A First-Timers Itinerary for 3 Days in Brussels: How to Spend a Long Weekend in Brussels

On my first visit, I spent about 1.8 of my two days in Brussels wishing I had planned for more time. Don’t make the same mistake I did! Three days in Brussels is the sweet spot—you get the EU quarter, the Grand Place with all its incredible buildings, the famous Atomium, and still have time for the museums and plenty of beer and chocolate stops. 

You can use this itinerary to plan a perfect long weekend in Brussels, or, if you swap out the last day for a day trip, you can turn it into a Brussels and Bruges itinerary.  You know, live a little (I’ll show you how in the end of the article).

My itinerary gives you a clear plan for 3 full days in Brussels—what to do, how long it will take, where everything is, maps, prices… you name it, I’ve thought of it. And each stop includes my personal experience and tips, too.

Read more from my Belgium travel blog.

 

Quick summary: Places to visit in Brussels in 3 days 

This is the perfect plan if you want to spend 3 full days in Brussels:

Day 1 – EU Quarter & Grand Place

• Stop 1: Parlamentarium – the interactive EU visitors’ center.
• Stop 2: Leopold Quarter – stroll past the EU buildings and grab coffee.
• Stop 3: Royal Palace – admire the gardens and façade (free tour only in late July–Sept).
• Stop 4: Palace of Justice – massive 19^th-century building with views over Brussels.
• Stop 5: Mont des Arts – elevated gardens leading toward the historic center.
• Stop 6: Grand Place & Town Hall – Brussels’ spectacular UNESCO-listed square and incredible Town Hall.
• Stop 7: Brussels City Museum – An interesting exhibit in a beautiful building on Grand Place.

Day 2 – The fun side of Brussels 

• Stop 1: Manneken Pis & Tintin mural – Brussels’ famous statue plus a comics stop.
• Stop 2: Choco Story Museum – chocolate tastings + history (book ahead).
• Stop 3: Basilica of the Sacred Heart – huge church with a panorama view.
• Stop 4: Atomium – Belgium’s most famous landmark.
• Stop 5: Mini-Europe – tiny models of Europe’s landmarks right next to Atomium.

Day 3 – Museums & souvenirs

• Stop 1: Cinquantenaire Park museums – a 19th-century formal park with a massive triumphal arch you can climb for epic views of Brussels
• Stop 2: Armed Forces Museum – the scale alone is wild, from medieval armor to full-size tanks
• Stop 3: Autoworld – more than a car museum, it’s a fun walk through design history
• Stop 4: Comics Art Museum – meet Tintin, Smurfs, Lucky Luke, etc.
• Stop 5: Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert – historic glass-roofed shopping arcade. 

 

Follow this Brussels itinerary to discover the best stops in a (long) weekend 

 

Visiting Brussels: my top tips

• Consider getting the Brussels Card if you want to visit a lot of museums (and use public transportation for free if you buy the special add-on). Many of Belgium’s museums are closed on Mondays, so plan accordingly.  

• Forget about driving, it’s too much of a hassle. Walk, take taxis or an occasional metro when getting around Brussels. theo much of a hassle.

• I always stay at the Radisson Red when I’m spending a weekend in Brussels. It’s cool but high-end and the location is great—right by the European Parliament 

 

 

Tourist map of Brussels

This map is going to be your new best friend when visiting Brussels

 

Getting from the airport to Brussels city center 

Royal Museum of Fine Arts Brussels showcases the beauty of Belgian architecture

 

and board one of the many trains to Brussels Central Station. Belgium’s trains are the best way to travel, don’t even consider renting a car. Trains are fast, reliable and cheap.  

Airport trains run approx. between 5 am and midnight.  

Buy your tickets online in advance so you don’t need to deal with ticket counters at the airport. Tickets aren’t time-stamped and are valid for any train on the day you purchase your tickets for, so no need to be stressed about making your train.   

For as cheap as €8 (2 people traveling together), you’ll arrive at Brussels Central Station in only 18 minutes.  

Alternatively, if you’re staying in the EU Parliament area (like at my fave hotel, the Radisson Red), get on a train to Brussels Shuman. It’s only 10 minutes from the airport and about 800 m (0.5 miles) from the hotel.  

