Cheap Flights to Brussels (BRU) from UK Airports

Brussels is home to many famous and historical landmarks

Brussels is not just the capital of Belgium; it is also the largest urban area in the whole of the country. Over the years the city of Brussels has become a metropolis and home to over one million inhabitants. With such a diverse culture, a selection of fantastic landmarks and plenty of history, it has now become a popular tourist destination within Europe, with airports offering plenty of flights to Brussels, bringing in visitors from across the world throughout the year.

The city is home to many famous and historical landmarks, attracting flights to Brussels for thousands of holidaymakers each and every year. One such landmark is the statue, Menneken-Pis, which was originally called 'le petit Julien', meaning Little boy Julien. It is situated in the Rue de l'Etuve and the current version was erected over 300 years ago. An amusing tradition amongst locals has been to make clothes for the statue. These can be viewed in the City Museum, amongst other memorabilia of the city.

Another famous landmark is that of the Cathedral of Saint-Michel, built between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries in a beautiful and elegant gothic style. It attracts tourists mainly for its stained glass windows and oak carved pulpit. The cathedral can be toured independently or you can attend one of the many regular services; times should be checked on arrival. In general, the architecture of Brussels is quite diverse and includes medieval constructions such as the Grand Place and the post-modern buildings of the EU institutions. Such buildings are great fun to visit and provide many wonderful photograph opportunities.

The city is often thought of as a being a hub for the artistic scene, with the famous Belgian surrealist Rene Magritte having studied there. Throughout the city many of the walls are covered in graffiti, featuring large pictures and motifs and you can often spot tourists viewing the artwork enthusiastically as they pass by. In addition to the work displayed throughout the city there is the more traditional art displayed in the many art galleries and museums; for example in the Museum of Modern Art and the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. The latter is home to the artwork of many famous Flemish painters, such as Anthony van Dyck and Jacob Jordaens. Art lovers should definitely make a point of visiting these spectacular collections.

The Botanical Garden contains some beautiful areas for walking and relaxing. Within the garden there is the Belgian Comic Strip Centre museum. The building is no longer used to house botanical plants and instead is used as the French Cultural Centre, providing information on Brussels' history and French culture in general.

Weather-wise, Brussels experiences roughly 200 days of rain per year and a maritime climate. Snow tends to be rare, occurring once or twice a year, with the most popular time for tourists being the summer months when the weather is slightly warmer. Regardless of the weather and what time of year you visit all the sights are open and can easily be viewed.

With regard to food, eating within the city is often considered to be a culinary delight, the most famous of Belgium food being chocolate and waffles, along with the many different varieties of beer. Of course, the humble Brussels sprout deserves a mention as well; after all, it was first cultivated here. There are roughly 1,800 restaurants and plenty of bars situated throughout the city. If you're simply looking for something light to eat, there are also many cafes and bistros throughout the city, selling cake and teas and coffees.

Getting to this vibrant city is fairly straightforward. Cheap flights to Brussels from many UK airports are easily obtainable and tend to be less expensive than the Eurostar train from London St Pancras. Getting around the city is fairly straightforward, with a decent bus, tram and metro networks serving the entire area. Remember, the interticketing system means that you can use a combination of transportation modes according to which is most convenient for a specific journey. For example, take the bus to the botanical gardens, but the metro to the art museums.

Brussels has an important position within the European Union, as it is has been the centre for international politics since the end of the Second World War. The city is historically Dutch speaking, however, today the majority of its population are French speaking. Incidentally, both languages have official status, but there is often disagreement between the two linguistic communities as to which is the primary language.