Belgium is the cradle of the 20th century comics, called BD (Bande dessinée) in Brussels. It’s an important part of the culture of this country; nowhere in the world can you find so many comics shops.

The Smurfs, Tintin, Lucky Luke are only few of the comics created by Belgian authors which are famous all around the world.

Brussels has a “Museum de la Bande Dessinée” but what has always fascinated me is the open air tribute to comics.

All through the city center you will see plenty (36 and growing) of murals showing your favourite characters. Some of them interact with Brussels landmarks (i.e. the Manneken Pis), others perfectly fit the wall they are painted on (Boulevard d’Anspach, close to La Bourse). You will be surprised by seeing them around many corners in the center!

There are walking and biking guided tours which explain the history of Belgian comics while showing you many of the walls.

But if you prefer discovering these beauties yourself, then check this website. It makes it easier to understand which comics are where in town.

It’s worth checking out the tours or walking on your own, there are some which are so well integrated with the city that you do not even realize they are there.

Have a good walk, and let me know!

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Brussels & the comics | Art & culture | Free
All around town | Center
24 hours daily

In Brussels you can find cafes on every corner. Typical, busy, good or bad: you have plenty of choice!

However only few serve something local, something typically Bruxelloise. One of them is “Het Warme Water”, near Place du Jeu de Balle in Marolles.

They have a few wooden tables, some old pictures, and an interesting menu. Breakfasts, brunches, meals, drinks, buffet on Sundays, all biological! You just have to choose. Everything is prepared in front of you in the kitchen open to the room. What I like about this spot is the opportunity to taste some Brussels food, like cheese, salami, beer… and to spend there hours chatting without being asked to leave!

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Het Warme Water | Bars, Coffee & tea, Restaurants (Bruxelloise) | Breakfast € 10
25, Rue des Renards | Center | +3225139159
Thu – Sun 09:00 – 17:00

At this store you can find a very large collection of records. When walking at the right side of the Bourse, you will hear the music resonating from the gallery. The door is always open and the music is always playing.

They have a large collection of jazz, rock, classical, and other genres. I adore spending several hours there looking at all the record covers and enjoying the great ambiance. This place is great to find presents or to discover new artists. I highly appreciate their choice in music, in general, and their reasonable priced items for sale.

This place has been there for such a long time and is proof of the never fading Vinyl reign. When all CD shops are being closed down this place clearly shows that nothing can beat an analogue musical experience (when considering recordings that is).

Maybe in another article I could tell you where to buy the best music installation. But you can already start your own private collection!

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The Collector / Record Gallery | Shopping | Record € 15
Beursstraat 26 | Center
Mon – Sat 10:30 – 18:30, Sun 13:00 – 18:00

A variety of flowers, plants and trees decorate this spacious garden. There is 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.

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.

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

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 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 center. 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.

You can also find some good fish restaurants there. Spend some time in this area to get acquainted with Brussels calm life.

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

This Ethiopian restaurant also happens to be a exposition venue, bar and concert place.

It serves traditional Ethiopian dishes served with injera, the bread like pancake that serves as an edible plate. You can choose between fish, meat (chicken, beef, lamb) and vegetarian. Next to this there is a large variety of salads to accompany your meal.

The restaurant is located in a very inviting neighborhood right off boulevard Anspach. The prices for the meals are very reasonable and relatively cheap. Afterward you can visit other equally enjoyable bars there like Au soleil or Fontainas. This area can give you an enjoyable night out and offers nice clothes, shoes and gift shops during the day.

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Kokob Ethiopian restaurant | Restaurants (Ethiopean) | Meal € 20.00
Rue des Grands Carmes 10 | Center | +3225111950
Tue – Sun 12:00 – 22:00, Mon 18:00 – 22:00

This is one of the best places to eat if you are in the center.

The food is excellent. The servings are big and they offer a very large variety of dishes. I always go for the soup with curry, coconut milk, noodles, fresh Thai basil, lemon-grass, calamari and scampi.

