A day in Brussels 🇧🇪

My flight from Washington-Dulles landed on time around 7:15 AM. There were two paths to clear immigration: one for transit passengers with onward connections and another for visitors entering Belgium. I joined the line for the latter. When I reached the immigration desk, the officer asked about my destination, and I replied, “Frankfurt.” He noted that I should have used the transit section, but I explained that I had a long layover and wanted to see the city. He stamped me in, and I headed to the airport bus terminal. After purchasing a 1-day STIB-MIVB ticket for €7.50, I boarded the bus to Schuman and took the metro to Gare Centrale.

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I walked to the Grand-Place, the central square of Brussels, and admired the amazing guildhalls surrounding the square. I joined the Brussels City Center Free Tour 🔗 by Viva Brussels at 10:00 AM. The tour lasted about 2 hours and finished just above the Tuin van de Kunstberg (Garden of the Mount of the Arts), which offers a beautiful elevated park view with the city’s spires in the background.

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I walked back down to the Grand-Place to take a closer look at the Brussels Town Hall, a stunning 15th-century Gothic masterpiece with a tall spire topped by a statue of Saint Michael. Directly opposite sits the Brussels City Museum (Maison du Roi), which houses local historical artifacts. The midday light was perfect, making the gold detailing on the guildhalls look incredibly impressive.

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Then, I took the metro from Gare Centrale back to Schuman to explore the European District. I saw the Berlaymont, the iconic X-shaped headquarters of the European Commission, and the nearby Council of the European Union, which represent the administrative heart of Europe.