The Top 19 Things to Do in Brussels: A Surprisingly Fun City

 When I first thought of going to Belgium, I imagined Brussels would be the most boring of our intended destinations. Then upon further further research and a thorough visit it turned out there are so many incredible things to do in Brussels that it’s the most interesting place in the country!  

So this article is here to try to persuade you to give Brussels a chance to wow you. 

If you’re wondering what makes Brussels worth visiting, I have to say it’s the museums.   

You can tell they have the budget—the museums in Brussels are interactive, modern, innovative, and honestly enjoyable. The bar is set high, so if we thought a museum in Brussels was slightly underwhelming, it was still superior to similar museums in most other countries.  

Add in landmarks such as the Atomium, great comfort food, and places like the Parlamentarium and the super-fun Mini Europe, and you’ve got a great destination for a long weekend. 

Read more from my Belgium travel blog and start planning your trip!

Here’s what to expect in Brussels:

 

 

Quick Overview of Top Places to Visit in Brussels

1. Grand Place, Town Hall—Brussels’ incredible central square surrounded by ornate guild halls, with access to the Gothic Town Hall.
2. Mini-Europe— All of Europe in one hour. A miniature park featuring scale models of famous European landmarks. Great fun.
3. Parlamentarium—The official visitors’ center of the European Parliament, offering interactive exhibits about the EU.
4. Atomium—Brussels’ famous landmark, a giant metal molecule you can walk through, featuring exhibitions and a panoramic viewing platform.
5. Autoworld—A museum showcasing vintage and classic cars from across Europe, located in the Cinquantenaire complex.
6. Military Museum + Victory Arch—A national military museum covering centuries of Belgian and European military history, with rooftop access to the Triumphal Arch.
7. Train World— Oddly immersive and seriously well-done. Even non-train nerds will be impressed.
8. Choco Story Museum—Learn how chocolate is made, then stuff your face with samples. Best chocoloate museum I’ve visited ever.
9. Mont des Arts—A fine public space with gardens, and one of the best viewpoints in Brussels.
10. House of European History—Polished, well-organized EU museum, and surprisingly candid about Europe’s messiest chapters. 
11. Museum of Natural Sciences—Home to Europe’s largest dinosaur gallery and many other genuinely engaging exhibits.
12. Art & History Museum—A large museum featuring artifacts from ancient Egypt, classical antiquity, the Americas, and more, all within the Cinquantenaire complex.
13. Brussels’ top churches—Sacré-Cœur Basilica (Koekelberg) for its Art Deco style and views, Notre Dame du Sablon for its Gothic interior, and St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral for its historic significance.
14. Musée Magritte Museum and and René Magritte Museum—Two museums focused on the life and works of surrealist artist René Magritte. 
15. Coudenberg archaeological site—Wander under the city through the ruins of a vanished palace. Surprisingly cool and with an unfortunate story attached to it. 
16. Comics Art Museum—Inside a stunning Victor Horta building, this is a museum about Belgian comic culture.
17. Royal Palace and Palace of Justice—Two major landmarks: the Royal Palace is the official residence of the Belgian monarchy, and the Palace of Justice is an enormous courthouse with panoramic views of Brussels.
18. Musical Instruments Museum—An Art Nouveau gem packed with over 8,000 instruments. The audio guide actually plays the sounds of the displayed instruments.
19. Manneken Pis and the Tintin mural—A small bronze statue of a boy peeing and a large comic mural representing two iconic symbols of Belgian culture. 

 

 

Tourist map of Brussels with best things to see

Most places to visit in Brussels are in the wider city center, with some exceptions
 

Here's a saved list of all of the places included here in Google Maps (You can save it treat it as your own.)

 

 

1.  Grand Place and Brussels Town Hall + City Museum—The Most Famous Square in Brussels

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

In a city with fascinating museums and buildings of international importance, the top thing to see in Brussels is the main square—Grand Place.  

