Grand'Place aka: Grote Markt

Great architecture – could really imagine it being a bustling marketplace centuries ago.

Would love to visit again when they have the flower carpet covering the square.

Beautiful!

100% more beautiful in real life than in pictures. and i found belgians to be extremely accomodating.

I lived in Brussls for 7 years: my favorite place to be!

Don’t be fooled by the photos. If you think the colorful lights at night or the long banners flying in the sunlight or the carpets of flowers in the center of the square are everyday occurrences, be prepared for the dank, grey reality. It’s just a bunch of decaying old buildings, nothing on par with Paris or Amsterdam. I was totally unimpressed.

What made my stop there particularly unsatisfying was the waiter who served us lunch. We wanted to dine al fresco at one of the little cafes on the perimeter. Nobody would speak English to us, so I tried German. Strike two. Finally, using a French phrase book, I managed to get seated…inside only, not out. Nonetheless, we struggled with the menu and ordered our meal in broken French phrases. The waiter then brought us TWO of everything! How hungry did he think we were? He insisted that I had ordered two, not one, of each drink and dish. I asked him to take the extras back. He refused. He wanted us to pay for everything. I refused. Big scene. Lousy service. No return trip planned, ever.

Anyone who has read my travel posts know how high I am on the places I visit. I recommend pretty much every location. I almost always find something to like. But the Grand’Place? Manneken Pis? Even the EC HQ? No thanks. I’m no fan of Brussels. And I have more reasons to feel that way, but I will have to save them for another entry. Suffice to say, I suggest you give this a miss.