Relaxing & parks – All our local tips

The Botanique is the greenest place in the centre of Brussels. A variety of flowers, plants and trees decorate this spacious garden. There is even a little lake and a labyrinth of bushes for you to get quiet and inhale a little piece of paradise.

This small patch of bliss lies between a major four lane traffic road which makes the opposition nature versus construction even more apparent. Still, wandering there makes you forget the stressed out people caught there in traffic. The whole park is built on a steep hill, there are entrances to it at various places.

You’ll see a lot of families having a pick nick on the grass, couples romantically sitting near rose bushes or joggers going up and down the hill. There is even a small herbal patch with some medicinal plants like for instance Echinacea.

When the Botanique was built it was a major scientific research temple with a very large variety of exotic plants, flowers and trees. To acquire money for maintenance they used to sell vegetables and other crops from the garden. At this place they created Belgian endive.

At present times the Botanique serves as a known cultural venue. It has different concert halls, exposition rooms and a museum. There is also a large bar and restaurant with a splendid terrace from where you have an amazing view of the botanical garden. They serve great lunches and dinner. The expositions held there are open from twelve until eight.

Their concert programming is worth checking out and during `Les nuits Botanique’ large crowds gather there to see indoor and outdoor concerts from a large variety of groups.

Unfortunately the park closes at five but the cafe and concerts continue until two or three. In the weekends this place is a good way to spend your night out.

For good photographic expositions and interesting concerts go check it out!

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Botanique | Art & culture, Bars, Music, Relaxing
Entrance Koningsstraat 236 | Center | +3222183732
10:00 – 18:00 daily

Because I live in Ixelles, I don’t often go to Anderlecht. For many people, including myself, it’s too far, too crowded, nothing to see, not hype, not green, etc…

Of course, this is not true and Anderlecht has much more to offer than a famous soccer club or a big university’s hospital!

One day, I was in Anderlecht, walking on the street, visiting a friend. Then my phone rings, and I started a long conversation… so I stayed on the street till the moment I’ll finish it. So here I am, walking and talking at the same time, from a street to another in this unknown neighborhood.

Then, without really realizing, I passed what looked to me a house from the middle ages house, not to say a farm. Still talking on the phone, I entered and discovered a peaceful and magical garden.

It was not long before I decide to stop the conversation in order to make the most of this quiet and unexpected moment….

Where was I? I couldn’t say at first: it sounds to me that I did a travel in the past. In fact I was in the philosophical garden of the Erasmus House.

If you are looking for a quiet and uncrowded easy to reach garden (5 minutes walk from the metro station St Guidon) where you can sometimes have the illusion that you’re alone in the city, pay a visit to this place: you will surely find some kind of serenity….

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Erasmus House | Relaxing | Museum € 1.25
Rue du Chapitre, 31 | The West
Tue – Sun 10:00 – 17:00

Every main city of the world has a river, or a harbour. But Brussels, at first sight looks like a city without water.

But that’s not true.

Once upon a time the river Zenne was crossing the city. By the end of the 19th century it was decided to build boulevards on top of the river, causing it to end up disappearing from the Brusseler’s mind.

Many of the inhabitants of Brussels will only know the Zenne from the signs on the highway. However right in the city center there’s a small hidden corner where you can see a glimpse of it. What you can see there is just the (reconstructed) original bedding of the Senne, but not the Senne itself. You can see it at the Grande écluse building near the Midi station.

This river was never very clean but in the last years effort have been done and now its waters are clear and big fish swim in it.

I like to enter in this small courtyard to get away from the bustling noise of the center, of course before heading to the nearby Place St. Gery for a drink.

Enter through the iron gate and go to the left. Be quiet and respectful, this is a private area which is open to tourist during the day to give us this nice chance to discover a bit more of Brussels.

