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..

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 center you can take bus 95.

It is actually not too far to go there by bike, just head for watermaal bosvoorde and find a park entrance.

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

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

You enter through large wooden swinging doors and arrive in a grand opening hall with cafetaria. Above the pool there is a roof entirely made of glass to enlighten your swimming time. Definitely worth a visit and enjoy.

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Victor Boin Sint Gillis | Relaxing | Entrance € 3.00
Wipstraat 38, Saint-Gilles | The South | +3225390615
Mon – Sat 12:00 – 19:00

Posto al sole, not to be confused with another place in the sun with the same name in Schaarbeek, is another winner in my quest for reasonably priced and tasty pizza outside the city center (see also the Cosi Com’e article).

Located on square Bethlehem the restaurant is still within walking distance from Midi, the Marolles or the vibrant Parvis. For those that don’t want to walk, at Midi you can take tram 81 and a couple stops later you arrive right in front of your destination.

The pizza is tasty, made with a smile and – always important because it’s a good sign – also approved by the Italians living in the neighborhood. Have a chat with the sympathic owner, Momo… even when the weather is down, he keeps a nice vibe alive.

And when the weather is nice, go sit outside on the terrace on the square, and enjoy your meal in a place… in the sun.

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Posto al Sole | Restaurants (Pizza & pasta)
Chaussée de Forest, 122 | The South | +32484708958
Tue – Fri 12:00 – 15:00 & 18:00 – 23:00, Sat – Sun 18:00 – 23:00

This place might NOT be the typical Greek restaurant with Corinthian pillars and dancing waiters, but it’s definitely one of my favorite spots to score a typical Greek dish when I’m in the Midi region. No fancy inside, this is a Greece style taverna.

Go into the kitchen to check out for yourself what the day dishes are – they don’t have a menu – two minutes later a huge portion is served at your table. Excellent stuff is the stuffed pepper and the moussaka, which goes along very well with a glass of malamatina retsina.

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Athenes | Restaurants (Greek) | Meal € 8.00
Rue de l’Argonne 22 | The South | +3225382113
Tue – Sun 11:00 – 22:30

This park cannot be compared to Central Park or Hide Park, but the Bois de La Cambre (Ter Cameren in Flemish) is the preferred spot for Bruxellers on a sunny day.

It has a pond, a closed street for rollerbladers, and plenty of paths to get lost in. Lots of joggers run along its sidewalks, a full lap is about 5kms, especially on Sundays when it’s closed to vehicles.

But there is more to this park than a spot to have a picnic. There is the ice cream van or the restaurant in the middle of the pond (Chalet Robinson) that can only be reached with its small ferry and from where you can rent a small boat to cruise the lake (april to October).

A bit further away you reach “La Patinoire“, another restaurant offering a skating rink (open Wednesday and weekends if the weather is good) and pony riding (weekends).

And if you stay long enough in the evening, don’t miss the parties at Jeux d’Hiver and The Wood.

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Bois de La Cambre | Bars, Relaxing | Free
End of Avenue Louise | The South
Mon – Sat 09:00 – 20:00, Sun 12:00 – 20:00

I love the eclectic architecture in Brussels, the fact that each house on the street expresses the fantasy and whims of its original owner and the architect who designed it. This street is special, though, because on one side, the odd numbers, all the houses were built by the same architect, at the same time. This doesn’t mean, however, that they are uniform. Far from it. Because the architect’s style was Art Nouveau, each house is original and individual; unique, yet harmonious. 

The architect’s name is Ernest Blérot and he was one of the most famous Art Nouveau architects in Brussels; a favorite of the moneymaking bourgeoisie at the turn of the 20th century, who filled Brussels with an incredible array of imaginative townhouses as their fortunes grew. You will find houses by Blérot dotted all over the city, but nowhere else will you see a whole street of them and so well preserved. 