I was completely blown away by it. Everything is golden or at least intricately decorated, but most often golden and intricately decorated. Besides that, it’s immaculately clean and just remarkable. Overwhelmingly elegant. You almost feel not fancy enough to be there and want to scurry to your castle to fetch your white horse again.   

The Town Hall was built in the 15th century and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s the most eye-catching building on Grand Place, with very detailed Gothic decorations on the façade and a tower that commands attention from near and far.  

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. You’ll be staring at it from other parts of Brussels, too, since the tower is crazy high

Other buildings on Grote Markt

Opposite the Town Hall is the Brussels City Museum. You can learn about the city’s history here as well as check out the original Manneken Pis statue.  

The museum is in a neo-Gothic building called Maison du Roi and depending on the light you see it in it’s either very impressive or scary-looking impressive. The museum itself considers the museum building their best exhibit.  

The Rocco Forte Hotel Amigo is literally the neighbor of the Town Hall, so if you stay there, you’ll be right in the center of the action. It’s a beautiful hotel with stylish, elegant rooms and some pretty awesome views. Check out our recommended hotels in Brussels at the end of this article for more details.  

Visitor information:

• Brussels City Museum, Grand Place 
• Open daily except for Monday 10 am–5 pm 
• Tickets cost €10

 

2. Mini-Europe—Europe’s Highlights in Miniature, Right in Brussels! 

Left: I was fully immersed in the charm of Mini-Europe’s tiny landmarks. Right: Brexit, but make it miniature.
 

One of the absolute top things to do in Brussels is Mini-Europe, which is just what you think it is—a small Europe. You can walk through all the European countries in a matter of hours.  

Mini-Europe is a place where you can see miniature models of important buildings from around Europe. Some countries get more representation than others. My favorites were Nyhavn (Denmark), Dinant and the Grand Place (Belgium) and Dover Castle (UK). Speaking of which, yes, the UK is still represented, but there is now a border showing that you are leaving the EU. Made me chuckle.  

The models aren’t even that small, with some towers and castles easily reaching the height of an adult, and tall structures like the Eiffel Tower being way higher than that still. Add 9000 little people to that. Those are, in fact, little.

 

 

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

Mini Europe is an enjoyable way to spend half a day in Brussels and it doesn’t get old! We visited without kids and spent 4 hours there.  

Fun fact: The models are works of art. They are incredibly expensive to build—something like €70k+ per structure! Just Brussels Square came to a total of €350k. When the tower of city hall had to be repaired after a hurricane a while back; just that cost €50k.

This is the Grand Place, miniature version. Just wow!
 

Practical information for getting to Mini Europe

Getting to Mini-Europe is easy with a taxi, the trip will take you 20 minutes from the city center max. Get your ticket in advance if you want to avoid the queue. Beware there is no designated parking lot for Mini-Europe.  

There is a combination ticket with Atomium that costs €32.60 which makes sense if you’re visiting both places—take my word for it and don’t skip either of these amazing places in Brussels.

Visitor information:

• Mini-Europe, Av. du Football 1 

• Open daily 9:30 am–6 pm (until 7 pm in July and August) (closed in January and February)

• Tickets cost €20.40 OR the combination ticket with Atomium costs €32.60, saves you a few euros, both available online 

 

3. Parlamentarium—Learn About the EU in This Top Brussels Museum  

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

Visiting the visitors' center of the European Parliament made me giddy like a kid in a candy shop. 

I mean I loved the EU before this, but aftervisiting the Parlamentarium, I am head over heels. So disclaimer: if you don’t like the EU, I think you are stupid. Looking at you, UK.  

First of all, don’t spend 10 minutes looking for the ticket desk like we did. There is none. It is open daily, fully accessible, free of charge and the multimedia guides are available in all EU languages (including sign languages). Now that’s welcoming. Oh, and the staff are lovely.  

As can be expected, you learn about the history and creation of European Union at a myriad of interesting and interactive exhibits. Plus, you get to keep the pen they give you at the entrance. Free souvenir! 

