this rich continent. The museum’s collection consists of a large number of maps, minerals, animal species and ethnographic objects, which allow us to travel throughout Africa without leaving the museum’s rooms.
Just 100 kilometers from the center of Brussels is the magical town of Bruges. A place that seems stopped in time, where its old medieval houses are combined with cobbled streets and canals with waterways. Its historic center was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco and is one of the best preserved in all of northern Europe, in addition to one of the most beautiful of course! While you can go and stay for a night, if you don’t have too much time on your trip you can go and return in the day from Brussels, having all day to explore and returning at dusk.
