Exploring Brussels: The Atomium

I have been traveling outside of Brussels a lot since coming on study abroad. While it is glamorous to be posting pictures from a new country every week, Brussels has a ton to offer and I’ve been trying to appreciate this a lot more. When my friends suggested a nice little trip down to the Atomium as a change of pace, I was more than happy to tag along.

 

We took the Tram 7 to Heysel, the end of the line. I actually ride this tram three times a week to get to work but I had never actually taken it past Montgomery, which is only a few stops down the line. I also can see the Atomium from my office at my internship but never thought to go down and see it. This trip would be a lot of firsts and rediscovering places I’d gotten accustomed to!

The tram ride was very relaxing and also eye opening. I always advocate for people to take a new bus or tram, or even turn down an interesting looking street they’ve never been on. Yet, I hadn’t even been following my own advice. We saw so many cool things on the tram ride: a stunning park, cool murals, and a huge shopping mall (which we promptly hit up later in the day for some shopping and delicious gourmet burgers).

 

When we arrived at the Atomium on this lovely, sunny afternoon, we were stunned by its size. I always knew it was big, since I could see it all the way from my job, but it’s size and shine are impressive up close. We snapped some cool pics and made our way up the hill.

There are a ton of parks and other cultural activities surrounding the expanse of the Atomium, such as the mini Europe dioramas, a huge IMAX theatre, a circus, green space and yummy food stalls. We munched on fries, as one must do when in Brussels, and headed to the main attraction.

 

Unfortunately for us, the nice weather brought out the big crowds and the line was ridiculously long. This was fine, as it’s quite expensive to go inside the Atomium (yes, you can actually go into the atoms!) and it’s just as impressive from the outside. We hung around, checked out the surrounding attractions and enjoyed the sunny afternoon.

 

I had fun and learned a good lesson that day: some of the best adventures can really be had right in your backyard! All you need to discover something new is to look at your world with inquisitive eyes and do something you’ve never done before.