Brussels pouts

I didn’t have a particular burning desire to go there, but when a friend and I were searching for a city break we found we could go there for our £300 limit.

So it was that we boarded a bmibaby to Brussels – and spotted the Archbishop of York, John Sentamu, a few seats in front. Flying in a plane the size of someone’s living-room, there was something comforting about having a man of the cloth on board… We stayed at The Dominican, an elegant four-star hotel in Brussels old town. With its beautiful art deco foyer and chic courtyard, it was surprisingly posh for our budget.

The hotel was a short walk from Grand-Place – the heart of the city, flanked by splendid buildings dating back 600 years. Taking pride of place is the Hotel de Ville (Town Hall), clearly a popular place for weddings since we saw endless brides and grooms queuing to get married. Across the square stands the striking, medieval Maison du Roi, nestled between narrow guild houses, including the home of Victor Hugo.

We enjoyed a citrus beer in the ornate bar, soaking up the bustling atmosphere of Grand-Place. It would’ve been even more pleasant without several renditions of Plastic Bertrand’s 1977 hit Ca Plane Pour Moi. Rehearsals were underway on a huge stage assembled in the square for a pop concert, and someone – maybe Plastic himself – was belting out the only Belgian pop song I knew. Priceless.

We wandered over to Galleries Royales St-Hubert, an elegant Victorian shopping arcade flooded with light through beautiful glass ceilings. Nestled among the designer boutiques, stylish coffee shops and lace-makers, we spied the first of many chocolate shops.

Lured inside by gorgeous window displays, it’s impossible to resist the array of handmade chocolates on offer. The city’s chocolate museum is disappointingly dull, however, unless you’re particularly interested in the history of the cocoa bean. Not an Oompa Loompa in sight!

The Galleries intersect with rue des Bouchers, a jumble of pretty cobbled streets where al fresco diners tucked into moules et frites. Dining in one of the many restaurants, overlooking a narrow street bustling with good cheer, I was seduced by the loveliness of this historic quarter. Once we were in Brussels, we discovered it isn’t cheap, and eating out was expensive around the rue des Bouchers and Grand-Place areas. We did, however, enjoy a reasonably-priced curry one night, a little off the beaten track. And sitting in one of the old town’s pretty street cafes with a coffee and a Belgian waffle is a lovely way to spend an hour, without breaking the bank. We booked a trip to Ghent and Bruges, not far from Brussels. Much of Ghent town centre is traffic-free; ideal for walking tours. Crossing St Michael’s Bridge, we encountered the Ghent Spires – the medieval landmarks of St Niklaaskerk, Belfort and St Baafskathedraal – and a walk along the Korenlei, once Ghent’s main harbour, brought us to fine old guild houses and warehouses. Nearby was the Gravensteen, a fairytale castle with turrets and a moat.

On to Bruges, once one of Europe’s most influential cities, now a chocolate box-pretty tourist magnet. In the Middle Ages, its thriving economy was based on international trade passing through its port. In the 15th century, when the inlet began to silt up, Bruges became land-locked and forgotten. Today it remains a complete medieval town, peppered by canals and narrow streets.

At Markt square, we encountered a gathering of boy scouts busy with a tug-of-war game. The second square, the Burg, is home to Basilica of the Holy Blood, adorned with gold statues, comprising an ornate 12th century chapel where you can touch the silver tabernacle in which a phial is said to contain a fragment of cloth stained with Christ’s blood.

It was quite a day for religious relics. Over at the Church of Our Lady, we gawped in awe at Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child sculpture.

A boat trip offered an intriguing perspective of the town, particularly around St Janshospital, its oldest building.

Back in Brussels, we booked a trip to Waterloo, about 30 minutes’ drive away. With shameful gaps in my Napoleonic Wars knowledge, I learned a lot from visiting the famous battlefield. We drove through the village of Waterloo, home to the Duke of Wellington’s headquarters, to fields where, on June 18, 1815, Napoleon was defeated. It was eerie standing on top of the Lion Mound, overlooking the peaceful rolling greenery where 50,000 men once lay wounded or dead. The Panorama de la Bataille, a huge circular painting depicting battlefield scenes, offered a taste of the sights and sounds of Waterloo.

Our trip included a stop at the Musee Royal de l’Armee, covering ten centuries of military history, from shot-torn battle flags to suits of armour, and an aircraft section comprising a Spitfire and Hurricane from the Second World War. Alongside the museum stands the Triumphal Arch; we stood on top of it, admiring splendid views of the city. The curved glass roof of the European Parliament building shimmered in the distance. A highlight of our four-day trip was the Atomium, which has to be seen to be believed. Built for the city’s 1958 World Fair – in the shape of the atomic structure of an iron crystal – it’s a popular symbol of Brussels. It consists of metal spheres linked by tubes; inside the tubes are escalators, and the spheres contain exhibition spaces offering a panoramic view of Brussels. In the ‘stem’ of the building is a lift, taking us to the top sphere in a few minutes. A world apart from medieval spires and ornate facades, it highlighted the intriguing contrasts of this fascinating city.

Fact File

* Emma flew with bmi from LeedsBradford Airport to Brussels. Visit flybmi.com *She stayed at The Dominican, Brussels. The overall cost was £313, including flights, taxes and three nights accommodation.

*For more about Brussels, visit brussels.info/touristinformation