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• Grand Place-Grote Markt [2]. Surrounded by the city tower and a range of beautiful 300 year old buildings. At night, awesome. Some evenings a music and light show is provided with the buildings serving as a canvas. Have a "Gauffre Liègoise-Luikse wafel" here (Belgian waffle with caramelized sugar)—the best ones are available from the little shops off the northeast corner of the Grand Place-Grote Markt.
• Manneken Pis, [3] - just a short walk from the Grand Place-Grote Markt is the Manneken Pis, a small bronze statue thought to represent the "irreverent spirit" of Brussels. This statue of a child performing one of Nature's most basic functions is believed to have been inspired either by a child who, while in a tree, found a special way to drive away invading troops, OR to commemorate a child who found a unique method putting out a fire, that threathened the city. Belgians have created hundred of outfits for this statue [4], each with a hole strategically placed to allow the water flow to continue.
• Parc du Cinquantenaire-Jubelpark. Definitely check out the Arc de Triomphe-Triomfboog on the east side of town. It's in the Parc du Cinquantenaire-Jubelpark. It is possible to go up to the terrasse above the arch, from where you'll have a good view of the city (free entrance). Take Metro line 1 east, exit Schumann and walk east or exit Mérode and walk west.
• Brave the tourist-trap restaurant gauntlet of the Rue des Bouchers-Beenhouwersstraat

• The Bourse - stock market building

• Actors Studio and Styx, run by the cooperative nouveau cinema [14]. Both cinemas screen interesting films in their original version with French and Dutch subtitles. Actor's studio, Petite Rue des Bouchers - Kleine Beenhouwersstraat, Brussels 1000, tel: 025121696 or Cinéma Styx, Rue de l'Arbre Bénit - Gewijde Boomstraat 72, Ixelles-Elsene 1050

• Cinema Nova [15] is an independent-to-the-bone cinema showcasing the more esoteric side of cinema - films which would not be shown elsewhere are generally shown here. A Korean Ultraman rip-off, a Pakistani documentary or a bleak Chilean cinema vérité flick? Only at Nova. Nova Cinema, 3 rue Arenberg-Arenbergstraat, Brussels 1000

• Arenberg [16] is a good arthouse cinema with a well-programmed selection of films. Especially good for the newer arthouse flicks. Cinéma Arenberg, 26 Galerie de la Reine - Koninginnegalerij, Brussels 1000

• Musée du Cinema/Filmmuseum [17] is part of the Centre for Fine Arts and features a carefully chosen selection of contemporary and classic arthouse films. The best thing about this isn't just the building (due to be restored soon) but also the fact that the entrance fee is cheap. So if you can't live without your dose of Werner Herzog or Jan Svankmajer fret not - this place won't cost you an arm and a leg. Royal Film Museum, 9 Rue Baron Horta - Baron Hortastraat, Brussels 1000

• Vendome [18] is yet another arthouse cinema. It's located near the Porte de Namur (Naamsepoort) and acts as the metaphysical gateway to a lively african neighbourhood known locally as Matongé. Vendome, 18 Chaussée de Wavre - Waversesteenweg, Ixelles-Elsene 1050

• Styx [19] - Cinéma d'art et d'essai - Rue de l'Arbre Bénit, 72, 1050 Brussels (Ixelles) - 02-512 21 02

• Flagey [20] is the old broadcasting headquarters and now houses the regional TV station tvbrussel[21]. It labels itself 'the sound and images factory'. Quite an apt description - arthouse films, theatre pieces or world-renowned musicians are all featured here. Flagey, Place Sainte-Croix - Heilig-kruisplein, Ixelles-Elsene 1050

• UGC De Brouckère [22]. This is the most centrally located UGC in Brussels. Another UGC exists in Ixelles. As far as programming goes it's the usual Hollywood and mainstream European fare you'd expect from any other UGC in Europe. UGC De Brouckère, 38 Place De Brouckère - De Brouckèreplein, Brussels 1000

• Kinepolis [23] was the first megaplex in the world. It's located at Heysel, near the Atomium, and has 25 screens showing a wide selection of mainstream films.

• BIFFF [24] is Brussels' international fantasy film festival (film fantastique in french). This two-weeks festival is scheduled yearly in March. Warm ambiance.

Brussels is chock full of chocolates, but ground zero for the chocoholic is Place du Grand Sablon-Grote Zavel, where you will find three shops selling some of the best chocolate in the world: Neuhaus, Pierre Marcolini [25] and Wittamer [26]. Each store has its own specialities: Pierre Marcolini's take-away cakes and ice cream are reasons to stay alive, while Wittamer is the only one with a cafe on premises and also sells the ultimate hot chocolate. Passion Chocolat (20 Rue Vanderlinden) is a bit out of the way but its artisanal chocolate is worth a visit, and you can taste lots of it for free at the entrance.

There is plenty of good eating to be had in Brussels.... Most people concentrate on the three classics: mussels (moules), fries (frites) and chocolate. A few more adventurous bruxellois dishes include anguilles au vert / paling in't groen (river eels in green sauce), meat balls in tomato sauce, stoemp (mashed vegetables and potatoes) and turbot waterzooi (turbot fish in cream and egg sauce). For dessert, try a Belgian waffle (gauffre), also available in a square Brussels version dusted with powdered sugar, and choices of bananas, whip cream and many other toppings. Although many prefer the round, syrup-coated version from Liège.