Brussels

Europe’s capital city balances the old charms with the new

As headquarters of the European Union, Brussels has finally begun to act like Europe’s Washington, D.C., with its focus of economic and political power and knowledge that it’s where decisions are made that affect the lives of people around the world. The city both symbolizes the continent’s vision of unity and is a bastion of officialdom, a breeding ground for the regulations that govern the rest of Europe.

Waves of Eurocrats brought a fresh, new cosmopolitan air to Belgium’s somewhat provincial city, adding office towers and new neighborhoods to the historic center. The city isn’t all politics and business. It helped inspire surrealism and Art Nouveau, worships comic strips, prides itself on handmade lace and chocolate, and serves each one of its craft beers in its own unique glass -- each one reason enough to inspire travel.

The old city’s spirit survives in traditional cafes, bars, bistros, and restaurants. Whether elegantly Art Nouveau or eccentrically festooned with posters, curios, and knickknacks, such centuries-old establishments provide a warm, convivial ambience that is peculiarly and pleasantly Belgian.

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