Grand Place at Night
Brussels is a great city for those that love history, art, museums, and food. If that sounds like you, you’ll have no trouble finding things to occupy your time while you are visiting the EU capital. To help you decide where to go, here is my list of the top 10 things to do in Brussels:
1. If you happen to be in the city on a sunny day, there is no better way to enjoy the weather than spending a leisurely afternoon in the Bois de la Cambre, Brussels’ finest park.
2. Explore the Brussels city centre to find hidden gems like the comic art graffiti, the bizarrely famous Manneken Pis fountain of a boy urinating, and the Jeanneke Pis, its female counterpart.
3. Head out of the city centre to see the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Zaventem. Its history and exhibits can be a bit disturbing at times, but they provide good insights into Belgium’s colonial past.
4. Check out the Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinee, the comic strip art museum, to see the comics that Belgium is so famous for. From the Smurfs to Tin Tin, there is something for everyone.
5. If you have musical tastes, spend an afternoon at the Musical Instrument Museum in Brussels. Its impressive collection of instruments from around the world can keep the curious entertained all afternoon.
6. Visit the Grand Sablon and Petit Sablon to experience some of the upscale shopping and restaurants on offer. Make sure to bring your appetite for Belgian chocolate with you!
7. Try one of the famous Belgian beers at A La Mort Subite, a famous Brussels cafe. Make sure to check the alcohol content, as some beers can be upwards of 14%.
8. Visit the Horta Museum in Ixelles to see one of the finest examples of Art Nouveau architecture in the world. This museum is a must for anyone interested in architecture, art, and design.
9. Sample some of Belgium’s most famous foods: waffles, gourmet Belgian chocolates, fries with mayonnaise, and moules frites. Great shops and restaurants are dotted throughout the city centre, so you will never be far away from your next snack.
10. Visit the beautiful Grand Place, one of the most stunning market squares in Europe. If there is one thing to do in Brussels, this is it.