Full of contrasts,
contradictions and intrigue, this is a multicultural equation that goes
much deeper than just red tape and Eurocrats. An historic heirloom is
closer to the mark. And in an age where so much is already
discovered, Belgium’s capital seduces as one of Western Europe’s
unknowns.
Brussels is a city of fine food, café culture,
Art Nouveau architecture and the surreal. Pull up a chair and join
laissez-faire locals who value the city’s casual atmosphere. Watch money
go down on swish Ave Louise or buy dried caterpillars just blocks away
in Matonge, the capital’s African quarter. Some of the world’s most
enduring images of surrealist art were created in the nondescript
northern suburb of Jette. And the architecture ranges from monumental
edifices such as the Grand Place to organic Art Nouveau façades and the
EU’s real-life Gotham City.
Constant among all
this is the quality of everyday life – the shopping’s great, the
restaurants fab, the chocolate shops sublime and the pub scene
extraordinary. For a long time Brussels didn’t go out of its way to
impress, but its stint as Cultural Capital of Europe in 2000 saw the
city dusted and polished in a flurry that brought renewed life to
historic buildings and decaying streets. A new spirit, just short of
cockiness, emerged, flaming outside interest and inner-city
regeneration. Nearly a decade on, Brussels is looking better than ever.
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