Brussels in January: Birthday Trip + Solo Trip + Off Season
What I did, Where I Ate , What Surprised Me, and What Went Awry
I didn’t know it at the time, but several recent New York Times articles told me I’ve somehow wrapped up three of the current travel trends in one swell trip. Birthday + Solo + Off Season. Boom!
First, I planned a trip to Belgium for my January birthday. Second, the rest of the family had no interest in going to a below-freezing climate when they could stay in warmer and sunnier Spain. Third, being off season, the trip was an absolute bargain! Despite the frigid weather, it seemed destined for me to take this opportunity to see a new-to-me country and do a few of my favorite things: devour premium chocolate, visit charming bookshops, hang out in cozy cafes, and stroll through cool art museums.
This was my first birthday trip, but not my first traveling alone, though most of those were work related. Regarding off season, I shared the low-cost benefits of my hotel and airfare in my last post,“Belgium in January? Yes, Virginia, There is an Off Season.”
Here I want to share other bennies like an enhanced experience by traveling somewhere others aren’t. Not everyone wants to endure frigid temps; I certainly don’t so I wasn’t sure that it was the right decision until I got there. It was plenty cold, but not miserable. So without further ado, here we go!
First Impression
Starting out on foot just after getting checked into my hotel, I headed toward a nearby pedestrian esplanade and was surprised to see a multitude of thrift and vintage shops. I popped into one and found it well-organized and quite large with an upstairs as well. Figuring I better get on with my sightseeing while it was still daylight, I hoofed it on out of there. Also, I brought just a backpack on this trip. Any purchases would have to fit in it going home so I had to be a very picky shopper. Onward!
No Crowds
My first stop was to see the Mannequin Pis, but I only mention this because of how it relates to off season. Every Brussels post I read mentioned it, and one in particular said to just stop by to see it and take a selfie. So I did. Not the selfie part, just the seeing. I didn’t need a goofy pic of me with a miniature statue of a boy taking a leak. I still don’t get the fascination with this wildly popular tourist stop. What was surprising was that there weren’t that many tourists here, maybe a dozen people. Everyone was kind of snickering at the absurdity of this “must see,” and casually milling around allowing others to take their photos before stepping up to do the same. Ahhhh, off season means breathing room.
Chocolate! Belgium chocolate shops do not disappoint! Oh my! Cute little shops everywhere! FREE samples everywhere! I thought I had bought enough to last from mid-January until Valentine’s Day. HA! When I checked prices, beautifully packaged candy bars even the ones sold near that most-touted attraction weren’t that outrageous. I shopped multiple times at different locations of La Belgique Gourmande, also Delices du Roy.
I considered taking a chocolate-making class before I arrived, but I wasn’t near as interested in making chocolates as in eating them. The class I was most interested in was closed anyway that week. One of the downsides to offseason travel is that some attractions won’t be available.
Cafes were lively, but still had plenty of available tables. There were no lines and no reservations needed, at least at the places I popped into. I’m not one for fancy and expensive, so it might have been another story if I were. For me, simple fare with a bit of a twist in an attractive setting is all I need. I’m getting hungry reminiscing about it so let’s get started with the food!
Frites Atelier – My first dinner in Brussels; a burger and fries. I was directed here by a hotel staffer who had heard good things from guests. I came for the burger, but fell in love with the frites! Potatoes are serious business in Belgium, as are the sauces. There’s an assortment of five, and two are allowed with your order. I chose Basil and Classic Mayo, and of course, a glass of red wine. Perfection! $26.88
Atelier en Ville – Walking by Atelier En Ville (Rue de l’Ecuyer 41, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium) the next day, the aroma of freshly baked bread and a bright, welcoming plant-rich atmosphere pulled me right in. I ordered a scrumptious mustardy chicken sandwich on a toasted sesame seed bagel and am absolutely smitten with it! Accompanied by a ginormous cup of hot tea, it was the perfect lunch on this sunny, 20º F day. $12.95
Belgian Waffles
When foodie-friend Sandhya, who had visited Belgium last year, advised “Maison Dandoy” for waffles, I needed no more convincing. I stopped by the location in the elegant shopping mall Gallery Royal St. Hubert a couple of times while window shopping the high-end shops, but wasn’t really hungry either time. On my third and last day in Brussels, I made it my focus – birthday lunch. Waffles for lunch? You can if you want to when you’re traveling solo. Since it was my actual birthday, I felt compelled to order the Queen’s Favourite, cooked strawberries and vanilla ice cream atop a Belgian waffle. The cooked strawberries added a depth I didn’t expect, and I loved every single morsel! $13.19
Perle de Siam
For decades, it’s been my birthday tradition to dine on Asian food to celebrate. This year I chose Perle De Siam based on how warm and cozy it seemed after a very chilly walking tour. Also, the location was close to my hotel. I dined on shrimp in yellow sauce with coconut milk which I had never had and enjoyed it immensely. $26.60
Another upside of traveling off-season is that you don’t have to book as much before you arrive. I had planned to see Atomium, but didn’t buy tickets in advance because I didn’t know where it would fit into my plans. It turned out I was having a lot of fun in the city center. If I had paid for tickets in advance, I would have felt compelled to make the journey 30 minutes out of town, and it would have eaten up a good portion of my day.
Touristy Thing That I Did Anyway
A free walking tour (guruwalk.com) of the city is one thing I highly recommend doing and as soon as you can after arriving. The knowledgeable guide may mention things you hadn’t heard of doing before and you can still make time to do them. Pay what you like at the end of this two and a half hour tour; be generous if you can as this constitutes the guide’s full compensation. Shout out to Antonio, who did a great job enlightening us while keeping us moving so we did not become frozen statues ourselves!
