COMIC STRIP ROUTE

Apart from hosting the European institutions, Brussels is the capital of beer, frites, chocolate, waffles and comics. And these are just few of the reasons why I love this city! Did you know that some of our most beloved comic heroes, like Tin Tin, Lucky Luke, Gaston, Gil Jourdan and Marsupilami, were actually born in Belgium? One of the most fun and original ways to discover Brussels and its comics heritage is to follow the Comic Strip Route.

Two years after the opening of the Belgian Comic Strip Centre in 1989, the project of the Comic Strip Route started in an effort to embellish empty walls in the city and pay homage to famous Belgian comic artists. Fast forward a few years later, the trail features over 50 colorful mural paintings and is one of Brussels’ landmarks and an interesting fun fact about the EU capital. The project keeps growing over time as new creations are added to the list and comic characters come alive in unexpected corners all around town.

When I first moved to Brussels I stumbled on quite a few comic walls only to realize that there’s a whole “promenade bande dessinée” to explore. And so I did! I followed the map below from Visit Brussels with pictures and interesting details which literally felt like a treasure hunt game. By the end I had discovered some street art gems and unknown spots in my favourite neighbourhoods in Brussels – mission accomplished! If you’re keen on playing tourist in your own city, learning a bit more about comics or discovering Brussels in an unusual way, following the Comic Strip Route is a brilliant and really fun idea. If you do, feel free to share your pictures with me on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook with the hashtag #seemybrussels – I’d love to see them!