Pop over to the Royal Museum for Central Africa and the Geographic Arboretum in Tervuren - it's the best green space in Brussels.

Then head to "Het Park"in the town square for fantastic cuisine.

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DVD devotees should ascend to the top floor of the Inno department store on the pedestrianised Rue Neuve, for the Media Markt store.

This major European chain sells general electronic devices plus a fair selection of CDs but excels with its choice of DVDs at competitive prices.

Art-house and world cinema titles which would be hard or impossible to find in the UK are well represented though remember to check that foreign language films have English sub-titles!

(There is also a branch of Media Markt in Antwerp on De Keyserlei close to the Central Station.)

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Brussels makes a great weekend trip with children.

Not so big and overwhelming, with so many "must sees," as Paris, but more than enough to keep you busy.

And there is loads of great chocolate - need I say more?

Don't miss MIM, with more than 1,000 ancient and rare instruments from around the world.

There is a lovely cafe overlooking the city on the top floor.

The best place we've found to stay with kids: Novotel Centre/Tour Noire. It has a cool hammam/indoor swimming pool surrounded by rocks which creates a very cool atmosphere. It is walking distance to Grand Place, also to many waterside restaurants and off-the-beaten path neighborhood places and playgrounds, good ethnic restaurants nearby, easy access to train station.

If you have more than a weekend, take a day trip to Bruges, Antwerp, or any other place in Belgium: distances are short!

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Take your first drink - a coffee or a trappsit beer at the magnificent art nouveau Le Cirio just around the corner from the Bourse metro ( 4 stops from the Gare du Midi).

Have your last drink at Au Laboureur close to the Gare du Midi.

And in between use the CAMRA Good Beer Guide to Belgium by Tim Webb to find your way round Brussels.

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Day trip? You’ve time for architecture and shopping if you take tram 55 towards Bordet, to Beurs, walk past the roman remains and into Grand Place.

Ten minutes from here via the Place des Martyrs, have lunch and marvel at the Art Nouveau masterpiece by Victor Horta the Center of the Comic Strip on Zandstraat.

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For a great late night jazz bar go to Archiduc at 6 rue Antoine-Dansaert, Bruxelles.

It'll be a hit with anyone who loves Art Deco, cozy drinking holes, live jazz, fab cocktails and an eclectic mix of people enjoying themselves.

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Visiting Magritte's house gives you a little insight into a surrealist mind.

A tram-ride from central Brussels, the suburban house is packed with glimpses of the banal, everyday things that inspired Magritte’s extraordinary, warped images: the fireplace (empty without its emerging steam train); the pipe (that is in fact not a pipe); the lamp post (that actually works like any other). The domestic details of this historic house are probably no different from a thousand others in Brussels.

But in the context of wonderful Magritte originals and the fascinating story of his life (displayed upstairs), they take on a new significance.

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To see the best in art nouveau or deco architecture take a tour organised by ARAU.

What they lack in guiding skills (on your left on your right) they more than make up for in enthusiasm and knowledge; plus you will visit places the public don’t usually have access to.

Should you need more Nouveau visit the Horta House, and if after all those curves you crave as I did straight lines, stand outside the wonder that is the Palais Stoclet in the Avenue de Tervurenlaan.

www.arau.org
www.hortamuseum.be

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The KVS Bol theatre is dazzling. It’s an impressive example of how well Brussels can occasionally weave together traditional and modern design and produce something uniquely memorable.

Following extensive refurbishment, it reopened in 2006 to reveal a stage that sits inside a vast ball encased within the walls of its 19th Century building.

Most performances support the Flemish language, and shows in French or English are not uncommon. But if you can’t attend one of these, try having a drink in the gorgeous second floor bar.

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Going to Brussels you must try the Gueuze Museum, its a museum, brewery and bar all rolled into one.

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If you are in Brussels and are feeling torn between sight-seeing and cafe relaxation then head to the terrace bar at the Museum of Instruments where you can do both at the same time.

The view is truly extrodinary: one of the best in Europe. The museum, I should add is, is also worth seeing and inexpensive.

But if museums are not your thing then don't worry – you don't have to pay for entry to get to the terrace-bar. Just tell reception where you are heading and hop into the elevator.

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Catch Tram 44 to the Royal Museum of Central Africa. Great tram ride, challenging museum.

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Don't miss the paintings by Belgian artist René Magritte.

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Brussels' famous square adorned with stunning historic buildings is made ever more enchanting with dancing coloured lights that move to the music played out in the square.

This happens but once a year in December. It's an enchanting must-see for the festive season!

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Tintin addicts have no excuse not to make the pilgrimage to Brussels. First stop is the Musée de la Bande Dessinée where you’ll feel 10 years old again and have to be dragged away by the non-believers in your party.

There are souvenirs aplenty at the Museum shop, with even more at the dedicated Tintin emporium just off the Grande Place.

There’s even something for fans at the Africa Museum, a short tram ride from the town centre, where Hergé got his inspiration for the controversial but formative Tintin in Congo.

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Le Perroquet is a art noveau cafe, ideally placed for exploring local antique shops.

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Chinese & Japanese Towers.These beautiful oriental buildings are pretty close to each other in the eastern part of Heysel.

From the Atomium you can go there by foot through a big park and passing some nice sights like Monument Leopold I, Chapelle Ste. Anne, and Chateau Royal.

The frontage of the Chinese Pavilion was made in Shanghai in ctr. 17th – 19th.

The Japanese Tower was brought here from Paris.

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Visit the Grand Plas at night when it is lit up, it is stunning!

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In the Rue du boucher there is a very small side road named the Schuddeveldgang.

If you walk that through you will see a very small alley at your left.

Walk it right till the end and you will come to one of the two entrances of Theatre Toone. This place consists out of several rooms and one is the theatre room where you can enjoy a traditional local puppet show.

If there are no plays performed then the whole establishment is open as pub.

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Make the effort and head out to the Musee van Buuren on Avenue Leo Errera. This delightful art deco residence was owned by a prominent banker and is full of art treasures from around the world. The gardens are breathtaking and you can claim to have visited half of the Belgian mazes open to the public ... not sure where the other one is!

www.museumvanbuuren.com/

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