Things to do · Brussels · Belgium
20 best things to do in Brussels
20 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Bruxelles_Manneken_Pis.jpg : Myrabella derivative work: Myrabella ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
The essential sights in Brussels are Grand-Place, Manneken Pis and Atomium. Of the 20 picks below, 10 are free, 9 work on a rainy day and 7 suit children. Allow about 3 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Grand-Place
- Free sights
- 10
- Good on a rainy day
- Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
- Time to see the highlights
- 3 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand-Place | Grand-Place and Îlot Sacré | 30 minutes to 1 hour | Free |
| Manneken Pis | Grand-Place and Îlot Sacré | 15 minutes | Free |
| Atomium | Heysel | 1.5–2 hours | Mid-priced |
| Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium | Sablon and Mont des Arts | 2–3 hours | Mid-priced |
| Magritte Museum | Sablon and Mont des Arts | 1.5 hours | Mid-priced |
| Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries | Grand-Place and Îlot Sacré | 30–45 minutes | Free |
| Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula | Upper Town | 45 minutes | Free |
| Musical Instruments Museum | Sablon and Mont des Arts | 1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Mont des Arts | Sablon and Mont des Arts | 20–30 minutes | Free |
| Parlamentarium | European Quarter | 1–1.5 hours | Free |
| House of European History | European Quarter | 1.5–2 hours | Free |
| Horta Museum | Saint-Gilles | 1 hour | Mid-priced |
| Cinquantenaire Park and museums | European Quarter | 1–3 hours | Free |
| Sablon | Sablon and Mont des Arts | 1–1.5 hours | Free |
| Place du Jeu de Balle flea market | Marolles | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Belgian Comic Strip Center | Lower Town | 1.5 hours | Mid-priced |
| Museum of Natural Sciences | European Quarter | 2–3 hours | Mid-priced |
| Mini-Europe | Heysel | 1.5 hours | Mid-priced |
| Basilica of the Sacred Heart | Koekelberg | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Coudenberg Palace remains | Sablon and Mont des Arts | 1 hour | Low cost |
The 20 best things to do
Landmark · Grand-Place and Îlot Sacré
1.Grand-Place
Brussels's central square is enclosed by gilded baroque guild houses rebuilt after the French bombardment of 1695, the 15th-century Gothic Town Hall with its 96-metre spire and the neo-Gothic Maison du Roi, home to the Brussels City Museum. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the city's stage for markets, concerts and the Christmas light show.
Come back after dark, when the façades are floodlit and the day-trippers have gone.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes to 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- After dark
- Photo spot
Landmark · Grand-Place and Îlot Sacré
2.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.
Check whether he is in costume on the day of your visit; the GardeRobe museum a few steps away explains the tradition.
- Time needed
- 15 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Kids
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Architecture · Heysel
3.Atomium
Built for the 1958 World's Fair, the Atomium represents an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times: nine steel-clad spheres connected by tubes, 102 metres tall. 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.
Take metro line 6 to Heysel and combine it with Mini-Europe at the foot of the structure.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Views
- Kids
- Architecture
Museum · Sablon and Mont des Arts
4.Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
Belgium's national art collection covers Flemish masters from the 15th to the 18th century, including Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Rubens and Jordaens, plus Jacques-Louis David's The Death of Marat. The Old Masters Museum and the Magritte Museum share the complex beside the Place Royale.
Head first to the Bruegel rooms, then follow the chronological route through Rubens's large canvases.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Gallery · Sablon and Mont des Arts
5.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.
Buy a combined ticket if you also plan to see the Old Masters in the same building.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Couples
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Architecture · Grand-Place and Îlot Sacré
6.Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries
Opened in 1847, these elegant glass-roofed shopping arcades were among the first of their kind in Europe. They house historic chocolatiers, including the shop where Neuhaus is said to have created the praline, bookshops, cafés, a theatre and a cinema.
Walk through on a rainy day and stop for a hot chocolate at one of the arcade cafés.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Shopping
- Rainy day
- Food
Religious site · Upper Town
7.Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula
The white-stone Gothic cathedral, built over three centuries from the 13th, has twin towers, 16th-century stained glass and an elaborate carved oak pulpit. Royal weddings and state funerals take place here, and excavated Romanesque foundations can be seen below the nave.
Look for the stained-glass windows in the transepts, which show members of the Habsburg family.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
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Museum · Sablon and Mont des Arts
8.Musical Instruments Museum
Housed in Old England, a former Art Nouveau department store of iron and glass, the museum displays instruments from around the world and across the centuries. 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.
Even if you skip the collection, the rooftop café is worth a visit for the panorama of the Lower Town.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Rainy day
- Views
- Kids
- Architecture
Garden · Sablon and Mont des Arts
1.Mont des Arts
A formal garden and stairway between the Upper and Lower Towns, framed by the Royal Library and conference buildings, with a view across the rooftops to the Town Hall spire. It is the natural connecting route between the Grand-Place and the museum district.
Stop at the top of the steps around sunset, when the Town Hall spire is silhouetted against the sky.
- Time needed
- 20–30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Photo spot
- Couples
Museum · European Quarter
2.Parlamentarium
The European Parliament's free visitor centre uses multimedia guides, a 360-degree room and interactive displays to explain how the EU and its Parliament work. Guides are available in all the EU's official languages.
