Experience in Brussels, Belgium by Marianne

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

I live about 15 min walk from the city centre of Brussels and I love it! There's always something to see, to do and to enjoy here. Thanks to the different public transports, you can easily go everywhere and it takes maximum 1 hour. For those who like sightseeing, there are plenty of things to visit! Personally, I do love music, concerts and cinema and when I came to Brussels I thought: "Wow, amazing! ". Of course, the landscapes and architecture are great, you can spend hours just walking around and you'll be pleased.

What is the student lifestyle like in Brussels?

The student lifestyle in Brussels is just amazing!

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How much does it cost to live in Brussels?

I was very lucky to find cheap accommodation near the Parliament but I think if you look carefully for something cheap, you'll definitely find!

The cost of living is, I think, quite normal for a European city if you don't go clubbing every day. Also, a beer is really expensive downtown (on the Grand Place) but near the University, it costs about 1, 80 €.

There're also many different supermarkets as Colruyt, Lidl, Aldi, Delhaize,... It depends on what you need but you can really find everything. There're shops which sell organic food too.

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

The easiest way to find an accommodation is to join different groups on Facebook like " Bruxelles à louer - Bouche à oreille " or something like that. You can also walk through the streets, there are orange signs on the windows and you just have to call or send an email.

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

Huumm. There are many small restaurants which serve great food! I don't know if it's a matter of trend or "the done thing" but it exists Foodtrucks and wow, they sell burgers, pancakes, fajitas... which taste great! AND the quality of meat and greens is great.

I don't recommend you chips in the centre of Brussels, they're awful! The best place to eat chips is definitely the Place Jourdan.

My favourite dish is probably "Salade de chèvre chaud" with hot goat cheese on toasts served with salad, kale, corn, tomatoes, cucumber,... Healthy and delicious.

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What places would you recommend to visit in Brussels?

• DNA, a café-concert where you pay between 4€ and 6€ for concerts, it's almost every night.
• Then, I would recommend Celtica with their happy hours every day between 7pm and midnight I think.
• L`Ancienne Belgique, a great concert hall.
• Leopold Park, behind the Brussels-Luxembourg station, a small park just in the middle of the hustle and bustle, really lovely!
• Matonge, the African district of Brussels, you feel as if you were on holidays, I love this place to buy special food and exotic fruits for peanuts!

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

Definitely! Told about it in the other question.

What advice would you give future students heading to Brussels?

Don't stay at home, go outside and enjoy Brussels, really!