The Grand-Place in Brussels is a square so densely decorated with gold, stone and sculpture that visitors tend to stop at the entrance and just stare. The Gothic town hall, with its slender tower, fills one side, and the guildhalls of the old trades, brewers, bakers, butchers and others, line the rest, each topped with gilded statues and ornate gables. Most of it was rebuilt after a French bombardment in 1695 destroyed the centre of the city, and the speed and ambition of the reconstruction is part of the story.
The square was a market and a stage for centuries, and its history includes executions of Protestant noblemen in the sixteenth century and processions of guilds and royalty. Today it hosts markets, concerts and, every second August, a famous flower carpet laid out across the cobbles in thousands of begonias. A few streets away stands the Manneken Pis, a small bronze statue that draws crowds far out of proportion to its size, and the glass-roofed Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert offer elegant shopping and chocolate.
A square like this is not a riding destination. The centre of Brussels is largely pedestrian or restricted, with cobbles, tram lines and a low-emission zone that may affect older machines, so check the rules before riding in. Better to park at the edge, in a designated motorcycle bay or a garage, and walk in. The roads around the city are busy, with a ring road and tunnels that can be congested at rush hour, and the surfaces are generally good, apart from cobbles and potholes that can be treacherous in the wet.
Fuel is simple to find on the roads leading out of the centre, and the area around the square is full of cafés, bars and restaurants. Try moules-frites, a pot of mussels with fries, or a paper cone of chips with mayonnaise, and a Belgian waffle if you have room. The beers are justly famous, so leave the bike parked, enjoy one, and let the evening light turn the gold of the guildhalls to amber. Early morning, before the crowds arrive, is the best time to see the square at its quietest.