✓ Find the best offers on your Stays on 🏡 booking.com
✓ Deals on Private xfers, SIM Cards, City tours, Day trips on 🛵 GetYourGuide | on 🛵 Klook
If you are in Belgium, you can’t keep Brussels off your travel list. Whether you’re coming for business or pleasure, there’s always something to do and places to see in Brussels.
A Brussels blog is all you need to decide amongst the top things to do in Brussels.
An itinerary of 4 days is good to see the most popular tourist attractions in Brussels. But if you can add 2-3 days more you’d be able to experience rather than ‘see’ that an ordinary tourist does. Here are the best things to see in Brussels along with a list of the most interesting things to do in Brussels:
1. Grand Place
Grand Place is the central plaza, the heart of the beautiful city of Brussels.
It is a part of the old town and a popular meeting point.
Quick Facts:
- The main square was built somewhere around 14th century.
2. Manneken Pis
A skillfully sculpted statue, Manneken Pis stands as an icon of the city.
You are bound to laugh out loud at the quirky depiction of a little boy taking a leak in the fountain!
And guess what more? It makes for a great background for portrait selfies! As it turns out, there is really an interesting story behind this statue.
Quick Facts:
- Jerôme Duquesnoy is the famed artist behind it.
- The iconic statue was built somewhere around 1619.
With so much to offer, no wonder Manneken Pis is one of the top things to do in Brussels.
Address: 1000 Brussels, Belgium
3. Mini-Europe
Mini-Europe is a fun museum with a collection of miniatures of the famous landmarks around the city.
The miniature scale model includes city’s famous streets, churches, squares and bridges. But all you see wasn’t developed in one go, but rather is a project that has been developed in stages.
Quick Facts:
- The miniature museum was opened on 1989.
Address: Avenue du Football 1, 1020 Bruxelles, Belgium
4. Royal Palace of Brussels
Royal Palace of Brussels is a majestic palace, a royal residence with a grand setting.
Stand witness to the opulence of the royalty of Belgium, a testament to the good times gone by.
Period Furniture and porcelain add to the richness of the details. The palace has several galleries, many of which are elaborately furnished and include exquisite artwork.
Quick Facts:
- The grand palace was opened on 1934.
Without a doubt this wonderful grand palace is one amongst the top things to do in Brussels.
Address: Rue Brederode 16, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
5. Parc du Cinquantenaire
Parc du Cinquantenaire is a large landscaped park, an oasis of greenery, located in Brussels.
It will not be wrong to say that Parc du Cinquantenaire is truly an icon of landscape architecture.
Parc du Cinquantenaire is your green detour from the hustle bustle of the urban Brussels. It’s easy to spend an entire day here, wandering through these flourishing gardens.
Quick Facts:
- Spread over an area of 30 ha, it is difficult to take-in all in one go.
- The park was built somewhere around 1880.
- Schuman railway station, Merode station is the nearest public transit access to it.
Address: 1000 Brussels, Belgium
6. Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert
Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert is a shopping center with a great variety and equally great prices.
If you have the money xxm is a perfect place to enjoy high-end shopping.
A good time pass activity if you have some extra hours to kill.
Quick Facts:
- Brought to life by the architect Jean-Pierre Cluysenaar, shopping center is a classic example of fine Eclecticism in architecture.
- Some of the things Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert features include an arched glass roof.
- The shopping center was opened on 20 June 1847.
A natural crowd puller, Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert is right up there in the list of best things to do in Brussels.
Address: Galerie du Roi 5, 1000 Brussel, Belgium
7. St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral
St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral is a majestic Cathedral standing tall in the city of Brussels, Belgium.
The inside is truly amazing, with gold decorations, detailed woodwork, frescos, and exquisite paintings on the walls and ceilings. The cathedral’s importance is further underscored by the presence of the tomb of the patron saint.
Quick Facts:
- The cathedral was built somewhere around 16th-century.
- It is built in a mix of architectural styles namely Gothic architecture, Brabantine Gothic.
- Some of the notable people who are buried here include Rogier van der Weyden.
Address: Place Sainte-Gudule, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
8. Brussels Town Hall
Brussels Town Hall is a historic town located on the city’s main square in the heart of the city.
Undoubtedly, the opulent city hall reflects the riches and success of Brussels at that time.
Quick Facts:
- Built in 15th-century, the highlight of the town hall includes the mirrored concert hall and the amazing tapestries.
- Jan van Ruysbroeck, Jacob van Thienen are the prominent architects who were involved in designing and building it.
- The town hall is located on the Grand Place, the main square of Brussel.
Add it to your Brussels trip if you have time.
Address: Grand Place 1, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
9. Musical Instruments Museum
Musical Instruments Museum is a naval museum with a focus on military ships and shipbuilding.
Practically scaled models of ships and submarines keep things interesting. The exhibits gives you good insight into the naval power of the times.
Quick Facts:
- The naval museum’s collection include a brillaint display of more than 8000 musical instruments.
- Grab the audio guide on your way, it’s quite helpful.
Address: Rue Montagne de la Cour 2, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
10. Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium is an art gallery focusing on fine arts by the famous artists of Belgium.
The museum also houses collection by some of the genre’s well-known international artists.
Quick Facts:
- The fine arts museum was founded in 1803 and was brought into reality by the architect Alphonse Balat.
- The fine arts museum’s collection include art pieces from early 15th century.
If you have time, it makes for a nice addition to your Brussels trip.
Address: Rue de la Régence 3, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
11. Law Courts of Brussels
Quick Facts:
- The architect who designed this includes Joseph Poelaert, and it was in 1866 when the construction began.
- The is located on Place Poelaert/Poelaertplein.
- The was built somewhere around the 19th.
Address: Place Poelaert 1, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
12. Magritte Museum
Quick Facts:
- Founded in 2009, the solo art museum is dedicated to the works of the famous Belgian artist René Magritte.
If you have time, it makes for a nice addition to your Brussels trip.
Address: Rue de la Régence 3, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
13. Brussels Park
Brussels Park is the royal park located right next to the majestic palace.
Quick Facts:
- A what used to be a hunting ground for the royalty used to be here before the royal park was built.
14. Brussels City Museum
The Brussels City Museum in the centre of Brussels is a wonderful place to learn about the history of the city.
Quick Facts:
- It was in 1887 when it was established.
- It is Victor Jamaer who conceptualized and turned it into a reality.
- The city museum’s collection include the wardrobe of Mannekin Pis!
Add it to your Brussels trip if you have time.
Address: Grand Place, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
But beyond the famous attractions in Brussels, there is something that pulls you back again and again, perhaps it’s the city’s charm. In this Brussels travel blog post, I have listed not just what to see in Brussels but also what to do.
And if you plan it well, these popular tourist attractions in Brussels can be easily covered in a short itinerary. If you have any questions or suggestions on sightseeing in Brussels, I would love to hear them in the comments section below.
✓ You on Insta? 👍@triplyzer✓ Find the best offers on your Stays on 🏡 booking.com
✓ Deals on Private xfers, SIM Cards, City tours, Day trips on 🛵 GetYourGuide | on 🛵 Klook
