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The magnificent square in Gothic style is the best way to start exploring Brussels. The stunningly beautiful buildings surrounding the Grand-Place are adorned with rich carvings, columns, statues, and ornaments. Interestingly, each old house has its own name, so you can test your detective skills by finding some of them, such as "The She-Wolf", "The Fox", "The Cart", or "The Star".
To see the Grand Place in all its glory, it's best to ascend the Town Hall balcony, which is specially opened for this purpose to all visitors.
Once a royal residence, the palace now serves only for official receptions and is otherwise open to tourists and city guests, completely free of charge! Take the opportunity to visit and see the palace's rooms and halls in all their splendor: the Mirror Room, whose ceiling is adorned with the wings of scarab beetles, the Imperial Room, where eleven flowers are planted in eleven golden pots, representing the eleven provinces of Belgium, and, of course, the majestic Throne Room.
The palace is open to visitors in Brussels from July to September, Tuesday to Sunday (10:00 AM – 5:00 PM).
Another example of ancient architecture and a living piece of Brussels' history, the Town Hall is one of the symbols of the Belgian capital.
The famous 96-meter Town Hall tower with the figure of Saint Michael, the city's patron saint, serves as a great landmark on the streets of Brussels. The building itself, in Brabant Gothic style, impresses with its abundant decor. The facade of the Town Hall is adorned with arched windows, carved columns, and sculptures of all the Dukes of Brabant from 580 to 1564.
You can admire the Town Hall not only from the outside but also from the inside: it is open whenever city council meetings are not in session.
Entry to the Town Hall is paid; the ticket costs €15 for adults, with the tour being an additional charge.
Brussels is famous not only for its Belgian chocolate and rich cultural heritage but also for its architecture. The capital's cathedrals are particularly noteworthy.
One of them is the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula on the Treurenberg Hill.
The cathedral is built in the Romanesque-Gothic style, with an abundance of decorations on the facade and characteristic pointed, "carved" architecture. However, the most profound impression comes from entering inside. The interior of the cathedral is stunning: a colonnade adorned with baroque statues of apostles in full height runs along the main aisle, and the windows are decorated with stained glass, most of which were created during the Renaissance. The entire atmosphere here is steeped in antiquity and tranquility.
The cathedral is open to visitors Monday to Friday from 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM, on Saturday from 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM, and on Sunday from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Admission is free.
Perhaps the most unconventional religious building in Brussels. How many churches do you know that, in addition to their primary functions, also house a Catholic radio station, restaurant, theater, museums, and even a training area for climbers and speleologists?! Not many. So it's definitely worth a visit.
Moreover, the basilica impresses not only with its exterior but also with its interior, designed in a cubist and minimalist style. No wonder this church is considered a symbol of Art Deco architecture.
If you just want to see the interior of the basilica, there is no entrance fee, but to go up to the observation deck, you have to pay. The deck is open in summer from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and in winter from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
A true example of Brabantine Gothic, the Church of Our Lady will interest visitors to Brussels with its almost detective story associated with its name. The church gained popularity among parishioners (as well as its name) after the installation of a statue of the Virgin Mary, which was stolen by a devout woman in Antwerp and brought to Brussels.
Whether this is true or not, this event was the reason for the transformation of a simple chapel into a Gothic church. The interior decor of the church is also worth noting, especially the colorful stained glass windows with lighting, creating a mysterious and enigmatic atmosphere that is worth experiencing in Brussels.
If you get tired after a long walk around the interesting places in the center of Brussels, the Parc du Cinquantenaire, not far from the Grand Place, can be an excellent place to relax. Moreover, it is easy to find: the entrance to the park is marked by the Triumphal Arch, which is hard to miss.
The Parc du Cinquantenaire is like a piece of Paris miraculously found in the heart of the Belgian capital. With its neat lawns and symmetrical paths, it somewhat resembles the gardens of Versailles, and the aforementioned Triumphal Arch further emphasizes this similarity.
For those who find a walk in the park insufficient, there are also the Museum of the Army and the Autoworld Museum on its grounds.
This elegant, almost "lacy" building on the Grand Place is a real chameleon. Since the 13th century, it has changed several "professions": it was a baker's warehouse, a prison, a tax office, and even the residence of the Dukes of Brabant. After the conquest of Brussels by the French, it became known as the King's House because governors under the French monarch's care lived here.
Today, the City Museum is located here, where visitors can get acquainted with Belgian art from different centuries, and also see the collection of costumes of the famous Manneken Pis (there are as many as 650!), which were presented to the statue by high-ranking guests of the capital over the years.
Do you know what an iron atom looks like? No? Then you definitely need to see the Atomium! This 102-meter futuristic structure is an enlarged model of an iron atom, magnified 165 billion times, symbolizing the peaceful possibilities of the atomic age.
But the Atomium is remarkable not only for this. Six of its nine spheres are open for visitors, and in the tubes connecting them, there are escalators and corridors for moving around the metal giant. The spheres house a hotel, a café, and various exhibitions.
Here you can learn about the 1958 World's Fair, the lifestyle in Europe in the 1950s, and the latest scientific achievements. And be sure to go up to the observation deck, which offers a stunning panorama of Brussels, with the entire city visible at a glance.
