Photo courtesy of Instagram

On this week’s Bachelorette, Andi brought the guys to Brussels to help figure out whom she would be choosing for the Hometown date.  And today, the U.S. National Soccer Team goes up against the Belgian National Squad in the Knockout round of the World Cup.  All of a sudden, Belgium is everywhere!  Most of us know of Belgium’s waffles, beer, and maybe even their French fries, but little else.  So let’s go!

Getting There

Brussels Airport is in the top 25 airports in Europe and sees almost 20 million passengers per year.  Every major carrier flies here as well as most cargo air for the country as well.  Trains and busses run from the airport to the city center and are affordable and clean.

Lodging

Although we would like to be like our Bachelorette Andi, and stay at a swanky, five-star hotel, there are plenty of options to choose from. (And hopefully none of them will just hand a stranger your room key like they did for Nick in last night’s Bachelorette).  The Sercotel Izan Avenue Louise is a huge deal at about $62 a night with modern, sheik, and casual accommodations.  If you do want to stay five-star, the Rue de L’amigo and the Sofitel Brussels Europe would be excellent choices with all of the amenities fit for a head of state visit.  (Which by the way, happens often and drives prices up, so research accordingly.)

Food and Beverage

So we have to have mussels in Brussles.  That is what the Belgians are known for.  Chez Leon is probably the most well known and have been doing it since 1893.  They go through about a half a ton of mussels a day and even brew their own beer.  French fries are debated to have come from Belgium originally and who am I to argue?  They have “fritkots” or essentially French Fry Stands everywhere.  If you go to Brussels, you are eating fried food.  There is no getting around it.  You have to some beer while you are there and the Brouwerij Drie Fonteinen aka “Three Fountains Brewery” is a great place to stop.  They have a bottle shop so you can take some back to the hotel room or later while you are recovering from your fry-coma.

Things to Do

Castles, monasteries and countrysides, oh my!  There is so much to see in Brussels, which is good because you need a way to walk off those French Fries.  You have to see the Grand Place – the central square and probably the one of the most beautiful squares in Europe.  The Town/City Hall of Brussels which sits on the plaza is a selfie-must.  The MIM or Musical Instruments Museum also always gets high marks.  Personally, I would check out the Comic Book Route, with over 40 murals in the downtown area alone of famous Begium Comic Book/Strip Characters.  Tin-Tin and the Smurfs make this trip worth it alone!

So let me get this straight: Mussels, Fries, Beer, and the Smurfs all in the same place?  No wonder the Bachelorette is falling in love!  I may be, too but I am still pulling for the USA in the World Cup!