Brussels: 15 Shopping Ideas, Brussels, Belgium (B)

It's no secret that Brussels is not all about JCVD muscles and EU headquarters. Small country as such, Belgium abounds in signature items, such as beer, chocolates and... the peeing boy. All of these have made prime Belgian souvenirs for years. Now you can explore the Brussels gift scene in more detail and see what else you can bring home from a trip to the Belgian capital.

Bringing back chocolate from Belgium is an obvious choice, so if you’re going to pick up a box, you’ll want something rare and unexpected. Chocolatier Pierre Marcolini treats his sweets as modern design, and doesn’t stop at the chocolate itself. His store in the heart of the artsy Sablon-district looks a bit like a decadent ice cream parlor where the chocolates are displayed as if they were luxury cars in a show room.

His top-of-the line product is the macaroon, two brightly colored biscuits separated from each other by a cream paste. If you’re looking for the royal treatment, pick up The Complete Collection (30 euros), a red luxury box with 25 macaroons in every imaginable bright color. Of course, it is always possible to assemble a handpicked selection, or buy one of the less expensive gift packages. Other than macaroons, you’ll find plenty of pralines, truffles and chocolates that have all been treated to the Marcolini touch. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).