Soft Centre

Pack up your truffles ... Rebecca Ford discovers an earthier Brussels a world away from glib Euroland Tell people you're going to Paris or Rome and they'll sigh with envy; tell them you're off to Brussels and they'll nod politely and change the subject. Brussels, home to the headquarters of the EU, Nato and more than 1000 multi- national companies, conjures up unexciting images of big business and bureaucracy: a city forever associated with sprouts - and people who want to rename them spherical, stunted cabbages.

But the locals don't believe there isn't a fun side to Brussels: chic, cobbled streets, quirky shops, trendy cafes, striking art, wonderful architecture - they're all here.

The historic heart of the city is the Grand Place, a bustling square lined with lavishly-ornamented buildings dating back to the 17th century. Cocteau got so carried away by its charm that he called it "the most beautiful theatre in the world". Each building is different. It was in one of them, Le Cygne, that Marx and Engels wrote the Communist Party Manifesto in 1847. Ironically, it now houses one of the most expensive restaurants in town. Few tourists seem to venture far from the Grand Place, which is a shame as there are some architectural surprises a short walk away - Saint-Gery, for instance, which is the oldest part of town. Although it was neglected for years its buildings are now gradually being renovated. Young people are moving in, painting the facades of their homes in brilliant shades of blue, saffron and vermillion, while comic strip scenes so beloved of Belgians - remember this is Tintin country - have been used to brighten up dingy walls. Then there are the art deco and art nouveau buildings that pop up around the city, notably in the avenue Louise and square Ambiorix areas. Their ornate ironwork and gleaming glass still scream for attention today, particularly those built by famous architect Victor Horta, whose house and studio have been turned into a museum. Brussels likes its museums. There is a popular museum of the Comic Strip - Tintin again - as well as the ones you'd expect in any city concerning art, science and local history. Then there are museums of beer, of gueuze (a type of beer), of chocolate, of chicory, of penguins - and of nests and feeding troughs. I'm particularly struck to see that they even have a Museum of Lifts (as in elevator), and one of Sewers ( as in, well, sewers). It's a wrench but I manage to forgo these unconventional treats and head, instead, for the Royal Museum of Fine Arts which is really two museums in one with its ancient and modern art collections. It is in its art that Belgium reveals its darker, unconventional side. The works by Breughel seem to have a sense of foreboding, while James Ensor, an important figure in Belgian art, paints masked figures brimming with evil. I find surrealist works by Magritte and Paul Delvaux and can't help thinking that, while Belgium might look flat, underneath it's bubbling away like a volcano. The symbol of Brussels is the Mannekin Pis, a cutesy fountain that somehow delights and amuses hordes of visitors. I was pleased to find some gloriously tacky souvenir shops nearby selling everything from Mannekin chocolates and corkscrews, to statuettes that came complete with a tube and puffer for squirting liquid. I'm just wondering who on earth would buy this stuff when a group of German businessmen march past me into the shop chortling merrily, all set to wow Frankfurt parties with their purchases. Apart from this one lapse, the rest of central Brussels is tasteful in the extreme. One of the chicest areas is the Sablon. The 15th century church of Notre Dame au Sablon was once a site of pilgrimage but is now more noted for its stained-glass windows and the coats of arms of wealthy families that cover its walls. Outside, in Place du Grand Sablon, the square is lined with pricey antique shops and it's also home to Wittamer, a patisserie which sells particularly elegant - and calorific - cakes and pastries. Since it is lunchtime I can't help pressing my nose against the glass longingly but I resist the temptation and eat in Le Pain Quotidien opposite, a light, airy cafe that sells crusty bread, sturdy soups and delicious-sounding salads such as warm goats cheese with acacia honey and walnuts. Brussels is noted for its restaurants. There are said to be 1800 of them offering everything from African to Spanish cuisine. The streets around the Grand Place are real tourist traps, with hopeful waiters practically mugging you to go inside, but these are easily avoided. Local people love eating out and there are plenty of Belgian specialities to try such as waterzooi, a chicken stew; stoemp, mashed potatoes which can be mixed with different types of meat; steamed hops, and of course moules et frites, which sounds much more exotic than mussels and chips. Then there are the beers. Oh yes, the beers. More than 400 different types ranging from kriek, flavoured with cherries, to dark beers such as Chimay, brewed by monks, and my favourite, gueuze, which gets harder to pronounce the more you drink it. Add to this the temptation from the ubiquitous patisseries and chocolate shops (this is this city where the praline was created, as well as the delicious speculoos biscuits from Dandoy), and you quickly realise that this is certainly not a city to come to if you want to lose weight. And you wondered why those MEPs look so well-lunched. There are a number of trendy bars and clubs in the city, many of them along Marche au Charbon. I sat in cafe bar Au Soleil and drank beer surrounded by cool studenty types, all of whom were wreathed in a thick haze of smoke. Later, I discovered a thriving gay scene when I tried to follow a man who was entering a building with darkened windows which I mistook for a trendy bar. The doorman's face took on a look of pure horror as I waltzed in. He pushed me back on to the street, pointing frantically at a rainbow striped sticker outside and shrieked: "Hommes, hommes''. I hoped desperately that none of the cool, young things in Au Soleil had seen me. The club seemed to be doing jolly good business anyway. One of the most atmospheric parts of Brussels is the Marolles, one of the older and less gentrified areas of the city, which has a large ethnic population and a strong character of its own. It was here, along Rue des Renards, that the black market flourished during the war. In Rue Haute I found Breughel's house, outside which is a plaque curiously inscribed with his name and the dates 1524-1924. I couldn't help feeling that I'd spotted the deliberate mistake. The Marolles is a great place for shopping. For starters there's a flea market every morning at Place de Jeu de Balle where people sell everything from furniture to tatty, old books. Then there are the shops along Rue Haute and Rue Blaes where you can easily spend hours browsing and wondering whether you could possible get that four foot statue in your suitcase. You can find anything here: fresh vegetables, African art, patisserie - even designer baths so deep you could perfect your front crawl while scrubbing your oysters. Two shops in particular caught my fancy: one was Passage 125 Blaes where several antique and salvage dealers exhibit their wares, and another was Maison M Molnar, a little shop stuffed with items such as old tin boxes, jewellery, antique clothes and bright, beaded evening bags. I've run out of money, so I head for a coffee in De Skieven architekt, a cafe by the flea market. It is one of those places you could stay for hours with magazines for sale inside the door and walls covered with murals, prints, and black and white photographs. There's also a piano which looks loved and battered, as if it is often played. People of all types wander in, smoke, drink strong cups of coffee and chat. I feel glad that I've discovered another, earthier Brussels, a world away from the slick Euroland I had expected Need to Know: Getting there: Sabena run frequent direct flights to Brussels from both Glasgow and EdinburghTel: 0181 780 1444 Where to stay: Hotel Amigo is excellent if you want to treat yourself. Vruntstraat 1-3 Tel: 02 547 4747 Best chocolates: Neuhaus, Galerie de la Reine - the oldest chocolatiers in the city. Look out for the chains Godiva and Leonidas. For further information and brochure requests, call Tourism Flanders-Brussels Tel: 09001 887 799 (calls cost 60p per minute)

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