Self-Guided Trip in Brussels

How to get to Brussels?

It is easy to get to Brussels by plane from most European airports. For example, there are good connections from Vienna and Venice to Charleroi, which is a town just an hour away from Brussels. At the airport, you’ll find a Flibco ticket machine where you can buy a return bus ticket to Brussels right away.

Brussels has an excellent transport system. Even before leaving, we downloaded the STIB-MIVB app, where we bought 10 rides and used them on all means of transport, like metro, bus and tram. Unfortunately, the application does not work perfectly, so as an alternative, I suggest buying a paper ticket instead. Ticket machines can be found at every metro station.

Main sights of Brussels

Our flight was early in the morning, so we travelled overnight and arrived in Brussels with just enough time to spend the first day exploring the city centre, which is perfect for a first look at the Belgian capital.

We started at the Grand-Place, a square surrounded by beautiful historic buildings, including the impressive town hall and guild houses with their richly decorated façades. The square is always buzzing with life, as tourists and guided tours gather here during the day, and sometimes concerts and events take place as well. You’ll find this square in every guidebook, and for good reason, as you’ll happily spend more than just a few minutes there.

From there, just a few steps away, we headed to the famous Manneken Pis, which is much smaller than we had imagined from pictures. We also had time to visit his female counterpart, Jeanneke Pis, and even the dog, Zinneke Pis. They are all located in the city centre, but you do have to look around a bit to find them.

This part of town is perfect for getting lost – wherever we looked, another street was calling us, full of countless boutique shops, cafés, chocolatiers and artworks on the buildings.

Not far away is a square with St. Catherine’s Church, and next to it the Black Tower, a medieval remnant of the city walls. In front of the church is a long, shallow water basin that gives the space a special charm and a feeling of openness. It’s surrounded by trees and market stalls and serves as a popular meeting place for both tourists and locals. After a few hours of walking and trying Belgian beer for the first time, that was more than enough for our first day.

Atomium

We dedicated the first part of the second day to visiting the Atomium. In the morning, we took the metro to the northern part of the city, where one of Brussels’ and Belgium’s most iconic landmarks is located. It was built for the 1958 Expo and is a giant model of an iron atom. It stands at 102 metres tall.

We bought our tickets in advance, but you can easily get them when you visit as well. It’s a good idea to book them in advance, especially because of long queues on weekends and holidays. If you book them in advance, you also need to set an exact date for your visit and stick to it.

The visit to the Atomium starts inside, where visitors can move between the spheres connected by tubes, which you can walk through or travel along using escalators. The main attraction is, of course, the viewing platform in the top sphere, which you reach by a fast panoramic lift. From the top you can see the view of Brussels and its surroundings.

As a bonus, the ticket also includes entry to the nearby design museum, and there’s a large, beautiful park around it where you can enjoy a stroll and watch families relaxing with picnics on nice days.

Triumphal arch

Later that same day, after visiting the Atomium, we headed to the eastern part of the city where Parc du Cinquantenaire is located, and at the end of the park you’re almost surprised by the huge triumphal arch. It’s an impressive arch that strongly resembles the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. It was built to mark the 50th anniversary of Belgian independence and was meant to celebrate the country’s progress.

A road runs beneath it, and next to it stretches another large park where locals run, have picnics, hang out and relax in the sun. There are also three museums nearby. If you are interested in old cars, weapons and archaeological treasures, they are worth a visit. But just sitting by the arch and watching people has its charm – like all of Brussels.

Belgian beer

The path then led us back to the very heart of Brussels, where the mighty La Bourse building is hard to miss. On the outside it still looks like classic old architecture, but inside they have created something completely new. As part of the renovation, the building was transformed into a fun experience: Belgian Beer World.

It’s an interactive centre dedicated to Belgian beer, something the Belgians really know how to do well. Inside, you can learn all about the history, brewing process, and the different flavours and styles. In addition, there is a sky bar with a view at the top, and under the building there is access to an archaeological site where we can see the remains of medieval Brussels. All this with a taste of Belgian beer is included in the price of the tour, which I really recommend.

A trip to Ghent

On the third day, we decided to skip exploring Brussels and head to the nearby city of Ghent instead. We bought a train ticket, which was cheaper because it was the weekend.

Compared to Brussels, Ghent feels more local, but it’s lively too because it’s a student city. It’s just the right size to walk around, yet full of surprises at every corner. The main sights, like St Bavo’s Cathedral, the old Belfry, and Gravensteen Castle, are all within easy reach.

We were lucky with the weather during those days, as the sun stayed out and it was warm the entire time. As a result, Ghent’s centre was full of people sitting by the riverbanks, reading books, drinking coffee, or just hanging out.

Thanks to the lovely weather, we decided to take a boat trip along the canals that run through the old town. From the boat we got a completely different view of the city. Passing old façades, bridges and walls, Ghent looks even more magical. The boat trip lasts about 50 minutes, with a guide explaining interesting facts about the city’s history in three languages – English, French and Dutch.

Marollen and nearby attractions

On the last day, we had the chance to explore the rest of Brussels, so we started off in the Marollen neighbourhood. It’s one of Brussels’ most authentic and historically rich districts. The heart of the district is Place de Jeu de Balle, also known as Vossenplein, where a well-known flea market takes place every day. This old market has been an essential part of the area since 1873. Here you’ll find old books, furniture, artwork, vinyl records, clothes, tools and even some useless but interesting trinkets. It’s a great spot for collectors or curious tourists.

The neighbourhood is located just below the magnificent Palace of Justice, where there is also a beautiful view of the city. Around all these places, you can always find a seller of fries and Belgian waffles, which might seem like a tourist trap at first, but they are actually really tasty!

Royal Palace

While exploring the city, we also stopped by the Royal Palace of Brussels. It’s no longer the official residence of the royal family but still serves as the main administrative palace for the King of Belgium. It is located on the southern side of Brussels Park, the largest and oldest city park right in the heart of the capital. Although we did not enter the palace, we took the opportunity to take a pleasant walk in the park.

Mont des Arts

After visiting the Royal Palace, we went to the nearby Mont des Arts. There, we enjoyed a walk in the beautifully kept garden, which offers amazing views over the city and links the upper and lower parts of Brussels. We visited on a sunny day, when the fountains and benches in the park were very inviting. We enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere while watching the music performances that took place nearby. Mont des Arts was a pleasant conclusion to our exploration of the city.

After that, we returned to the lower part of Brussels, where we also started our journey on the first day. We wandered through some of Brussels’ quieter streets, sampling various Belgian sweets like cuberdons, cone shaped Belgian candies, and of course Belgian chocolate. That was also when it started raining for the first time on our trip, so we slowly took cover for one last Belgian beer before heading to bed, as we had a morning flight ahead of us.

Who would I recommend a visit to Brussels to?

Brussels is perfect for anyone who loves architecture and enjoys urban exploring, walks through numerous parks, and trying out tasty Belgian treats. The city is ideal for a short break, but if you have more time, make sure to explore nearby places like Ghent, Bruges and Antwerp.