Brussels is a city rich in history and home to one of the most beautiful squares in Europe. In this travel guide we will show you everything you need to know to plan the perfect Brussels trip with where to visit, what to eat and the best museums.
A quick look at Brussels
Country: Belgium
Population: 188,737
Language: French and Flemish
Currency: Euro
Best Month to Visit: July/ August
Must See: Grand Place
Must Eat: Pomme Frites
How to get to Brussels from the Airport
Brussels has 2 main airports that serve destinations all over Europe. The Brussels airport is closer to the city and more convenient than the Charleroi Airport.
From the Brussels Airport
Train: Take train 1C from Brussels Airport Zaventem to Brussel Centraal station. Trains leave every 30 minutes takes about 44 minutes and costs €10.80 each way. Check out the Belgian train website for more information
Bus: Take Bus line 12 which is also known as “The Airport Line” it has connections with metro stations at Schuman (lines 1-5) and at Trône (lines 2-6). The journey takes about about 45 minutes and costs €7.50
From the Brussels south Charleroi airport
Bus: Terravision offers a direct but to Midi station in Brussels. The ticket costs €19.95 and takes about 55 minutes. Check out the Terravision website for more information.
Bus and Train: You can also take public transport with a combination of bus and train. You will need to purchase the following tickets:
- 1 ticket for your ride with the TEC bus (A3) from Charleroi Central to Luttre
- 1 ticket for your train journey from Luttre station to Brussel Centraal station
Both tickets can be purchased at the same time can be purchased at the same time €10-€12 euro each way and takes about 1 hour. Check out the Belgian train website for more information.
Getting Around Brussels
Brussels has excellent public transport which includes Metro, Bus and Trams that cover the whole city getting you to all the attractions quickly and easily. For most of the services you can pay with contactless when you board or for the Metro when you pass through the ticket barrier. You can also purchase tickets from ticket machines in the station, ticket booths or online from the STIB-MIVB website.
Travel Card: You can also purchase a MOBIB card which is a rechargeable travel card that is valid on any Metro, tram and bus in Brussels is operated by STIB – MIVB.
There are also a number of travel passes you can purchase that will save you money on public transport:
Brupass: 10 journeys -Fare: € 8.20
Brupass: 1 day pass – Fare: € 9.10
Use the following link to see a public transport map of Brussels
TRAVEL TIP: Consider getting a Brussels card that comes in 24, 48 and 72 hour options. The card gives you unlimited access to public transport, free entry to Museums and many discounts.
When is the best time to visit Brussels
Brussels is a city you can visit year round but for the best weather visit in summer June-August. There is plenty to do all year round like Christmas markets in December so don’t let some cold weather hold you back.
Where to stay?
Saint-Gilles: A multicultural neighbourhood with a mix of Art Nouveau architecture, trendy bars, and restaurants. This is where we stayed but closer to the Zuid station (perfect if arriving by train like the Eurostar) where it can be a little rough around the edges.
City Center (Centre-Ville): The historical heart of Brussels, home to the Grand Place, Manneken Pis, and numerous museums and shops. We would nearly always recommend staying in the city center especially when on short weekend breaks as you are close to all attractions and endless restaurants and bars to choose from.
The Canal District: This is a trendy and artistic area with cobbled streets, cafes, and galleries.
Things to do in Brussels
Grand Place
Grand Place, or Grote Markt has a rich history dating back to the 11th century where it was originally a marketplace where the square was a hub for merchants and tradesmen. You can see that today with all the ornately decorated guild halls that surround the square making it one of the most beautiful squares in Europe, also earning UNESCO World Heritage site status. Grand Place and the surrounding streets are full of history and beautiful architecture where you will also find loads of shops and restaurants .
Manneken Pis
Manneken Pis is a small bronze statue depicting a naked boy urinating into a fountain basin. While its exact origins are unknown, the current statue dates back to 1619. There are various fantastical stories about the statue where it is said the boy urinated on a witches door and was frozen as punishment another tell of bravery as the boy who urinated on a fuse to save the city from attackers. Whatever story you believe this statue is an icon of the city and a fascinating piece of history.
Parc du Cinquantenaire
The Parc du Cinquantenaire was built to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Belgian independence, the park’s centrepiece is the Triumphal Arch, a giant arch inspired by the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. This is a great place to come and have stroll, bring some lunch and have a picnic or just marvel at the architecture. The park also houses several museums, including the Autoworld, which showcases a vast collection of vintage cars, and the Royal Museum of Art and History, which houses a range of artifacts from around the world.
