Hey all! I shall now continue my saga of my Europe Trip. Next stop, Brussels & Antwerp! (Imma skip Ireland as i’ve posted way too much on it in the past)
If you haven’t read my previous post on Istanbul on a budget, you can check it out here
Heading to Brussels, My family and I took a 2 hour flight from Dublin, using Ryan Air. Upon arriving at the airport, we got on the train towards the city. The Itinerary was to stay 2 days at Brussels & 2 days at Antwerp. Honestly I preferred Antwerp better
The Parents
Sisters
Accommodation
Since we’re travelling as a fam, we booked an apartment instead this time for both Brussels & Antwerp. For Brussels, we stayed at Smartflats City Brusselian for a night, near the Grand Casino. The location is smacked right in the middle of Brussels, and it’s pretty much accessible. It was a 3 storey, 2 bedroom apartment and It costed about 180 Euros for the night, but it can easily fit a family of 6.
As for Antwerp, we stayed at Meir Apartments, Meirburg, which is right around the shopping street. The apartment was big enough to comfortably fit 5 (with sofa bed), and cooking necessities such as cooking oil, salt, pepper, etc were provided. Also, since there were renovations going on outside, the owners gave us a free bottle of red wine! Score again!
It costed 130 Euros per night (2 nights)
Link to apartment: Meirburg Apartments
Imma include the transport here as well
Brussels Airport - Brussels Central 7 Euros
Brussels Central - Antwerp - 10 Euros
Total cost: RM422.40 per pax (440 Euros / 5 pax) + RM81.60 (17 Euros [Train])
Food
Food here, is not cheap! So get ready to pay about 10 - 20 Euros per meal at restaurants. Cheapest options you could go for are McD’s (approx 7 Euros), or some small cafe’s/street vendors (approx 5-10 Euros)
If you're staying in an apartment, you can lower your cost by cooking as well, just get em groceries at the supermarkets nearby!
If you're staying in an apartment, you can lower your cost by cooking as well, just get em groceries at the supermarkets nearby!
Beer prices are pretty alright here at about 4 Euros a pint of beer. If you head for the craft beers such as Delirium Tremens, do expect to pay more for it. There are certain bars selling at about 2 Euros a pint during happy hour (Example: Celtica Irish Pub [next to smartflats])
Food: RM288 (60 Euros)
Beer: RM96 (20 Euros)
Belgium Waffles
sisters gone wrong
What to do at Brussels
1) Binge on food! & Go Candy Shopping
Eat Fresh Mussels and Escargots. Drown yourself with Belgian chocolate and gain that 6 pounds you needed so much! Also did you know, there are 3 types of Belgium waffles?
Audrey doing her thing
fried mussels
2) Visit the Markets
Especially during Christmas time, there are plenty of markets around the city. You should indulge in the food and the performances around the city
The main square
My turn to be obscene
3) Visit the infamous angel statue
Called the Manneken Pis (Little man pee), its a bronze statue which has been seen all over the world. This is a replica as the real one from the 1600's is placed at a museum. If you're daring enough, i guess you can tinkle at the fountain as well? :P
or just visit this instead:
4) Visit Delirium Cafe
This would be every beer lover’s destination. With more than 40 different types of craft beers here, you’ll be able to taste the finer things in life! If you’re planning to get the boot glass as below, do note you have to pay a 20 Euro deposit for that glass haha! They’re just scare you’re gonna break it
Craft beers galore
With my boot
Also note to gamblers: The casinos here are mostly electronic machines, so it ain’t fun :)
What to do at Antwerp
1) Free Walking Tour
I did join the free walking tour at Antwerp as the fam wanted to do different things. From this tour, I learnt about the mythical giants, history and Antwerp’s Golden era during the 16th century. We covered the city centre, old castle, cathedral, and much more during this activity
Cost: RM24 (I tipped 5 Euros)
Book here:
VivasTours - 2pm
Antwerp castle remains
one of the last old alleyways
Ball gazer
The photo taken before my camera fell to the floor =(
Looks like an IT scene
Antwerp cathedral
2) Shop till you drop
With the main shopping street at Meirburg, there are plenty of great brands there, and during the sales period, discounts can go pretty low! SHOPAHOLIC MODE ONS!
3) Visit the squares around Antwerp
There are a few squares and markets around Antwerp. So do head there to see their local produce, arts and crafts and even indulge in some good food there!
The main square
They have a wheel!
4) Admire Diamonds & Jewellery
Antwerp is known as the city of Diamonds, with one street particularly just showcasing all sorts of Jewellery. So if you’re planning to propose, do come here to get the finer cuts, if not, keep your girlfriend away from this street =P
Breakdown of cost at Belgium:
Accommodation: RM422.40
Transport: RM81.60
Transport: RM81.60
Food & Drinks: RM384
Activities: RM24
Total cost: RM912.40
Pretty alright huh? :) but of course if you would want to splurge here, it pretty much is possible as well! I'll be posting about my Amsterdam trip soon!
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