Experience in Brussels, Belgium by Ikram

What is it like to live in Brussels? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

Brussels is a very multicultural city. I was born here, and I study here since. The city is kinda small, it's very easy to cross the city from the North to the South, or from West to Est. The historical center is amazing, full of history. Brussels is also considered as the capital of the European Union, having a long history of hosting the institutions of the European Union within its European Quarter.

What is the student lifestyle like in Brussels?

Student lifestyle is very active. I don't party a lot, but I know from my friends that Brussels is THE place to be if you want to enjoy your free time with your friends. Here in Brussels we're more than 90.000 students. There are a lot of Universities. We also have a lot of advantages!

Source

How much does it cost to live in Brussels?

Life is a little bit expensive here, prices are high, but there's always a way to find good plans. In general, restaurants/fast foods propose student prices to eat. We also have a lot of extra such as a special student prices for public transport, student prices at the cinema, and so on...

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Brussels? Is there any advice you can give?

It's difficult to find accomodation in Brussels if you're looking for something in the center of the city. In other areas you can find accomodation easily, students housing are called "kots" here. There are a lot of possibilities, you can rent to a private person, a student housing residence or make a colocation with other students!

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

Belgian dishes are quite good! Our fries are the best fries in the world, I can assure you. We also have a lot of culinary specialties such as carbonade, Belgian waffles, etc.

Source

What places would you recommend visiting in Brussels?

• The Grand Place,
• European Parliament,
• The Old England Building (musical museum),
• Notre Dame Du Sablon,
• Le Botanique (it's a big park, very beautiful),
• Royal Palace,
• Manneken Pis (it's our mascot here!),
• Parc Du Cinquantenaire,
• The Atomimum (it's our belgian eiffel tower),
• and much more!

Is it good to eat out in Brussels? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

There are a lot of good restaurants, which come from all over the world. This reflects the cosmopolitan side of the city. My favourite spots are located in the center. But for more good spots I recommend you to follow food accounts on instagram such as:

• @foodspeople
• @bruxelles. foodguide
• @bruxellesfood

Is the nightlife good in Brussels? Where is good to go?

I don't really know about nightlife because I'm a home-loving person, but I'm sure you'll find all the information needed on here or on this website.

What advice would you give future students heading to Brussels?

Don't be afraid to come here, it's a beautiful city and people are very welcoming! The only advice I could give you is to look for accomodation in advance and all the administrative procedures.