In November 2023, we visited Brussels for the first time. When we decided to visit the city, we sought opinions from friends who had already been there and ended up feeling confused. Opinions about the Belgian capital vary greatly. Some people love it, while others swear they will never return.
It is true that Brussels is not on the list of European cities with grand monuments. Paris has the Eiffel Tower, Barcelona has the Sagrada FamĂlia, and London has Big Ben. Brussels has… the Manneken Pis, a figure just a few centimetres tall. However, the city is much more than grand monuments (though it doesn’t lack those either). With its neighbourhoods, palaces, museums, gardens, chocolate shops, and waffle shops, Brussels was a pleasant surprise that we enjoyed discovering and would recommend visiting.
In this post, we share the itinerary we followed to explore Brussels over two days. Our trip to Belgium also included a day in Bruges and half a day in Antwerp, which we will cover in other posts. We recommend that you review this itinerary carefully and make any necessary adjustments. Depending on where you are staying, for instance, it may make sense to change the order of visits. We also provide some suggestions for additional places to visit, which may extend the time needed for your visit but could be a good option if you have more time to explore Brussels.
The city is relatively small and can be easily explored on foot. You will need to use public transport to get from the airport to the city – we recommend the Fibco transfer – and to visit the Atomium and the European Quarter – we suggest travelling by metro.
Keep reading our post and save all the tips for visiting Brussels.
Read also: Bruges: What to See – 1-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Itinerary for visiting Brussels in 2 days
La Grand-Place (Grote Markt)
La Grand-Place, or Grote Markt, is the main square of the city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the starting point of our Brussels itinerary. The square is surrounded by historic buildings adorned with intricate architectural details that captivate every visitor. We recommend visiting the square at least twice: during the day, to appreciate the details of the buildings, and at night, to enjoy the daily light show.
The historic buildings that form the square include the Town Hall, the Maison du Roi, the Maison des Ducs de Brabant, Le Pigeon, and the Éverard t’Serclaes Monument. The square is truly magnificent, and we must confess that photographs fail to capture its full grandeur.
Bourse de Bruxelles
Close to the square, we unexpectedly stumbled upon the old Brussels Stock Exchange building. The site wasn’t on our itinerary, but the grandeur of the building drew us in, and we were pleasantly surprised by its interior details. Fun fact: we realised that we missed the front of the building, which is even more impressive!
Manneken Pis
Only a short distance from the Grote Markt lies Brussels’ iconic Manneken Pis. This statue of the boy urinating is just over 50 cm tall, but it’s a must-see for anyone visiting the Belgian capital. The locals love the statue and frequently dress him for festive occasions. The costumes are kept at the Maison du Roi, situated in the Grote Markt.
L’Ă©glise Notre-Dame des Victories au Sablon
We continued our itinerary to the Sablon neighbourhood to visit L’Ă©glise Notre-Dame des Victoires au Sablon. This Gothic-style church is regarded as one of the most beautiful in Brussels and is free to visit.
Adjacent to the church are two squares, Grand Sablon and Petit Sablon, along with a neo-Renaissance garden adorned with fountains and statues.
Place Royale
Just a few metres away is the Place Royale, the square of the monarchs. Located in Place Royale are the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium and the Magritte Museum, which we visited in the afternoon and will discuss further down in this post. There is also the church of Saint Jacques Sur Coudenberg, a neoclassical church with a simple yet spacious and bright interior. Entry to this church was also free of charge.
Royal Palace of Brussels
We continued our visit to Brussels towards the Royal Palace of Brussels. The palace is only open to visitors during the summer months, but even if you visit Brussels during another season (as was our case), a visit to the palace is still worthwhile to appreciate the beauty of the building and its exterior gardens.
In front of the palace, you’ll find the Belgian Parliament and a green space, Brussels Park.
Mont des Arts
Just a short distance away is Mont des Arts, known in English as “hill of the arts.” This site is significant for the country, as it houses the Royal Library of Belgium and the National Archives. Moreover, this area is where the majority of the city’s museums are located.
The Mont des Arts is also worth a visit for its gardens and high views of the city. Here you’ll also find the Carillon du Mont des Arts, a twelve-pointed star-shaped clock that you’ve probably seen on social media.
In the meantime, it was lunchtime and we took a break.
After lunch, we continued in the same area to visit the Magritte Museum and the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. For the museums, we purchased our tickets online through their official website.
Magritte Museum
We began by visiting the Magritte Museum. This museum is part of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium and, as the name suggests, is dedicated to the work of Belgian surrealist artist René Magritte. The museum features a collection of over 200 works that reflect his artistic evolution. We highly recommend this museum to all art lovers.
Royal Museums of Fine Arts in Belgium
Next, we visited the remaining museums that are part of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. These museums feature over 20,000 works, including paintings, drawings, and sculptures, spanning from the 15th century to the present day.
Our visit to the museums lasted approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes, so we recommend planning enough time for your visit. Take a look at the images below to get a glimpse of what you’ll encounter.
After our visit to the museums, we spent some time wandering the streets without a specific destination. We stopped to photograph details of the buildings, eat waffles, fries, and, of course, Belgian chocolate.
And so our first day in Brussels came to an end.
Day 2: Itinerary for visiting Brussels in 2 days
European Quarter
We started the second day with a metro ride to Schuman station, arriving promptly at the European Quarter. A large number of European Union institutions are situated in this neighbourhood, including the European Parliament, where various decisions affecting our lives as citizens of the European Union are made.
Here you can also visit the Parlamentarium, an interactive museum that offers an insight into the history, functions, and future of the European Union. We chose not to visit, but if you’re interested, we recommend booking your visit online here, as entry is free but spaces are limited.
If you’re interested, the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences is situated in this neighbourhood and is an excellent choice for those passionate about natural history.
Parc du Cinquentenaire
Near the European Quarter is Parc du Cinquantenaire, where we spent some time strolling. The park is vast and surrounded by buildings that commemorate Belgium’s 500 years of independence. It’s the perfect place to relax. Be sure to take the opportunity to photograph the gardens, lakes, waterfalls, and the triumphal arch, Les Arcades du Cinquantenaire.
Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert
After lunch, we visited the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert. These galleries are the most popular destination for those visiting the city and looking to shop. Located right in the city centre, they are covered by a dome, adorned with beautifully decorated shop facades, and feature various luxury brands and renowned restaurants. Even if shopping isn’t your intention, the visit is worthwhile for the beauty of the space, and entry is free.
Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula
Later in the afternoon, we visited the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula, the patron saints of the city. The cathedral is an impressive Gothic architectural masterpiece that took over 300 years to complete. Admission is free.
Numerous royal weddings have taken place in the cathedral. Inside, you’ll find many captivating details, including a Gothic choir, a beautifully decorated organ, a white pulpit, and several ornate royal tombs.
Atomium
We finished the second day with another metro trip to Heysel station to visit the Atomium.
The Atomium was constructed in 1958 for the World Expo, Expo 58, and stands as one of Brussels’ most well-known and photographed attractions. We chose to stay outside but, if you’re interested, visiting the interior of the giant atom offers panoramic views of the entire city from its height of over 100 metres.
Next to the Atomium, you can visit the Mini Europe theme park, where you’ll find miniature versions of iconic European monuments in an outdoor setting. We opted not to visit, but it’s a suggestion if you’re interested.
To wrap up your visit to Brussels, enjoy a leisurely stroll through the streets without a specific destination and let the enticing aroma of waffles guide you.
Liked this post? Save it on Pinterest!
