With the exception of the Grand-Place and the narrow streets nearby, sightseeing in Brussels is relatively crowd free. Brussels offers a remarkable choice of some 90 museums, some tiny, and some international in scale.

All museums have bilingual labelling (French and Dutch/Flemish). English is not always used but English-language leaflets are usually available. In recent years, signposting (for drivers and pedestrians) of Brussels' top museums and major monuments has been improved, making sightseeing even easier.

The city's architecture is often breathtaking, especially in and around the historic Grand-Place, which is easily covered on foot and is home to a cluster of alluring museums dedicated to topics as diverse as beer, chocolate and lace-making.

Certain sights and sensations are obligatory, such as glimpsing the trickle of water flowing from the Manneken-Pis and making a wish while touching the ghoulish bronze statue of Charles-Everard de T'Serclaes - said to bring good luck.

However, the city has much more to offer. The public transport system works well enough to safely deposit the walk-weary tourist in Brussels' distinct districts: the modern Quartier des Institutions Européennes; aristocratic Sablon, near the Place Royal; vibrant working-class Marolles, south of Grand-Place; St-Gilles, with its splendid examples of Victor Horta's art nouveau architecture; and Heysel, far out to the northwest, with its memories of the triumph of the 1958 Exhibition and the Stade Roi Baudoin, site of the 1985 Heysel stadium disaster.

Brussels International-Tourism and Congress (BI-TC)
Hôtel de Ville, Grand-Place
Tel: (02) 513 8940.
Website: www.brusselsinternational.be  
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0900-1800, Sun 1000-1400 (winter); daily 0900-1800 (summer); closed Sundays Jan-Easter.

The Brussels Card (website: www.brusselscard.be) gives free access to museums and STIB public transport for periods of either 24, 48 or 72 hours. It also offers a 25% discount for the Visit Brussels tourist bus (see Tours of the City), along with reduced prices in selected shops, restaurants and bars. A guide to all the city's many museums is available at www.brusselsmuseums.be.