A taxi from the airport to the city center costs around €40. 

 

No time to waste now, hurry up and get your first Belgian beer, baby! You’ve got a busy 3 days in Brussels ahead of you! (More about Belgian beer in our article here.) 

Pro tip: If you are more of a beer fan than a WWII fan, see my alternative 3-day Brussels itinerary with a day trip to Bruges. That way, you see the very touristy but nice town of Bruges and the must-do Bruges Beer Experience.

 

Day 1 in Brussels: The EU quarter, palaces, and the Grand Place

Day 1 of your Brussels itinerary

 

• Main stops today: 
  • Parlamentarium (European Parliament)
  • Leopold Quarter & Leopold Park
  • Royal Palace
  • Notre Dame
  • Palace of Justice
  • Mont des Arts
  • Grand Place
  • Brussels City Museum
• Optional nearby stops: If you’re a museum person, this area has several extra places of interest (Magritte, Musical Instruments, Coudenberg). I’ve listed them all with details in my things to do in Brussels guide.
• Restaurant tips: Le Rendez-Vous des Artistes for lunch | best waffles at: Eight & Three or Maison Dandoy, both very close to Grand Place 
• Hotel recommendation: Radisson Red
• Further reading: Best museums in Belgium | My favorite restaurants in Belgium

Start your Brussels itinerary in the European Quarter, exploring the Parlamentarium and Leopold Park before strolling over to the Royal Palace and Palace of Justice. End the day at the Mont des Arts and Grand Place, the postcard-perfect square that makes “3 days in Brussels” feel worth it already. Here’s how to do it in detail:

 

Brussels itinerary, day 1 morning plan

The visitors’ center at the European Parliament is called Parlamentarium. We loved it!
 

Day 1, Stop 1: EU Parliament, Parlamentarium 

• Time spent here: 1.5 hours
• Where is it? Pl. du Luxembourg 100  
• Opening hours: Mondays 1 pm–6 pm, Tuesday to Friday 9 am–6 pm, weekends 10 am–6 pm  
• Price: Free 
• Book online in advance: Yes, you have to make a reservation for the Parlamentarium, but it’s easy and free. 

To me, Brussels is synonymous with the EU, which I love, so I started my Brussels itinerary at Europe’s answer to Washington DC’s Capitol—the EU Parliament. Or rather, its visitors’ center called the Parlamentarium. I was in there giddy as a kid on Christmas for 1.5 hours. It’s educational, it’s interactive, it’s awesome.  

Pro tip: Make sure to book a time slot—there’s no entrance fee, but you need to reserve a time slot for your visit.

 

Day 1, Stop 2: Leopold Parc - open daily, free entrance

Leopold park provides a nice break from the city

 

EU buildings really aren’t that difficult to spot @ EU Parliament

 

• Distance from last stop: 0.8 km/ 0.5 mi, 9-minute walk
• Time spent here: 30 minutes
• Where is it? Pl. du Luxembourg 100  
• Opening hours: open daily
• Price: free

Next, take some time to wander around Leopold Quarter, which is where all the EU buildings (including the EU Parliament) are located. You can start in Luxembourg Square and walk around from there. There are tons of cafes around, too, so you won’t have trouble getting caffeinated.  

Make a quick stop in Leopold Parc if you crave some nature, and even a piece of the Berlin Wall. 

 

 

Brussels itinerary, day 1 afternoon plan

Day 1, Stop 3: Royal Palace of Brussels

There’s royal business being discussed in there, psst!
 

• Distance from last stop: 1.5 km/ 0.9 mi, 30-minute walk
• Time spent here: 20 minutes for a peak of the gardens and exterior
• Where is it? Rue Brederode 16    
• Opening hours: Self-guided tour only from July 21st to September, otherwise not accessible 
• Price: Free when available

Moving on to the very center of Brussels, next, check out the Royal Palace of Brussels. The monarchy doesn’t live here—that would be Castle of Laeken out by the Atomium—but they do hold meetings and other official events at the palace.

Unless you are visiting in late July or August, you won’t be able to see the interiors, but even just seeing it from the outside, surrounded by manicured gardens, is a must-do stop on your Brussels itinerary.   