The service is great and the whole experience is just too good to miss out on.

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Le Lotus bleu | Restaurants (Vietnamese) | Meal of the day € 5.00
Rue du Midi 70 | Center | +3225026299
Mon – Fri 12:00 – 15:00 & 18:00 – 23:00, Sat – Sun 18:00 – 23:00

There is only one good vegetarian place to go on the Anspachlaan. This little restaurant offers the best falafel ever. A counter, three tables, a fridge with beverages and a large salad bar are the settings for a cozy restaurant experience.

You order your falafel and watch the skilled cook preparing it. Then you take your falafel to the salad bar and you fill it up with a nice assortment of vegetables. Do not forget the delicious white tahin sauce that goes with a genuine falafel. This restaurant is a wonderful change from the abundant sandwich joints in Brussels, here you can eat a falafel that’s definitely worth the name.

The people of this place are opening another Mr. Falafel at the Horta Gallery soon and in Ghent, Antwerp and Brugge. Tasting their falafel will have you wanting more. Especially the fresh sauces and salads that are full of flavor and herbs. I know you’ll be wanting to return or ask the owner to establish one in your hometown. And these must be the nicest restaurant owners in town.

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Mr Falafel-snackbar | Snacks, Restaurants (Egyptian) | Falafel € 4
Lemonnierlaan 53 | Center
12:00 – 00:00 daily

A cinema theater that offers independent productions is Cinema Nova. It brings an alternative, artistic and limit surpassing cinema experience.

Via plastic transparent curtains you enter into a brick wall hall way with stairs going to the cinema’s bar. This bar stays true to cinema Nova’s alternative side by offering not too common beverages at cheap prices. I recommend tasting their pear juice.

Sometimes, depends on the people working and the activities scheduled, you can also have dinner in a tranquil family like camping setting. Actually being there reminds you of being at an indoor camping site with various people hanging around in couches, having discussions at tables or performers singing or playing music.

Even if you don’t see a movie there it is worth your while to check out this laid back environment. It has something to do with the building and the reputation cinema Nova upholds.

Every month there is a new theme that is being investigated. They screen contemporary as well as historic films. Nova also organizes various festivals around particular subjects. The films are shown round eight and they also offer midnight screenings. On Thursday you can view short films sent in by Cinema Nova’s film creating public.

To sum it up this place is one of the most worthwhile things to see when you are in the center. A true pioneer in less mainstream entertainment.

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Cinema Nova | Bars, Cinemas, Restaurants (Fusion) | Meal € 7.00
Rue d’Arenberg 3 | Center | +3225112477
17:00 – 02:00 daily

Emblematic of Brussel’s rich and vibrant cultural life is Passa Porta, the international house of literature.

A fine and desperately needed meeting place where various language lovers get together to learn and enjoy all things related to semantic creativity. This place is an important link that assembles philosophers, writers and an interested public of various linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

Almost every day you can experience a presentation of the works of various artists at the literary platform. Passa Porta also organizes workshops that encompass discussions, analysis or theoretical and practical demonstrations on for instance writing fiction or on translation.

Next to it there is a book shop with new and second hand books at bargain prices. Photos and video’s enhance the understanding of a literary work at Passa Porta’s exposition room. They even give apartments to national and international writers. Their work made there gets sufficient attention after it is finished.

The whole kaleidoscope of linguistic creation is skillfully brought together by “entrez lire”. This organisation invites journalists, writers, translators, screen writers, book editors and others to discuss or show their field of occupation. Seminars, workshops, expositions and meetings are organised regularly.

Passa Porta is a wonderful place to discover the written word. You’ll find it on the fancy Dansaert straat not far from the Bourse. Be sure to check their website to consult the organised presentations.

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Passa Porta | Art & culture, Shopping
Antoine Dansaertstraat 46 | Center | +3222260454
Tue – Sat 11:00 – 19:00, Sun 12:00 – 18:00