Brussels in a Weekend: Top 7 Things to See or Do

Grab a Belgian waffle!

1. First thing to do when you arrive in Brussels: eat a waffle. You’ll notice that there are traveling waffle vans with fresh dough, a delicious crunch, and lines no matter what time of day. In Belgium, the waffle is more than a snack; it is a symbol of their food culture and can be combined in many different ways for any mealtime throughout the day or night. Keep an eye out for a good van or stand and snag one of these delights as soon as you can!

Wander through a local market

2. If you can come on a weekend, you are likely to catch one of the famous markets in the neighborhoods on this vibrant city. My favorite for affordable, antique finds takes place at the Place du Grand Sablon. These antiques have to be at least 30 years old and are on sale on Saturdays between 9 am and 5 pm and Sundays from 9 am to 2 pm. If you’re looking for crafts and art, swing by the Place du Jeu de Balle at the Agora Roundabout on a Thursday between 10 am and 8 pm, or Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to 7 pm.

Visit the church in Place Royale

3. Saint Jacques-sur-Coudenberg is a lovely neoclassical church you can pop into while you’re admiring the views over the entire city from the Place Royale. There used to be a medieval abbey here, but urban planning got the best of it; this architectural wonder was designed and begun in 1775-6 by the renowned Gilles-Barnabé Guimard and Jean-Benoit-Vincent Barré. The best part is catching an organ or choir concert here to fully enjoy the acoustics. Plan on swinging by in the afternoon, though, as it usually doesn’t open until 12 or 1 during the week.

Savor a rooftop café

4. Take the party to rooftop literally with one of Brussels’ many rooftop bars and cafes. My fave? Tour the fantastic MIM (Musical Instruments Museum) and end on the top floor terrace with a stunning view across the realm of Belgiums capital. You can find this museum in a cluster with other great places to visit at the Place Royale (Koningsplein) such as the Magritte Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts just around the corner.

Wave to the Manneken Pis

5. If you’ve ever stumbled upon pictures of Brussels, you’ve likely seen a shot of this little statue peeing either naked or in various costumes. Lovingly referred to by Belgians as Manneken Pis, so easily embodying the rebellious spirit of the city. Supposedly, his wardrobe contains more than 900 different costumes, each one a unique experience. At least this means that your photos will be different from your friends’ when you come home from your adventure. This guy is small and can be hard to miss, so be intentional about your visit to his peeing sir.

Explore the iconic Atomium

6. Atomium is an absolute must visit if you’re in the area, even if you need to jet to the edge of town with the metro to get there. Created as the focal point for the World Fair in 1958, this massive creation seems like a sculpture, but you can actually tour the entire structure because the spheres are open to the public. There is a really fascinating exhibition about the fair itself on two levels, but the other exhibitions offer space to traveling topics of design, art, architecture, culture and science. If you’re up for another stunning view, pop into the Panorama for 360 degree views and an overpriced, but delicious, cocktail.

Shop in awe of the Grand Place

7. Known for the annual flower festival, Brussels (and other Belgium cities) often showcases its love for flowers in a very colorful way. The Grand Place (Grote Markt) is surrounded by stunning facades, gold trim, and proud buildings flanked with cafés. One of the most impressive in this lot is that of the Hotel de Ville or Town Hall (Stadhuis) as it overlooks the square. Swing by here from the 12th to 15th of August in 2016 to see this famous Flower Carpet. Otherwise swing by to see the flower stalls throughout the daytime if you're lucky to catch a market day!

Bon voyage! Questions or ideas? Catch me on Instagram or Twitter @Bethany_wanders

Exploring Tenerife with Rainbows and Tea.

The Abaco House is a renovated
and period decorated Canarian mansion

The rain surprised the thirsty island of Tenerife today, drenching the small group of British travelers on their way to their three course meal in the Canarian-style mansion. Björn and I had the pleasure to accompany the group as I check out the excursions in the TUI collection, focusing on elements of local culture and sustainability. According to the locals here, it only rains in the south of this particular Canary island about 4 times a year, leaving the rest in consistent, delicious sunshine.

To better appreciate the thirsty ground's celebration (and to have something to do since the rest of the trip up the volcano is impossible), we popped into a cafe. Palmelita's came to our rescue with a beautiful view, hot tea and clean, spacious inner and outer seating areas. Their cake and restaurant selections are just what a nice overlook on the sea calls for on a day like this.

The town is noted by Catholics as a place of veneration of the
Virgin of Candelaria, the patron of the Canary Islands

Just across the plaza, the basilica La Candelaria stands in all the glory of its rich past and serene present. Definitely worth the visit to the province of Santa Cruz and this little city of Candelaria, if you're up for an excursion to the north eastern coast.


Although, one of the best parts of the trip happened just as we embarked with a full shuttle and began our ascent along the western coastline; Los Gigantes stood below us with a perfectly-timed rainbow shimmering along its edges. The city is named after these rock formations which shoot out of the water to a height of over 2,600 ft (almost 800 meters), which is fitting as their Spanish name means "The Giants." The ability to explore the coasts and hear stories of the island's past and present definitely made this trip a great addition to the TUI Collection of unique travel experiences. However, I would've much appreciated getting off the shuttle more often to explore on foot, something that would've been possible without the spontaneous showers we incurred.

Exploring London through Lights

January in London doesn't just mean chilly days with history sprawling around you. At night, the city comes alive with sparkle and magic. 

With displays around the the central parts of the city, London hosted an intriguing light festival. Some of these installments could be found around Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Street, but you'd have to do some good, old fashioned exploring to find the others.