The most modern buildings in the form of EU institutions are to be found round Rond-Point Robert Schuman, the great bureaucratic centre of Europe. St Gilles is where you go for art nouveau, this discreet commune having guarded its art nouveau heritage better than the others. The built-up business and residential areas are scrupulously broken up by frequent patches of green, which probably help to account for the city's sedate, unfrenzied atmosphere. Around the city centre are congregated many small, carefully laid-out parks that provide settings for statues and national monuments. Many of these are now neglected and a little dispiriting, so you're often better off going just outside the centre to the larger, more attractive parks and woods.
All parks tend to be quiet until the weekend.
They are generally open from dawn to dusk, which means 6pm in winter and 8.30pm in summer. Travel around as much as possible and discover that Brussels, like all great cities, has its secrets. Following one of our three suggested walks would be one way to unearth a few of them. All Rights Reserved. If you see anything that you know to be incorrect please visit our feedback page so that we can correct it.