You have to book your visit time online, but it’s quick and easy to do. Set aside 1.5 hrs to see it all. I dare you not to like it there.  

Visitor information:

• Parlamentarium, Pl. du Luxembourg 100 
• Open daily: Mondays 1 pm–6 pm, Tuesday to Friday 9 am–6 pm, weekends 10 am–6 pm 
• Free entry, but you need to book a time online beforehand 

 

4. Atomium—The Iconic Brussels Landmark and Must-See Structure

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

The famous giant steel atom lives on the northern end of Brussels, next to Mini Europe, and is one of the most popular things to do in Brussels for good reason. Originally constructed as the main pavilion for the 1958 Brussels World's Fair and meant to be just temporary, it’s now an iconic symbol of Brussels and is here to stay.  

Honestly, I just think the main draw is the actual thing from the outside, just seeing it close up is a fabulous experience. I think this is one of the top 5 modern structures in Europe, it really is phenomenal when you’re standing next to it.  

You can go inside 5 of the 8 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. It is accessed by an elevator and is 92 m (300 ft) above ground.  

It’s all very spaceship-like. There are escalators and red staircases that take you through the steel tubes between the balls, it’s dark with lights flashing around… all that was missing was Chewbacca walking by. Or maybe complimentary light sabers.  

Tips on visiting the Atomium in Brussels

There can be long lines at the Atomium entrance, especially on weekends and holidays.  . Tickets can even sell out for the day, so if you don’t want to risk it, buy your tickets ahead of time online The best deal is the combination ticket with Mini Europe. You can buy that online too. .  

You need 30 minutes to explore the Atomium.  

Visitor information:

• Atomium, Pl. de l'Atomium 1 
• Open daily 10 am–6 pm (last entry at 5:30 pm) 
• Tickets cost €16 and can be bought online to avoid the long lines. The combination ticket with Mini Europe costs €32.60  

 

5. Autoworld—A Classic Car Collection Inside a Brussels Landmark

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

Right next to the Royal Museum of Armed Forces is is another of my top place to visit in Brussels, 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. There is the sports & competition zone with old and new racing cars, the USA zone getting you a feel for the American dream, the comic section which is just pure fun, and then the biggest one, the Belgian zone, dedicated to Belgium's automobile heritage.

Gotta love a museum with a sense of humor
 

Autoworld houses some great pieces for the typical car nerd that resides in almost every guy and some girls, like the Corvette C2, 1960 BMW 700 or my personal childhood favorite, the Honda NSX. Known to you Americans as the Acura NSX.  

You can look around in 1–2 hours depending how much of a car fanatic you are.  

• Autoworld, Parc du Cinquantenaire 
• Open daily 10 am–5 pm (6 pm on weekends) 
• Tickets cost €15

 

6. Museum of the Armed Forces and Victory Arch—War History and Panoramic Views in Brussels

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

I would’ve spent all at this military museum, no exaggeration. Clearly this was one of the best places to visit in Brussels in my book! It’s one of the biggest museums I’ve visited in my life and full of fascinating stuff… but my travel partner didn’t share the same enthusiasm

My experience visiting the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces

The Museum of Armed Forces does an excellent job providing context and perspective to international events such as WWI and WWII. 

I walked through history starting from the Middle Ages until present day, looking at everything from arms and armor to tanks and airplanes. 

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 in Brussels. The only thing I’d say sucked just a tiny bit is that many of the signs weren’t in English. 

The views from the top of the Triumphal Arch were epic!
 

Getting there through Parc du Cinquantenaire

The Royal Museum of Armed Forces is located in the pretty Parc du Cinquantenaire, right in the vicinity of Autoworld and the Art & History Museum. It is to the left of the Triumphal Arch, which, with a ticket to the Royal Museum of Armed Forces, you can climb up and get an epic view from.  

