Belgium – Brussels and Bruge on film
Beautiful Brussels! While traveling to Malta to visit friends, I found myself with a layover in Brussels. I had never been before so I decided to alter my plane ticket to allow for an extended 72 hour stopover. There’s nothing I love more than exploring a new-to-me place and Belgium did not disappoint.
Some of my favorites:
Grand Place – This UNESCO world heritage site and the central square of Brussels is impossible to miss and should be one of your first stops in this sparkling city. The architecture is breathtaking and it’s the perfect spot to grab a snack and people watch. Go at daybreak and you’ll find it practically empty, or grab a beer and visit at night for a lively atmosphere. Actually, it’s gorgeous at all times of day.
Palace of Justice – The architect in me was geeking out over this impressive neoclassical masterpiece, which was the largest building in the world at the time it was built. I simply went to wander in the lobby and common areas of this courthouse, taking pics along the way and admiring the massive statues and marble staircases.
Royal Saint Hubert Galleries – The most beautiful shopping galleries you’ve ever seen! Though I wasn’t keen to buy chocolates at the touristy shops, I loved browsing and trying samples, and there were plenty of places to shop, snack, or enjoy full on meals.
Eat waffles – Belgium is famous for their waffles, of which there are two varieties; Brussels or liege. Brussels waffles are softer and lighter, usually uniform rectangles, while liege are denser, richer and sweeter, with pearls of sugar inside which caramelize during cooking, giving the waffles a crispier and crunchier exterior. “Pearls of sugar” was all I needed to hear, and I opted for the liege style. I was unexpectedly blown away by the ones I had at Maison Dandoy.
Eat frites – Another of Belgium’s popular foods; deep fried potatoes, aka fries! Served in paper cones, usually with a fork and a variety of sauces, this is perhaps the countries most popular street food. After lots of research and deliberation as to the (much debated) best spot in Brussels, I decided to try Maison Antoine. I waited in long line at this outdoor food stand, with both locals and tourists alike. The fries were good, but I wouldn’t say they’re great. Take this with a grain of salt, because I wouldn’t label myself picky about fries and I have difficulty envisioning any fries being overly excellent or terrible. (And now I’m realizing I spent way too much time researching the best spot in Brussels lol.) The really showstopper at Maison Antoine was their extensive menu of sauces – I’m talking dozens of options – to accompany your golden fries. I’m a sauce girl, and had a difficult time choosing a reasonable amount of options (I settled on three). After getting my fries, I ate them in the beautiful square and people watched, so the overall experience was lovely.
La Buvette – Given my short stay, I knew I wouldn’t have time to try many restaurants in Brussels, so I did my research and came across this little neighborhood gem. I was drawn in by the very affordable tasting menu (45€ at the time of my visit in October 2022). I ended up adding a few courses, including fromage and dessert. With that and cocktails and wine, my 9 course meal was still under 100 euros. Quite the steal for truly artful food and presentation. 10/10 recommend. Gramm was another spot high on my list, but unfortunately I didn’t make it there.
Day trip to Bruge – as beautiful as Brussels is, Bruge is even more gorgeous, much smaller and more quaint, and admittedly more “touristy” too. But that won’t stop me from adoring this picturesque city. It was a quick train ride from Brussels and easy to navigate from the central stations in each city. I spent a day exploring Brugge on foot. Every street is magical with canals running through the city – I found myself wandering aimlessly and snapping photos. I had lunch at Michelin starred Zet’joe (interior felt dated, but food was fabulous!), did some shopping, then did a brewery tour and beer tasting at De Halve Maan. Belgium is of course famous for their beers, but I chose this brewery for a tour, admittedly because it included a climb to the rooftop of their facilities, with views of the entire city. The tour was great and I loved trying their beers too.
Below is a collection of the film photos I captured in Brussels and Bruge (with some iPhone snaps mixed in). I experimented with film on this trip, opting for lots of black and white, and the color film is different stocks of lomography film. I’m not sure I love the colors (or lack thereof), but it’s always fun to try something new for my personal work.
Did you enjoy this Belgium travel guide? Click here to see my other guides!
