Brussels

Travel Guide
La Grand Place which includes street scenes, a castle and a square or plaza
Brussels
Photo provided by Visit Brussels
Mont des Arts featuring a city and a park as well as a couple
Brussels
This cosmopolitan capital city is a melting pot of languages, cultures and traditions, and the perfect destination for the discerning gourmand.

Located in the heart of Belgium, Brussels is a bustling hub with a vibrant and diverse population. Immigrants from all over the world have made this city their home, enhancing its already rich culture and cuisine. Belgium has two main national languages, French and Flemish, and you'll see evidence of this linguistic cohabitation on street names and signs all over the capital.

Brussels is a great city to explore on foot. It may be the largest metropolitan area in the country, but its centre is compact and full of historical buildings and period architecture. Take a stroll through the city centre and, as you meander through the attractive streets, learn a bit about this young nation's history. Visit the Royal Palace of Brussels on the edge of Brussels Park, then walk through the park itself to see where the Belgian Revolution began. No trip to Brussels would be complete without a visit to the Manneken Pis. This world-famous statue of a urinating child gives you an insight into the national sense of humour.

The city has some great museums, and the vibrant BELvue, dedicated to the country's political, military and royal history is highly recommended. Modern masterpieces can be seen at the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium.

Belgium is famous the world over for its chocolate, beer and dairy produce. Brussels' lively, restaurant-lined Place du Grand Sabon is a great place to sample some of the country's culinary delights, or stock up on some antiques. The Cantillon Brewery, meanwhile, is an absolute must for beer enthusiasts as well as seeing how their century-old beer is made, you'll be able to sample some of the fine finished product.

Summers in Brussels can be damp but, because the temperature doesn't generally exceed 25 degrees Celsius, it can be an oasis of cool when temperatures elsewhere in Europe are soaring. You can fly to Brussels International Airport, but with Paris, Frankfurt and Amsterdam so close, many opt to come by high-speed train or Eurostar. There are no less than 19 municipalities in the city, all of which are connected by a reasonably priced and reliable metro system.

Where to stay in Brussels

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Quartier du Centre - Centrumwijk

4.5/5(3 area reviews)

If you're spending time in Quartier du Centre - Centrumwijk, you might enjoy attractions like La Grand Place and Rue des Bouchers. You might also enjoy the neighbourhood's fascinating museums before hopping on the metro at Bourse-Beurs Station to see more of the city.

Quartier du Centre - Centrumwijk
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Grand-Place

If you're spending some time in Grand-Place, La Grand Place and Royal Theatre Toone are top sights worth seeing.

Grand-Place
Brussels showing a city and night scenes

Lower Town

4/5(449 area reviews)

Known for its interesting museums and fantastic breweries, there's plenty to explore in Lower Town. Top attractions like Brussels Stock Exchange and Matonge are major draws, and you can catch the metro at Bourse-Beurs Station or De Brouckere Station to see more of the city.

Lower Town
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Ixelles

Consider a visit to Avenue Louise and take some time to enjoy the abundant dining options during your time in Ixelles. If you want to see more of the city, jump on the metro at Dautzenberg Tram Stop or Flagey Tram Stop.

Ixelles
Royal Palace of Brussels featuring heritage architecture and château or palace

Upper Town

4.5/5(56 area reviews)

Upper Town is highly notable for its fantastic nightlife, and you might want to visit top sights like Concert Noble and Parlamentarium. See more of Brussels by jumping on the metro at Maalbeek-Maelbeek Station or Arts-Loi - Kunst-Wet Station.

Upper Town
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Sint-Gillis

Noted for its coffee shops and shopping, there's plenty to explore in Sint-Gillis. Top attractions like Brussels South Railway Station and Saint Gilles Town Hall are major draws, and you can hop on the metro at Bethléem Tram Stop or Guillaume Tell Tram Stop to see more of the city.

Sint-Gillis
The Hotel
The Hotel
4 out of 5
38 Boulevard de Waterloo, Brussels
The price is S$233 per night from 19 Jan to 20 Jan
S$233
includes taxes & fees
19 Jan - 20 Jan
Stay at this 4-star luxury hotel in Brussels. Enjoy free WiFi, a full-service spa, and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (1,088 reviews)
"The breakfast in the morning was amazing! Simply delicious and so many options! Best part of the stay."

