Brussels Christmas Markets with Newmarket Travel (Newmarket Holidays Coach Tours)

Member Name: Snow-White123

Product:	Newmarket Holidays Coach Tours
Date:	30/01/09 (168 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy travel with Eurostar, great hotel, well organised

Disadvantages: None

Wow, what a weekend. We found what seemed like an offer to good to be true. A weekend away staying at the 5 star Hilton in Brussels.

We travelled by Eurostar from St Pancras. I have been on Eurostar before but only from Waterloo, this was the first time travelling from newly re-built St Pancras station. The station itself is very impressive, before we boarded our train we thought we would stop off at the longest champagne bar in Europe for a couple of glasses of bubbly. Travelling by Eurostar is great, unlike travelling by plane there are no long queues at check-in and you can take as much luggage as you like. It was a very speedy and relaxing 2 hour journey until we arrived in Brussels.

We jumped in a cab and headed off to the hotel. Being 5 start we were expecting it to be a nice hotel but we were taking aback on arrival, the hotel is magnificent, we were given a room on the 23rd floor. The hotel must be one of the tallest buildings in Brussels and we had a magnificent view over the city from our room.

We tried to make the most of the time as we could. We went to the main square 'Grand Place' to see all the Christmas markets, we managed lots of shopping while we were there. There were delightful little restaurants and bars all around and just off the square where we could stop off to eat and drink.

On one side of the square you have Gothic Hotel de Ville (Town Hall) which is one of the oldest building is Brussels (1402) and one of only a few building to survive the Fresh bombardment of 1695. Opposite the cathedral on the 'Grand Place' is the 'Musee de la Ville de Bruxelles' or the Brussels City Museum, it details the whole history of Brussels from its early beginnings to modern day.

We had a look at the outside of the royal place. It does open to the public during a couple of months in the summer but is still a photo opportunity during the winter. We then had a very pleasant stroll through the 'Parc de Bruxells' opposite which divides the palace and the Belgian parliament

If you are into your seafood like we are then you need to spend a night in 'Rue des Bouchers', it is a little quarter to the East of the city with lots of delightful seafood restraints. In any ne of them you're sure to have an excellent meal.

The concierge at the Hilton did a fantastic job when we were looking somewhere to end the evening, I wanted to put my dancing shoes on and asked for some advice. On hearing the work discotheques from the concierge I explained we were after something a little older and he then suggested the 'Havana Club', it was only 5 minutes walk from the hotel but as it was raining we got a cab. It is a Latin type salsa bar with a dance floor. Exactly what I was looking for and a great way to end the night.

All in all it was a fantastic trip, very well organised and I would recommend every part of it, the Eurostar was quick, easy and relaxing. The Hilton hotel most definitely was 5 stars and the trip organisers, Newmarket Travel, were fantastic. I have even written a letter to Newmarket and thanking them for such a fantastic holiday!

Summary: Fantastic holiday to Brussels!