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Rue Lesbroussart

Hidden Secrets of Brussels

10 walks in the city 

Brussels is a city that many people find disappointing, even dull. They see it as a city of fast roads and oppressive office buildings, an inhuman place of bureaucrats.

 

There is another side to Brussels that many people miss because they do not know where to go. This is the Brussels of small cobblestone squares, cafés decorated with mirrors and wood, intimate urban parks and inspiring little shops.

 

The aim of the Hidden Secrets of Brussels Walks is to show you the whole city, from the grandeur of the Cinquantenaire to the brocante shops in the Marolles. These are walks for inquiring visitors who want to get to the heart of the city.

 

Each of the walks takes about two hours to complete.   

 

walk 1 the old city  

This walk enable you to discover some of the tangled streets and alleys of the lower town. It explains the early history of the city and the importance of geography in shaping the city's identity. It takes you past elegant fashion boutiques and lively cafés and suggests places to eat.

 

walk 2 the museum quarter  

This is a walk that takes you through elegant 19th century arcades and into the arts quarter conceived by Leopold II where several of the city‘s great museums are located.

 

walk 3 charlotte brontë in brussels  

This is a specialised walk for literature lovers that takes you to the streets and buildings that Charlotte Bronte knew intimately during her two year stay in Brussels. In the course of the walk, you learn about 19th century literary life in the Belgian capital as well as Charlotte’s desperate love letters to her Belgian professor.

 

walk 4 the cinquantenaire park 

On this walk, you visit the elegant 19th century squares and streets around the Cinquantenaire Park and learn about Leopold II’s grand projects to create a capital to rival Paris. 

 

walk 5 secrets of the european quarter 

 This is a walk that explores Brussels role as the capital of Europe. It takes you on a meandering route through the quarter where the European Union institutions are located, from the Berlaymont Building to the European Parliament. This is a quarter where modern buildings sit uneasily alongside old family houses and the noise of construction is never ending. Yet there are quiet parks and interesting details to discover.

 

walk 6 the ixelles ponds 

 On this walk, you will discover the modernist architecture of Place Flagey before wandering up the former valley of the Maelbeek river. The route takes you past some striking Art Nouveau buildings before ending at an almost forgotten abbey.

 

walk 7 art nouveau architecture 

 The Art Nouveau movement was launched in Brussels in 1893 and spread to cities across Europe. On this walk in Ixelles commune, you will walk through a neighbourhood that is dotted with Art Nouveau houses, including the two houses that marked the beginning of the movement.

 

walk 8 discover saint gilles  

The commune of Saint Gilles has some impressive buildings which we will see on this walk. Beginning at the Porte de Hal, the walk ascends to the magnificent town hall, passing Art Nouveau houses and secret parks.

 

walk 9 secret street art  

This is a specialised walk that looks at the work of several street artists active in Brussels. Each has a different style, but they are united by an urge to bring art to the street and transform the city into a place of energy and mystery. Beginning on Place Stéphanie, the walk follows a route through the Marolles to the centre of town.

 

walk 10 small and unusual shops 

Unlike many cities, Brussels has managed to preserve a rich variety of small specialised shops in every neighbourhood. On this walk through the Sablon and central Brussels, we will pass some of the most inspiring shops in town, where you can buy anything from postcards to mushrooms. 

plus recommendations 

 

my favourite places to eat mussels and frites, drink a Trappist beer, sit in the sun, buy chocolate or walk in the woods,

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guided walks based on the bestselling 

guidebook ::

 

 

The 500 hidden

secrets of Brussels

 

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Comments

 

I want to thank you for the excellent tour that you did last Saturday. My wife and I learned a lot and we will try our best to be a part of your upcoming trips. We will also be purchasing your book as well as telling our friends about the hidden secrets that we are sure that many of them do not know about. 

Klaus Ken Shipley

 

Thank you for the great tour through Brussels yesterday. It was very interesting. I am flicking through your book that I bought yesterday. What a gem. 

Ramona Butler

 

Thank you so much for your time and enthusiasm and for showing me how much I yet have to discover in this city. I especially liked the banana murals, the mediaeval street, the designers' stores and the hospital square with the white buildings. It helped me imagine how Brussels looked at the time Joseph Conrad referred to it as the whited sepulchre.

Joanna Luczac

 

The walk on Saturday was illuminating and your book is on my list of things to buy. I adore getting to know about my surroundings and our peregrinations were ideal for that.

Nick Hogg

 

I was touched by the city that you showed us. I have lived here for a year and I have always felt that there is more to Brussels than I could describe, show or touch. Even though I have read hundreds of books about Brussels. I loved the gorgeous photo exhibition, and the abandoned old fountain lined with rubbish made me cry. Brussels is a magnificent old city, but it's a pity it's not visble on a daily basis. Like the narrow street near the Rue de Flandres that isn't even on Google maps. Every citizen should be obliged to try to see Brussels through your eyes.    

Joanna Slocka

 

You were fabulous. After 15 months here, I've fallen into a bit of a Brussels funk. Your book and the walk were just what I needed to remind me of the quirkiness and absurdity that makes Brussels such a unique place. After the walk, a friend and I enjoyed drinks as you suggested at the Dominican. It was a perfect Saturday afternoon.    

Brandee Butler

 

Your narration is fantastic, it could entertain and enlighten me for hours. In fact, one of my group said, "I'd like to take him out to dinner and just let him talk."     

Pam Rubin

 

 

 

 

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