At the heart of the city is the breathtakingly beautiful and luxuriant Grand Place: a spacious square comprised of historical monuments and fountains, fine restaurants and inviting cafes. A closer inspection behind the ornate facades reveal once powerful guild halls, reminders of a time when trade was the life blood of Brussels. The nearby Place du Petit-Sablon is ringed with 48 statues, each depicting a separate trade guild. Today, a-state-of-the-art music & light show illuminates the Grand Place on summer nights. A daily flower market, Sunday bird market and the humorous Manneken-Pis fountain are reminders of the Square's more human touches.
As one branches out from the Grand Place, numerous architectural styles, most notably Art Nouveau, delight the eye. This is not surprising as Brussels was the home of Victor Horta, one of the founders of this turn-of-the-century art form. Horta's graceful home, open to the public, is a testament to the city's beauty that is intended to be experienced on a daily basis.
Equally delightful is Brussels tasty and various cuisine that, on any given day or night, might include a streetside bag of pommes frites smothered in the city's legendary garlic-mayonnaise, a mouthwatering praline or the very finest French haute cuisine.