A few years ago, a certain presidential candidate called Brussels—a city he hadn’t visited in more than 20 years—a hellhole. He couldn’t have been more wrong.

Brussels is not only beautiful but cosmopolitan, diverse and cultured. A quarter of inhabitants are foreigners on short work contracts, and there are more foreign journalists here than in Washington, D.C. That diversity means you can buy almost any type of food, should you tire of waffles and frites.

Cheerleaders for the city freely admit that it’s a “B city”—and not on many travelers' wish lists. For that reason, it’s a real, living city, not a hollowed-out simulacrum of one, like certain other European cities. It’s also smack between Paris and Amsterdam—both geographically and culturally—at the intersection of northern Germanic Europe and southern Latin Europe. Visitors can have a similar experience to what they would get in either of those other capitals, and at less expense. (Disclosure, I was recently hosted by some of those cheerleaders.)

Granted, Belgium’s capital at least as much of a business and political city as a tourist one. But there’s an important contemporary art scene, rising local designers and lots of nice things to eat.

The Flower Carpet

Brussels Flower Carpet

Every two years, the central square, the Grand-Place, with its gorgeous Gothic architecture, becomes a massive living art project. In a tradition that goes back to 1971, a hundred volunteers spend a day assembling half a million begonia blossoms into a graphic pattern, which, seen from a distance, looks like a tapestry. The designs are inspired by various regions and countries. (The most recent was Guanajuato, Mexico.) The next edition will be in August 2020.

Hotel Amigo

This eclectic hotel began life as a prison in the 16th century, although you wouldn’t guess that now. The curious name comes from that era, when there was a Spanish presence here and the Dutch word for prison (vrunt) got confused with the word for friend (vriend) and translated as “amigo.” A hotel for decades—there’s an impressive wall of fame showing notable guests over the years—it has been part of the Rocco Forte group in 2000 and underwent a major redo last year. Like all Rocco Forte hotels, it’s filled with Italian touches, and in this case a full-on Italian restaurant, Bocconi, which serves olive oil from the group’s resort in Sicily and its decorated with Fornasetti plates and Italian tableware.

Hotel Amigo

Smart shopping

Not only is the playfully decorated Belgian flagship for Maison Martin Margiela here, but there’s homegrown couture as well. The address of Natan, Avenue Louise (likened to the Champs-Élysées) was once lined with couturiers. Paul Natan was among them, a standout for his proprietary fabrics and refined designs, both ready to wear and made to measure. That continued even after a new owner took over, and Natan continues to dress many of Europe’s royal families. On the beauty side, the year-old Label Chic curates the world’s best natural skincare products, and the friendly owner is generous with samples.

More flowers

Daniël Ost isn’t just a florist. He works on a global level, creating fanciful masterworks for royal families, sheikhs and multinational organizations. CBS News called him the world’s leading flower designer. Simply to visit the shop, which is overseen by his daughter, Nele, is a chance to wallow in beauty. That starts with the glorious art nouveaux facade and continues into the lush, flower-filled space inside. On request, Nele will teach private flower arranging classes.

Some of Belgium's best

Beer

Obviously. A good place to sample craft lambics is Moeder, and another label to look for is Brasseie de la Senne. Both pair quite nicely with the cheeses from La Fruitière.

Nice things to eat

Yes, there are frites and waffles. There’s also the great Italian food at Bocconi, the gastronomic clean-eating temple Rouge Tomate (a sister to the one in New York City) and the informal, year-old Ötap, where the young chef turns out inventive seasonal share plates like zucchini blossoms stuffed with ricotta and smoked rosemary. For a post-dinner cocktail, Arthur Orlans opened eight months ago in a former tailor shop.

Not just chocolate

This is Belgium: Of course the chocolate is good. (The local cheerleaders say it’s better in Brussels than in Antwerp.) But there’s also fantastic ice cream at Gaston and cinnamon-y speculoos (cookies) at Maison Dandoy, a brand since 1829 that opened its new digs in March, complete with whimsical wallpaper showing birds eating cookies.