Brussels travel blog — The fullest Brussels travel guide for the first-timers

The Manneken Pis statue standing proud near Grand Place at the Rue de L’Etuve corner (Stoofstraat) and Rue du Chêne (Eikstraat). There are also many different versions of Manneken Pis such as the girl version – Jeanneke Pis squatting and urinating representing of loyalty and the dog version – Het Zinneke (Zinneke Pis) – standing on a paw and urinating, expressing showing the irreverence of Brussels.

Atomium

Built for the 1958 World’s Fair (Expo 58), Atomium is one of the symbols of Brussels. It is an iron crystal block consisting of nine very large armored spheres connected by large cylinders and between these spheres can be seen together or moving through the staircase in the connecting cylinders.

Located at Square de l’Atomium, about 8km from the north of central Brussels, you can reach here by catching Metro Line 6: Heysel / Heizel. Atomium is open to visitors with a ticket price of € 11, if you have Brussels Card will receive a discount of € 3.

Address: Square de l’Atomium, 1020 Bruxelles, Belgium
Height: 102 m
Construction started: 1957
Hours: 10AM–6PM
Url: http://atomium.be/

Other free attractions and activities

Parking 58: Come here you can watch the whole of Brussels very nice at night by taking the elevator to the rooftop. This parking is located right at the Monnaie Opera House (La Monnaie De Munt).

Address: Rue de l’Evêque 1, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
Phone: +32 2 549 54 54

Arcades du Cinquantenaire (Triomfboog van het Jubelpark): If you visit the Cinquantenaire museum (open free on the first Wednesday of the month after 1pm), take the stairs to Arcade and you will be enjoyed the panoramic view of the area with attractions like Avenue Tervueren, Montgomery roundabout, the European Parliament headquarters.

Opened: September 27, 1905
Construction started: January 4, 1905
Location: Cinquantenaire, Brussels, Belgium

Palais Royal (Royal Palace of Brussels): When the Belgian flag is hung on the roof of the Royal Palace, it means that the King of the Belgians is inside, but often the King does not live here. After the National Day of Belgium on September 21, the palace will open free for visitors to visit, here you will see the inner scenery, the life of the Belgian royal family, the furniture and the royal objects …

Address: Rue Brederode 16, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
Opened: 1934
Hours: 10:30AM–3:45PM / Monday: Closed
Construction started: 1783

European Parliament – Parlamentarium: Find out about the establishment, how it works, conferences and all stories about the European Union by visiting the European parliament building for free.

Address: Place du Luxembourg 100, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
Opened: October 14, 2011
Hours: 9AM–6PM / Saturday & Sunday: 10AM–6PM / Monday: 1–6PM
Inaugurated: October 14, 2011
Phone: +32 2 283 22 22

Alternatively, traveling to Brussels you should joining a free of city walking tour. The guides will accompany and introduce you and guide you to the main attractions in Brussels within 2.5-3 hours, at the end of tour you can tip them or not (tip usually around EUR8-10). Details of the schedule of the tour and booking tour you see here.

Brussels blog: What and where to eat?

If you want to save the cost of eating and want to experience the culinary culture of Brussels, you can go to the flea markets here like Place Chatelaine (Markt van het Kasteleinsplein: Address: 1050 Ixelles, Belgium / Hours: Wednesday: 1–7PM) open on Wednesday from 1-7PM or the market near Midi station open on Sunday. Here you will be tried a variety of cherry, free fruit. Even foods such as cakes, breads, pate also are served for free (eating trial) to enjoy the taste of traditional cuisine of Brussels. However, the restriction of this market is open only on Sundays, and you need to pay a little attention to food because they are sold on the sidewalk so it is easy to get dust.

Chocolate: Coming to Belgium, of course, you have to enjoy Chocolate, can not to miss the Grand Sablon square with the famous Chocolate shops are Wittamer (Address: Place du Grand Sablon 6-12-13, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium / Hours: 7AM–7PM / Phone: +32 2 512 37 42) and Chocolatier Pierre Marcolini (Address: Rue des Minimes 1, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium / Hours: 10AM–7:30PM / Phone: +32 2 514 12 06) which beloved by locals and international visitors. These stores have been operating for a long time selling traditional Belgian Chocolate.

Waffle: Absolutely, Belgian chocolate is delicious, it is also much more attractive if it is spread on delicious Waffle sandwiches. Many people say that without waffle, Belgian cuisine will be nothing, it is a tradition, a long-standing culture and a favorite food of Brussels people in particular and Belgian people in general. These cakes are in honeycomb shape and spread a little bit of chocolate and sugar on top you can see at anywhere on the streets of Brussels, the usual price is 1EUR, more expensive with more elaborate cakes. However, the cake is quite sweet, you should buy one to try to see if it suits your taste.

Alternatively, if you want to dine in a better quality restaurant, you can go to Taverne du Passage street in the Brussels shopping center with the shop beer of Brasserie Taverne du Passage (Address: Galerie de la Reine 30, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium / Hours: 12–11:30PM; Monday: Closed / Phone: +32 2 512 37 31 / Url: http://www.taverne-du-passage.be) with lots of local dishes from shrimp croquettes, to the delicious seafood, and of course can’t ignore the signature Belgian French fries, the dish that is also controversial about its origin like Belgian Chocolate.

