1. Brussels is The Capital of Belgium
It is also the Head Quarters of the European Union and referred to as the capital of Europe.
2. Best time to visit:
In terms of weather, May to September is your best time (late Spring, early Autumn), but it is still fairly cool and you should expect rain at any time.
3. The weather is Wet
Don’t forget your umbrella when visiting Brussels. It doesn’t matter the season, there will very likely be rain.
4. Public Transport.
There are trains, busses and taxis. You can purchase tickets at GO machines found at metro stations or at the largest bus/tram stops, but good luck figuring out how to operate them when you do not understand French. There is an option to select English, but it is not a straight-forward – ah there is the correct button scenario. Best bet is to buy from the kiosk at the metro station. If you are lucky you may have a person on duty who understands English. Haha, I have to laugh. It was quite an eye-opener how few people spoke or understood English. Google Translate will be your friend in Brussels.
5. Electric
They make use of two-prong plugs.
6. Currency
The currency used is the Euro. Many cafe’s, stalls or pop-ups prefer cash, especially when buying street food. Restaurants don’t accept tips by credit card. So tipping is appreciated in cash.
7. Traffic rules
Drivers do what they want, so look carefully when walking. I had a friend come to Brussels from another part of Belgium and we drove around the narrow roads forever trying to find a parking space. You pay your parking ticket via a parking box on the street … via your phone. I thought that was quite cool. If you realise you will be longer than anticipated, you can juts extend your ticket via your phone!
8. Sightseeing
There is the Hop-on Hop-off bus, which remains a favorite for me because as long as you know where all the stops are, you can hop-off spend time somewhere you like, and hop-on again on the next bus in 15 minutes. Or like me, walk off, end up at another hop-on location, and continue the tour. They supply headphones on the buses and you have a selection of languages to chose from, including English! Just don’t expect that the driver understands English…
I do recommend not staying on the bus. Stay on foot as much as possible because many sights are hidden away and can only be accessed via alleyways.
Another option is a guided tour.
Worthwhile getting is the Brussels Card that allow free access to some museums and monuments, and discounts for certain guides and stores/restaurants/bars.