Visitor information:

• Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History, Parc du Cinquantenaire 

• Closed Mondays. Open Tuesday–Sunday 9 am–5 pm, with last admission at 4 pm

• Tickets cost €12 and can only be bought using a credit/debit card at the entrance 

 

 

7. Train World—Top Brussels Museum for Railway Enthusiasts 

How the fancy people used to travel @ Train World
 

In a country where even I think traveling by train is the way to go, this is a must-visit in Brussels. Train World is the official museum of the National Railway Company of Belgium and you get what you think you’ll get, but way cooler. I

There are more than 20 locomotives from the first steam ones to the high-speed types of present day that you can not only see, but also climb into and look around in, pretending to be the conductor. Now that’s fun even if you’re not a kid. Come on, choo choo!  

I loved the recreation of the Orient Express.  

Train World is located right inside Schaarbeek station, which means you can take the train to the train museum. 

Two hours are the recommended time you should allow for your visit, maybe a little less if your wife is already fed up with all the army, history and car museums you’ve been taking her to in Brussels.   

Visitor information:

• Train World, Pl. Princesse Elisabeth 5, 1030 Schaerbeek 

• Open daily except for Monday 10 am–5 pm (last entry at 3:30 pm)  

• Tickets cost €15 and are time-slotted. Get them in advance to jump in front of the line.  

 

8. Choco Story Museum—A Sweet Attraction for All Ages

You learn some, you laugh some. Good times at the Choco Story Museum.
 

This is by far the best chocolate museum I’ve ever been to, and I’ve been to about 10 all over the world. (And if you want to learn about beer, visit Brugges and check out the amazing Beer Museum.) 

You learn about everything from harvest and production to the different types of cacao and their health benefits. You hear about the history all the way back from the Mayas up to present day, and it’s made fun with bits of trivia.    

There's a praline tasting at the end, and of course who wouldn’t want to see a big chocolate statue of Obelix, the squirrel from Ice Age or even Manneken Pis?

Pro tip: One thing to note is that everyone and their uncle are standing in line at the Choco Story Museum, so buy your tickets ahead of time. You reserve a time slot and then just breeze past everyone to the reception where you pick up your audio guide.  

The tasty excursion through the Choco Story Museum will take you 1.5 hours. The museum is located very close to Manneken Pis and the Tintin mural.  

Visitor information:

• Choco Story Museum, Rue de l'Etuve 41 
• Open daily 10 am–6 pm (last ticket slot at 5 pm) 
• Tickets cost €14 

 

9. Mont des Arts—Brussels’ Best Viewpoint with a Side of Culture

The “Hill of Arts”
 

Mont des Arts—literally “Hill of the Arts”—is a landscaped garden framed by major institutions like the Royal Library of Belgium, BOZAR, and the Congress Palace.

When I visited, I wasn’t blown away by the design itself, but I get the appeal. Locals and tourists sit on the wide stone steps, soaking in the views. It’s not a must-see attraction in Brussels in terms of action, but the view toward the Grand Place and the Brussels Town Hall tower is genuinely stunning—especially if you time it with sunset. 

 

10. House of European History—Understand Europe’s Past in the Heart of Brussels

Cold War and peace movement exhibits @ House of European History 

As a huge fan of democracy and the EU, I was excited about visiting House of European History and it didn’t let me down. We were guided through the 4 floors of the House of European History with the help of a complimentary iPad (I mean for use in the museum, not actually complimentary as in a gift).

There’s so much to discover at this well-curated museum. It leads you through the history of Europe from ancient times to present day.  

The way they showcase the information really sucks you in. It’s interactive, it’s modern, it’s in your face with great use of space, things like actual cars and furniture, and a huge art installation spanning several floors.   

I think this is one of the top experiences in Brussels as it gives you amazing background info about the EU. There’s no better place to learn about it than here. 

Visitor information:

• House of European History, Rue Belliard / Belliardstraat 135 

• Open Mondays 1 pm–6 pm, Tuesdays to Fridays 9 am–6 pm, (10 am–6 pm on weekends). Summer update: Tue–Fri shift to 10 am–6 pm from July 7 to Aug 31. Last entry at 5:30 pm 

• Tickets cost €0. Yep, it’s free.  

