Brussels

The capital of Belgium and the seat of the main EU institutions, Brussels is officially bilingual, French and Dutch, and genuinely international, with a large share of residents born abroad. The compact historic centre, the Pentagon, is ringed by boulevards that follow the line of the old city walls.

Inside it lie the Grand-Place, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998, the covered Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert and the steep climb to the Mont des Arts and the royal district. Beyond the centre, communes such as Saint-Gilles and Ixelles hide the townhouses of Victor Horta, whose major works were inscribed by UNESCO in 2000, along with lively squares, markets and cafés.

Come for one of Europe's most beautiful squares and stay for the layers beneath it: Flemish primitives and Magritte, art nouveau and comic art, Trappist beers and frites from a corner stand. Brussels is also an ideal base: with fast trains in every direction, Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp and Leuven are all easy day trips, and Paris, Amsterdam and London are within reach by high-speed rail.

• Grand-Place. The gilded guild houses and Gothic town hall are at their best early in the morning or after dark when they are lit up. In August of even-numbered years the square is covered with a huge flower carpet.
• Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert. Elegant 19th-century glass-roofed arcades lined with chocolatiers, bookshops and cafés, a short stroll from the Grand-Place.
• Royal Museums of Fine Arts. On the Mont des Arts, these museums span Flemish masters such as Bruegel and Rubens, and include a museum dedicated to René Magritte.
• Horta Museum. Victor Horta's own house and studio in Saint-Gilles, part of the UNESCO-listed group of his townhouses, shows art nouveau at its most fluid, from mosaic floors to curving ironwork.
• Atomium. Built for the 1958 World's Fair, this giant model of an iron crystal in the north of the city offers exhibitions and views from its upper sphere.
• Comic strip walls and museum. Tintin, Spirou and dozens of other characters appear on murals across the centre; the Belgian Comic Strip Center occupies a Horta-designed former department store.
• Marolles flea market. The daily market on Place du Jeu de Balle is a glorious jumble of bric-a-brac; the surrounding streets are full of antique and design shops.
• Cinquantenaire Park. A monumental triumphal arch, museums of art and military history, and green lawns near the European Quarter.

May, June and September offer the best balance of mild weather and manageable crowds. Summer is lively, with open-air concerts and festivals, while December brings the Winter Wonders Christmas market and illuminations around the centre. Rain is possible at any time of year, so pack a light waterproof.

Business travel shapes hotel prices: rooms are often pricier from Monday to Thursday, when the EU institutions are in full swing, and cheaper at weekends and during the summer holidays.

For first-time visitors, the historic centre around the Grand-Place and Sainte-Catherine keeps the main sights within walking distance. The Sablon and Mont des Arts area is quieter and more upmarket, close to the museums.

Saint-Gilles and Ixelles suit travellers who prefer a residential feel, good restaurants and art nouveau streets, with trams and metro into the centre. The European Quarter is convenient for business trips but quiet in the evenings and at weekends.

Grand-Place and Îlot Sacré: the postcard heart, with guild houses, arcades and the busiest streets.

Sainte-Catherine and Dansaert: fish restaurants around the old quays, fashion boutiques and lively bars.

Sablon and Marolles: antique dealers and chocolatiers above, the flea market and earthy cafés below.

Saint-Gilles: art nouveau façades, the Horta Museum, a Sunday market at Midi and bohemian squares.

Ixelles: Place Flagey, the Ixelles ponds, the Matonge district and a wide choice of restaurants.

European Quarter: EU institutions, Parc Léopold and the Cinquantenaire.

From Brussels Airport, trains run from the station beneath the terminal to Brussels-North (about 11 minutes), Brussels-Central (about 18) and Brussels-South/Midi (about 23), with six direct trains an hour from early morning to around midnight. Fares include a Brussels Airport supplement of €6.90, normally built into the ticket (fee checked October 2026). Some low-cost flights use Brussels South Charleroi Airport, which is much further from the city and served by coach.

Brussels-South/Midi is the terminus for high-speed trains from London, Paris, Amsterdam and Germany. Within the city, the STIB/MIVB network of metro, trams and buses is efficient; the centre itself is best explored on foot, though the city is hilly in places. Driving is not recommended: traffic is dense and Brussels operates a low-emission zone that requires some foreign vehicles to register in advance.

Brussels eats well at every level. Order moules-frites in season, carbonnade flamande (beef stewed in beer), stoemp (vegetable mash with sausage) or vol-au-vent, and do not miss fries from a proper friterie. The Brussels waffle, light and rectangular, is the local version.

The city is the home of lambic and gueuze, spontaneously fermented beers from the Senne valley, and its historic cafés are part of the experience. Chocolate is everywhere, from grand houses around the Sablon to small makers. For better value, avoid the touts of the Rue des Bouchers and explore Sainte-Catherine, Saint-Gilles and the restaurants of Ixelles.

Belgium's dense rail network makes day trips easy. Bruges, with its canals and UNESCO-listed historic centre, is the classic choice; Ghent combines a medieval core with a student city's energy; Antwerp offers Rubens, fashion and a grand railway station; and Leuven is a lively university town with a remarkable Gothic town hall. The battlefield of Waterloo lies just south of the capital. For a longer journey, high-speed trains reach the Netherlands and France. See our Belgium guide for more of the country.

Brussels is a mid-to-high-cost city. Accommodation is the main expense, and weekday business demand pushes prices up; weekend stays are often better value. Eating is flexible: fries, sandwiches and waffles make cheap snacks, lunchtime menus offer good value, and dinner in the centre's tourist streets is often overpriced for its quality.

Many of the best experiences are free: the Grand-Place, the comic-strip murals, the Marolles flea market and the parks. If you plan to visit several museums, compare the cost of a city museum pass with individual tickets.

Mind your bag. Pickpocketing is common around the main stations, in the metro and in crowded tourist streets; carry only what you need.

Use both languages. Street and station names appear in French and Dutch, for example Brussels-South is Bruxelles-Midi or Brussel-Zuid.

Avoid demonstrations. Protests are frequent around the government and European districts and can disrupt transport.

Emergency numbers. Dial 112 for emergencies and 101 for the police.

Plan for Mondays. Many museums close one day a week, often Monday, so check opening days before you go.