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La Zenne | Art & culture, Relaxing | Free
Place Saint-Géry 23 | Center
10:00 – 18:00 daily (subjected to changes depending on owners)

All my friends know which is my favourite place in Brussels…the esplanade at the end of the Mont des Arts. In itself is nothing special, but when you arrive there at sunset and it’s a clear sky day, then you will immediately understand why I like it so much.

There’s a nice view of place d’Espagne and the town hall tower. But the colours are the ones striking me. Impossible to describe a sunset, so just take your chance and check out this place!

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Le Monts des Arts | Relaxing | Free
Mont Des Arts 24 | Center
24 hours daily

Going to the hammam is not part of my culture, but I like to explore. So when a friend proposed me to check out the Brussels one, I immediately accepted. Saturday lunch time, lots of women, lots of kids, a smile to welcome you, uhm I like this place.

And here I am, with my ticket for a full hammam: entrance, steam bath, sauna, scrub, black soap, massage. During the minimum 2 hours you stay there, you relax, chat and feel that your skin is getting softer and softer, a nice feeling once you are out back in the chaotic city life.

You can also enjoy some beauty treatments like massage or waxing. As once a friend told me, if you wanna get a good wax, go where you are waxed by hairy women, they know how to do. And it’s true!

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Le Riad | Relaxing | Full hammam treatment € 28.00
Rue Gallait 29 | The North | +322480210
Women: Tue, Thu, Fri & Sun 10:00 – 17:00, Wed & Sat 10:00 – 23:00 Men: Mon 14:00 – 23:00, Tue, Thu, Fri & Sun 18:00 – 23:00

Have you ever dreamed of a place where you can touch everything?

As a kid, when your parents brought you to the museum, did you feel frustrated because they were constantly asking you to not touch anything?

Well, good news: you’re not the only one…

Fortunately enough “our” kids can make this dream come true; this Museum is made for them and they’re allowed (and warmly invited) to touch everything they want and to experiment with everything.

The Musée des Enfants (Kindermuseum) is located in a nice park, it’s a good destination for a sunny/rainy day (you know, it’s so sunny, and as soon as you arrive at the park it’s raining, then you decide to change the plans, and: wow! sunny again).

At the entrance of the Museum, some of the kids were so enthusiastic about it! One told me that he’s constantly harassing his mum to come here (the expression on the mum’s face present at the moment confirmed this), other ones told me that there’s no place on earth, except ‘maybe the beach’ where they can have such a good time.

But, I have to say that all were around 7 to 10 years old. My niece is only 3 years old and yes, she liked it, but I cannot say that she was that enthusiastic.

So I will suggest this place for kids who can already read so they’ll learn a lot (and especially boys).

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Musée des Enfants | Art & culture, Relaxing | Entrance & workshop € 6.85
15, rue du Bourgmestre | Ixelles | +3226400107
Please check the website

It’s quiet, it’s small, it’s hidden in between place Jourdan, the Parliament and rue Belliard. It has a pond, few nice buildings, a long history, a few paths to walk around it, benches to rest and nobody will complain if you lay down with your pic-nic basket (as long as you take your trash home!).

It was created as zoological garden back in 1851, and at that time even giraffes were living there. Now you can see rare trees and animals, students passing by (there’s a high school, a bit falling apart I’ve been told, but it still fascinates me) and the Solvay Library which is now a conference centre.

Up the hill you can play basketball, and in winter I’ve seen the pond completely frozen… poor swans living there!

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Parc Leopold | Relaxing
Rue Belliard 133 | Etterbeek/ Eur.Qt
24 hours daily

I’m always surprised to discover that Brussels has hundreds of small parks, hidden behind buildings, or around the corner of a busy street. Even locals do not know them, as the entrance is often a small door, with an opening timetable posted on it.

The other day I see a gate and a sign “Parc Public, entree libre 9:00 – 18:00″. As a Brussels Spotter I can’t miss out on this! And… a surprise. Nobody around, music coming from a workshop nearby.