On weekdays you can sometimes combine it with a visit to the Parliament's hemicycle; ask at the visitor desk.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Rainy day
- History
Museum · European Quarter
3.House of European History
In a converted Art Deco building in Parc Léopold, this free museum tells the story of Europe from the 19th century to today across six floors, with a tablet guide in many languages. It complements the nearby Parlamentarium well.
Start at the top floor and work down; the chronology begins with early ideas of Europe.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Architecture · Saint-Gilles
4.Horta Museum
Victor Horta's own house and studio, built in 1898–1901, is a UNESCO-listed Art Nouveau masterpiece of curving ironwork, mosaics, stained glass and a light-filled stairwell. Everything, from door handles to radiators, was designed as a whole.
Afterwards, walk the surrounding streets of Saint-Gilles and Ixelles to spot other Art Nouveau façades.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Visitor numbers are limited; book a timed ticket online, especially at weekends.
- Architecture
- Art
- Off the beaten path
Park · European Quarter
5.Cinquantenaire Park and museums
A triumphal arch built for Belgium's 50th anniversary of independence crowns this park, flanked by three museums: the Art & History Museum, Autoworld's collection of historic cars and the Royal Military Museum. The park lawns are a favourite picnic spot.
Go through the Royal Military Museum to reach the terrace on top of the arch for a view down Rue de la Loi.
- Time needed
- 1–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- History
- Kids
- Views
Neighbourhood · Sablon and Mont des Arts
6.Sablon
The Place du Grand Sablon is lined with chocolatiers, antique dealers and café terraces, overlooked by the Flamboyant Gothic Church of Our Lady of the Sablon. Across the road, the small Petit Sablon garden is ringed by bronze statuettes representing the city's medieval guilds. An antiques market sets up on weekends.
Visit on a Saturday or Sunday morning for the antiques market, then try pralines at the square's chocolate shops.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Food
- Architecture
Market · Marolles
7.Place du Jeu de Balle flea market
The Marolles flea market fills the cobbled Place du Jeu de Balle every morning with bric-a-brac, old prints, furniture, clothes and curiosities. The surrounding Rue Blaes and Rue Haute are lined with vintage and antique shops and cafés.
Arrive early for the best finds, especially at weekends, and bargain politely.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Off the beaten path
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Museum · Lower Town
8.Belgian Comic Strip Center
Set in a former textile warehouse designed by Victor Horta, the museum traces Belgian comics from Tintin and the Smurfs to contemporary graphic novels, with original drawings and a reading library. Outside, the city's Comic Book Route marks dozens of large comic murals painted on building walls.
Pick up a map of the comic murals and spot several on your walk between the Grand-Place and Sainte-Catherine.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Art
- Architecture
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Museum · European Quarter
9.Museum of Natural Sciences
Its Dinosaur Gallery, one of the largest in Europe, displays a herd of Iguanodon skeletons found in a Belgian coal mine at Bernissart in the 19th century. There are also galleries on evolution, minerals and urban wildlife, with plenty of hands-on displays.
Head straight to the Dinosaur Gallery on arrival, before school groups fill it.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Theme park · Heysel
10.Mini-Europe
At the foot of the Atomium, this outdoor park displays scale models of famous European buildings, from Big Ben to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, with moving trains, boats and erupting Vesuvius. Combined tickets with the Atomium are available.
Visit on a dry day and allow about an hour and a half; combined tickets save money if you also go up the Atomium.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Outdoors
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Religious site · Koekelberg
11.Basilica of the Sacred Heart
One of the largest churches in the world, this Art Deco basilica in Koekelberg took most of the 20th century to complete. A lift and stairs lead to a gallery and an outdoor panoramic terrace around the dome, with views across Brussels to the Atomium.
Go up to the dome terrace on a clear day; it is one of the few high viewpoints in the city.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
Historic site · Sablon and Mont des Arts
12.Coudenberg Palace remains
Under the Place Royale lie the excavated cellars, chapel foundations and a cobbled street of the palace where Emperor Charles V once lived, destroyed by fire in 1731. The entrance is through the BELvue museum, which covers Belgian history.
Bring a layer; the underground passages are cool all year.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, Magritte Museum, Musical Instruments Museum and Parlamentarium |
| History | Grand-Place, Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula and Parlamentarium |
| Views | Atomium, Musical Instruments Museum, Mont des Arts and Cinquantenaire Park and museums |
| Outdoors and nature | Cinquantenaire Park and museums, Museum of Natural Sciences and Mini-Europe |
| Food and markets | Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries, Sablon and Place du Jeu de Balle flea market |
| After dark | Grand-Place |
| With children | Manneken Pis, Atomium, Musical Instruments Museum and Cinquantenaire Park and museums |
| On a rainy day | Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, Magritte Museum, Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries and Musical Instruments Museum |
What to book ahead
- Horta Museum: Visitor numbers are limited; book a timed ticket online, especially at weekends.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Brussels?
Grand-Place. Brussels's central square is enclosed by gilded baroque guild houses rebuilt after the French bombardment of 1695, the 15th-century Gothic Town Hall with its 96-metre spire and the neo-Gothic Maison du Roi, home to the Brussels City Museum.
+What can you do for free in Brussels?
Grand-Place, Manneken Pis, Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries, Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula and Mont des Arts. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Brussels when it rains?
Head indoors to Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, Magritte Museum, Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries and Musical Instruments Museum.
+What is there to do in Brussels at night?
Grand-Place are best after dark.