Last month, a friend and I decided to get away for the weekend- to a Eurostar destination, quick and easy, with no airport missions needed! Having been to Paris, we decided to head to Brussels in Belgium- the thought of all that delicious chocolate won us over!

So after a quick trip- in first class I may add, we got bumped up! It was fantastic, with great service and delicious food- we arrived in Brussels! I found Brussels to be a real mix between Amsterdam and Paris, with heavy influences from both cities. The city itself is easy to get around with a fantastic underground system but definitely the way to see the place is by the Hop on, Hop off bus!

Chocolate city
There is lots for kids to enjoy while in Brussels! First off, they will go bonkers for all the chocolate, the stuff is everywhere, literally at every single corner! Be warned, they will want it all! There are literally 100’s of chocolate shops with the most delicious window displays! The chocolates come in all sorts, flavours and sizes and my personal favourite, the chocolate fountains displayed in many windows for the kids to see- it is hard to resist! You can have a strawberry skewer dipped in chocolate- but keep in mind this is MESSY! I ended up with it in my hair, all over my clothes and face, not a pretty sight! There are lots of tasters available in the many shops to keep them happy. I especially loved the Godiva chocolate shop- the best chocolate in the world as far as I am concerned. The Cote D'Or chocolate shop is also something to see, I went dilly for the chocolate spread. Even the local supermarket has a chocolate selection like nothing you have ever seen before. It will boogle your mind and mess up any plans of calorie counting you may have.

There is quite a bit for kids to do in Brussels besides eat chocolate! Check out mini Europe theme park which has miniatures of all the great sites and cities in Europe- they will love it! There is the Atomium with great views of Brussels to check out- they will love the spacey looking building and the quick ride up in the lift! It will amuse them to no end.

Check out the chocolate museum as well! I went and loved it. There is a live demonstration about how chocolate is made and you can taste- a real treat! It gives a bit of history about chocolate and how it started in Brussels. I enjoyed the tasting of all the different types of chocolate beans! Delicious! Also visit the chocolate factory- the children will be delighted and in their element in there. The city also offers lots of parks for children to run around in!

Something I didn’t know about Brussels is that it’s the home of Tin Tin- the cartoon! Tin Tin and his dog Snowy are everywhere and there are lots of cartoons all over the city, on buildings, walls and plenty replicas to buy! There is a museum dedicated to Tin Tin and other cartoons, such as the smurfs too!

I was excited to see the famous Mannekin Pis statue- which is known as the ‘Eiffel tower of Brussels’ so off we went to check out the famous statue- well it’s absolutely tiny! Really small but there is always a curious crowd surrounding it! The Mannekin is often dressed up and it is quite comical to see although in my opinion calling it the Eiffel Tower of Brussels is a huge over estimation!

Delightful delicacies...
The food in Brussels is really good- the expression ‘The Muscles from Brussels’ is quite literal with mussels being a massive delicacy! Every restaurant serves them in some way or form! Seafood is everywhere, and the paella’s are absolutely delicious! There is a street just off the main square that reminded me alot of Paris’s Latin Quarter and Rome with maitre ad’s trying to get you to come into their place to have their special 3 course meal deal! They are very forward in Brussels- prepare!

Besides for seafood, other local fare includes waffles! Belgium waffles are world renowned and for good reason! They are delicious and like nowhere else I have ever tasted! Melt in your mouth yummy! The best is to have it with some strawberry and chocolate on top- heaven! Children will love the waffles as well as the famous Belgium Frites! Hot chips! They are all over the city and traditionally served with Belgium mayonnaise which is deliciously rich and creamy!

Belgium is also known for its beers, with the local children even having some. I don’t like beer but it’s a big attraction in the city with people having it at the crack of dawn!

I did feel however, that there was a bit of a seedy element in Brussels (they even have a red light district-very Amsterdam!) and didn't feel 100% safe walking in the streets late at night, especially with all the leering men!

All in all it was a great weekend, but the outcome was that I am off chocolate for the next while! A serious serious chocolate overload- it may even cure the little ones!

Happy travels...