Brussels

Brussels is the working capital of the European Union, which gives it a constant churn of political, lobbying, and broadcast media work alongside a smaller but capable commercial and editorial production scene. Studios cluster around Ixelles, Saint-Gilles, and the Rue Antoine Dansaert design quarter; broadcasters concentrate around the EU institutions.

Brussels eats Belgian and confidently mixed: moules frites at the brasseries, carbonnade flamande, stoemp, croquettes de crevettes grises, plus a chocolate and pastry scene that earns its global reputation. Beer is its own discipline; visit a working cafe and order what the staff suggest. The metro and tram network is solid, but city traffic is slow at peak hours. Languages matter: greet in French in the south, Dutch in the north, both are respected in the centre. Tipping is light (round up, 5 to 10%). For the country baseline on visas, languages, and tipping, see /countries/belgium.