Visit Brussels for an extended weekend, you dream of it, then turn this dream into reality and discover the Belgian capital, for two or three days. You will be impressed by the number of monuments and magnificent places to discover.
First of all, before leaving, choose your hotel which you can book on the outskirts of the city, because you will move around very easily thanks to public transport and taxis if you prefer. Be careful, however, as there are a large number of European institutions in Brussels, some periods are busier than others. So don't wait until the last moment to book your room. The average price of a comfortable hotel room varies between €60 and €80. If you can, prefer to choose a hotel in the historic center to be there. Prices are a bit higher, but you can do many walking tours. Otherwise, choose neighborhoods of:
If you arrive by plane, you will land either at Brussels International or Zaventem airport, but also at Charleroi Brussels South airport. To reach the city center, you can take the bus or the train. Allow 15 to 25 minutes for the trip. Buses are cheaper than the train. There are also taxis, but fares are around €40 while the train costs €7 and the bus €3.5. From Charleroi airport, there are shuttles costing €13 one way and €22 for a round trip. The bus is €5. If you go to Brussels by train, be aware that the Thalys connects the Belgian capital to Paris, Cologne and Amsterdam. The Eurostar serves London and the TGV the cities of Bordeaux, Marseille, and Lyon mainly among several others. By bus, you can get to Brussels from Paris with Ouibus or Eurolines.
You cannot come to Brussels without seeing the Manneken pis also known as Petit Julien. 50 cm high and in bronze, this sculpture is known throughout the world. He has hundreds of different costumes which are on display at the Maison du Roi. The Manneken Pis is by Jérôme Duquenoy who sculpted it in the 18th century. This Baroque work is quite refined and was sculpted on the basis of a rumor that it was a little boy that his parents used to urinate when Spanish soldiers passed by to show their insubordination. You will find it on rue de l'Étuve.
The Grand Place in Brussels is very famous and many tourists come to see it in all seasons. In order to visit it, you can acquire a skip-the-line ticket and request a guided tour. You will be able to admire the Town Hall in the Gothic style dating from the 17th century and several buildings from the same period. If you are lucky, you can also catch a concert or the Oktoberfest or see the superb sound and light show. Stop at a bar or restaurant to taste local specialties.
The Royal Museums of Fine Arts are around two centuries old and there are four in the Belgian capital. You will find there:
They bring together more than 20,000 works including drawings, paintings and sculptures.
The Atomium attracts a lot of people and remains one of the city's popular attractions. You can acquire a skip-the-line ticket to visit it without having to queue. The Atomium was built for the great Universal Exhibition in Brussels in 1958 by André and Jean Polak, both architects. The Atomium is the representation magnified 165 billion times of the unit cell of the iron crystal. In its nine spheres, it is also possible to see the reference to the nine provinces of the country of the time. It has a height of 102 meters and a weight of 2,400 tons.
The European Parliament is a fairly recent architectural complex since it was built in 1993. It receives civil servants and representatives from the 27 countries of the European Union and represents 492 million people. This modern building has a central building and two circular walkways. All languages are spoken there and you can visit it for free for 40 minutes and with a guide speaking the language of your choice.
The Magritte Museum has been open since 2009. It houses works by the world-famous surrealist painter. You will find it on Place Royale in one of the buildings of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. The collection it houses includes 200 works by the painter such as paintings on canvas, drawings, gouaches, painted objects and sculptures. You can also admire advertising posters, photos, films and music scores.
Covering 4,000 m², you will discover the Belgian Comic Strip Centre. You can admire the first Tintins dating from 1929 as well as many other works such as those of Gaston Lagaffe, etc. There are also permanent and temporary exhibitions, or creative workshops for budding artists.
The Grand Sablon district is to be known when visiting Brussels. You will discover superb boutiques, antique galleries and bourgeois buildings. Once infamous, this district of the Grand Sablon is the most famous antiques market in Europe. You can hunt there for superb objects or furniture, or simply stroll around while soaking up the special atmosphere of the place. Try to visit it on a Saturday to enjoy the antique market which is quite spectacular.
Armed with this information, you will be able to spend pleasant moments in Brussels and visit the most emblematic places of the Belgian capital for a weekend.
