Brussels

This tour can be done throughout the year on any day of the week. Note: This tour can also be shortened by not including the Horta House Museum and/or the chocolate workshop.

Brussels

8am
Meet and greet with your English-speaking guide / driver in the hotel lobby, from where you will be taken for an interesting driving / walking tour of the historical city center but also the surrounding areas of Brussels.

Brussels is the ultimate European city. As the headquarters to the EU (European Union) and NATO it is often referred to as The Capital of Europe. It is an international metropolis – a mosaic of languages, cultures and traditions. Aside from the splendid and varied architectural styles of the city, Brussels also hosts over 80 museums, numerous tourist attractions, a vibrant nightlife, and more restaurants than you could count. Shopping in the distinctive fashion boutiques, lingering over a warm waffle or a beer, people watching from a street cafe, or picking up a unique antique on the Sablon – Brussels is a city you can call your own.

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Grand Place

You will be taken for a drive to the Laken district for a view of the Atomium (built for the world expo 1958), the Royal Residence, the Japanese Tower and the Chinese Pavilion. There will be a drive through the Jubilee Park. Of course you will see the EU area and we will show you some Art Nouveau Houses including a guided tour of the Horta House Museum.

The Horta Museum is located in the private house and studio of Victor Horta (1861-1947). Built between 1898 and 1901 the two buildings are typical of Art Nouveau at its height. The interior decoration has largely been retained, the mosaics, stained glass, and wall decorations forming a harmonious and elegant whole, down to the last detail. www.hortamuseum.be/en

The walking part incorporates all the main sights in the historical city center: the Grand Place (world famous Market Square) in the heart of medieval Brussels with its incomparable City Hall and precious Guild Houses. The Galleries St Hubert, the “Ilôt Sacré”, Cathedral of St Michel, the “Mont des Arts” with all his museums, the Royal district with the Royal Square and Palace, the Sablon district with countless antique dealer shops, the remains of the 12th Century City Wall and last but not least Manneken-Pis.

During the tour, there will be a private workshop chocolate praline making at famous chocolatier Neuhaus. Neuhaus is a notable Belgian chocolatier which manufactures and sells luxury chocolates, chocolate truffles, biscuits and ice cream. The company was founded in 1857 by Jean Neuhaus, a Swiss immigrant, who opened the first store in the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert in central Brussels. In 1912, his grandson, Jean Neuhaus II, invented the chocolate praline, a decadent chocolate cream ganache center inside a chocolate shell, the original filled chocolate. Today, Neuhaus has over 1,500 selling points in 50 countries. All Neuhaus products are still made in Vlezenbeek, near Brussels, and are exported worldwide.

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Along the way, there is also leisure time for lunch. Your guide will give you several restaurant suggestions.

6pm
The tour will end back at your hotel where you will have the remainder of the day for your own leisure.

It is possible to add the Evening Tour below

6pm
We continue with a special Culinary walking tour where you can taste local products.

The guide will take you for a Belgian flavors’ tasting experience! Beer parlors, typical cafés, waffle shops, chocolate making studio’s, delicatessen, boutiques, and more! Close your eyes and open your mouth!

With over 800 types, Belgium beers offer such a varied palate of colors, aromas, flavors, presentations and styles that they rival any other beer producing country – ranging from lagers and monastic brown ales to beers flavored with cherries and other fruits or with honey, cumin or Port. Something for everyone! Your guide explains how beer is made, the different families of beer, how Belgium has provided such a wide variety of tastes, how to understand a label and enjoy each type of beer, mingled with anecdotes.

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A Beer

Belgian chocolate has been the food of champions, a lure for lovers, the indulgence of the rich and later, the favorite of the masses. Belgium produces 172,000 tons of chocolate per year with more than 2,000 chocolate shops throughout the country. There’s no point in resisting: close your eyes and open your mouth to the decadence of Belgian chocolate!

Mussels rule the tables along the Belgian coast and all the way to Brussels! They are always served with the famous Belgian fries and mayonnaise! And last but not least we shall treat ourselves to the world-famous Belgian waffles.

8.30pm
The tour will end back at your hotel, where you will have the remainder of the day for your own leisure.