It’s a fantastic place to come and admire the delicacy and intricacy of Art Nouveau architecture, with its clever imitations of natural forms sculpted in cast iron and chiseled in stone. Brussels can boast more Art Nouveau structures than any other city in the world. At the end of the street, there’s a cafe still decorated in the original style. It’s not one of my favorites, but it’s nice if you want to experience a little of the fin de siècle atmosphere of St Gilles.

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Rue Vanderschrick | Art & culture | Free
Rue Vanderschrick | The South
24 hours daily

I thought I knew quite a lot about tea after living in Japan. At least, I could have told you that tea came in three varieties: green, black and white. That’s what I thought, anyway, until I stumbled upon Cha Man in St. Gilles and discovered the existence of blue, red and yellow teas. Crazy!

Cha Man is that kind of place. You will find teas that you never even knew existed, ranging in quality (and price), from basic greens to outlandish and rare yellows, fit for an Emperor. If you’re looking for that rare blend you drank in Shanghai or just want to browse and discover, you won’t be disappointed. The tea is sorted and stored in colorful bags: red, yellow, green, white, black and blue. 

Although Cha Man is essentially a shop, they do have many tables, where you can try one of their teas on the premises. On a warmer day, the multicolored terrace spilling onto the square is just lovely. If you don’t think of tea as an ‘al fresco’ beverage, maybe Cha Man will change your mind.

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Cha Man | Coffee & tea, Shopping | Tea € 3.50
Parvis de St Gilles 49 | The South | +3225389888
Mon – Fri 13:30 – 20:30, Sat – Sun 10:00 – 18:30

A neighborhood of artists, poets, writers, intellectuals and musicians, St. Gilles is often seen as the Left Bank of Brussels. The influx of young French people living in and around the area certainly strengthens the image.

Well, every Latin Quarter needs its café; the place where people meet, ideas are exchanged and friendships are built and here it is. If Sartre were living in Brussels in 2012, Brasserie Verschueren would be his home from home. 

It exudes a timeless elegance, with a sense of history and a feeling of place. It is cool because it doesn’t try to be anything trendy. It’s just a fun place to come for an evening drink or a morning coffee and paper. On any night, the place is full with artists of some description and the creative and relaxed atmosphere is infectious.

I like this place so much, I almost don’t want to share it. But, it’s a perfect example of a local Brussels bar and should be enjoyed.

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Brasserie Verschueren | Bars | Drink € 2.00
Parvis de St Gilles 11 | The South | +3225394068
11:00 – 02:00 daily

After bargaining for fruit at the Midi Market it is a cheap reward to sit at one of those hidden tables and taste Maroccan flavours. Along the sides of the station, in Avenue Fonsny in front of Hotel Continental, behind the huge display of olives and spices… there you have it, a corner of Morocco.

On the menu: pancakes with olives, vegetables, cheese, honey, and any combination requested. Be careful, they are huge! And don’t forget to get a glass of that sweet Moroccan tea, very good on a warm winter day.

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Moroccan pancakes | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Pancake € 2.50
Avenue Fonsny | The South
Sun 08:00 – 15:00

As many other bars in town, this one is famous for its good location, big space and lots of activities but not for it’s charm and singularity.

However, as a local there’s always a moment I’ll end up here: for a DJ set, a drink with a friend who had no other idea, a rest after a walk in the area,… So it’s not really possible to avoid speaking about this place, as you may hear of it after a very short while in our city and noticing that we do not mention it, will probably disappoint you.

So I can’t say that I love the place and will pick it as a first choice, but it’s one of the “Giant” bars of the Capital, and you always know why you end up here, what you’re looking for and you find it easily.

I also remember that I met a girl here while dancing who shortly became my “partner in crime” in the Brussel’s nights fever and other funky dance floors!

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Café de la Maison du Peuple | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music
39, Parvis de Saint-Gilles | The South | +3228500908
Sun – Thu 08:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 08:00 – 03:00