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Brussels

Sights

Arc de Triomphe

The Arc de Triomphe is situated in parc du Cinquantenaire and dominates the view from both rue de la Loi and avenue de Tervuren.

Parc du Cinquantenaire, 1000 Brussels

Métro Mérode

Atomium

Originally built for the 1958 World Fair, the Atomium is Brussels' equivalent of the Eiffel Tower, except it is located in the suburbs and isn't as famous. You get a great view from the top of this 102 metre tall steel and aluminium model of the nine atoms in a molecule.

Boulevard du Centenaire, 1020 Brussels

Métro Heysel

Website www.atomium.be

Admission €6

Open Apr-Aug 9am-8pm daily; Sep-Mar 10am-6pm daily

Closed until January 2006

Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinée

The Belgian Comic Strip Centre is housed in an art nouveau building designed by Victor Horta and contains original art from the great Belgian comics, including Tin Tin, Lucky Luke, Spirou, the Smurfs and Gaston Lagaffe.

20, rue des Sables, 1000 Brussels

Métro Botanique, De Brouckère, Rogier

Tel (02) 219 1980

Website www.cbbd.be

Admission €5

Open Tue-Sun 10am-6pm

Grand Place/Grote Markt

Described by Victor Hugo as the most beautiful square in Europe, the Grand Place (Grote Markt in Flemmish) is the heart of Brussels. The square contains a number of impressive baroque and gothic buildings including the Hôtel de Ville (town hall). Every night between May and September there is a free sound and light show.

Grand Place, 1000 Brussels

Métro Bourse, Gare Centrale

Hôtel de Ville

This gothic masterpiece began construction in 1402 and was the only building to survive the 1695 bombardment during the French occupation of Brussels. Nowadays there are guided tours which take you into the art-adorned rooms inside the town hall.

Grand Place, 1000 Brussels

Métro Bourse, Gare Centrale

Guided tours Apr-Sep Tue 11.30am & 3.15pm, Wed 3.15pm, Sun 12.15pm; Oct-Mar Tue 11.30am & 3.15pm, Wed 3.15pm

Manneken Pis & Janneken Pis

This tiny statue of a boy taking a leak is one of Brussels most famous landmarks - and one of the most disappointing. The Manneken Pis has numerous legends and a collection of more than 500 costumes which are on display in the Musée de Ville de Bruxelles. In 1985 the Manneken Pis got a female counterpart known as Janneken Pis which is located nearby. This squatting and slightly vulgar statue has failed to inspire civic pride in the same manner as the Manneken Pis.

Manneken Pis corner of rue de l'Etuve & rue du Chêne, 1000 Brussels

Métro Bourse, Gare Central

Janneken Pis Impasse de la Fidelité, 1000 Brussels

Métro Bourse, De Brouckère

Mini-Europe

A touristy and kitsch collection on replicas of European landmarks spread over 2½ hectares.

20, boulevard du Centenaire, 1020 Brussels

Métro Heysel

Website www.minieurope.com

Admission €11.80

Open 23 Mar-30 Jun 9.30am-5pm; Jul-Aug 9.30am-7pm; Sep 9.30am-5pm; 1 Oct-5 Jan 10am-5pm

Musée de l'Art Anciene

This art museum contains a diverse range of art with an emphasis on the Dutch and Flemish masters.

3, rue de Régence, 1000 Brussels

Métro Gare Centrale Bus 27, 38, 60, 71, 95, 96 Tram 92, 93, 94

Tel (02) 508 3211

Website www.fine-arts-museum.be

Admission €5

Open Tue-Sun 10am-5pm

Musée de l'Art Moderne

This art museum concentrates on Belgian art from the 20th century including the surrealists René Magritte and Paul Dalvaux.

1-2, place Royale, 1000 Brussels

Métro Gare Centrale, Parc Bus 20, 38, 60, 71, 95, 96 Tram 92, 93, 94

Tel (02) 508 3211

Website www.fine-arts-museum.be

Admission €5

Open Tue-Sun 10am-5pm

Musée Bruxellois de la Gueuze

This museum includes a brewery tour which allows you to taste the uniquely Belgian gueuze and lambic beer.

56, rue Gheude, 1070 Brussels

Métro Gare du Midi Bus 20, 47 Tram 18, 52, 55, 56, 81, 82

Tel (02) 521 4928

Website www.cantillon.be

Admission €3.50

Open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 9am-5pm

Musée de la Ville de Bruxelles

The city museum is located in the King's House on the Grand Place. this is a good place to get a good overview of Brussels. The exibits include the entire wardrobe of over 500 costumes designed for the Manneken Pis.

Grand Place, 1000 Brussels

Métro Bourse, De Brouckère, Gare Centrale Bus 34, 48, 95, 96 Tram 3, 52, 55, 56, 81

Tel (02) 279 4350

Admission €3

Open 10am-5pm daily

Palais de Justice

This huge building dominates the Galenburg hill and features an equally impressive interior. You get a great view of the city from the terrace.

Place Poelaert, 1000 Brussels

Métro Louise

Admission free

Open Aug-Sep Mon-Sat 9.30am-noon & 1.30pm-3pm

Palais Royal

The official residence of the Belgian royal family is an imposing building where you can watch the changing of the guard daily at 2.30pm.

Place des Palais, 1000 Brussels

Métro Parc

Admission free

Open 25 Jul-8 Sep Tue-Sun 10.30am-4.30pm

René Magritte Museum

This museum is based in the house where René Margritte lived from 1930 to 1954. The museum contains many of the Belgian surealist's possessions including his famous pipe plus a collection of his drawings and paintings.

135, rue Esseghem, 1090 Jette

Metro Belgica Bus 49 Tram 18, 19, 81, 94

Tel (02) 428 2626

Website www.magrittemuseum.be

Admission €6

Open Wed-Sun 10am-6pm

Royal Museum for Central Africa

Established in 1897 by King Léopold II as an exhibition of the Belgian colonies in the Congo. Often referred to by its Flemish name, the Museum voor Midden-Afrika contains a number of exhibits on various aspects of central Africa with particular emphasis on the former Belgian colony of the Congo.

13, chaussée de Louvaine, 3080 Tervuren

Tram 44

Tel (02) 769 5211

Website www.africamuseum.be

Admission €4, €1.50 students

Open Tue-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am-6pm

Walibi Belgium

Before Disneyland opened outside Paris, this was Europe's biggest theme park. There's the usual assortment of roller coasters and other fun rides. The adjoining water park (Aqualibi) has a great set of waterslides.

Located in Warve, take the train from Schuman station to Gare de Bierges

Website www.walibi.be

Admission €28.50

Open May-Sep daily 10am-6pm