Brussels - A few questions

Hi - We leave for Brussels next week .. our first time. We are staying at the Stanhope. A few questions:

1. I%26#39;m assuming the best way to get from the airport to the Stanhope is to take the train on the bottom level of the airport to the central station, and then either take a taxi to the hotel or to take the subway.

2. We%26#39;ve never been to Brussels. And at looking at the map it looks to be somewhat big. Is the Stanhope within walking distance to the city center and most of the main sites? We are mid-30%26#39;s and in running shape so we don%26#39;t mind having to walk. We weren%26#39;t sure if the subway or bus would be quicker?

3. I was doing a bit of research on shopping districts in Brussels and I became a bit overwhelmed as there seem to be a ton! We aren%26#39;t high end shoppers but not consignment/antique either. I%26#39;m particulary interested in the children%26#39;s shops and toy stores. Any idea on the best areas to shop?

4. My sister in in Brussels for business so we won%26#39;t have too many days to make a day trip. We would definitely like to visit Bruge and Ghent. Is it possible to do both in one day if we leave super early and come back late? I know most places don%26#39;t open until 10-10:30 and close around 6:00 at the latest.

5. Sundays. Our last day in Brussels is a Sunday. After reading a few things, it looks as though most of the muesums and some shops are open on Sundays. I wanted to confirm this with those of you who maybe live near Brussels or who have been often.

Thank you for all your help!

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1. It depends on when you are arriving: if it is at the weekend, or weekday evening, the airport bus is no. 21 which stops at Meeus right by your hotel. During the week, it is the no. 12 which terminates in Place du Luxembourg, also not far away (see http://www.stib.be/irj/go/km/docs/horaires/12/schema/20090831/12_1.gif) but in that case you can arrive slightly closer to your hotel by taking the airport train to Gare du Midi and the metro from there to Trône, which isn%26#39;t more than 5 minutes%26#39; walk from your hotel. Beware however that there is no escalator at Trône from the ticket-office level to the surface, so you have to manage 20 or so steps, which means that with heavy luggage it could be easier to arrive at Luxembourg and walk on the flat. Or, of course, take a taxi from any of the stations served by the airport train (Nord, Central or Midi).

2. Brussels is not that big (pop. 1 Mio, 1/10 the size of London or Paris) although the Stanhope is a bit outside the centre. It would only take you 15-20 minutes to walk past the palace to the Place royale where the museums are, and probably the same again to walk down from there to the Grand%26#39; Place. The area is very well served by buses and also metro to Midi one way or Rogier the other, but for the centre you would have to change at Arts-Loi. I believe the HoHo buses have a stop in Place du Luxembourg outside Fat Boys.

3. Louise is the nicest shopping area, and one of the best toy shops in Brussels is next to the entrance to the Conrad Hotel, at Place Stéphanie.

4. It%26#39;s 30 minutes to Ghent on the train (plus 10-15 to get into the centre by tram) then another 30 to Brugge, and you must buy one single ticket in the direction in which you are not interrupting your journey (e.g. Brussels-Brugge, 1 hr) and one VIA ticket in the direction in which you want to get off, e.g. Brugge-Brussels VIA Ghent; this costs a little more than the usual single, i.e. €14 instead of €12.90 so total cost (each) for this journey will be €26.90. Most shops open around 09.00 and close by 18.30.

5. Museums are indeed open on Sundays (closed on Mondays), shops closed except for those aimed at tourists around the Grand%26#39; Place, plus those - mainly for antiques, furniture etc. - in the Sablon/Marolles area, between the antiques market and the flea market. There is a big market around Midi station.

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Thank you so much qaminari for your answers to my questions. They are very helpful. Our flight gets in early Tuesday morning. I%26#39;m guessing we wouldn%26#39;t do Ghent nor Brugge justice if we tried to do both in the same day - I think it would be too much! We are also considering going to Paris for the day on Saturday since we are so close. Thank you again for your help!

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for the ghent bruges thing you could do it with a tour company bu bus pretty easily