 

Day 1, Stop 4: Palace of Justice

The Palace of Justice is a straight up majestic building

 

• Distance from last stop: 1.2 km/ 0.7 mi, 17-minute walk
• Time spent here: 15 minutes 
• Where is it? Poelaert Square 1
• Opening hours: Open Monday to Friday 8 am–4 pm, closed on weekends and holidays  Price: It’s a public building you can freely enter

You’ll want to take the 15-minute walk (or a couple of bus stops) to the Palace of Justice next. On the way there, pause briefly at the Church of Our Lady of Victories at the Sablon aka the Notre Dame. 

Palais de Justice is massive, so much in fact, that when it was built in 1883, it was the largest building in the world. Just the foyer is 100 m (325 ft) tall! You can go in and walk around since it is a public building. Don’t forget to take a minute to take in the views of Brussels from up front.  

 

Day 1, Stop 5: Mont des Arts

Mont des Arts is breathtaking

 

• Distance from last stop: 1.1 km/ 0.7 mi, 17-minute walk
• Time spent here: 20 minutes 
• Where is it? On a hill close to the Royal Palace

Continue your walk back towards Brussels city center by making your way to Mont des Arts.  Literally the “Hill of Arts” is an elevated garden that used to connect the lower-class area with the upper-class area. Today, it connects tourists to some pretty awesome views of Brussels. It’s surrounded by some big, important buildings, like the Royal Library or the Congress Palace.  

People come and hang out here and sometimes listen to live music. You can clearly see the super tall tower of Brussels’ town hall—use it as a beacon to get to your last stop of the day, the Grand Place. 

 

Day 1, Stop 6: Grand Place & Brussels Town Hall

The Town Hall and the other fancy-pants buildings at the Grand Place, Brussels’ main square
 

• Distance from last stop: 0.7 km/ 0.4 mi, 9-minute walk
• Time spent here: 30 minutes 
• Where is it? Right smack in the middle of Brussels city center

End your first day of your weekend in Brussels at the spectacular main square, the Grand Place. 

The Grand Place is very fittingly the center of this grand city. Everything is golden or at least intricately decorated, but most often golden and intricately decorated. Besides that, all I can say is that it’s immaculately clean and just remarkable.  This is probably the most time I’ve ever spent just gawking at the buildings on a square. 

The most eye-catching building on Grand Place is the Town Hall. It was built in the 15^th century and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with detailed Gothic decorations on the facade.  You’ll be staring at it from other parts of Brussels, too, since the tower is crazy high.

You can take a tour inside, but I was content with just staring at it for a half hour while I wandered around the square.    

Make sure to watch the time, because the last stop on your tour of Brussels today closes at 5 pm!

 

Day 1, Stop 7: Brussels City Museum

Brussels city museum is definitely one of the more unique buildings in Brussels

 

• Distance from last stop: 0
• Time spent here: 1 hour 
• Where is it? Right on Grande Place
• Opening hours: Open daily except for Monday 10 am–5 pm 
• Price: EUR 10

Time is of the essence now, because the Brussels City Museum closes at 5 pm. Keep that in mind when managing your time.

The museum is right opposite the Town Hall. It’s where you can learn about the city’s history as well as check out the original Manneken Pis statue. The museum building itself is very impressive (or scary looking, depending on who you ask).  

 

 

Day 2: Manneken Pis, chocolate, the Atomium and Mini-Europe  

Day 2 of your Brussels itinerary

 

• Main stops today: 
  • Manneken Pis
  • Tin Tin mural
  • Choco Story Museum
  • Sacre Coeur
  • Atomium
  • Mini-Europe 
• Restaurant tips: Nüetnigenough for lunch in the city center or Salon 58 & Brasserie Bruxelles if you want to eat by the Atomium
• Hotel recommendation: Radisson Red
• Further reading: Belgium travel tips | Top things to do in Brussels

 

 

Brussels itinerary, day 2 morning plan

Day 2, Stop 1: Manneken Pis (the famous peeing boy statue in Brussels) & Tintin mural

Well, there it is, Brussels’ pride and joy.
 

