2 days in Brussels

Day by day

1. Day 1: Grand-Place and Manneken Pis

   Grand-Place, Manneken Pis, Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries and Atomium, then Saint-Géry in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Grand-Place

      It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the city's stage for markets, concerts and the Christmas light show.

   2. Late morning

      Manneken Pis

      The tiny bronze boy on the corner of Rue de l'Étuve and Rue du Chêne, barely half a metre tall, is famous for his wardrobe: he is dressed in costumes on many days of the year, and more than a thousand outfits are displayed at the nearby GardeRobe MannekenPis museum.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Moules-frites

      Seafood restaurants around Place Sainte-Catherine and traditional brasseries in the centre; avoid touts on Rue des Bouchers.

   4. Afternoon

      Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries

      They house historic chocolatiers, including the shop where Neuhaus is said to have created the praline, bookshops, cafés, a theatre and a cinema.

   5. Late afternoon

      Atomium

      Escalators and stairs link several spheres with exhibitions on the 1950s, and a fast lift climbs to the top sphere's panoramic restaurant and viewing level.

   6. Evening

      Saint-Géry

      Bars and terraces around the former market hall, busy with a young crowd on weekends.

2. Day 2: Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium and Magritte Museum

   Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, Magritte Museum, Musical Instruments Museum and Mont des Arts, then Impasse de la Fidélité and the Lower Town in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium

      The Old Masters Museum and the Magritte Museum share the complex beside the Place Royale.

   2. Late morning

      Magritte Museum

      The largest collection of works by the Belgian surrealist René Magritte, from early advertising designs to bowler-hatted men, pipes and floating stones, is arranged over several floors with letters, photographs and films that explain his life in Brussels.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Belgian frites

      Friteries (fritkots) such as the long-established stands at Place Jourdan in the European Quarter and near the Bourse.

   4. Afternoon

      Musical Instruments Museum

      An audio guide plays the sound of many instruments as you approach, and the rooftop café has one of the best views over the city.

   5. Late afternoon

      Mont des Arts

      It is the natural connecting route between the Grand-Place and the museum district.

   6. Evening

      Impasse de la Fidélité and the Lower Town

      Beer cafés near the Grand-Place, including the famous Delirium Café with its enormous beer list.

Before you go

If it rains

• Swap in Parlamentarium (European Quarter): On weekdays you can sometimes combine it with a visit to the Parliament's hemicycle; ask at the visitor desk.
• Swap in House of European History (European Quarter): Start at the top floor and work down; the chronology begins with early ideas of Europe.
• Swap in Belgian Comic Strip Center (Lower Town): Pick up a map of the comic murals and spot several on your walk between the Grand-Place and Sainte-Catherine.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 9–11 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 8 hours in December to 16.5 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Metro. Four metro lines (1, 2, 5 and 6) cross the city east–west and form a loop around the centre, with underground premetro trams on a north–south axis.

More or fewer days

• One day in Brussels
• 3 days in Brussels

Questions travellers ask