Quietness, this is the feeling I got from this Park. You need to think? You need to relax after walking around and shopping in Matonge (see the Matonge article)? This is the place to go!

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Parc Viaduc | Relaxing | Free
Entrance from Rue du Viaduc 131B | Ixelles
09:00 – 18:30 daily

09.32 : Reading the 56 unread emails, set as ‘Urgent’

10.15 : Meeting with X for the file 12345

10.57 : Direct phone call from W asking if I can help

10.57 : Phone call on my cell

10.57 : skype message from Z: “Hi, Yam, are you there? I tried to call you, but your line is busy, how come?”

10.58 : My boss, at the door of my office: “do you have a second?”

11.35 : the end of “the second” with my boss

12.15 : Working progress : 2/20 – Level of stress : 20/20 – Hungryness: 20/20

You got the picture… I need a place calm, quiet, not crowded and beautiful.

I find it at the end of the street where my company is situated. The Park Tournay-Solvay.

Beautiful every day of the year, no matter the weather. Go there. You won’t regret.

PS: If you are a colleague, pretend you never read this article, and, if you ever see me in the park, just act as if you don’t know me…

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Park Tournay-Solvay | Relaxing | Free
201, chaussée de la Hulpe | The South
08:30 – 17:00 daily

Whatever the spot I’m going too: there’s one I don’t miss, any day of the year, no matter if it rains or if it’s sunny: Place Flagey itself!

After many years of construction work and after many discussions and contests on what to do with the place, it is now open to the public again, and the public use it extensively.

Around the place you have many bars, snacks, restaurants, theatres and parks, but the place itself worth the visit: you can have a seat it the huge public benches, waiting for your friends (or pretending to) and watching the life around you: kids playing football, rollersakte, or with the fountain, adults drinking beers, playing music, chatting ; artists giving a free show to the lucky ones present.

The place is huge (the biggest one in Brussels) and there’s always something to do or see in it, official, commercial or … popular.

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Place Flagey | Relaxing | Free
Place Flagey | Ixelles
24 hours daily

The best way to start your visit in Brussels is by going to Place Poelaert. This place gives a magnificent overview of Brussels. It is especially nice to visit during sunrise or sunset.

You can see all of Brussels buildings in a wonderful panorama. There are binoculars to view the buildings in detail and there is a lift that takes you to the Marolles. You can also walk down following the parking space of the adjacent Palais de Justice.

You can sit on the stone fence to admire the view. On your right there is a beautiful art deco building functioning as a high school and on the left there is the Palais de Justice. Right in front of Place Poelaert is Avenue Louise, following this avenue completely to the end, or taking a tram, will bring you to Bois de la Cambre, a large ‘park’ with a lake (see the Bois de la Cambre article).

The whole area is worthwhile to walk around in and to discover at your own pace and interests.

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Place Poelaert | Art & culture, Relaxing
Place Poelaert | Ixelles
Daily

Sitting at place Sainte Catherine is well recommended when you have time to spare. This large lane with banks surrounding fountains starting at the fish restaurants and continuing up to a green patch with trees gathers a mixture of Brussels inhabitants.

All sorts of unusual things happen around this place. Next to touristic fish restaurants there is an ice cream vendor, an African restaurant and several night shops. The statues round the fountain picture fish and several reptiles. You see people walking by, young people sitting around and other interesting scenes for you to look at. Usually someone comes up to you and starts a conversation.

You can sit there for hours talking, watching and enjoying the changing city scenery. The place is a welcome change from the rest of the noisy areas in the centre. This is a nice place to visit when you want to just sit down, enjoy a long conversation, watch the people passing by or getting to know large groups of friends.

A lot of people take this spot to meet each other. So you can see groups of friends sitting there, people going away or new ones arriving. You will find there lot of good fish restaurants. Spend some time in this area to get acquainted with Brussels’ laid back city life.

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Place Sainte Catherine | Relaxing
Place Sainte Catherine | Center
24 hours daily

One of my favorite ways to relax is by seeing how others tire themselves. Especially when they do it in a spectacular way.