• Time spent here: 5 minutes 
• Where is it? corner of the Rue de l’Étuve and Rue du Chêne Brussels (3 blocks from Grand Place)
• Opening hours: always open
• Price: free

The first thing you’ll be seeing on your second day of your Brussels weekend itinerary is a small statue of a boy peeing into a fountain—the Manneken Pis on corner of the Rue de l’Étuve and Rue du Chêne Brussels. 

It is one of Belgium’s famous landmarks, but don’t go with huge expectations—the most exciting thing that could happen is that Manneken Pis is wearing one of his many costumes. I took literally 10 seconds to look at him and was ready to move on.  

The current Manneken Pis is a replica, its original is in the Brussels City Museum, which you will know by now if you visited like I recommended yesterday.  

A quick stop at the Tintin mural

The Tintin mural is a very cute addition to the already beautiful city

 

Right down the road from the little urinating boy is a nod to another Belgian icon—Tintin. There are many comics murals in Brussels, since this is where they originated, but the Tintin mural is the most famous one. It’s on the side of a gift shop on Rue de l’Étuve.

 

Day 2, Stop 2: Choco Story Museum 

Good times at the Choco Story Museum

 

• Distance from last stop: 12 m / 1–minute walk (it’s right around the corner)
• Time spent here: 1.5–2 hours 
• Where is it? Rue de l’Etuve 41, between Manneken Pis and the Tintin mural
• Opening hours: Open daily 10 am–6 pm (last ticket slot at 5 pm)  
• Price: €14

Next up, chocolate! Book your tickets to the Choco Story Museum in advance, because it is very popular and there’s always a line out front. 

This is the best chocolate museum I’ve visited EVER, and I’ve been to 10 all over the world. It’s fun, it’s educational, it’s tasty—what's not to love? And, you have a chance to achieve a Manneken Pis hat trick. That’s right, there’s a chocolate version of the little dude, too.  

The tour takes 1.5 hours, plus however long you want to stay at the gift shop.  
 

Don’t eat too much chocolate at Choco story, the lunch options at Nüetnigenough are not light, but they are very, very delicious!

 

Brussels itinerary, day 2 afternoon plan

Day 2, Stop 3: National Basilica of the Sacred Heart (Sacré-Cœur)

Belgian Sacré-Cœur

 

• Distance from last stop: 20 minutes by taxi
• Time spent here:  20 minutes
• Where is it? Roughly halfway between Grand Place and Atomium (Basiliekvoorplein 1)
• Opening hours: 8 am–6 pm (9 am–5:30 pm for the dome)
• Price: €8 to climb to the Panorama, otherwise free

You’ll be heading out of the city center to the Atomium in just a moment, but tell your Bolt driver to make a pit stop first at the National Basilica of the Sacred Heart, aka the Sacre Coeur, first. It’s about halfway between Grand Place and the Atomium. 

This basilica is absolutely humongous. Pay the €8 to climb to the Panorama, a viewing platform that’s right under the dome. The views were fantastic. You can look towards the center of Brussels down the green avenue of the basilica’s park and it’s pretty amazing. Without the Panorama, there is no entrance fee, and you’ll probably leave a little underwhelmed by the basilica’s interior—it’s not at all exciting or intricately decorated.

 

Day 2, Stop 4: Atomium

The escalator even has a light show going on. It’s like a trip to Space Mountain!
 

• Distance from last stop: 13 minutes by taxi
• Time spent here: 30 minutes to 1 hour
• Where is it? Pl. de l'Atomium 1  
• Opening hours: daily 10 am–6 pm (last entry at 5:30 pm)
• Price: Tickets cost €16 and can be bought online to avoid the long lines. The combination ticket with Mini Europe costs €32.60  

Bolt your way up towards the Atomium, Belgium’s biggest and most futuristic-looking landmark. From Grand Place to the Atomium, your taxi fare will be around €20, more if you make your driver wait at the Sacre Coeur.  

You can go inside 5 of the 9 spheres and the concrete building at the base. There are exhibits, a restaurant, a gift shop, and a light & sound display. The very top orb is a viewing platform and can be accessed by an elevator.  

