Here’s how to spend a day in Brussels if you are visiting Belgium.
I suggest stopping there for at least a day because there are a lot of things to see, but you can totally go for more time there.
Plus, the train network serves very well all the towns to visit so you can add Bruges, Ghent or Antwerp to your itinerary !
Brussels is Belgium’s largest city and capital. The city is located in the center of Belgium, south of Antwerp (second biggest city), and north of Charleroi.
I’ll list here all the things to do when spending a day in Brussels.
Brussels circuit : 1 hour walk, 10 stops
Start you day at the Grand-Place, the central square of Brussels. This entirely paved square is one of the most memorable landmark in the city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998. It is surrounded by the city’s town Hall, and the neo-Gothic King’s House which houses the Brussels City Museum.
After 5 minutes, you’ll reach the famous Manneken Pis which means ‘Little Pissing Man’ in Dutch. It’s a 55cm bronze fountain sculpture depicting a naked little boy urinating into the fountain’s basin.
The statue has been stolen or damaged a lot of times thus it has been decided to display a replica instead since 1965. The original is stored in the Brussels City Museum.
Don’t be surprised if you don’t find the figure naked, it is regularly dressed up and its wardrobe consists of around 1000 different costumes !
But don’t overlook the surroundings, which are well worth a look :
20 minutes from the fountain is the Law Courts of Brussels. It is the most important court building in Belgium and when its construction finished in 1883, the Justice Palace was the largest building in the world.
Fee : free
Opening hours : Monday to Friday from 8 am to 5 pm.
8 minutes from the Law Courts is the Church of Our Blessed Lady of the Sablon. This church was built in the 15th century is an impressive example of flamboyant gothic style.
Fee : free
Opening hours : everyday from 10am to 6pm.
Right in front the church is the Petit Sablon square. This beautiful neo-renaissance garden with many sculptures was opened to the public in 1890.
The Place Royale is a neoclassical square in the Royal Quarter of Brussels and built between 1775 and 1782.
This is where is the Royal Palace of Brussels, the seat of the Belgian monarchy. Built in the beginning of the 19th century, the palace has not been the official residence of the Belgian monarchy since 1831.
Fee : Free
Opening hours : It is open to the public from July 21st (national holiday) to the beginning of September since 1965. Visits are from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:30am. to 5pm.
5 minutes from the palace will take you to the Mont des Arts garden.
As it is below Place Royale, the garden offers a great viewpoint of the Grand Place and the historic center. It was first designed for the 1910 Universal Exhibition and renovated in 2001.
When you are looking at the garden from the terrace, make sure to look behind you on the right, there is a splendid monument :
After 10 minutes you’ll reach the Brussels Park. Formerly known as the Royal Park, this neo-classical park is the city’s oldest one and was the first to be opened to the public.
We got lucky because when we were there, Philippe Gluck’s “Le Cat” exhibition was still in the park :
Another 10 minutes will take you to the Cathedral of St Michael and St Gudula. This medieval Roman cathedral’s construction began in the 13th century and was completed in its Gothic form in the 16th century, even though the interior was frequently modified after. It is dedicated to Saint Michael and Saint Gudula, the patron saints of the City of Brussels.
Fee : entrance is free, 2€ for the cathedra treasure and 3€ for the crypt.
Opening hours : everyday from 8am to 6pm.
Final stop of the day ! Located 5 minutes away from the cathedral, the Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries are Europe’s first glazed shopping arcades. Built in 1847, it consists of 3 zones : the King’s Gallery, the Queen’s Gallery and the Princes’ Gallery.
Searching for more places to visit in Brussels ? You can head to the Parc du Cinquantenaire with the centerpiece, the Cinquentenaire Arch.
I chose not to mention the Atomium because it doesn’t look special to me and not worth the walk, but you can head there to see this landmark from up close. It was made for the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair.
If you are on the lookout for great fries, I recommend either Fritland or Friterie Tabora. For waffles, you can head to Maison Dandoy, and for an impressive beer pub, head to the world famous Delirium Café with its 2000 different beers !
That’s it for my Brussels recommendations !
I hope this article gave you a better idea of what to expect from a day in Brussels, it’s nice to stop by if you are coming to Belgium !
If you plan on coming to Belgium soon you can check out my other articles such as a day in Bruges, a day in Ghent or a day in Antwerp.
If you need more information about what to know before going to Belgium, you can check out this article.
I have also made a post about restaurant and food recommendations, click here to check it out !
If you need a custom itinerary, you can fill this form and I’ll make your own personalised itinerary.
