If you need a break from the Brussels' buzz, the Centre Tour à Plomb or Hageltoren in Dutch is the perfect cultural oasis to visit. You can find it in an old lead production and storage facility (like the name indicates) and is located right next to the canal that leads to Charleroi for easy transport of materials. In the early 2000s, it was transformed into a cultural center and organizes a series of activities year-round from feminist conferences, to cultural exhibitions. Check out their upcoming events before you go, it is very local, so most of it takes place in French.
The bar downstairs can seem a little dungeon-y, but rest assured, they have good hot and cold drinks and it's the perfect place to relax on a cold and rainy day. Admire the industrial architecture and the large cartoon street art at the entrance. Sit down in the small but comfy garden out front or walk through the many rooms with activities going on. Parents with kids, couples, groups of friends, everyone has their pick at the Tour à Plombe! The best part is, unless there's a specific event that requires entrance, normally the center is free of charge, you just have to pay for your drinks.
Find your way with 292 Insider Tips from our Local Spotters
Sando is a nice nickname Japanese use for sandwiches. I love it! Sandwiches have a sauce more or less spicy and are filled with veggies and/or meat or tofu.
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"Nona Pasta" is my go-to place in Brussels for proper Italian food. Nona uses only organic Belgian ingredients because it's just better that way!
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"Beiruti" inBrussels represents a new generation of Lebanese restaurants where authentic Lebanese food, prepared in open kitchens, reaches your table fast!
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The "Zinneke" in Brussels is a statue of a dog that, to me, is an accurate symbol of my city with so many contrasts, but that likes to laugh about them...
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There's nothing in Brussels like "Le Corbeau". It's a brasserie, a local restaurant/bar, but at night it becomes the opposite of Cinderella's fairytale...
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"Coundenberg 66" Brussels is a magnificent building from 1898. It used to house La pharmacie anglaise de Charles Delacre and has many interesting features.
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"La Cambre Abbey" is an abbey tucked away in a corner of a small square in Brussels. I'm sure most visitors never notice it. It's a precious gem.
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"Bois de La Cambre" is the preferred spot for me on a sunny day in Brussels. There is more to this park than a spot to have a picnic.
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I have always appreciated the naughty murals spread all over the center of Brussels. This particular art piece stirred up quite the fuss...
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"Anticyclone des Acores" in Brussels is one of my favorite shops - and it's so because it's a travel bookshop! Maps, travel guides... Time to dream!
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"Garcia" in Brussels is the perfect café to have some pasteis de nata, the delicious Portuguese dessert. If I lived in Portugal, I'd be double the weight.
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292 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
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