You’ll spend 30 minutes to an hour inside the Atomium but note that I found it way more interesting just looking at it from the outside. It’s spectacular!     

 

Day 2, Stop 5: Mini Europe

The Atomium will make an appearance in a lot of your Mini-Europe photos

 

• Distance from last stop: 0.7 km/ 0.4 mi, 10-minute walk
• Time spent here: 2–4 hours
• Where is it? Right next to the Atomium (Av. du Football 1)
• Opening hours: Open daily 9:30 am–6 pm (until 7 pm in July and August) (closed in January and February)
• Price: Tickets cost €20.40 OR the combination ticket with Atomium costs €32.60, saves you a few euros, both available online

The last thing on your Brussels itinerary today is Mini-Europe—a place full of miniature models of important buildings from around Europe. It is right next to the Atomium and I loved every tiny moment of it.

All of Europe in just one place

 

I thought it was interesting that some countries get more representation than others. Also, the models aren’t even that small—some towers and castles easily reach the height of an adult, and tall structures like the Eiffel Tower being way higher than even me (I’m not a short person). Add 9000 little people to that… those are, in fact, little. I literally spent hours staring at their lives. 

It was easy for me to spend 4 hours at Mini-Europe, there is really that much to see. You’ll need 2 hours at the very minimum if you just fly through, but you’ll miss a lot of the details. Make sure to put aside enough time for it.  

And that’s a wrap for your second day in Brussels! Tomorrow, you’ll spend most of your time in Cinquantenaire Park and the amazing museums there. Alternatively, you could choose to do a day trip to Bruges—I’ll mention that option below too.

 

Day 3: Park Cinquantenaire, huge museums, and comics

 

Day 3 of your Brussels itinerary

 

• Main stops today: 
  • Park Cinquantenai
  • Triumphal Arch
  • Museum of Armed Forces OR Autoworld
  • Comics Museum 
  •  
• Restaurant tips: Wolf food market for lunch
• Hotel recommendation: Radisson Red
• Further reading: Day trips from Brussels | 7-day Belgium itinerary by train

 

Your last day of your long weekend in Brussels is museum-heavy (and therefore awesome, by my standards). You’ll start out in Cinquantenaire Park, which is a massive park crowned by a 1905 triumphal arch, so I think this day plan will please everyone. 

If you came looking for a full 3 days in Brussels itinerary, this is like the cultural grand finale.

Alternative for today: I get that for some people, today’s museum overload could be too much. If that sounds like you and this is your first time in Brussels, I propose taking a day to see another Belgian highlight—Bruges. I’ll outline the quick itinerary for this day trip below.  

 

Brussels itinerary, day 3 morning plan

Day 3, Stop 1: Cinquantenaire Park

Isn’t it a beauty? Brussels’ Triumphal Arch
 

• Time spent here: 30 minutes
• Where is it? Just east of Leopold Quarter

You could spend the better part of the day in Park Cinquantenaire, which is home to some of the best museums we visited in Belgium. It’s also a huge, formal park from the 19^th century, with wide lawns and fountains. What you’ll notice first though, is the Triumphal Arch. It’s the dominant structure in the park that was erected in 1905, and with huge buildings connected to it on either side housing some great museums. Wander around the park for a bit first.

 

Pro tip: You can (and should) climb to the top of the Arch for some fantastic views—but you can only do that if you buy a ticket to the Museum of Armed Forces—your next stop on this itinerary

As a WWII fan (not meaning I like the war, just that it’s fascinating to learn about it!), I can’t recommend this museum highly enough. Here’s how to visit it (remember, you also get to climb to the top of the arch while you’re there!):

 

Day 3, Stop 2: Royal Museum of the Armed Forces 

Big smiles geeking out with the Red Baron plane and trying to see it all @ Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History

 

• Distance from last stop: 0
• Time spent here: 3 hours
• Where is it? In Cinquantenaire Park
• Opening hours: Closed Mondays. Open Tuesday–Sunday 9 am–5 pm, with last admission at 4 pm
• Price: Tickets cost €12 and can only be bought using a credit/debit card at the entrance

The Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History is one of the biggest museum I’ve ever been to. It takes you through history starting from the Middle Ages until present day, looking at everything from arms and armor to tanks and airplanes. 

