July 25th, 2023 at 01:18 am
20 Best Places to Visit in Brussels, Belgium
When discussing travel to Europe, Brussels might not be one of the first locations that come to mind. Only 10 million tourists visit Brussels annually, which is still a sizable number but significantly less than the 30 million tourists that travel meccas like Paris and Rome welcome each year.
But you should also visit Brussels! As Belgium’s capital, Brussels is a sophisticated, forward-thinking metropolis with well-known landmarks, practical transportation options, and remarkable experiences. Not to mention the mouthwatering waffles, lip-smacking fries, and mind-blowing beer!
Brussels City Tour
The majority of the storied buildings and monuments in Brussels decorates in Gothic or Art Deco architectural styles. The Grand Place (city hall and guild houses), St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral, the Royal Palace, the King’s Castle, and the Congress Column are a few of the famous landmarks.
Along with seeing historical sites, you can also go to more recent tourist destinations like the Atomium.
Belgian Chocolates Sampling
Without sampling the nation’s renowned chocolates, your trip to Brussels would be incomplete! The tastiest chocolate desserts in the world associate with Belgian chocolate. If you mention Belgium, chances are it will be the first country that comes to mind. LOL (Well, at least in my head.) Belgian chocolate is a significant economic force and an integral part of the culture of the nation. In the nation, there are roughly 2,000 chocolatiers.
Although the raw material for creating chocolate, cacao, is not grown locally, the Belgians have managed to dominate the market and compete with the Swiss in making the best chocolates in the world. Although it has existed since the 17th century, the industry only began to take off in the 19th century.
Beer Tours
You can tell that beer is huge in this country by the sheer amount of beer festivals. Some of the Belgian cuisine also includes beer. The nation is one of Europe’s leading beer producers with over 200 traditional and multinational brewers.
The country’s tradition of brewing beer dates back to the 12th century. The religious organizations were instrumental in the development of the brewing process over time and were the forerunners of beer brewing in Belgium. The Trappist beer made by monks remains one of the most well-known beer varieties in the nation.
Fries Tasting
The British refer to them as chips. Many of us refer to them as French fries. However, this well-adored potato snack names as frites in this region of Europe, according to some. Fries come in a variety of styles around the world, with variations in their thickness, shape, texture, seasoning, and dips. Belgians, though, are proud of their double-frying technique.
There are currently many fries stands in Brussels; the most well-known ones are Maison Antoine, Fritland, Frit Flagey, and Fritkot Bompa.
Belgian Waffles
In this country, the Belgian waffle has become a go-to snack. It remains well-liked not only in Belgium but also overseas, including in the United States, with its variation of the snack serving as breakfast.
The Brussels Waffle and the Liege Waffle are the two most well-known waffle varieties in Belgium. While the smaller but thicker circular Liege waffles utilize yeast as the leavener and include sugar grains, the bigger rectangular Brussels waffles use beaten eggs as the leavener and are dusted with powdered sugar. In Belgium, certain waffles are eaten with your hands and are regarded as street food.
Mussels in Brussels
The national meal of Belgium, moules-frites, is one of the most well-known mussel dishes in the world. The mussels are prepared by cooking (or steaming) them with celery, onions (or shallots), and other fresh herbs in a white wine sauce and butter, and then serving them with fries.
Moules à la bière and moules à la crème are two further mussel dishes to try. You can get the moules-frites, beer, and waffles in one of the restaurants if you need to eat quickly but still want to sample the basics of Belgian cuisine.
Places to Visit
1. Grand Place
The Grand Place, known as Grote Markt (Grand Market), is the city’s central center. As an outdoor market, it first appeared in the 11th century. It was once used as the location for public executions. Buildings, mainly guild houses, began to spring up around the area in the future.
It developed concurrently with the expansion of merchants and guilds in Brussels thanks to its strategic location along the commercial road, which became the center for business and commerce. The two most notable structures are the Town Hall and the King’s House. Due to its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this is one of Brussels’ top tourist destinations.
2. Palais Royal
The original Palais Royal edifice was constructed in the first part of the 19th century on the site of the ancient Palace of the Dukes of Brabant, which was demolished in the 18th century. King Leopold II’s renovation initiatives at the turn of the 20th century gave rise to the existing building.
The Belgian kings’ formal palace today, though not their actual royal residence. The majority of official business is conducted in this seat of authority, where state visitors are also received and amused. Royal wedding banquets and royal funerals are also held. Brussels Park is located in front of the Palais Royal. It has a museum and an archaeological site (Coudenberg).
3. Atomium
The Atomium, which was created in the 1950s, is now recognized as a national symbol of Belgium and one of Brussels’ most recognizable landmarks. The Atomium, which was constructed for Expo 58 (1958 Brussels World Fair), is a testament to the respect that was then accorded to science. In the end, it was turned into a museum.
The 100-meter-tall, modern, functional building is made of tubes and spheres. These spheres house both transient and long-term displays, while the tubes house elevators, escalators, and staircases (the central tube). The elevator transports visitors to the top sphere, which has an observation deck with a 360-degree view of the city and a café.
4. Notre Dame Du Sablon
The historic quarter of Brussels, specifically the Sablon (Zavel) neighborhood, is home to the 15th-century Notre Dame Du Sablon, which may be reached by walking through the Palais Royal. The nobility and wealthy society loved it because of its proximity to the country’s official palace.
