Brussels is a colourful, charismatic and stunning city, full of rewarding surprises, it is least of all “boring”.

Don’t bother with the slightly eccentric and haphazard metro system – just walk. Central Brussels is small enough to potter round in a day.

Aim for the splendid Place du Grand Sablon (where you can get the best chocolates in the world) then head downhill to La Bourse and Grand Place and west into the trendy St. Catherine and St. Géry areas.

Make sure you take in plenty of good food and drink along with the stunning Art Nouveau and Art Deco buildings that populate so many streets.

The best thing about Bruxelles/Brussel and the bilingual-Belgians is that they know all this; they just don’t go shouting it from every corner of the Grand Place.

I can heartily recommend buying the finest cheeses, meats and bread, beer and chocolates from the above areas, getting back on the Eurostar and turning all the other passengers green with envy as you tuck-in. Brussels is nearer than Paris too!

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Escape Brussels for a few hours and head 7.5km east to Tervuren.

A stroll in the expansive grounds of the Royal Museum for Central Africa is a joy in any season. You could describe a visit as quirky but it does give you a snapshot of Belgium's colonial past albeit from one side.

Then either continue by bus to the historic university town of Leuven or relax in a Tervuren bar or restaurant before catching the number 44 tram back to Montgomery where you connect with the Brussel's underground system.

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My favourite café in Brussels is called 'L'Ultime Atome' 14 Rue St-Boniface, it serves the best tart tatin I have tasted.

After you’ve eaten it there’s then a great opportunity for a post-prandial walk around the more interesting bits of Ixelles.

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This is a beautiful guesthouse which is really close to Brussels but in a beautiful countryside area, ideal for cycling and hiking.

The landlady, Caroline, was a very caring hostess and made our weekend perfect.

The prices are a real bargain.

Vlezembeek, 10km from Brussels at Bekersveldstraat 3.
Tel:00-32-2532462
mobile: 0032 476949118
www.bekersveld.be/
www.hotelara.com/travel/belgium/accommodation/brussels-accommodation.html

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It's a private townhouse designed in 1893 by Brussels' art nouveau architect Victor Horta. It has recently been renovated by cult cartoonist duo Schuiten & Pieters and opened to the public. It's situated in the Schaerbeek area, which is off most tourist maps (being just north/north east of Rogier station) but well worth visiting for the beautiful buildings alone, many of which have been built in art nouveau style and kept in excellent condition (or recently restored). What's more, there's hardly a tourist in sight!

The entrance fee for Maison Autrique is 5€. Closed on Mondays, Tuesdays and bank holidays.

266 Chaussée de Haecht, Schaerbeek, 1030 Brussels;
tel: 02 215 6600;
Accessible by tram: 92 & 93 (Saint-Servais), 90 (Robiano), or if the weather's nice, take the metro to Rogier and walk for 20-30 mins along Chaussée de Haecht;
www.autrique.be

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Walking tours (lasting about three hours) around certain districts in Brussels. The tours give a fascinating insight into the city's distinctive wealth of art nouveau architecture, led by knowledgable and friendly guides. Lovely!

Visit www.arau.org/ct_home.php or get info from the tourist centre in the Grand Place

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Tervuren Park is a tram ride from the city centre. Walk around the lakes or wander along the trails in the woods. You can get to the Africa museum and its formal grounds from the park or go into Tervuren centre and sample the patisseries and shops.

Take the No 44 'Tervuren' tram from Montgomery metro. The park and museum are just opposite the tram stop

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