Yet in Brussels, some of the best loved, most frequented places to meet are tucked away in unexpected and unconventional locations. For insiders, this is a quintessential aspect of the city’s charms.

Brussels also has the world’s first shopping mall, Galeries Saint Hubert-Sint Hubertusgalerijen, which had opened in 1847, full of boutiques, cafes, restaurants, a theatre, and also a cinema.