Cool Museums
Magritte Museum – Of the top three things I wanted to do in Brussels, I was really looking forward to seeing the art of Belgian René Magritte. High expectations. It wasn’t until after I had gone through the exhibit, which covered his life and progression of his art with some cool pieces, that I learned from a staff member that many of his most famous works are actually housed in other museums around the world. That’s understandable, but I was still deflated. I consoled myself by heading to the gift shop to buy something Magritte-related. I needed a new journal, but was again disappointed to find the gift shop closed. Inventory apparently, which makes sense to do this during off season, but did it have to be this week? Yes, yes it did, because then it prompted me to do something else that turned out to be very cool.
The World of Banksy – Still needing my museum fix, gal pal Suzy had suggested visiting the Banksy museum. I had just an inkling who Banksy was, but was eager to follow my art aficionado friend’s advice. When I arrived the next day before the museum opened, I was surprised to see a bit of a line outside, maybe 20 people, but it turned out to be a high school group. Upon opening, I was able to walk right in and buy my ticket. Set in a former fabric factory, the artwork – reproductions of Banksy’s art – flow between two floors that are open from above. I practically had the museum to myself save for the teens that were having a blast lounging on the sofas, chatting about what they were seeing, and filling in their assignment sheet. Rather than detracting, I found it fun to be there with young people enjoying the experience. Besides the art, walls were also filled with short explainers of the work, quotes from Banksy, and a video, all of which helped to educate me on this artist who has shielded his identity so well. One of my favorite quotes, “I don’t know why people are so keen to put the details of their private life in public. They forget that invisibility is a superpower. “
Books
Tropismes – I adore visiting bookstores anytime, anywhere, especially independent ones. Doing the research before I arrive in a new place gives me parts of a city to aim for that I might not see otherwise. In this case, Tropismes, a “legendary” bookshop, is actually perpendicularly connected to the Gallery Royal St. Hubert. I might have found it anyway, but could just as easily have missed it if it hadn’t been on my list. And what a shame that would have been! I spent most of my time in the small English-language section, with a couple of other English speakers perusing the carefully curated books. Barely a “bestseller” in sight! I purchased Teaching a Stone to Talk, essays by Annie Dillard.
Waterstones – What a treat it is to stroll through an entire bookstore with books in English. I bought The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel and a 2024 calendar.
Little Free Library – Who doesn’t love Little Free Libraries? I came across this one on my way to see Mannequin Pis. I couldn’t believe that someone had left a copy of The Bonfire of the Vanities in English! This book has been on my TBR list for quite a while. I opted to not carry this thick novel around at the moment and figured I’d circle back, but by then It had been “checked out.” Sigh.
Where I Stayed
Hotel Dansaert – I loved this hotel! Since I was traveling solo, I booked a single room, and found it quite small. I like cozy so it was perfect for me. It had everything I needed and nothing more. L’Occitane bath soap and shampoo were a luxurious touch and much appreciated. The staff was quite personable making me feel welcome and taken care of. The location, which I carefully vetted, was everything I hoped – walkable to everything I wanted to see and do. And to top it off – a gorgeous, famous bakery across the street, Le Pain Quotidien, and a pharmacy on the corner which I needed when the cold air gave me a sore throat and dry hands.
Additional Expense
No sooner had I booked the non-refundable, non-changeable round trip ticket on Ryan Air, when I thought, hmmm, How will I get from the airport to my hotel in the city center? Well, it seems that the Charleroi Airport is a bit farther out and is not on the metro or train line. The other airport in town is. Hoo boy. My options were to take a taxi, approximately $100, or ride a bus (direct, no stops) for about an hour for around $23. I’ll go for the cheaper option in most cases, so upon arrival, I bought a roundtrip ticket (which saved a few dollars) and boarded the bus which filled up quickly. I relaxed and took in the unremarkable scenery, and when we got to the city, I took a cab for about $9 to the hotel. I would do this in reverse a few days later, which was all fine but a little more trouble than I planned. $41.85
What Didn’t Work
Hop-On Hop-Off Bus – I’ve never done one of these buses, but thought I would listen to the historical audio, get off my feet for a a couple of hours and have a warm place from which to view the city. The “recommended” app wouldn’t download, then the machine on the bus was on the fritz. The only way to pay for my ride was for the driver to scan an app-purchased ticket or one purchased from the website. I tried the latter too, but was thwarted when prompted to input a 2-factor authentication code. I had to switch over to my email and when I switched back to enter the code all my order info had been cleared. ARGH! I tried. I really, really tried, but the free walking tour was great, and I enjoyed talking to the other members in our group which probably wouldn’t have happened on the bus with everyone using earbuds.
What I Kept Hearing
If you haven’t been to Bruges, you haven’t been to Belgium. I didn’t make it to this beloved town, but only because I was having such a good time in Brussels and ran out of days. The way I see it, Bruges gives me a great excuse to visit Belgium again, and buy more chocolate too!
I hope you enjoyed this post and find it helpful if you’re planning a trip to Brussels, a birthday trip, a solo trip, an offseason trip or all of the above. Links are included for your convenience only; I’m not affiliated or sponsored by any of these businesses in any way.
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That was a wonderful post! My wife and I are going to Brussels for 10 days in July, and we’re really looking forward to it.
Thank you, Carey! You’re going to have more time to explore the other cities. Lucky you!
I love this Martha! I felt like I was with you as I read about your adventures. I have yet to go on a solo trip, but you have inspired me to begin pondering the idea….I also remembered that I have a picture of me in front of Mannequin pis from 40 years ago – it’s so silly!!!
Thanks, Cynthia! I’d love to see your photo!