Take your drinks with you and climb the steps of the skate-ramp. There you can sit and relax on the bench, enjoying the sun while the youth is giving away a free stunt show, right at the place where the trains disappear a few meters below into the Brussels underground.

Looking for some action? Bring your own skateboard or bmx and be an acrobat yourself. The place is free and accessible to everyone.

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Skatepark | Relaxing | Free
Ursulinenplein | Center
Daily

The Sonian forest is a large forest surrounded by the Brussels communities and with traffic lanes going through it. These threats to a nature site have already caused a lot of damage. Still, a lot of energy is put in maintaining this forest as it is of immense significance to keep the lungs of Brussels alive and functioning.

You can enjoy this forest by walking, cycling or horse back riding. It is the home of various mammals (bats, deers), reptiles and birds. Next to this you’ll find plants, trees and several flowers and mushrooms. Their quantity is declining and tells of the emerging consequences of global pollution.

This forest has a rich history as a royal hunting place, fortunately this became forbidden in the 1970’s. The forest is mostly used for recreational and educational activities. During weekends the forest gets crowded by families and cyclists where as during the week you can walk for hours without seeing a soul.

Since this forest can be entered via it’s surroundings it is impossible for me to tell you how you should get there, it really depends on your departure point. If you are in the centre you can take bus 95.

It isactually not too far to go there by bike, just head for watermaal bosvoorde and find your unique park entrance.

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The Sonian Forest | Relaxing
Raamstraat 29 | The South | +32206268694
24 hours daily

Don’t forget to bring your bathing suit when visiting Brussels. This city has a lot of Art Deco swimming pools. The one to visit is situated in Saint Gilles. It was built round 1904 and definitely radiates a luxurious charm.

The building has a typical art nouveau style as you enter through large wooden swinging doors. In the entrance hall you can see pictures of byegone eras with old fashioned labels on the doors. After paying you enter a beautiful cafeteria perfect for lounging and watching the bathers before entering more swinging doors, giving your ticket to the lifeguard. Remove your shoes or put blue plastic round them before retiring to your own private cabin to change.

Everything in this building breathes of the past and overwhelms you with its wooden doors, white tiles and luxurious design. There is a roof entirely made of glass that makes the swimming pool bathe in glorious pools of warmth and light coming from the sun. The swimming pool itself is fairly large and if you go there round four it won’t be overcrowded with school children.

The pool is surrounded by the changing rooms and there is a divingboard to practice your diving skills. There are three levels of balconys surrounding the outside walls. You frequently see a watchful lifeguard checking on the safety of the swimmers and often appearing to be immersed in deep meditation. Of the four Art Deco swimming pools (Elsene, Schaerbeek and the Marollen) this one definitely has the most direct sunshine inside.

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Victor Boin Sint Gillis | Relaxing | Entrance € 2.00
Wipstraat 38, Saint-Gilles | The South | +3225390615
Mon – Sat 12:00 – 19:00

This spot is a bit tricky, I must confess, but I couldn’t keep for myself this excellent spot.. so if you do not have a legal residence in Belgium you won’t be able to go back to your local place with a movie, but, even so, I’m sure you won’t regret the visit!

Why is Excellence a place you should know? Because, unlike the million other video clubs around the town, it’s not dedicated to the blockbuster but to all good movies, from many different director and countries. Visiting this place will remind you that Cinema is considered as the Seventh Art.

They have an amazing stock of movies; you can spend hours in their racks. And they do not have only old movies, but also all the newest ones…

The boutique and art gallery is also exellent… so you will be able to leave with a little souvenir!

And if you’re from the city; it’s possible to keep a movie for one week… If you organise a cineclub, please: invite me!

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Video club Excellence | Art & culture, Cinemas, Relaxing | Dvd € 3.00
Bd Anspach, 94- 96 | Center
12:00 – 23:00 daily