The city of Brussels is the capital of Belgium, as well as the capital of the European Union. It is a hub for rail, road and air traffic earning it the nickname, “The Crossroads of Europe”. Although the official languages are French and Dutch, English is also spoken by most people. The currency is the Euro and it is easy to explore the city on foot and by public transportation. One day is perfect to explore the city and sample the many culinary delights and if you have more time, you may want to consider one of the many day trip opportunities via train, or taking a second day to walk the neighborhoods and visit one or two of the many museums throughout the city.
Epic things to do in Brussels:
- The Grand Place
- Manneken Pis
- See the Royal Palace and the Parc du Cinquantenaire
- Wander the city streets
- Experience the food
The Grand-Place is the central square and heart of Brussels. It is surrounded by opulent, gold buildings, including the City’s Town Hall and the King’s house (which houses the City of Brussel Museum). It is a beautiful square! It is the number one tourist destination in the city, and you do not want to miss spending a little time here just embracing your surroundings and appreciating the architecture. There are plenty of places to relax and enjoy a meal or a drink in the square which allows you further time to absorb it all.
The Manneken Pis is an often talked about fountain in Brussels, that depicts a naked little boy urinating in the fountain. It may not be the most epic thing to do in the city, but you must see it at least once. The people of Brussels consider it to embody their sense of humor (zwanze) and their independence of mind. It is just a five-minute walk from the Grand Place at the junction of Rue du Chene/Eikstraat and Rue de l’Etuve/Stoofstraat. It is much smaller than you think but of course you cannot miss it – there will be packs of tourists waiting to take their selfies. I have heard that sometimes they dress the boy up in clothes to celebrate major festivals and that he has a wardrobe that consists of over 1,000 outfits! Hey – he is an icon – make it fun and go with the zwanze!
The Royal Palace - The king of Belgium does not live here but it is used for government purposes and therefore closed to the public except for a month during the summer. However, I enjoyed the outside of the palace and found it to be gorgeous and it is two times the size of Buckingham Palace!
Triumphal Arch Cinquantenaire – Built by King Leopold 11 to commemorate fifty years of Belgian independence. It is a large, beautiful arch and well worth a visit to see it and the quiet, serene park that it lies in.
Stroll down Les Galeries Royals Saint-Hubert (short shopping street) or take in the Comic Strip Route which showcases 3km of houses painted with murals. Visit the Cathedrals of St Michael and St Gudula. Visit one of the museums that piques your interest.
Eat! You cannot possibly visit the city without enjoying some of the famous foods – waffles, chocolate, fries, beer and mussels! Oh! Those fries!
Day trips to Bruges and Ghent are good choices if you have some extra time and want to take a train to see a smaller city in Belgium. I visited Ghent and thought it was epic. You can read that post here in my blog.
Brussels is a vibrant, multi-cultural business city. If you have a layover or some extra time, consider spending a day here to check it out! Voyages en toute securite! Veilige reizen!