Reviewed on 1 Jan,2025

The Hotel
The President Brussels Hotel
The President Brussels Hotel
4 out of 5
Blvd. du Roi Albert II, 44, Brussels
The price is S$132 per night from 8 Jan to 9 Jan
S$132
includes taxes & fees
8 Jan - 9 Jan
Stay at this 4-star business-friendly hotel in Brussels. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and a 24-hour fitness center. Our guests praise the helpful ...
8/10 Very Good! (912 reviews)
Restful
"We had a nice stay. It was a little off the beaten path so if you want to stay in the center of everything this is not it. It was quiet. We went down for coffee after breakfast was closed and they were very friendly and we got our coffee even with the bar being closed. We would stay here again."

Reviewed on 29 Dec,2024

The President Brussels Hotel
Thon Hotel Brussels City Centre
Thon Hotel Brussels City Centre
4 out of 5
Avenue du Boulevard 17, Brussels
The price is S$167 per night from 10 Jan to 11 Jan
S$167
includes taxes & fees
10 Jan - 11 Jan
Stay at this 4-star family-friendly hotel in Brussels. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and a fitness center. Our guests praise the helpful staff and ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (999 reviews)
A business trip in Brussels
"Excellent location close to train station and public transportation (tram and buses). Close to lots of restaurants and main shopping venues. Room was reasonable size but bathroom could be updated. The temperature in the room and floors is too high and even with AC, could not reach an « acceptable » ..."

Reviewed on 19 Dec,2024

Thon Hotel Brussels City Centre
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Citadines Toison d'Or Brussels
Citadines Toison d'Or Brussels
3 out of 5
61-63, Av. de la Toison D'Or, Brussels
Book a stay at this business-friendly aparthotel in Brussels. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and parking (surcharge). Our guests praise the helpful ...
8/10 Very Good! (840 reviews)
"The property was within walking distance of the Great Place and a lot of good eateries. Also, right across the street is the big ferris wheel, which gave us an amazing view of the city at night."

Reviewed on 1 Jan,2025

Citadines Toison d'Or Brussels
Citadines Sainte-Catherine Brussels
Citadines Sainte-Catherine Brussels
3 out of 5
51 Quai Au Bois A Bruler, Brussels
Stay at this 3-star business-friendly aparthotel in Brussels. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and parking (surcharge). Our guests praise the helpful ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (1,282 reviews)
"Lovely room, amazing kitchenette even with dish washer!"

Reviewed on 5 Nov,2024

Citadines Sainte-Catherine Brussels
Résidence Midi 33 - Bruxelles Midi
Résidence Midi 33 - Bruxelles Midi
3 out of 5
33 Bd du Midi, Brussels, Bruxelles
Stay at this 3-star aparthotel in Brussels. Enjoy free WiFi, parking (surcharge), and climate control. Popular attractions La Grand Place and Avenue Louise are ...
6/10 (189 reviews)
"Estuvimos tres días, el hotel estuvo bien, aunque inicialmente tuvimos dificultad con la entrega de la clave de ingreso pero se solucionó. Mejoraría la ventilación del baño ."

Reviewed on 11 Dec,2024

Résidence Midi 33 - Bruxelles Midi
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit

Things to do

Reviews of Brussels

4.1
Top destination
5 - Excellent
226
" "5 - Excellent 34%
4 - Good
325
" "4 - Good 49%
3 - Okay
92
" "3 - Okay 14%
2 - Disappointing
15
" "2 - Disappointing 2%
1 - Terrible
6
" "1 - Terrible 1%

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller

Usually this is a great place to spend a few days. However, all cafés, restaurants, museums etc are now closed because of the coronavirus, and non food shops are closed at weekends.

4/5 - Good

Hannah

Brussels is a beautiful city with great architecture. Only downside is that it’s quite expensive there.

3/5 - Okay

Verified traveller

A building site, lovely when finished I'm sure. Town centre a bit dirty sadly

3/5 - Okay

Verified traveller

Not really safe as a capital

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

Well hidden ‘secret’, an ‘unusual’ place to visit well worth visiting.

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller

The Sandemans free walking tour was a great way to get to know the main city sights - you just pay what you think it's worth :-) A quick visit the the EU parliament was interesting and very welcoming - so sad that the UK has left :-(