This is the best video of Brussels I've ever seen, I need to go there now, even if just to stay at the same hotel and steal the picture off the wall at 2:44 - I need that in my office. Fantastic Scott!
The Manneken Pis was actually used in a Ryanair Advertising some 20 years ago and they got sued by then Belgian flag carrier Sabena for defamation as the ad stated: pissed off with Sabena's high fares? Low fares have arrived in Belgium
My first holiday abroad was to Brussels and I was there when the Grande Place had that amazing floral carpet - very elaborate and beautiful. The decor in the Hotel Mozart is bizarrely ornate - thankfully your bedroom walls are plain! When I heard the trickling water in the little garden area, I would not have been surprised to see a little Mannikin Pis somewhere. Brussels is an interesting city and the Eddy Merckx info and bike was amazing. Love the waffles, they looked so inviting. Thank you for taking me down "memory lane" on this one.
Hi Scott. I went to Belgium last October and stayed in Brussels for 4 nights as it was conveniently located in the centre of the country. The time I spent in Brussels I really enjoyed quite underrated city in my opinion. Also spent a day in Bruges which is beautiful and clean as well as visiting a friend in the countryside between Brussels and Antwerp
Thanks Scott, loved the video. And love Brussels. It’s especially fantastic on Belgian National Day, the atmosphere in the Parc de Bruxelles is incredible. I also love the character and cobbled streets. Thanks mate, Tim
I don't think Brussels is boring at all. It is just not a very big city, but there is certainly much more going on than in other cities of the same size.
You have to move out of the centre to see some of its main attractions such as the Atomium and the Parc du Centenaire with its museums. Many tourists don't get that far.
Yes, Scott, the potatoes are "Frenched" (a.k.a. "French cut") and then deep fried. Here in the states, potatoes prepared in this fashion have been simply called and listed on menus as "fries" for decades.
Crazy Brussels? I'll take it. That's pretty much the vibe we go for. I am still surprised by Hotel Mozart, although i can totally see it now. Would I have a Manneken Pis in my garden? Well, I don't have a garden, but funnily enough, my grandparents had a garden, with a Manneken Pis in action, clipped by my own grandmother in Buxus. She also has an entire zoo in Buxus after she got tired of the pyramids and spheres. Next time you're in Brussels, you can give me a shout, I live there and work just where you finished your video. And yes, I have eaten in the same snackbar you've eaten, there's definitely worse.
another good video from yourself, in scotland youd be be lucky if that bike would last 10 mins lol , especially glasgow! but then again my town of falkirk not much better, just taking notes from your video, im off there at the end of the year and thanks to you my friend, got moere ideas of places to go. keep up the good work
Scott thanks for bringing back lovely memories with my late mum when we visited Brussels (and beyond). Didn’t stay too far away from the Atomium & the King Baudouin Stadium which made it interesting
I was last there in 2018 and spent a few days. Among the things I did were seeing the Mannikin Pis, the Grand Palas, the Museum of Fine Arts (spent about 4+ hours there - an excellent collection of art from ancient to modern), a beer hall and took a tour of the EU Parliament (I am into government and politics). Food: Frits (done the right way - you don't even need ketchup or mayo), waffles with chocolate and whipped cream, mussels done in wine, and beer in a range of varieties of tastes and styles. I stayed near the Gare de Midi train station. Not the best neighborhood but the hotel I stayed in was fine.
I did Brussels on a day trip from London about 2-3 weeks after Eurostar started running from STP. I enjoyed Atomium and the weird tram-metro hybrid that the Belgians seem to perfect
I never understood the hate for Brussels - I love it, though my partner being Belgian probably helps. If you didn't come across it, I'd recommend sampling some cuberdon next time, they're a soft-but-slightly hard sweet candy. Thanks for all the great uploads over the years 🙌
@@BoskiM It´s my city. I don´t know, Brussels is definitely more busy, more touristy, more international. Almost exactly double in size. Antwerp is a bit more authentic than the very touristic Brussels centre I´d say.
Interesting and thanks for the video. I've only been to the city for work and found it a bit soulless....but then again it is when you arrive, go to hotel, go to work, go home!
remember seeing the statue when i visited Belgium back in 2019. i was shocked. 4:28. watching your video really wanna go back to Belgium for sure one day.
Great video. I went exploring the side streets when I was there and came across the female version of the Manneken Pis, the Jeanneke Pis at the end of a cul-de-sac. It's a squatting girl. It wasn't working I was there and was shut behind two metal gates.
Have to return. The food - moules frite, soup de poisson, steak au poivre vert (mussels with chips, fish soup, steak in a green pepper sauce) and the beers, from Duvel to sweet raspberry beers
I’ve been twice this year! You missed the Berlin Wall at the EU Parliament! Also Fritland does a plate of fries with dip for €4. Great value street food
To reach the Eddy Merckx metro station you have to take the east-west running line 5 direction Erasmus / Erasme. Eddy Merckx is the last station but one. You are here in Anderlecht, at the very outskirts of Brussels. Nearby "attractions" are the Cora hypermarket and the large Vogelzang (Birdsong) cemetery. Erasmus was a philosopher who lived in Anderlecht for a while (1521) and they named the university hospital at the last stop of this line after him. From that hospital you can see the aforementioned cemetery.
