Armistice Day is celebrated in countries throughout Europe on Monday, and as many employees benefit from a long weekend, here are some of the businesses that will open on this bank holiday.
Postal offices, banks and most other public services will remain closed throughout the day and are set to resume normal business hours from Tuesday.
For the second bank holiday weekend in a row, railway company SNCB/NMBS seized the occasion to continue extensive renovations at Gare du Midi which will see rail traffic impacted on Monday.
Other public services like emergency services, police and public transportation will adopt a weekend timetable, meaning most administrative services are shut but operations will be maintained throughout the day, and mostly on-call pharmacies and doctors will be available.
The majority of public libraries and swimming pools will remain closed on Monday, but cinemas in Brussels will welcome visitors as will some shops downtown.
Grocery shopping will be possible in some shops of chain supermarkets Carrefour and Delhaize, but discount supermarkets Aldi, Colruyt or Lidl will be closed for the day.
Beyond Brussels, shoppers can head to the mega shopping centre Maasmechelen Village, located around one hour outside of the city.
Some theme or animal parks will also offer Brussels residents a day away from the city, with amusement parks Plopsaland or Mini Europe set to welcome visitors on Monday in the image of the Pairi Daiza, Planckendael and Antwerp zoos.
Unlike on 1 November, several museums in Brussels will also remain open to visitors, including the Musée d'Art Fantastique which will organise a treasure hunt for the occasion.
Other museums in Brussels which will welcome visitors on Monday are the Museum of Natural Sciences, the Toy Museum, Choco Story, or the Design Museum.
Additionally, those looking to learn more about the holiday can opt for a theme visit to the In Flanders Fields Museum in Ypres which is dedicated to the history of the First World War.
Gabriela Galindo
The Brussels Times
