La Grand Place

My favorite spot to hang out in Brussels is the Grand Place. It is a giant public square, lined with cafes that exemplify the city's highly evolved cafe culture. It's a success as a public space where people of all ages love to gather, socializing late into the evening.

Tourists abound, with those who can't afford the cafes plopping down on the cobbles in the middle of the square and enjoying their beer from cans. You often stumble across local festivals here or glimpse a wedding party emerging from City Hall (completed in 1455). It's been a place where rich and poor mingle for centuries. Karl Marx used to hang out in Le Cygne cafe here while writing the Communist Manifesto.