Press Club Brussels Europe #WeLoveBrussels | Page 7

Chocolate! I am not talking here about the usual chocolate bars or other industrial cocoa products; rather, I
am thinking of a top quality artisan chocolate. Some of
the most famous chocolate-makers, whose stores any
chocolate-lover should visit are Jean-Philippe Darcis,
Pierre Marcolini, Laurent Gerbaud, Passion Chocolat.
Since I am totally into dark chocolate, I recommend a
flower-inspired Coquelicot (poppy seed) praline from
Darcis and Biscuit Praline, dark chocolate from Passion
Chocolat. Both shops are in Sablon area.
Frites, waffles, beer! You cannot love a city if it
doesn’t offer a good food. So, apart from chocolates
Brussels is famous for frites, waffles and beers. Yes,
there are a lot excellent Belgian dishes that you
can try in the restaurants, but I always highlight
the food icons of this city: excellent frites on every
corner, colorful waffle stands and trucks, and amazing selection of craft beers in authentic pubs and
local bars. Even for a strict wine drinker, Belgian
beer culture is inviting. I strongly believe that not
trying some great beers from both well-known
producers and small breweries would be a mistake.
Consequently, I often meet expats who became
beer-aficionados after moving to the Belgian capital.
Big city, small town. Coming originally from a small
town and a rather small country, moving to Brussels
was really a great step. Living in a big, global city
offers endless possibilities and one can indulge in
many social and cultural activities. Brussels can
never get boring. Luckily, it also has a feel of a small
town; for those who love walking, biking or using
public transport, it is pretty easy to get by.
Location – a real European hub. One of the great
advantages of Brussels is its super-cool location.
Visiting neighboring cities of Antwerp, Ghent or
Bruges is easy. The city also has excellent train

connections to all major European regions. But for
those of us who live in Brussels it really feels good to
know that we can hop on one of many daily trains
any time and just visit Paris, Amsterdam, Cologne
or Maastricht for a day or a weekend.
Brussels Canal Zone. What fascinates me the most
about this area is its transformation and diversity. Canal
Zone is still a home to some of the less advantaged social
groups but major urban projects are changing it into
one of the most dynamic areas of the city. Examples
of post-industrial regeneration are everywhere and
it is a place where visions for future renewal can be
turned into reality. It is worth mentioning that a new
Millennium Iconoclast Museum of Art - MIMA opened
recently in this area and many other artistic projects are
fostering open, dynamic, innovative and creative urban
environment. All these developments will surely attract
more creative people, businesses and capital to move
into the canal district. It’s certainly an area to watch
and a place to visit for anyone who is into urban trends.
Comics and murals. If there is one thing, which
makes Brussels interesting and unique, it is the presence of comics all around the city. It is incredibly
amusing to walk in the city and encounter beautiful
murals with famous characters such as Tintin, Spirou,
Smurfs or Lucky Luke and the Daltons. These kinds
of wall paintings create a pleasant atmosphere and a
whole ‘Comic Strip Route’ with more than 50 murals
has been created. It is important to understand that
comics are important part of the Belgian culture.
Brussels has many small shops and bookstores offering wide range of comic strips, engravings and lithographs, miniatures and other items for the passionate
collectors. Anyone who is into comics should visit
Comics Art Museum, not just because of the comics
art but also because of the exceptional beauty of its
Art Nouveau building, designed by Victor Horta. n

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