This place is magnificent @ Armed Forces Museum

 

There are 11 sections in the museum and everything is ordered chronologically so you can pick and choose and skip around if you’ve got a particular interest in some areas and not so much in others.   

I’d say put aside a minimum of 3 hours for this museum. 

Must-do activity: You can climb up to the top of the Triumphal Arch with your ticket to this museum and it is definitely one of the highlights of a weekend in Brussels itinerary. The view you get is like no other in Brussels.  

 

The view from the Triumphal arch

 

Day 3, Stop 3: Autoworld 

Me with Tintin’s car and Karin with an oldie but goodie BMW 507 @ Autoworld
 

• Distance from last stop: 0
• Time spent here: 1–2 hours
• Where is it? In Cinquantenaire Park
• Opening hours: Open daily 10 am–5 pm (6 pm on weekends)
• Price: Tickets cost €15

Right next to the Royal Museum of Armed Forces is Autoworld. It’s about 1/5 the size of the Armed Forces Museum and it’s still one of the largest car museums I’ve ever been to. And one of the best.   

There are various zones in Autoworld, each focused on a specific topic or country. Of course I went, and of course I thought it was dope. You can skip this and move on to the next place on this Brussels itinerary if you really couldn’t care less about cars, but I think Autoworld is worth a quick look for the sheer variety—from horse-drawn carriages to retro Beetles to futuristic prototypes and a comics exhibit—set inside a massive exhibition hall that’s almost as impressive as the car collection. 

 

Brussels itinerary, day 3 afternoon plan

Day 3, Stop 4: Comics Art Museum

You can’t deny the Comics Art Museum is cute
 

• Distance from last stop: 17 minutes by taxi
• Time spent here: 1–2 hours
• Where is it? In the city center, north of Grand Place (Rue des Sables 20) 
• Opening hours: Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am–6 pm (last admission 5 pm); open daily in July & August (until August 19) 
• Price: Adult ticket price: €14

Now head back to the central part of Brussels, because there’s no better place to end a Brussels itinerary than in its very heart. You can do that by walking, taking a Bolt, or even taking the subway from Merode station to Centrale station (line 1 or 5).  

Your last museum of the entire 3 days in Brussels trip is the Comics Art Museum. Since The Smurfs, Lucky Luke, and Tintin, among many others, are all Belgian, comics are a big deal in the country. To be honest I think this museum had more potential and it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. Yeah, I enjoyed the 3D Smurf House, but it wasn’t the WOW effect I hoped for.

 

Day 3, Stop 5: The Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert

The Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert
 

That just about concludes your Brussels itinerary for 3 days, but wait, have you bought souvenirs yet?! You can do that (or not) at the Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert, an old, fancy, glass roof-covered shopping mall. 

It has been designated a historic monument, and just walking through the three galleries with high, arched roofs can be enjoyable. It’s not huge, but if you stop for a coffee and stock up on chocolates, you can forget what time it is.  

Pro tip: St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral, which is Belgium’s national church, is on the way from the Comics Museum to the shopping gallery. It houses what is apparently a piece of the wood from Jesus’ cross. Free entry. 

 

 

Alternative 3-day Brussels itinerary: add a Bruges day trip

You can really see how much I enjoyed Bruges

 

If you’d rather trade the museum-heavy 3^rd day in Brussels that I did for a day trip instead, head to Bruges. It’s a 1-hour direct train ride and you’ll have plenty of time to see the highlights—you really don’t need more time in Bruges. This Brussels and Bruges itinerary is the best option if you’re in Brussels for the first time and you’re not sure if it’s the last time, so you are eager to fit in at least one medieval town so you don’t die of FOMO. 

Here’s how to plan your long weekend:

Day 1 & 2: Follow the same Brussels itinerary as above (EU Quarter, Grand Place, Atomium, Mini-Europe, etc.). 

