Brussels offers an unlimited variety of sights and landmarks, which can prove to be overwhelming in the long run. Despite its low-rise architecture and an overall impression of a friendly country town, Brussels boasts a total of seventy-five museums dedicated to almost anything that might come to mind. The city is also rich in beautiful public buildings, shadowy parks and lively town squares lined with sidewalk cafes. The core section of the town, concentrated in the Grote Markt area, is compact, with all the museums and important structures located within walking distance. Convenient public transportation allows for visits to more distant sites, recommended to the tourists who want to get off the beaten track.

Brussels’ history, although not so tumultuous, has left its mark. The most characteristic landmark is the town’s main square, Grote Markt, which has been noted to be one of the most beautiful squares in Europe. With its guild houses lining the cobbled square, the Gothic tracery of the Hôtel de Ville, and the peculiar architecture of the Maison du Roi, Grote Markt is one of the most popular attractions. Still, the emblem of Belgian culture, and the very symbol of the town, remains the Manneken Pis, a tiny statue of a young boy which is immediately associated with Brussels. Being home to architect Victor Horta, Brussels is the perfect place in Europe to hunt for Art Nouveau treasures. Horta’s vivid, organic-looking and colourful structures can be found throughout the city, while his former home, currently the Horta Museum, contains important memorabilia related to the artist.

Brussels’ culture is evident everywhere and displayed in the most uncanny variations. This is the case with the famous comic strip museum, where clever Belgian comic artists have accumulated a vast array of witty, sardonic, and sometimes morbid pieces, including the famous ‘Tintin’ by Herge. The city also boasts a gigantic model of an atom, which is constructed of wrought iron and comprises seven colossal spheres, with an observation gallery and a restaurant in the top most “electron.” The so-called ‘Atomium’ is estimated to be 165 billion times larger than an actual atom.