 

11. Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences—One of the Best Family Things to Do in Brussels 

Check out some dinosaurs at the Museum of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences
 

You may want to skip this next thing to do in Brussels, but that would be a big mistake! A museum withpermanent exhibits such as the Dinosaur Galley, the Gallery of Humankind, the Gallery of Evolution, and the Virtual Insect Hall has huge potential to be boring and stuffy… but this is Brussels! 

I found the Museum of Natural Sciences  truly entertaining and engaging, with 3D models, videos, simulations, and projections. They don’t do dusty taxidermy exhibits and frogs in jars. Though they do have foetuses preserved in formalin that are sort of in jars...  

I walked around for a couple of hours, but you could spend half a day in the Museum of Natural Sciences if you want to see it all. 

Pro tip: Check their map before you start exploring, they have several recommended routes for different time allowances. 

Visitor information:

• Museum of Natural Sciences, 29 Rue Vautier 

• Closed Mondays. Open Tuesday–Friday 9:30 am–5:00 pm, Saturday & Sunday 10:00 am–6:00 pm, with last admission usually 30–45 minutes before closing 

• Tickets cost €13 

 

12. Art & History Museum—If You Like Mummies, Maps, and Mosaic Floors

A model of Rome at the Art & History Museum
 

One of the museums in the cool Parc du the Art & History Museum sits alongside Autoworld and the Museum of Armed Forces and Military History, with the Triumphal Arch putting a crown on top of them all. 

I spent a good chunk of time inside this Brussels history museum, and the collection really spans everything—from prehistoric tools and Roman mosaics to Egyptian mummies and Buddhist sculptures from across Asia. It stretches all the way to Art Nouveau and Art Deco. If you have any interest in history or material culture, you won’t be bored.

The building itself is part of the appeal—arched ceilings, natural light, and wide-open halls. 

Overall, I think it’s one of the best history museums in Brussels, especially if you’re into art, archaeology, and wide-ranging cultural exhibits.

Visitor information:

• Art & History Museum, Parc du Cinquantenaire  

• Closed Mondays. Open Tuesday–Friday: 9:30 am–5:00 pm; Saturday & Sunday: from 10:00 am–5:00 pm, with last admission 45 minutes before closing 

• Tickets cost €10   

 

13. The best churches of Brussels: Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame, St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral

The mighty Sacre Coeur
 

I’ve packed all of Brussels’ churches in Brussels into one item because while they are awesome, they are all the same. Even if these are the nicest places you can see in Brussels, a church is a church.  

Sacre Coeur: the national basilica with panorama dome

I was pretty impressed by the Sacre Coeur, aka National Basilica of the Sacred Heart. It is the national basilica for a reason. It’s grand and absolutely humongous. It has its park, too, and there is a Godiva Chocolate Outlet on the other end of it. Just sayin’.  

The Sacre Coeur is not in the city center, but you can pay €8 to climb to the Panorama, a viewing platform that’s right under the dome. Highly recommended. 

Brussels’ Notre Dam

 

Notre Dame: if you love gothic architecture

I visited Church of Our Lady of Victories at the Sablon aka the Notre Dame, while exploring around the Royal Palace. It is a typical Gothic church with a small park and inside, besides the stained-glass windows, you can see some peculiar wooden boat statues. Free entry. 

And this one is for Michael and Gudula
 

St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral: the one with Jesus’ real cross

I took a few moments to peak inside St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral, Belgium’s national church. It’s big claim to fame is that is houses a piece of the wood from Jesus’ cross. That may be a great reason for visiting for some people, though if you do, know that the relic is kept safe and sound in the cathedral’s private treasury and you can’t actually go see it.   

 

14. Musée Magritte Museum and René Magritte Museum—Top Museums in Brussels for Surrealist Art

Some of the paintings @ Musée Magritte Museum
 

There are two museums of a similar name but each is different. Your next thing to see in Brussels is both of them (or at least one of them).

