Tropismes | Comic Strip Ctr. | Sablon | European Qtr. | Museums | Park of the 50th Anniv. | Atomium | Autoworld | Grand Place | Flower Carpet | Royal St.-Hubert Galleries
If you’ve been on my site before, you’ll know this to be true: Brussels and I have history.
In fact, upon starting my blog in late 2014, one of the first articles I ever published was about how terrible I thought it was.
This, coming from an ignorant newbie traveler who thought the #1 thing to see really WAS just a tiny statue of a little boy peeing (yes this exists, and it’s called Manneken Pis).
… My friend hated it so much she cried.
Almost a decade and six visits later, I finally “get” Brussels. I’ve been to over a dozen of its top museums. I’ve tasted my way around every major chocolate shop. I’ve visited in Spring, Summer, and Winter, stopped by its famous Christmas market, and I FINALLY feel ready to share with you all the wonderful things there actually are to do in this beautiful city!
Brussels is the largest city in Belgium and home to the EU parliament. It’s also a major business hub—which means it’s expensive since it caters to wealthy visitors. Attractions are on the expensive side and everyday items like transportation and food can be expensive. In this Brussels price guide, we’ll cover typical Brussels travel costs for food, accommodation, sights, and extras so you can better budget your trip.
Brussels isn’t traditionally known as a budget-friendly destination so the hostel scene isn’t nearly as extensive or developed as you’ll find in other major European cities. That said, there are still a handful of solid hostel options and they’re still fairly affordable. That’s why I’ve compared the different options to find you the best hostels in Brussels to fit your travel style...
Top 10 Free Things to Do in Brussels, the Heart of Europe!
How to get there | Sites and attractions | Cultural Activities | Nature and wildlife
Manneken Pis | Bois de la Cambre | Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert | Atomium | Comic Strip Trail | Mont des Arts | Parc de Bruxelles | Place du Petit Sablon | Parc du Cinquantenaire | Grote Markt | Serres Royales De Laeken
The thing about Brussels is that people would often say that it is ‘underwhelming’… but you know what? When I actually saw and experience this metropolis for myself, I experienced the exact opposite!
(FREE Things to Do in Brussels)
Brussels can be such an exciting cultural and artistic scene, especially when you know where to go. Plus, it’s really NOT all about the Manneken Pis — but such can already be a good start as a distinct way of showing someone the quirky side of this multicultural city. Then again, I believe that more than that, Brussels simply and truly holds a lot of historical beauty and importance.
Where to Stay in Brussels, Belgium: Hostels & Hotels
So, you’ve decided to spend some time in Brussels, you’ve brushed up on your French, Googled the best waffles in Brussels and made a small to-do list. Now all you need is to find a hotel in Brussels...
These are some of the best hotels in Brussels, Belgium, which you should be able to find on most any hotel booking site out there...
Gothic Town Hall | Maison du Roi – House of the Kings | Berlaymont Bldg. | Museum of Musical Instruments | The Grand Palace | Broekzele (Home on the Marshes) | Grand Place or Grote Markt (Great Market Square)
Brussels is hardly picture perfect. With much of its original medieval architecture destroyed in the 1695 bombardment by French troops, its postwar urban evolution has been hap hazard and eclectic.
The result is an incredible mix of architectural styles ranging from Gothic to Art Nouveau to concrete contemporary. Most of which is segregated into dissonant compartments.
It is the dissonance, as compared to the copybook homogeneity of other European cities, that is Brussels’ main appeal...
