Fly from Nice to Brussels

Whether you go with family, friends, or that special someone, there’s always a child tagging along - your inner child, that is. This is why not matter how long you spend in the Belgian capital, you’ll get a true break from the routine, because Brussels has a way of awakening forgotten sensations and bringing you back to the simple pleasures of life. Simple pleasures like forgetting the words “calories” and “cholesterol” as you sink your teeth into a warm and sumptuous chocolate covered waffle. Or striking up spontaneous conversation over a Belgian beer in a bar that’s as picturesque as it is lively, where friendliness isn’t some long-forgotten word but a way of life. Or else the pleasure of coming across giant murals of Tintin or Billy & Buddy unexpectedly in the street, or laughing at the indecent Manneken Pis and Jeanneke, his little sister. Not to mention the joys of wandering the quiet streets of one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, a city that knows how to blend the seriousness of culture with the carelessness of a good time.

• Because first impressions are always the most important, start your visit off at the Grand Place. A wonder of life and architecture which Jean Cocteau called “the most splendid stage in the world”.
• Go to see the Manneken Pis, whose reputation is as big as he is small: Barely 50 centimetres. Don’t be surprised if you find him clothed: he is constantly being adorned with costumes and disguises inspired by history and current events in the city.
• Climb up the Atomium. At around 100 metres tall, it was inspired by the iron atom and is the “Eiffel Tower of Brussels”. And like the Eiffel Tower, it was constructed for a World Fair (in 1958) and was meant to be taken down afterwards.
• Peruse the displays in the Saint-Hubert Royal Galleries, three passageways underneath a canopy of glass built in 1847. Pure pleasure for lovers of both style and gastronomy.
• Visit some of the city's many museums: The Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts, the Musical Instruments Museum with its 7,000 piece collection - the largest of its kind in the world, the Magritte Museum, Autoworld with its 300-piece collection from sports cars to bangers, and many more.
• Follow the Comic Strip Tour and take in all 60 giant murals around the city, or, for true connoisseurs, visit the iconic Belgian Comic Strip Centre.
• See all of Europe in just a few hours at Mini-Europe, a park adorned with 350 models of cities and monuments of the Old-Continent, from the Tower of Pisa to the Sacré Coeur.
• Sample some of the world’s best chocolate in the chocolatiers’ own boutiques: Pierre Marcolini, Jean Galler, Neuhaus, Wittamer or Belvas, an organic and eco-friendly chocolate maker.
• Liven up your trip with a visit to a micro-brewery and sip a pintje (a half pint) in an estaminet, a type of traditional Belgian pub. Don’t miss Delirium Café, which has 2,000 beers on its menu. A record!
• Sit back and listen to jazz and other good music at Archiduc, a Brussels institution created in 1937. Many a great artist has played there, including Nat King Cole. And the tradition continues today.