If you want to eating rice, you can go to Jack O’Shea Chophouse restaurant (Address: Rue Sainte-Catherine 32, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium / Hours: 7–10:30PM; Friday & Saturday: 12–2:30PM, 7–10:30PM; Sunday: Closed / Phone: +32 2 503 36 61 / Url: https://www.jackoshea.com) on Rue Sainte Catherine street, about 5 minutes walk from Grand Place, and in every meal do not forget to order a cup of Belgian beer, because you are in the city that is assessed as having the most tasty beers in the world.

Finally, for backpackers, you should buy foods at the supermarkets to cook in hostel for cheap. Some good supermarkets can be mentioned here like Colruyt (the cheapest), the more you buy, the cheaper you get, then supermarket Aldi, Lidl, or even a market in Midi station.

Brussels visitor guide: Getting around Brussels

Public transport in Brussels is run by STIB/MIVB (Brussels Intercommunal Transport Company) company, in fact this city is quite small, so you can fully walk to places to visit. But if you are afraid to walk, you can refer to the type of train/bus tickets in the city. For example, buying a single ticket (retail ticket) costs €2.10, but buying tickets for 5 trip/time at a price of only €8, 10 trip at a price of €14. Another option is a daily ticket (Day Travel Ticket), which is a 24-hour ticket, 48 hours and 72 hours, with prices of €7.50, €14, and €18, correspondingly. These tickets allow you to use all types of public transport in the city such as bus, tram, metro.

Tickets you buy at the ticket counters at the station, subway, and at the ticket vending machines. Always remember the validate of tickets at ticket vending machines located at metro station or bus and tram pick-up points. You will see indigenous people no need validate because they have seasonal tickets.

Alternatively, you can visit the city by take the Hop On Hop Off bus (Brussels Sightseeing Hop On Hop Off) with a ticket of EUR25/day and EUR32/2 days. Buses travel between Brussels tourist attractions (about 20 attractions). Details of schedules and destinations you refer here.

Brussels travel blog: Where to stay?

Usually visitors traveling in Brussels will choose two main areas to stay, one is close to the Grand Place for easy access to nearby tourist attractions, and second is near Central Station.

If you stay near Grand Place you can choose Sleep Well Youth Hostel about 10 minutes walk from Grand Place, clean and beautiful rooms and highly assessed on Booking.com. The price of a single bed in dormitory room in peak season is only around EUR25-30 but very close to Metro station. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

In addition, if you want to stay in a better room, you can consider Smartflats Monnaie Design hotel with beautiful, modern rooms, but the price is not too high compared to the common living costs in big cities like Brussels. The hotel is only 10 minutes walk from the central station with room rates from $187/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

Below we recommend more best cheap, budget, mid-range and upscale hotels with good ratings and reviews you can refer to.

Ibis Brussels Off Grand Place (Address: Grasmarkt 100, Rue du Marché aux Herbes 100, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium / Phone: +32 2 620 04 27), a 4-star hotel with room rates from $110/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

Hilton Brussels Grand Place (Address: Carrefour de l’Europe 3, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium / Phone: +32 2 548 42 11), a 4-star hotel with room rates from $136/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

easyHotel Brussels City Centre (Address: Rue d’Argent 1, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium / Phone: +44 20 3769 5901), a 3-star hotel with room rates from $70/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

Motel One (Address: Rue Royale 120, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium / Phone: +32 2 209 61 10), a top rated 3-star hotel with room rates from $77/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

Novotel Brussels City Centre Hotel (Address: Rue de la Vierge Noire 32, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium / Phone: +32 2 620 04 28), a 4-star hotel with room rates from $95/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

Pullman Brussels Centre Midi Hotel (Address: Place Victor Horta 1, 1060 Bruxelles, Belgium / Phone: +32 2 528 98 00), a top rated 4-star hotel with room rates from $106/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

NH Collection Brussels Grand Sablon (Address: Rue Bodenbroek 2, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium / Phone: +32 2 518 11 00), a 4-star hotel with room rates from $99/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

ApartHotel MAS Residence (Address: Rue de Spa 14, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium / Phone: +32 2 237 60 00), with room rates from $91/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

Made In Louise (Address: Rue Veydt 40, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium / Phone: +32 2 537 40 33), a 4-star hotel with room rates from $91/night. (Check rates and reviews on Booking.com).

Staying in Brussels you can choose hotels via Booking.com and Agoda.com, or if you want to stay cheaper, you should choose a hostel or guesthouses via Airbnb.com.

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in and from Brussels you can refer to

• Private Brussels Airport (BRU) Transfers for Brussels
• Private Charleroi Airport (CRL) Transfers for Brussels
• Bruges Day Tour from Brussels
• Brussels Hop On/Hop Off Bus Day Pass and Trip by Rail from London
• Ghent and Bruges Day Tour from Brussels
• Bruges Guided Day Tour from Paris
• Brussels City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tours
• Brussels Card
• Brussels City Sightseeing Bus Pass
• Choco-Story Brussels Ticket
• eSIM Europe with high-speed and stable Internet connection

Are you looking for more top things to do in Brussels: Tours, activities, attractions and other things? Let’s check it out here.