Brussels Nightlife
Brussels has a wide selection of top bars, pubs and clubs for visitors to choose from. Although the city is not renowned for its partying lifestyle, there are still plenty of places to enjoy yourself and Brussels is emerging as a top destination for some of the best nightspots in the region.
Although the city may not have as big a selection of watering holes as some of the bigger cities in central Europe, the selection that it does offer tends to be of a high quality. However, that is not to say that Brussels caters only for the exclusive clientele with large wallets ? some of the best places to have a drink in the city are also some of the cheapest.
From cocktail bars to traditional, old pubs, there is something for everyone in Brussels as the city has reinvented itself in recent years to accommodate for the influx of people arriving from across Europe due to the importance of the European institutions situated here. As such, the European quarter does have a smattering of bars, although most visitors would be better off staying near the centre as these tend to be relatively unexciting and generally filled with European Union workers talking shop after a hard day at the office.
For a more exciting introduction to Brussels nightlife, visitors should head towards the rue du Marche au Charbon. Not only is this the heart of the gay scene in Brussels, but it also hosts some of the hottest bars in the city. Ultra-hip, this area can be somewhat expensive, but if you're really keen to be seen with the beautiful people, it will be worth the expense! Pablo Discobar is a popular haunt for many Belgians, while in the summer head to Au Soleil and Fontinas, both of which have late-night terraces for you to enjoy the warm evenings.
On the cheaper end of the scale is the area around the Grand Place, although being in the heart of the Belgian capital it can still be expensive compared to other parts of the country. There are plenty of bars open late in this area and most enjoy a good mix of locals and tourists.
Speaking of the Grand Place, one way to spend an enjoyable evening in Brussels during the summer is to head to the square tom watch the impressive light show which takes place here. The Som-et-lumiere event sees a variety of coloured lights focussed on the beautiful town hall. Grand pieces of music accompany the lights, which dance over the building, making it come alive as the sun sets.
When it comes to clubbing in Brussels, there really is just one destination which should be on every clubber's mind: the Fuse. Based on rue Blaes, the Fuse is renowned not only across Belgium, but also in France and Germany. On a weekend, the club pulls in clubbers from across the centre of Europe as they come together to enjoy a host of top DJs.
Another good clubbing destination is Recyclart, which also doubles as an art gallery! It is worth checking the programme of events here, as while it is generally a decent club, it has some terrific one-off events which are unmissable if you happen to be in town.
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Nightlife
