Break from the norm

Appearances in this ancient city can be deceptive. For all its grand squares and seemingly conservative demeanour, there's a wonderful undercurrent of wackiness in Brussels. Small though it is, the city does a fine line in eccentric sights, unexpected entertainment venues, and funky bars and restaurants.

Take Brussels' famous Manneken Pis, for example, the small sculpture of a nude peeing boy which stands on Rue de l'Etuve at the site of one of the oldest fountains – once a vital source of fresh water. Although naked most of the time, he has an entire wardrobe housed in the city museum on the Grand Place. At the Musée de la Ville de Bruxelles (closed Mondays otherwise open 10am-5pm) you can marvel at his Elvis outfit, his Moroccan costume with tiny fez and more. Not to be outdone by his popularity, feminists in the 1980s ensured that a female equivalent was created. Part of a fountain, Janneke Pis squats in a passageway called Impasse de la Fidelité off busy Rue de Bouchers. And there's more. In 2000 the statue of a peeing dog was installed in the St-Géry area. Zinneke Pis, a mongrel with his leg cocked, is on Rue des Chartreux and is much loved locally.

For a more ethereal experience, hum your way around the remarkable Musical Instrument Museum at Rue Montagne de la Cour 2 (www.mim.fgov.be; closed Mondays otherwise open weekdays from 9.30am to 5pm and weekends from 10am to 5pm). There's an extensive collection here, from harpsichords to electric guitars, and thanks to ingenious technology as you approach many of the instruments you'll hear the sound of them being played. This captivating museum is stunningly housed in a superb Art Nouveau building that was originally the Old England department store.

Over to the north of the city centre is the gracious Botanique, ornamental gardens with parterres and fountains and a magnificent palace of a greenhouse. This used to be the nation's botanical gardens – which are now located at Meise about 12km north of Brussels. Today the striking 19th-century iron-and-glass greenhouse functions as a cultural centre and is a venue for quirky rock concerts, and cutting-edge films and exhibitions (www.botanique.be).

Meanwhile for great jazz and more head to Archiduc (www.archiduc.net), which has to be the coolest bar in the city. You ring the doorbell at Rue Dansaert 6 and then enter through a steel swing door to find yourself in Art Deco heaven. Order a cocktail and take a seat on the half-moon balcony for the best views of the décor and, on weekends, the musical proceedings.

Then for dinner join the locals at one of the most highly rated fish restaurants in the city. But don't expect sleek looks. La Marée (www.lamaree-sa.com), at Rue de Flandres 99 in the Ste-Catherine area, looks like a basic café and has wooden tables and plastic flowers. Yet it has served politicians, actors, chefs and more. The sole meuniere is near legendary.

SHOP TILL YOU DROP

Whether you’re in search of the finest of Belgian chocolates, hunting for bargains in outdoor markets or wanting the very coolest new offerings of the designer world, Brussels is a great city for shopping. What’s more, the city is compact enough to get around quickly and it offers plenty of relaxing cafés where you can stop for a coffee and a well-deserved rest.

Set near the Grand Place, the elegant Galeries St Hubert are the city’s finest shopping arcades. Splendidly ornate and covered with arched glass ceilings, the galleries were opened with much ceremony in 1847. Head to Neuhaus at Galerie de la Reine 25 for exceptional chocolates – it was in a back room here that chocolates as we know them were first devised back in the early 1900s. For more chocolate choice make for Place du Grand Sablon, one of the city’s loveliest squares. Here you’ll find Wittamer, Marcolini, Godiva and another outlet of Neuhaus nestling among antique shops and art galleries. Meanwhile, among other foodie riches in the Ste-Catherine neighbourhood, Frederic Blondeel Chocolatier at Quai aux Briques 24 has an exquisite selection of handmade pralines. Take in the aromas as you order a coffee in the adjoining café.

For bargains don’t miss the open-air market at Place du Jeu de Balle. This takes place daily between 7am and about 2pm and here you’ll find anything from antiques to vintage clothes and books. Meantime you’ll come across wonderfully funky shops filled with bric-a-brac and more retro bargains along Rue Haute and Rue Blaes. There’s a great choice of cafés around these streets, too. At the start of December, Brussels’ magical Christmas Market opens at the Grand Place, with hundreds of stalls around the side streets offering crafts and food specialities, the air filled with tempting smells.

For fashion and accessories you’re in for a treat. Rue Antoine Dansaert just northwest of the Grand Place is where you’ll find up and coming Belgian designers: Nicolas Woit (at number 80), Olivier Strelli (at number 44), while super-stylish Stijl (at number 74) stocks collections by Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester and more. To the south, graceful Avenue Louise is lined with some of the city’s most prestigious shops: international brands such as Longchamps and Hugo Boss; the flagship store for dreamy Belgian chain Chine (at 82-84) where you’ll find silks and floaty dresses; the large department GaleriaInno (Inno). Nearby Boulevard de Waterloo has a slick mix of Italian and French high-end stores from Gucci to Chanel. Further south is the very much up and coming Châtelain district (around Place du Châtelain). Here, in particular, Rue du Bailli is lined with small boutiques – such asDOD at no 64 selling designer skirts, shirts and more at 50 per cent off the normal retail price.

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