We stayed in Brussels last Tuesday to Saturday in the Appart'City Confort Bruxelles Centre Gare du Midi. The interior was amazing but the surrounds outside was not the greatest. We went to the Grand Place, EU museum and Parc De Brussels.
The last time I was at Brussels Midi Station in 2018, I was about to get the Eurostar back to London. I was in the queue in a chocolate shop to buy some gifts to bring home and there was another British chap at the till in front of me. He was about pay and put his hand in his jacket for his wallet only to find it was missing. It had been pickpocketed. Beware!
If you go for chocolate go to La Belgique Gourmande or Neuhaus. Yeah, a bit more expensive but the chocolate is fanatastic. For dinner try Chez Leon (traditional Belgian food) or Ballekes (They serve meatballs but so good) but also go to Antwerp, Ghent, Namur or Ypres. There is so much more than Bruxelles alone.
You don't have to run so far, west and south of Brussels are the "Pajottenland" and "Zenne & Zoniën" regions ,both known for their Gueuze, Lambic and Kriek beers from about 5 breweries. You also have 2 castles to visit, each quite different, Gaasbeek and Beersel.
That hotell has an identity crisis. Bit strange to find a hotell themed like that in Brussels, and has a name like Mozart hotell, and not be themed after the man himself. I would say another must to get is some of the superb abbey ales they have there. They are so so good and well worth a try. Try the likes of Chimay or Westmalle, thank me later.
British troops pinched the statue in 1815 ( well they would wouldn't they ) just before the battle of Waterloo , caused a bit of an international incident
i spent a wek in Brussels on a video project, not s good week for me with an allegy to lactose (no choclate etc), and no alcohol. there wasn't not at a lot else to eat/drink there
Manneke Pis doesn't stand alone in Brussels, as most think. There is one in the city of Geraardsbergen. There is still a discussion between Brussels and Geraardsbergen of which of the 2 Manneke is the oldest. Concerning French Fries, since 2017, French Fries no longer exists ... they are called Belgian Fries as the process of making them is recognized by the UNESCO as a cultural heritage of Belgium.
Sorry scott but your twitter page cannot be found when it says term you searched for cant be found where have i gone wrong and why wqs the mozart hotel very dark
Another lovely and informative video, Scott. I noticed your wristwatch near the end and was wondering if it is a Swiss Railways watch? I was actually looking to buy a DB railways watch and do not know where to obtain one. Thank you.😊
Yes, the European Parliament, 4 years ago there was a certain flag of the UK it was I believe, now they had chosen something like called "Brexit" I believe it was. They seem to regret that decision now. Knowing what they know now, but didn't realise back then what would be the consequences.
Don't blame the OP only. RU-vid tries to push us to buy paid advert-free subscriptions by making these advert interruptions as obnoxious as possible. From 1 advert we went to 2 adverts. From skippable adverts we went to non-skippable ones. Almost every time you skip a part you get an advert now.
Thanks for visiting Brussels. Nice presentation! A shabby hotel is to be expected. At least you were in the 'Gyros street' :D That's a place of which I have many memories. Waffles are mostly a tourist thing and the waffles with the crazy toppings definitely are. The Liège waffles are no doubt the best. I went to the atomium many times, but never went in it. It is kind of pricy for some reason. You should have climbed to the top of the very impressive Koekelberg basilica. I really dislike the 'European area' in Brussels. It is a total bubble that functions like an island in Brussels and Belgium. It has nothing to do with the real Brussels. For the fries you went to a Turkish snack place. Real Belgian fries can be ffound in friteries/frituurs. Fries there are different from the Turkish snack, much better, backed the right way. Shame you missed that.
When he said he was going somewhere controversial, I thought he'd find something like a statue of King Leopold (if any survive). Is the EU parliament considered controversial?
Scott, thanks for taking me back to Brussels. Can't help but feeling that you missed so much. The building at the bottom of thr Grand Place where the architect committed suicide by jumping off of it when he saw that it wasn't built symmetrical. The pub just off the Grand Place that would have put Hotel Mozart to shame as it is in the style of a Funeral Parlour - glassed toped coffins for tables and beer drunk from skulls. The bronze casting in the Grand Place which you rub so that you can come back. A walk up the rue du Boucher (Steenhouer Straat) at he side of the Grand Place and all of the sea food restaurants and their displays. When you were at the Atomium (I've had dinner at the top) mentioning the Hysel stadium and the disaster. Methinks that another visit to Brussels is required. Keep up the good work.
The town hall was built in stages and when they built the last part they knew it couldn't be symmetrical with the rest. But if you want a real horror story read what happened to 't Serclaes. You'll find the statue in a side street of the Grand Place.
My problem is my girlfriend, who liked mussels so much, has become allergic to seafood, in particular crusteceans. So, out of solidarity I don't eat mussels either when I am dining with her.
The most overrated city in Europe? 100%! I feel for the poor couples who don't know much about it and book a long weekend break in this hole because they think of it as the capital of Europe! However, the Paris- Brussels Thalys in 1st Class at 300kmh. A real treat
Not a chance for any "soon", unfortunately. Scotland would first have to become an independent country, then it would have to meet the Kopenhagen Criteria.
