Let's Go Europe 2019. Harvard Student Agencies

not lion.

       i Admission €26, €24.50 if booked online, students €24; sea lion shows and feeding times can be found at the museum entrance; wheelchair accessible

       Grab a bite at…

       BENI FALAFEL ($)

      Lange Leemstraat 188; 03 218 82 11; www.benifalafel.be/en; open M-Th 11:30am-10pm, F 11:30am-2:30pm, Su noon-10pm

      In the historic Jewish Quarter, this Israeli falafel restaurant boasts some of the most delicious and moist falafel in Belgium. See? We think it’s even tasty enough to justify the use of the word moist! For a cheap and quick lunch, grab a thick piece of pita full of vegetarian and kosher delights, either for-here or to-go. Spicy sauces come alongside your meal, making it a flavorful, if not steam-out-the-ear inducing, lunch. Soup, sides, and desserts are also on the menu if you decide your falafel needs a friend.

       i Soup from €3, falafel dishes from €3; kosher and vegetarian options available; limited wheelchair accessibility

       Don’t miss…

       MUSEUM PLANTIN MORETUS

      Vrijdagmarkt 22-23; 03 221 14 50; www.museumplantinmoretus.be/nl

      Located in the historic former home of sixteenth-century printer Christophe Plantin, this gorgeous museum explores his famous printing business, the Officina Plantiniana. Aside from the beauty of the home itself, whose artwork and courtyard were frequented queens and princes, the museum holds Plantin’s finest handiwork, libraries of books, and the printing room with the original printing presses (including the two oldest surviving presses in the world). Books are ubiquitous, from a manual of Arabic proverbs, to a Hebrew grammar book, to collections of delicate illustrations and colorful maps. Countless interesting objects await your discovery, like the old type cases holding over 90 fonts. And to think that from this rich, bibliophilic tradition emerged Comic Sans. Plantin would be rolling in his grave.

       i Admission €8, students €6; ground floor wheelchair accessible, no wheelchair accessibility on the top floor; keep your wristband to leave and return throughout the day

      PARC DE BRUXELLES AND THÉÂTRE ROYAL DU PARC

      Rue de la Loi 3; 25 05 30 30; www.theatreduparc.be; open Tu-F noon-7pm

      A few minutes in the Parc de Bruxelles will have you wondering why Belgium doesn’t continually win all Olympic track and field events. (There are certainly enough joggers training here to warrant it.) But the park offers so much more than a prime running path—you can enjoy watching ducklings bob around an enormous fountain, recline in the shade under a canopy of vines, and daydream about the more attractive marble statues coming to life. The cultural experience, however, comes from enjoying a stage performance at the Théâtre Royal du Parc, a beautiful theater on the edge of the park.

       i Show prices vary, park entry free; check online schedule for show times; wheelchair accessible

      LANDMARKS

      ÉGLISE NOTRE-DAME DU SABLON

      Rue de la Régence 3; 320 25 11 57 41; www.upbxlcentre.be/eglises/notre-dame-du-sablon/; open M-F 9am-6:30pm, Sa-Su 9am-7pm

      The church’s history begins with a group of crossbowmen who obtained the land to build a chapel honoring the Virgin Mary. Of course, the statue commemorating her, currently inside the church, is not the original: that one got paraded around the edifice annually, which was a nice break from listening to organ music 24/7/364. Construction finally finished in the 1500s, more than century after they started the project. Now you can visit the fruits of their labors and see the stained glass windows decorated with the coats of arms of families who lost members in World War II.

       i Free; no wheelchair accessibility; must cover shoulders and knees to enter; must observe silence in building

       ROYAL PALACE

      Rue Brederode 16, B; 25 51 20 20; www.monarchie.be/en/heritage/royal-palace-of-brussels; open July 21-Sept 1 Tu-Su 10:30am-3:45pm

      Across from the Parc de Bruxelles and just around the corner from the Royal Palace of Fine Arts, this impressive palace is a necessary and convenient stop on your sightseeing tour of Brussels. It’s the official home of the King and Queen of the Belgians. Even though visitors are only allowed inside from July 21st to the beginning of September, the palace is impressive enough from the outside to warrant a quick visit. Creatively trimmed shrubs line the courtyard and regal golden gates frame the front. Plus, you may be lucky enough to witness the changing of the solemn-faced guards or catch a glimpse of an important-looking person walking through a hallway. Riveting!

       i Free

      MUSEUMS

       CENTRE BELGE DE LA BANDE DESSINÉE (BELGIAN COMIC STRIP CENTER)

      Rue des Sables 20; 22 19 19 80; www.comicscenter.net/en/home; open daily 10am-6pm

      Bande dessinée, or comic strips, hold an important place in Belgian culture. Humorous characters like Tintin and Asterix are household names, and we can see why. The medium casts a wide net, including everything from serious and painstakingly drawn dramas to wordless collections of short scenes. The Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinée (CBBD) is a tribute to the Belgian art form and proof of the seriousness of this national obsession. The museum showcases the entire drawing, script-writing, and production processes, culminating in countless displays of artists’ funny and beautiful work. In addition to the museum, visitors can page through comic books in the library and bookstore. Any fan of the form cannot afford miss it.

       i Admission €8, students €7; no wheelchair accessibility

       MUSEUM OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

      Rue Montagne de la Cour 2; 25 45 01 30; www.mim.be; open Tu-F 9:30am-5pm, Sa-Su 10am-5pm

      This might be painful to get through for the pun averse, but bEAR with us. We’re not trying to harp on you, but the Musical Instrument Museum is a must-see. Pick up headphones at the ticket counter, and follow the audio guide through the four floors of musical exhibits. The earphones are no treble to use; numbers on the floor indicate what to press to hear songs from each instrument. Even though it may seem strange to stand around a room full of silent people looking at everything from pianos to Ukrainian banduras to wind-up music boxes, you’ll be trumpeting this museum’s praises by the time your visit is over. Plus, the €6 youth price will be music to your ears.

       i Admission €8, students €6; wheelchair accessible

       MAGRITTE MUSEUM

      Rue de la Régence 3; 25 08 32 11; www.fine-arts-museum.be/en; open Tu-F 10am-5pm, Sa-Su 11am-6pm

      René Magritte was either a brilliant artist who redefined what it means to paint or just a guy with the imagination of a six-year-old on psychedelics—we’re not sure which. Either way, experiencing the world’s largest collection of his works will leave you dazed and confused in the best