René Magritte was a Belgian surrealist artist known for his witty, thought-provoking paintings that challenged perception—like a pipe labeled “this is not a pipe.” So, naturally, I had to find out more about him when I was visiting Brussels.

Musée Magritte Museum displays the artist’s work

The Musée Magritte Museum is right by the Royal Palace as part of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, and includes the largest collection in the world of the surrealist’s works.

To be honest, I was a little disappointed with this museum. You really need the audio guide if you want any idea what’s what. There aren’t any English signs by the pieces, so even though there are over 200 things on exhibit, including photographs and letters, without the audio guide none of it makes sense It’s also not at all interactive.

Visitor information:

• Musée Magritte Museum, Koningsplein 1 
• Open Tuesday to Friday 10 am–5 pm, Saturday and Sunday 11 am–6 pm; closed Mondays 

• Adult ticket: €10 (permanent collection); Audio guide: €4 (available in multiple languages, with versions for kids, teens, visually/hearing impaired) 

The René Magritte Museum is his former residence

Reminds me of my grandma’s place
 

The René Magritte Museum is a two-in-one with the Museum of Abstract Art, and it’s located in northern Brussels in the Jette neighborhood.  

The René Magritte half of the museum not only shows the famous painter’s artwork, but you can step right back in time in the reconstitution of his apartment and learn all about his life.  

Fun fact: The abstract art portion of the museum is the first of its kind in Belgium.  

Visitor information:

• René Magritte Museum, 137 Esseghemstrasse, Jette 

• Open Wednesday–Friday 1:00 pm–6:00 pm; Saturday & Sunday 10:00 am–6:00 pm; closed Mondays–Tuesdays and public holidays; ticket office closes 30 minutes before the museum  

• Adult ticket €10 

 

15. Coudenberg Palace– Underground History Below the Royal Palace

The underground tour of the Coudenberg
 

I didn’t expect much from Coudenberg, but walking through the underground remains of this once-massive royal palace turned out to be one of the more memorable things to do in Brussels. It sits right under the current Royal Palace.

The whole place burned down in 1731 because a governess fell asleep without putting out her candles. Guards, following royal protocol, refused to enter her room to stop the fire. Add frozen water supplies, strong winter winds, and zero common sense, and you get these ruins that you can visit today. 

They nicknamed it the Cour brûlée (“Burnt Court”) and blamed the kitchen.

Today, you can walk the preserved foundations, check out a model of what the palace looked like pre-nap, and browse about 200 original artifacts. 

  

You’ll need about an hour for the archeological site and 30 minutes at museum. If you have kids, you can make the visit more enjoyable for them with a treasure hunt.  

Visitor information: 

• Coudenberg Palace, Place des Palais 7 (entrance through the BELvue Museum) 

• Open Tuesday–Friday 9:30 am–5:00 pm; weekends and daily in July & August 10:00 am–6:00 pm (last entry 1 hour before closing)—closed Mondays

• Tickets cost €10 

 

16. Comics Art Museum—Explore Belgian Comic Culture 

You can’t deny the Comics Art Museum is cute
 

This is one of the museums that had immense potential and fell semi-flat. Like I said in the beginning of this article, the bar of museum standards in Belgium is set very high. So, it’s not that the Comics Art Museum is bad, not at all. It’s actually really interesting. But I just thought they could’ve taken the comic theme and ran with it, and they didn’t. 

That said, did you know the Smurfs were Belgian? And so is Lucky Luke, and of course, Tintin. You’ll know the teenager and his dog are Belgian the moment you step on the plane. Comics are a huge deal in Belgium, and you’ll be made aware of this pride often.

 

 

There’s no doubt which airline you’re on.
 

The Comics Art Museum has permanent and temporary exhibitions that tell you all about comics pioneers and the history of the child-like art, up until the modern era. There are interactive parts too, like a 3D Smurf house.  

