West, Brussels: neighborhood guide

West is the western belt of the Brussels-Capital Region: Laeken and the Heysel plateau in the north, then Jette, Ganshoren, Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, Anderlecht's western edge and the ULB medical campus in the south. It is mostly houses, schools, offices and parks rather than a sightseeing district, and outside the Atomium area few visitors come here at all.

The two poles that matter to a traveller are the Heysel plateau, with the Atomium, Mini-Europe and the Far East museums, and the green western edge, where the Luizen windmill stands on the Vlasendael plateau near Anderlecht. Between them the area is quiet, with local shopping streets and a handful of good neighbourhood restaurants.

Language is mixed Dutch and French, as everywhere in Brussels, and English works in hotels and museums.

For a normal Brussels trip, no. The classic sights — Grand-Place, the museums around the Mont des Arts, the Marolles — are 20–30 minutes away by metro, and the evenings here are residential. You pay less for a room, but you spend the difference in travel time.

There are two cases where West makes sense. First, if the Atomium, Mini-Europe or an event at the Heysel exhibition halls is the reason for your trip, staying within a stop or two saves a long ride each morning. Second, if you are driving and want free or cheap parking plus quick access to the ring road, the western communes are easier than the Centre.

If you want a base with restaurants and bars on the doorstep, look at the Centre or Pentagon instead; if you want the Atomium area specifically, the Heysel guide covers it.

West is where people live, so the food is everyday Belgian and immigrant cooking rather than tourist menus: bakeries, friteries, Turkish and Moroccan grills, and a few solid brasseries on the main squares of Jette and Anderlecht. Prices are lower than around Grand-Place.

Near the Heysel museums you will find snack bars and museum cafés rather than a restaurant strip. For a proper dinner, either eat in the commune where you are staying or ride into the Centre. Check opening days: many local places close one day a week and shut early on Sundays.

Metro line 6 runs from the centre (De Brouckère, Rogier) out to Heysel and Roi Baudouin, roughly 20–25 minutes end to end (check). Trams and buses fill the gaps between the metro stations, and the Brussels S-train network serves the western communes from the main stations.

From Brussels Airport, take the train to Brussels and change onto the metro; from Midi or Central, the metro is the simplest route west. A single ticket on the STIB network covers metro, tram and bus within the region for a set time; buy at machines or by contactless card (check current fares).

By car, the western communes sit close to the ring road, which is why drivers like them, but central Brussels has low-emission rules and parking is limited — check the rules before you drive in.