Atomium is open from 10:00 to 18:00. On December 24th and 31st, it is open from 10:00 to 16:00, and on December 25th and January 1st, from 12:00 to 16:00. The ticket costs €17 for adults.
If Brussels is the first European capital you've visited and you'd like to see others as well, it's easy! Just head to Mini-Europe Park, where you can feel like Gulliver walking among scaled-down replicas of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Acropolis of Athens, and other historical buildings. The park is populated with tiny figurines of residents, and it even has its own miniature transport system (which actually works).
The ticket costs €19.
Actually, it's an artificial hill created specifically for the International Exhibition in 1910. The art here lies in housing several of the city's most popular museums, such as the Royal Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Musical Instruments. Combine the useful (visiting museums in Brussels) with the pleasant – climb to the top of the hill: on a clear day, you can see the Atomium and the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, and the park itself is perfect for relaxation after the climb.
Did you know that Brussels has its own shopping galleries older than the famous Vittorio Emanuele II Gallery in Milan? If you didn't, you need to visit the Royal Galleries of Saint-Hubert.
Under one roof (or more precisely, under a glass dome) in the King's, Queen's, and Princes' Galleries, you'll find all sorts of shops and boutiques, as well as cafes, pastry shops, cinemas, and jewelry stores. Prices are certainly not budget-friendly, but the galleries are worth visiting for their architecture and exquisite design.
Even if you don't consider yourself a fan or connoisseur of painting, the Magritte Museum, dedicated to the Belgian surrealist artist, is highly recommended for a visit. Just the facade alone is worth it, designed as a sketch for one of the painter's canvases ("Empire of Light")!
In the museum's collection, there are over 200 paintings, drawings, sculptures, sketches, and photographs, as well as some personal items of the artist, telling the story of the master's creative journey. There is also a cinema where you can watch a film about the famous Belgian.
The entrance ticket costs €10.
For those whose curiosity knows no bounds, the doors of the Brussels Museum of Natural Sciences are always open. It will be especially interesting for children, of course, but adults will also find plenty of fascinating things. Here you can learn everything (well, almost everything) about the inhabitants of our planet who lived thousands of years ago, explore a huge collection of minerals, moon rocks, and meteorites (a total of 2000 specimens), and find out how and where writing and counting originated.
Oh, and don't forget about the largest meteorite ever to fall in Europe! And for those who are not averse to testing their deductive skills, there is a daily attraction called "Murder of the Museum Director": everything is as it should be, with clues, suspects, and intrigue.
Brussels is the capital of chocolate, as almost everyone knows. And where better to try this amazing delicacy than in local chocolate shops? One such shop is Leonidas. This brand of chocolate has been a favorite for over a hundred years not only among locals but also among city guests, all thanks to carefully preserved recipes and craftsmanship.
Sweet lovers will find here more than a hundred types of chocolates with various fillings, as well as marzipans, chocolate-covered fruits, truffles, and much more. The prices are also quite reasonable.
To diversify your impressions of the Belgian capital, we recommend visiting a place known as "The Belly of Brussels". Behind this intimidating name is a restaurant street filled to the brim with establishments of all sorts and kinds.
For a tourist overwhelmed by the variety, it's worth being attentive when ordering: there is a great risk of succumbing to temptation and ordering too much. Besides, don't rush into the first restaurant you come across. Walk the entire street, carefully studying the menus – and you will surely find a fairly acceptable option that won't hit your budget too hard.
To fully experience the taste of Brussels, visit the Museum of Cocoa and Chocolate. Here you can witness the process of making the famous Belgian delicacy firsthand, learn its history, and try yourself as a confectioner.
How can you visit Brussels and not see one of its most famous symbols? We are, of course, talking about the Manneken Pis statue.
Often tourists mistakenly think that the little boy should be quite impressive in size (probably because everyone knows his close-up images). However, in reality, the statue is the size of a toddler, so keep that in mind so you don't "miss" it.
The statue of the little boy itself is not particularly remarkable; it's the traditional dressing ritual that's interesting, where the statue is dressed in various costumes. This event is colorfully staged and often accompanied by music. Today, the wardrobe of the little guy counts more than 650 costumes from different countries. The detailed dressing schedule is posted on the fence of the fountain.
The museum of the prominent Belgian architect is located in his former home, which also served as his studio. What is Victor Horta famous for, you ask? Well, at least for making popular the use of plant motifs and ornaments in architecture, with flexible and flowing lines that have made his buildings so recognizable.
So don't miss the chance to walk through the home of one of Belgium's most famous architects, especially since the interiors there are simply magical: an abundance of twisted lines in wall paintings and wrought-iron staircase decorations, stained glass, floral ornaments, lots of glass and light – it seems there isn't a single sharp angle in the house.
All possible variety of musical instruments collected from different corners of the world can be found in Brussels' eponymous museum.
The museum has 4 floors, and each one presents its own exhibition: here are exhibits from the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and instruments from the late 19th century. There is also a hall dedicated to contemporary musical instruments of various peoples of the world. And, of course, there's the 200-year-old orchestrion, a mechanical instrument capable of reproducing a variety of music!
One of the museum's features is that you can not only see the instruments but also hear them: the exhibitions are equipped with wireless headphones with recordings of the "voices" of the exhibits. And for the most curious, there is an opportunity to peek into the musical workshop and see with your own eyes how real masters make string instruments.
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