You can be in and out in about 1.5 hours.  

Visitor information:

• The Comics Art Museum, Rue des Sables 20 

• Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am–6 pm (last admission 5 pm); open daily in July & August (until August 19)  

• Adult ticket price: €14 

 

17. Royal Palace and Palace of Justice—For Grand Architecture in Brussels

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

You can tell that a city has a lot of places to see when I’m squishing more than one spot into a single item on my list.  

Visiting the Royal Palace of Brussels

An obvious place to visit in Brussels is the Royal Palace. The Royal Palace is obviously where the monarchy sits and does its royal business. The monarchy does not live there (they reside at the Castle of Laeken out by the Atomium).   

Tip: The oldest royal palace still in use in Europe is the Royal Alcazar in Sevilla. The monarchy does actually reside there when they are in the city, but when they aren’t you’re free to visit even the bedrooms! Check out our guide to Sevilla, Spain, to find out more. 

Can you go into the Royal Palace of Brussels? 

You can’t visit the interior except foe a month and a bit every summer. The Royal Palace is open for public visits after the National Holiday on July 21^st up until September. As you can imagine, the interior is fabulously elegant and regal in every manner. It’s like a fairytale castle but within an actual working kingdom.  

If you do visit in the rare time the Royal Palace is open, you guide yourself down the organized path through different rooms. It takes about 45 minutes and costs nothing.  

For other times of the year, you can walk around the exterior and the large manicured park behind it. It’s still a great place to visit in Brussels even if you just look at the palace from the outside. 

Visitor information:

• The Royal Palace of Brussels, Rue Brederode 16 
• Free self-guided tour only from July 21st to September, otherwise not accessible

Lots of columns = lots of justice @ Palace of Justice
 

The Palace of Justice is down the road from the Royal Palace (about 1 km or 0.6 miles) and 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 see it from almost everywhere in the city since it sits in the uptown.

Pro tip: If you want good views of Brussels, go to the front of the Palace of Justice and take it all in.   

Can you go inside the Palace of Justice?

As a court building in a democracy the Palace of Justice is open to the public, and you can find tour agencies that’ll take you in for a proper tour. Otherwise, there’s no official tourist entrance, you just go in with the people that work there, go through the metal detector and wander around. Not sure how quickly a security guard would usher you out though. This is more of a place to see in Brussels from the outside 

Visitor information:

• Palais de Justice, Poelaert Square 1 (On Google Maps you’ll see it as “Law Courts of Brussels”) 

• Open Monday to Friday 8 am–5 pm, closed on weekends and holidays 

• Free entrance, no tour (unless with outside tour agency) 

 

18. Musical Instruments Museum—The Most Beautiful Pianos Ever

The Indian instrument exhibit at the MIM
 

Beyond the southwestern corner of Brussels’ Royal Park lie several museums. One of those is the Musical Instrument Museum, which showcases the 1200 most interesting instruments in the world, old and new. The fact that it’s housed in a gorgeous art nouveau building doesn’t hurt, either.  

I’d say the room of intricately-designed pianos was a standout, and overall the museum was worth seeing. 

Tickets include an audio guide—bring your own headphones or buy them on the spot for €2. You don’t just get a dude telling you about what you’re seeing, but you can play bits of music that come from the instrument you are looking at, too. I found that fun.

Tickets are time-slotted, and you can buy them online in advance if you want to enter at a particular time. Though in my experience, the wait wasn’t long even without a ticket. 

Visitor information:

• Musical Instruments Museum, Hofberg 2 Montagne de la Cour  

• Open Tuesday to Friday, 9:30 am–5:00 pm; Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 am–5:00 pm (last entry 4:00 pm); closed Mondays and public holidays 

• Tickets cost €15 

 

19. Manneken Pis and the Tintin Mural–Famous Things to See in Brussels’ City Center

There you have it, one of the treasures of Brussels… a tiny boy peeing
 

Finally, one of the most famous things to do in Brussels that always has a crowd around it, and I say you can skip it. I know you won’t, but you could if you wanted to.

