Areas to live in Brussels

Top tier (but too expensive): Uccle, Woluwe-Saint Pierre, Woluwe saint Etienne
High tier: Woluwe Saint Lambert,
Average (mix of good, cheap, nice ambience): Ixelles, Etterbeek, Downtown, East of Schaerbeek, East of Parvis Saint Gilles

Avoid the west.

Hi,
If you want to be 'downtown' without the feeling of suffocating, I suggest living near squares. My favorite is the Chatelain area. It has restaurants and funky boutiques and is close to the very luxurious boutiques of Louise Avenue . Another spot that might be interesting is Place Flagey in Ixelles. It's not huge but it has pretty ponds and a few cool spots to hang out in, like cafe Belga. Place Jourdan, in Etterbeek is also interesting. It's near Parliament and the pretty Place Luxemburg and more importantly it's where you can get the famous fries from Maison Antoine. It's a mixed neighbourhood with some busy streets but it also has some very quaint ones as well. Lastly I would suggest Woluwe-Saint-Pierre. It's much more suburban. It's green and family oriented and has a beautiful big park with ponds.  It just depends on what you like. I hope this helps. Good luck!

It all depends on your profile. If you want to have a more lively atmosphere, the centre of Brussels (e.g. Dansaert area), Ixelles/Elsene and St Gilles/St. Gillis (Parvis area) are the best options. The "Woluwes" and Uccle/Ukkel are more residential ("quiet"). A lovely green area is Watermael-Boitsfort/Watermaal-Bosvoorde, as well as Laeken/Laken (close to Royal Palace)

Ixelles near Chatelain or Flagey is popular with young expats. The centre of town near Dansaert is good if you go out a lot and like being at the centre of things, but it's also pretty hectic. Woluwe is very, very quiet and more for families. St Gilles is very nice too, but maybe avoid the area around Gare du Midi.

Thanks for the above info! We are a family of 4 with kids aged 8 and 11, moving from Canada in July. My husband will be working at UZ Brussels hospital, and my son is hoping to continue playing ice hockey (which us apparently in Leuven?). We are hoping to meet other kids and families in a neighbourhood setting. Where would you recommend living, and what is the best way to find a 6 mo rental? Many thanks for your help!!

Liedekerke is the name of the rink north west of Brussels.
Given work is at UZ Brussel in north of the region, I'd go for this team.
http://www.liedekerkelions.be/

The Leuven team however is this one.
http://www.ihcl.be/home/english

6 month rentals would be extremely difficult. Are your children going to school here? International? Local french?
The expat population tends to live on the east of Brussels region, UZ Brussel is on the north-west side, but accessible by car on a very very busy road called the RO ring road, if you choose to live in the east instead which is more convenient for Leuven hockey club. If you did choose to live in the east, local schooling in Wezembeek/Kraainem/Woluwe-St-Pierre is not too difficult to find and it's 20 minutes drive to Leuven rink and 20 minutes to UZ Brussel ONLY if the RO ring road is not blocked, otherwise it could be over an hour!

PS I recommend you join these 2 FB groups.

general children information
https://www.facebook.com/groups/365571260276668/

all types of schooling
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Parents … inBelgium/


Short Term rentals are really not going to be cheap.

For regular rents, most are on here.
http://www.immoweb.be/en/immo/house-to- … ategorie=1


For short term lets usually taken by small families or singles for a couple of months, this is the one of the cheapest around. The Green Court ones are in a lovely residential area, the Euro Tomberg ones almost across the road from Poseidon ice rink, area is more urban, near the large shopping centre, apartments look a bit less luxurious. If you manage to get the price down to 2000 euro per month, you're doing well, that is an excellent price in fact considering all bills are included and no messy rental contracts to get out of with regular rents. Both are not too far from the RO to get to work, or even using public transport. Both are near good local French schools you should manage places at if needed.
http://www.homeinbrussels.be/property-s … artment%22

Thank you so much for all of the very valuable information Tervurener!! I have asked to join the FB groups you suggested and am renting in WSL near Tomberg (unfortunately not for the price you suggested, but it was the best I could manage for short term!). Can you suggest any children's activities nearby? I am hoping for a French speaking brownies and scouts group, as well as squash and gymnastics lessons. Many thanks again!!

Well here are some squash clubs. I know Stadium sports centre in Schaerbeek also has courts, not far from Tomberg really and also Centre de la Woluwe, even nearer, at Kraainem metro, has courts.
http://lawoluwe.be/fr/https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mi … 7,0.264187

For gymnastics, I'd cross the road to Poseidon sports centre, Tremp2000.
http://www.tremp2000.be/
Or for the highest grade gymnastics in Brussels by audition, Europagym at Stade Fallon, near Roodebeek metro.
http://www.europagym.be/

PS I'd join this schools group now.
facebook.com/groups/ParentsandBCTSchoolSupportNetworkinBelgium/