Spring breaks in Brussels are all about bustling morning markets, open-air music festivals and relaxed bike rides through sun-dappled woods. Book a spring hotel in Brussels to discover parks in bloom and chocolatiers full of tempting Belgian chocolate Easter eggs.If ever there was an excuse to gorge on Belgian chocolate, it’s surely Easter when Brussels’ master chocolatiers attempt to outdo each other. The sweet-toothed melt over the fabulous bunnies at Pierre Marcolini, rich truffles at Wittamer, and mini eggs at Neuhaus. Learn the secrets in the making and satisfy your cravings at the Museum of Cocoa and Chocolate on the Grand Place, with demonstrations and guided chocolate tours of Brussels. Entertain the kids searching for 20,000 chocolate eggs at Bruparck’s Easter egg hunt.
As the weather warms and trees bud, spring breaks in Brussels invite leisurely bike rides through the city’s parks and woods. Freewheel on the trails weaving through the Bois de la Cambre. The gently sloping hills and meadows are flecked with azaleas and rhododendrons in late spring. Pause for a breather by the fountain-dotted lake. Delicate white anemones carpet the Forêt des Soignes’ beech and oak woods in spring. There are 60km of trails to explore in this sprawling forest south-east of Brussels.
Shopping goes outdoors at Brussels’ lively markets in spring. Pick up picnic treats like herbs, cheese and olives at Marché du Midi. Daffodils, tulips and other seasonal blooms are tied in spring bouquets at the Grand Place flower market. Locals rise early to find bric-a-brac bargains at the daily Place du Jeu de Balle flea market. Serious antique hunters, meanwhile, browse oil paintings, ceramics and Art Deco furniture at the weekend market on the elegant Place du Grand Sablon. Enjoy brunch at one of the pavement cafés on the square.
Plan your stay in a Brussels hotel to catch some of spring’s top music festivals. Contemporary classical music is the focus of the Ars Musica festival in March and April, where well-known composers share the spotlight with tomorrow’s talent in concert halls across Brussels. Fans of 17th-century music flock to the week-long Sablon Baroque Spring festival in March. Spring’s best freebie is the Brussels Jazz Marathon in May, which stages more than 100 jazz, funk and blues concerts in squares from the Grand Place to the Place du Grand Sablon.
Every year from late April to early May, Brussels eagerly awaits the two-week public opening of the Art Nouveau Royal Greenhouses in Laeken. The celebrated 19th-century architects Balat and Victor Horta designed the manicured grounds and neoclassical rotundas to harbour the botanical collection of King Leopold II. Follow in the footsteps of Belgian royalty with a fragrant stroll through the six-acre park, taking in orange and banana trees, giant ferns, geraniums, and hot pink azaleas in the Azalea House.
Whether it’s Belgian street fashion or big-name designers, Brussels has styles to brighten up any spring wardrobe. Snoop around Avenue Louise and Rue Antoine Dansaert, home to the boutiques and studios of renowned Belgian designers. Olivier Strelli’s beautifully tailored, ready-to-wear clothing appeals to elegant shoppers. Keep abreast of emerging trends at Stijl, showcasing the world-famous collections of Antwerp designers like Ann Demeulemeester and Dries Van Noten. Designer label lovers head to well-heeled Avenue Louise and Boulevard de Waterloo.
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