I was with friend and visited many churches all over Belgium and France...
All was built long time ago and it's so amazing until now they still preserve this kind of historic churches!
Near our hotel the square has many seafood restaurants, subway access, a cool church, a Sunday market. We really enjoyed this area and never felt unsafe. There are many great cafes and restaurants. Try Brasserie De La Senne by St. Jean Baptiste au Beguinage for drinks.
The public urinal on the side of Sainte Catherine is of cultural importance, not something to be upset about.
Loved this area for its relaxing atmosphere. For one of the most inexpensive places for mussels, try Mer du Nord. If you're looking for an inviting bar, try Monk Bar, across from Mer du Nord. A walk to the side of Ste. Catherine's presents a canal with lots of sidewalk cafes right there on the water. Just minutes away from de Brouckere and Annsplachen.
We stumbled upon this area as we were on our way from our apartment to Grand Place. The church is the main focus of this square/large courtyard and it has many restaurants surrounding to enjoy a meal while you take in the view. It is much quieter than Grand Place and a nice area to just sit and enjoy.
We came here after a recommendation from a staff member at our hotel, when we were looking for somewhere to eat. Neither of us are big fish lovers, but we were told half the street is fish and the other is about meat - all we saw were fish restaurants. So not ideal for us, but if you love seafood then take your pick!
However, the area is quite nice and we enjoyed a stroll around, exploring and the cathedral is also very beautiful to look at.
