Europe's 'chocolate capital' is only a £33 bus ride from the UK

Metro

08-07-2025

When the sugar cravings hit, there's no better place to be than Brussels. Belgium's historic yet hip capital knows how to do chocolate.
Colonial ties to the Congo gave it access to the cocoa bean before most, and the invention of the decadent Belgian praline in 1912 cemented its reputation as one of the world's top destinations for chocolate creations.
Today, the tiny European country is home to some 2,000 sweet shops.
And Brussels, often nicknamed the 'chocolate capital of the world', has something for every palate.
Here's all the things you can do to satisfy your sweet tooth.
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Belgium and Switzerland share a reputation for top quality choc, but with more chocolatiers per square foot than any other city in the world, Brussels just about clinches the crown.
And with over 80 artisans to learn from, there's no better way to start a trip than with a hands-on workshop.
Become a chocolatier for the day with Brussels' award-winning artisan Laurent Gerbaud. His Jamaican pepper ganache is as spicy as it sounds, and is one of many quirky flavours to try at the end of his Saturday sessions.
If you've got room for more, wander around Brussels' hundreds of chocolatiers. From Pierre Marcolini's Iranian pistachio to Wittamer's nutty Tarragona, there's a story behind them all.
For something more active, book on to a food tour of the best chocolatiers. Top-rated walking tours include Groovy Brussels (£34/€39) and Hungry Mary (£85/€99).
Alternatively head for a chocolate museum such as The Choco Story (£12/€14) or the Belgian Chocolate Village (£7/€8). Live demonstrations and historic exhibitions will keep you entertained until you find room for more.
To work up an appetite, the UNESCO-listed Grand-Place is worth a visit. Standouts are the 15th-Century Town Hall and the Brussels City Museum (£9/€10).
If you're lucky, you might catch the Brussels Flower Carpet. Every other August, some one million begonias and dahlias blanket the square in a bright tapestry.
Less than 10 minutes' walk from there is the Museum of Illusions (£15/€17.50), a world of optical illusions and sensory exhibitions. Only eight minutes by foot from the Grand-Place, it's worth squeezing into your itinerary.
From there, an afternoon at the Cantillon Brewery is one well spent. Take a self-guided tour of one of the last traditional lambic (fermented) breweries in Belgium still operating with its original, centuries-old equipment.
If cartoons are your thing, Brussels' Comic Strip trail has more than 80 murals to admire. Keep your eyes peeled for famous characters like The Smurfs and Tintin painted on the streets.
Make for the Place du Jeu-de-Balle and you'll find Brussels' most popular flea market, where you'll find a trove of second-hand treasures including antiques, comic books and vintage vinyl.
For something kooky, Brussels is famous for its peeing statues: there's Manneken Pis, the 400-year-old peeing boy, Jeanneke Pis, his squatting sister, and Het Zinneke, a urinating dog. Scattered around the city, the quirky statues are always a hit with tourists.
Adding a side-trip to your holiday now has a name: 'detour destinations'. More Trending
And as a growing number of people seek out authentic experiences that challenge the typical tourist route, it's already been hailed as one of the hottest travel trends of 2025.
From Brussels you can reach iconic cities such as Amsterdam by train or coach. A two-hour train journey costs £28. By coach, you can get there for £7.50 in under three hours.
If you're looking to dive into the unknown, underrated gems such as Ghent, Antwerp and Bruges are all around one hour away.
From the UK, Brussels is easily accessible by plane, coach and train.
Direct flights from London Heathrow Airport cost £43, and will get you to the 'chocolate capital' in roughly one hour.
For a cheaper and more sustainable journey, coach services such as Flixbus will get you from London Victoria to Brussels for as little as £32.99 one-way, with luggage included.
With no security queues and no expensive airport transfers, you can go to sleep at London Victoria and wake up in Brussels.
Eurostar trains depart from St Pancras International, arriving in Brussels within 2 hours and costing you £51.
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