Gothic in design, its exterior draws admiration. The stained-glass windows inside add to the interior’s beauty. The Baroque pulpit, the two Baroque chapels, and the crypt are among notable characteristics.
5. Notre-Dame de Laeken
The Notre Dame de Laeken was commissioned by King Leopold I and constructed in honor of his wife, Queen Louise-Marie. Beginning in the middle of the 19th century, construction was completed in the early 20th. The neo-gothic church houses the Royal Crypt, which is where the tombs of the Belgian royal family are kept, next to the formal royal residence, Royal Castle of Laeken.
In addition to the tomb, the cathedral has three elaborate spires. A short distance from the church, in the Laeken Cemetery, are the graves of several notable Belgians.
6. Manneken Pis
This statue of a little child peeing into a fountain speaks much about the fun and art of the city. This one is one of the statues adorning the city that receives the most visitors and photos. One of the most well-known legends involving the statue is about how the two-year-old Duke Godfrey III of Leuven and his warriors defeated their foes by using his pee during the battle.
The 17th-century original bronze statue is on display on the second floor of the Brussels City Museum. A short distance from the Grand Place, the one where tourists throng is a duplicate of the one in the original location. This statue is around two feet tall, so that should help you limit your expectations. It is indeed quite little, yet that doesn’t deter tourists from swarming to it.
7. Tintin Murals
The Adventures of Tintin, which was created by Belgian cartoonist Georges Remi (Hergé), rose to prominence as one of Europe’s most popular comic book series. It gained enormous popularity in the 20th century and has been translated into other languages, reaching hundreds of millions of readers.
Many murals with Tintin-related themes may be found all around the city of Brussels. Start your mural hunt at Rue de l’Étuve, just past Choco-Story, and before you get to Rue du Lombard, not far from the Manneken Pis.
8. Autoworld
In the city’s European District, on the southern edge of the 30-hectare Cinquantenaire Park, is where Autoworld is situated. The museum opened its doors in the 1980s and now houses a collection of roughly 250 different types of automobiles.
This remains worthwhile if you are interested in cars or just inquisitive about their development and history, particularly those from the late 19th century to the late 20th century. It has a sizable collection of classic cars, legendary race cars, and some contemporary vehicles.
9. Mini-Europe
Although there isn’t a designated capital for the European Union, Brussels serves as the location of the official offices of a number of its institutions, including the European Commission, Council of the European Union, European Council, and European Parliament. It is therefore widely considered as the de facto capital of the EU.
About 350 small replicas of well-known European monuments viewed in the park, along with interactive exhibits that recreate significant occasions including the collapse of the Berlin Wall, the launch of the Ariane V rocket, and the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
10. Choco-Story
Choco-Story – a modest museum devoted to the creation of chocolate. Explore the history of chocolate by going back to the Mayans and Aztecs, who cultivated cocoa trees. From there, you will discover chocolate manufacturing from beans and how cocoa won over the hearts and sweet teeth of Europeans.
Before you have a delicious chocolate sampling, a master chocolatier will also show you how to make pralines! The Manneken Pis and a Tintin mural are two well-known attractions that are close to the museum.
11. Le Botanique
Le Botanique opened in 1984 and remained the National Botanic Garden of Belgium’s orangery until it moved to the city’s outskirts in 1958. The botanical glasshouse still remains and upon transformation into a cultural complex, presents concerts, plays, and art exhibitions. There is a restaurant there that is open for lunch. The huge green area in front of the Le Botanique is today known as the Brussels Botanical Garden.
12. Musee Royaux Des Beaux Arts
The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, located close to the Royal Palace of Brussels (Palais Royal), were established by royal decree in 1845 to house and display the works of deceased and present Belgian painters.
Six museums are housed in one complex, which houses over 20,000 paintings, drawings, and sculptures in total. The history of the fine arts in Belgium traces back to some of the masterpieces, dating as far back as the fifteenth century. The collection also includes works of contemporary art. The six museums that make up the complex are Wiertz Museum, Meunier Museum, Modern Museum, Oldmasters Museum, and Magritte Museum.
13. Parc Du Cinquantenaire & Triumphal Arch
King Leopold II ordered the construction of Jubilee Park, also known as Parc du Cinquantenaire (Park of the Fiftyth Anniversary), to commemorate the country’s 50th anniversary of independence.
In the European District, 30 hectares of land are occupied by the pentagon-shaped park since the 19th century. There are fountains and flower beds throughout the sizable public park. Additionally, it is the location of the Autoworld, Art & History, and Royal Military Museums. The Triumphal Arch from the 20th century topped by a bronze sculpture of four horses and a lady carrying a flag serves as the focal point.
14. Palais de Justice
The Palais de Justice was the largest edifice in the world in 1883. Nevertheless, it is currently one of the biggest and most imposing courthouses in all of Europe, with a footprint of about three hectares. Due to its elevated position in the Marollen district, it is one of the most recognizable monuments in Brussels and is visible from practically anywhere in the neighborhood.
Joseph Poelaert, a Belgian architect who also developed the plans for Notre Dame de Laeken, created its design. The public is welcome on the two floors and also in the basement. The large neoclassical doors, the marble stairway, the main entry hall, and the dome are a few of the standout elements.
Top Hotels & Apartments in Brussels
- Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Place Rouppe Brussels
- B&B Be In Brussels
- 9HOTEL CENTRAL
- B&B X2Brussels
- Pillows City Hotel Brussels Centre
- B&B Villa 36
- EU Guesthouse
- Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Place Rouppe Brussels
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