Travelling to Brussels

[Hellion]

Me and some friends have arranged to go to the Graspop Metal Festival in Belgium this summer, and we'll also be staying for 2-3 days in Brussels, in a hostel very close to the city's historical center.

Thus, I was wondering if someone who is from there or has been there recently has any particular places to recommend. Sights (besides the Atomium and the other obvious choices), restaurants...and I'm particularly interested in any nightlife possibilities as well, since for some reason the only thing online Brussels guides seem to recommend is a, apparently rather famous, gay bar.

 

[Sander]

Spend every evening drinking delicious Belgian beers. And not pilseners, the good ones.

Any of the Trappist beers should be good. And the Geuze Boon beers (not the fruity Kriek ones, the sour manly ones).

Also, have fun watching Iced Earth. Probably the only interesting band on the line-up this year.

 

[SuAside]

Graspop is pure fun, although kinda limited. i tend to go every year or two.

as for sights in Brussels? hmz, i really don't know.

but Use-It usually has most interesting spots down:
http://www.use-it.be/en/page/11/brussels/
especially their guides are interesting: http://www.use-it.be/_files/inlineuploads/pages/MAP_O_Brussels.pdf


as for the beers, hell yes. don't waste between 1.3 and 2 euros on a fucking 25cl pilsner, while you can have incredibly good strong 33cl beers between 3 and 4 euros.
i recommend Duvel as a 'normal' drink, 'Karmeliet Tripel' as a good representative of belgian tripels and "Chimay" Bleu as a nice strong and slow drinker.
apart from that, nearly all real 'trappist' beers are pretty damn good.

 

[JR Jansen]

AH Graspop. I can usually enjoy the music without even going to the festival (although since i moved a few km further away not so much these days). It's usually a good festival. I haven't seen the card this year because i'm unable to attend anyway but i agree with my brother that it is time they invited somebody else then Iron maiden.

 

[Mord_Sith]

Damn all you europeans getting all the metal, I'm stuck with goddamn pop-rock here...

Ah well there's always internet radio...

 

[Deleted member 53669]

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=ip_C-eP-ILA[/youtube]

 

[verwandlung]

Some of my favorite bars in Brussels:

L'archiduc, world famous art-deco Jazz bar

http://www.archiduc.net/
http://www.worldsbestbars.com/city/brussels/archiduc-brussels.htm

Delirium cafe, bar with a huge collection of beers... (over 2000) or Florisbar across the street if you prefer stronger drinks.

http://www.deliriumcafe.be/

http://www.floris-bar.be/


You should also visit some museums of course.

The music instruments museum (build by Victor Horta)

http://www.mim.fgov.be/

The royal museum of fine arts

http://www.fine-arts-museum.be/

The museum of military history

http://www.klm-mra.be/

Or one of many others:

http://www.brusselsmuseums.be/en/home/index.php

 

[SuAside]

*snip*

that's not really up to date, ye know.

belgians are allowed to own 5 grams of Cannabis at a time. (and own 1 plant, which obviously wouldn't be enough to support a habbit, but still)

cant smoke it around minors though and you'll still be arrested if you cause trouble, obviously.

 

[JR Jansen]

*snip*

that's not really up to date, ye know.

belgians are allowed to own 5 grams of Cannabis at a time. (and own 1 plant, which obviously wouldn't be enough to support a habbit, but still)

cant smoke it around minors though and you'll still be arrested if you cause trouble, obviously.

Can't smoke it in public either, not even when you're alone. You have to smoke it in private quarters without any minors. So if you are on a festival and smoke a J in your tent, you are breaking the law but if you smoke it in your house without any minors present, you're not.

 

[SuAside]

Can't smoke it in public either, not even when you're alone. You have to smoke it in private quarters without any minors. So if you are on a festival and smoke a J in your tent, you are breaking the law but if you smoke it in your house without any minors present, you're not.

semantics.

anywhere "outside" a kid could see you. thus illegal.
a camping of a festival is a public place, so yet again, illegal.

that said, you wont find any cop that'll arrest you for smoking a joint in your damn tent.
hell, no cop is stupid enough to try and arrest anyone smoking weed at a grownup festival like Graspop either.