The Top Things To Do See At The Brussels Canal

A historic brewery repurposed to be an edgy new museum. An old slaughterhouse turned into a food hall. The recent opening of the city’s most environmentally conscious hotel. The powers that be are hard at work shedding Brussels Canal’s shaky reputation. Here, The Culture Trip shares eight ways to explore the up-and-coming neighborhood that was once considered the capital’s ugly duckling.

The old Belle-Vue brewery before its transformation

1. Spend the Night at Brussels Most Environmentally Conscious Hotel

Hotel

Right across from the new MIMA, the small BELVUE Hotel overlooking the canal has recently opened its doors with a mission of its own. While turning a section of the old Bellevue brewery into the first Brussels hotel to have a carbon footprint of zero is impressive enough, this enterprise with a soul also pledges to look out for its neighborhood. Young students from the Molenbeek district are offered practical training where they can gain experience and hone their hospitality skills.

Tour the Canal by Boat

To get the full effect of a neighborhood in the middle of transforming itself, venture out onto the water for a guided tour of the area. Gliding under historical bridges while witnessing the shiny new architectural achievements or works in progress on the docks will leave you with an exciting feel for the district’s future, as well as its industrial beginnings.