Day 3: Bruges day trip

• Morning train to Bruges (Brussels Central → Bruges, about 1 hour).
• Stroll through Minnewaterpark and the Beguinage on your walk from the station to the city center.
• Explore the Markt Square, climb the Belfry, and wander the cobbled streets that make American tourists cry with joy. 
• Do the canal boat tour—it’s touristy but fun.
• Lunch on mussels and fries (or stew and beer, which is the smarter option, especially if you’re like me and hate mussels).
• Check out De Burg Square and Bruges Town Hall.
• Don’t miss the Bruges Beer Experience—arguably the best museum in Belgium.
• Early evening: head back to Brussels for dinner.

The tradeoff: you skip Brussels’ giant museums. But honestly, Bruges will give you a better “wow, Belgium is beautiful” payoff. 

Remember, since Bruges is just a day trip, you’re still overnighting in Brussels for this entire itinerary (I’ll say it again for the people in the back, Radisson Red is the place to stay!). For more potential stops on your Belgium itinerary, see my list of other beautiful places: 

 

 

Does anybody not like waffles?? Chowing down in  Bruges

 

An absolute must-visit @ Bruges Beer Experience

 

 

FAQ: Is Brussels worth visiting?  

Before I visited for the first time, I thought it would be a boring city, but I’m now wiser and recommending you spend 3 days in Brussels, so yes, of course it’s worth visiting!  

Before I did any proper research on Brussels, I thought it would be just ok, but definitely not a top destination in Belgium. Then I started reading about all the museums and things to do and knew we’d be in for a treat. And even then Brussels surpassed my expectations.  

So don’t worry, you’ll like it. There’s something for everyone. Even if you don’t especially like museums, there’s fun places like Mini-Europe and Atomium, and my favorite thing about Brussels was the main square, Grand Place. It’s so elaborate and beautiful, you just have to see it with your own eyes to appreciate it.  

 

FAQ: How many days do I need in Brussels?  

Ithink that you need 3 full days in Brussels just thanks to the number of amazing museums that Brussels has to offer. They really are that good.  

Without museums, two days in Brussels would be enough. But certainly make time at least for the Parlamentarium, Mini-Europe and the Atomium. You just have to.  

If you’re short on time and want to see more than just the capital, cut one day off Brussels and take a day trip to either Bruges or Ghent (I’m a slightly bigger fan of the latter). They’re both a short and easy train trip away from Brussels and the canals alone will make your journey worthwhile.  

 

FAQ: How do I use public transportation in Brussels?  

I rarely use public transportation. If I can’t walk there, I usually just take a taxi (Bolt or similar). Brussels was no exception.  

That said, there are 4 metro (subway) lines and a million trams and buses. Don’t ask me for details on those, but I’m sure you could figure them out once in town. You can try to use the journey planner here, or get the app (on the same website).  

If you buy the Brussels Card, public transportation is free for you if you get the STIB add-on.  

Otherwise, the easiest way to get a ticket is to buy a single-fare ticket once you board your metro/tram/bus. This costs €2.50, which is a little more than if you buy your ticket beforehand from a frustrating ticketing machine or from a kiosk or newsstand. Alternatively, get a 24-hour ticket for €7.50.  

Don’t forget to validate your ticket when you get into the tram/bus or metro station.  

 

FAQ: Should I rent a car in Brussels? 

Don’t bother renting a car in Brussels, parking is dreadful, and you can walk or Bolt everywhere easily. Even public transportation is easy enough. 

 

FAQ: What language do they speak in Brussels? 

Most people in Brussels speak French as a first language, but since Dutch is also an official language in the city, almost every sign is also in Dutch. As a bonus, everyone can speak English, making your life a lot easier. Learn more about languages in Belgium in my Interesting facts about Belgium.  

 

Where to next?

You, too, can do a photo-off at St. Michael’s Bridge in Ghent
 

Are you thinking of extending your weekend in Brussels? Brussels is a great base for exploring Belgium. I put together a list of great day trips from Brussels that take you not only to Bruges and Ghent, but also to the coast, Antwerp, the south, and maybe even to Paris!  

 

 

 

You might also be interested in reading:

• Belgium Itinerary: 7 Days in the Heart of Europe!
• Belgium Travel Tips: 19 Things That Will Make Your Trip Easier
• The Top 15 Museums in Belgium: From Comics to Beer
• Our 9 Top Restaurants in Belgium
• 7 Best Day Trips from Brussels (Includes Train Details)

 

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