It's classically beautiful, but Brussels is more about the street life than the views PCL

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Tell anyone you’re off to Brussels, and they’ll be surprised. Isn’t it a bit boring? On the contrary. Brussels may have become a byword for EU bureaucracy here, but on the Continent it’s fast becoming one of Europe’s most fashionable capitals.

Last week, for example, saw the opening of the Magritte Museum, which houses the world’s largest collection of the surrealist’s work.

What’s more, it’s less than two hours away from London by Eurostar – that’s quicker than checking in for a flight – and you can get there for £59 return. Sure, you can catch a train to Paris for the same amount but, right now, Brussels is looking like the hipper option.

Because life’s cheaper than in Paris, artists and students can afford to live in the heart of town, meaning the city centre is edgier. While people go to Paris for the sights, they go to Brussels for the street life. It’s not just somewhere to look at – it’s somewhere to hang out.

Stepping off the Eurostar into office block central, you can see where Brussels gets its bland reputation. The historic old town, though, is just a short walk away.

Most people take a cab, but it’s a quick stroll along Avenue Stalingrad through the North African quarter. If you listened to the cliches, you’d think the only people in Brussels were bloated Eurocrats on expenses but walking through, you realise it’s a multi-cultural city (the MEPs, if you’re interested, are on the other side of town at the European parliament).

The starting point for most people is the Grand Place, Brussels’ medieval city square and, though it’s the one part of town that’s awash with tourists, it’s a pity not to join them – it’s one of Europe’s most stunning squares.

Unlike many cities, it’s easy to escape the tourists. Brussels is fairly big (with about

1 million inhabitants), but the centre is surprisingly compact. In a few minutes you can ditch the sightseers and lose yourself in the second-hand record shops and bookshops along Rue du Midi, one of Brussels’ main shopping streets a few blocks from the Grand Place.

Belgium is famous in Britain for beer (which you’ll find in every bar) and chocolates (again, you’re spoiled for choice), but Belgians flock to Brussels for its food. In the side streets around the Bourse (stock exchange), you’ll find some superb places to eat and although there are plenty of Michelin-starred places, you don’t need to spend a lot to eat well.

Classic Belgian grub is a tasty blend of Gallic and Teutonic (lighter than German, less fussy than French), but many of the best restaurants are international, such as Como Como (www.comocomo.be) on Rue Antoine Dansaert, which serves pintxos (Basque tapas) on a conveyor belt and is well priced at £12 for six plates.

For somewhere more formal, Bonsoir Clara (bonsoirclara.be), a sleek modern restaurant over the road, serves staples from foie gras to creme brulee. The a la carte menu is pricy, but you can get a two-course lunch for £12.

Rue Antoine Dansaert is also great for shopping, especially designer clothes, though if you’d rather hunt for bargains, head for the daily morning flea market on the grungy Place du Jeu de Balle and its trash aesthetic curios – no antiques here.

Brussels isn’t about must-see sights – although there are those, such as the stunning Atomium sculpture (you can climb into its spheres) or the Gothic Notre Dame du Sablon church.

Instead, it’s about the street life – the people in Heysel Park beside the Atomium, or the skateboarders practising their stunts outside the Notre Dame. Chic yet scruffy, it isn’t the sort of place that knocks you out. But every time you go, it feels more like home.

FIVE BRUSSELS MUST SEES

European Parliament

MEPs divide their time between here and Strasbourg. Take an audio-guided tour of the debating chamber (but bring your passport).

tinyurl.com/qvvs26

Atomium

". Isn’t it a bit boring? On the contrary. Brussels may have become a byword for EU bureaucracy here, but on the Continent it’s fast becoming one of Europe’s most fashionable capitals."

This massive sculpture in Heysel Park represents an iron crystal (albeit magnified 165 billion times), with nine interconnecting steel spheres of 18m diameter each. And it’s not just fun to look at – you can get inside five of them. The top one has a panoramic view of the city.

www.atomium.be

Galeries Saint-Hubert

Superb Victorian covered shopping arcade that predated the spectacular Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan.

Magritte Museum

The world’s largest collection of Magritte’s art, it opened on June 2 in the Place Royale.

www.musee-magritte-museum.be

Mannenken Pis

That’s Dutch for “urinating little man”. Just 61cm high, but look for the crowds and you’ll find him. www.manneken-pis.com

SORT IT

Get there

Eurostar goes direct from St Pancras to Brussels from £59 return, www.eurostar.com

Where to stay

Minted: Be Manos

High-tech boutique hotel near the Eurostar terminal. Rooms are black, white and tres chic. Doubles from £255 (including dinner and aperitif), www.bemanos.com

Skinted: The White Hotel

Spartan but stylish bolthole on the trendy Avenue Louise, with extra big rooms for a little more. Doubles from £65, www.thewhitehotel.be

More info

www.brusselsinternational.be

Click here for our feature on foodie Maastricht - another town that's beem sullied by its EU connotations