The Manneken Pis is a famous statue, one of the landmarks of Brussels. A statue of a kid urinating into a fountain. Was I impressed? No.  

What can I say—It’s the size of a little kid. It’s of a kid peeing.  

The fact that it survived all those centuries is what is impressive. The statue was first installed in 1620 and has faced a difficult life. It survived bombardments, repeated theft and getting broken into pieces and being re-welded.  

What you see on the corner of the Rue de l'Étuve and Rue du Chêne today is a replica. The original Manneken Pis is kept safe in the Brussels City Museum. You can also see a chocolate Manneken Pis in the Choco Story Museum (see below). 

Sometimes you’ll see the Manneken Pis wearing one of his costumes, many of which were gifted to the city by official delegations from other countries.

Manneken Pis in one of his many costumes on the left, and the Tintin mural on the right
 

A little ways down the road from the Manneken Pis is the Tintin comic mural. If you didn’t know this, Belgium is obsessed with comics, and Tintin is their most famous one. You’ll see comic murals all over the city, but I wanted to mention this one in particular because it’s one of the most popular. It’s on the side of a gift shop on Rue de l'Étuve.  

Visitor information:

• Manneken Pis is on the corner of Rue de l'Étuve and Rue du Chêne Brussels 

• Tintin mural is on Rue de l'Étuve

• No entrance fee 

 

Final thoughts: my top tips for visiting Brussels: 

• If you are a museum fan, check out the Brussels Card. It gives you free entry to 49 museums in Brussels.

• A ticket to the Royal Museum of Armed Forces allows you to climb up to the view area of the Triumphal Arch in Parc Cinquantenaire.

• The Parlamentarium is free and absolutely worth a visit if you’re in Brussels. It’s the Washington DC of Europe, which makes the European Parliament the Capitol.

• Don’t rent a car in Brussels (or Belgium as a whole). Use taxis or rent a scooter or bike in the city! For travel between cities, the high-speed trains are the best choice.

 

 

What is Brussels known for?

Brussels is known for being the political center of Europe, with the European Union headquarters based here. It’s also famous for its historic Grand Place, impressive museums, comic book art, and unique landmarks like the Atomium.

And yes—Brussels is known for waffles. We had some amazing waffles in Brussels, and they are worth the hype. BUT! They say that waffles are everywhere in Belgium, but they (sort of) lie! There are crappy waffles everywhere, but you really need to search high and low for the good stuff. Check out our guide to restaurants in Brussels and other Belgian cities to skip the disappointment.  

Brussels is also known for chocolate, beer, fries, and Magritte’s surrealist art. It’s a city that mixes culture, history, and food—just be a little selective about where you eat.

 

Is Brussels worth visiting?

In case I didn’t make it clear, Brussels is absolutely worth visiting. You can easily fill three full days with all the things to do in Brussels! Even if you spend part of that time looking for good waffles.  

 

 

Where we stayed in Brussels  

Brussels has a million hotels to choose from, and if you go off of reviews on booking.com, you can’t go wrong. I always stay in mid- to high-range hotels and make sure to choose one with a rating of at least 9.0.  

We stayed at Radisson Red.

Tip: Read how not to make rookie mistakes when booking your hotel!  

 

The cool and comfortable Radisson Red

Halfway between the Royal Palace and the Parc de Cinquantenaire is the hotel we stayed at while in Brussels, the Radisson Red. 

The Radisson Red concept focuses on bringing people together through art, fashion and music. It’s all very youthful and connected, and whenever I’d stayed at the Radisson Red chain around the world, it’s always been fantastic value for money.  

 

Where to next?

When you’re done seeing all the great places to visit and experiencing the best things to do in Brussels, it’s time to move on to Ghent and Bruges! Or, if you are happy to base your self here longer, here are my favorite day trips from Brussels (like Antwerp, Charleroi, but even Paris or Luxembourg work if you’re adventurous!).

 

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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