Atomium
The Atomium stands at 102 metres (335 ft) tall, and was originally constructed as the centrepiece of the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair. It is made of Stainless steel balls connected by pipes that represent an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. It costs €16.00 to enter where you get access to the viewing platform that gives you panoramic views of Brussels. After you visit the viewing deck their is a museum housed inside of the balls of the Atomium as well as an epic sound and light experience that was mind blowing!
Mini Europe
Mini-Europe is a miniature park located across the street from the Atomium. It features over 350 miniature models of famous European landmarks and buildings at a scale of 1:25. You can find iconic structures like the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, the Colosseum, and the Sagrada Família. There are loads of interactive displays, moving trains, erupting volcanoes and anthems for each country! You can cancel your next European holiday and just come here! This was really fun and a great place for the whole family.
Explore the museums
Belgium is home to many amazing world class museums that are loads are fun to visit. They give heaps of information about Belgium’s rich history and often include interactive displays making them more fun and engaging for all ages. Some of the museums we would highly recommend are:
Belgium Beer World: Housed inside the Brussels stock exchange, explore the history of our favourite Belgian export! really fun, interactive and interesting museum with free beer tasting and roof top bar at the end.
Brussels City Museum: Located on Grand place in the historic Maison du Roi building learn all about the rich history of brussels and see artifacts from it’s past including the real Manneken Pis!
Comic Arts Museum: Belgium is home to many of the most famous and iconic children’s comics. Here you can learn all about the origins of comics and Belgium’s iconic comic book characters.
Walking Tour
One of our favourite ways to learn the history of a city, get your bearings and learn about some hidden gems is to go on a walking tour. You can’t go wrong there are loads of companies to choose from but if you want to support us consider using the affiliate link below!
Mont des Arts
The Mont des Arts garden is located between the royal quarter and historical center between the upper and lower parts of the city, here you will find a peaceful green space with beautiful views of the city.
Palais du Coudenberg
Palais du Coudenberg was originally built in the 12th century and was once a magnificent royal residence. The palace was once home to rulers like Charles V, and was tragically destroyed by fire in 1731. Today, it exists as a unique underground archaeological site where you can explore the remnants of this grand palace. Its a very interesting and different type of attraction and was fun to explore the maze of rooms and tunnels and learn about its history.
Where/What To Eat & Drink
Delirium Village
The most famous and iconic bar to visit in Brussels. Delirium is in the Guinness book of world records for having over 2,000 beers available and if you can’t decide try out the Beer-O-Meter a 10 beer tasting board that will give you range of Belgian beers to try.
Chez Leon
Muscles are a dish Brussels is famous for and Chez Leon have been serving them up for over 100 years. The restaurant is very busy but that is because it is that good!
‘T Kelderke
Located off Grand Place ‘T Kelderke serves traditional Belgian food in an amazing setting in a underground cellar. With a location like this one you would expect it to be a tourist trap, but this place is far from it with a great ambiance friendly staff and delicious food.
Pomme Frites
Despite the name “French fries” (known as Pomme frites in Belgium) were invented in Belgium. They sell them everywhere around Brussels but the best Pomme frites hands down was at Maison Antoine here the fries are cooked to perfection with the perfect amount of crunch but still soft in the middle. Honestly once you have tried Pomme Frites at Maison Antoine it will spoil fries for you forever, as every fry you will ever eat after that will be inferior in every way.
Belgian Chocolate / Nuehouse
For the sweet tooth’s out there Belgian chocolate is another must eat dish. There are loads of chocolate shops around Brussels but Nuehouse reigns supreme, it may be more expensive then other shops but the quality and craftmanship and most important the taste is the best!
Belgian Waffles / Maison Dandoy
When visiting Brussels eating Belgian waffles is a must! Maison Dandoy serves up some of the best waffles with loads of branches around brussels pop in and see what all the fuss is about.
Balekis
Serving traditional Belgian meatballs with your choice of meat(or not!) and side(has to be Pomme Frites!) located just off Grand Place.
Next Stop:
- Discover Lisbon! Portugal’s beautiful capital!
- Explore London’s Little Venice
- European Island Getaway: Visit Funchal in Madeira
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