Visiting this vibrant capital of Belgium will not disappoint you. The capital is full of rich history offering beautiful sights, museums, architecture, and picturesque cobbled streets. Of course, not to forget all the amazing food to enjoy- the famous Belgian waffles, chocolate, beer, and fries!
Belgium is a highly multicultural country and has 3 official languages! The main languages spoken in Belgium are French, German, and Dutch (Flemish). Depending on what part of Belgium you are visiting, one language may be more prominent than others. I found French to be more dominant in Brussels particularly. However, that being said, English is very common and widely spoken throughout the country! So don’t worry about the language barrier.
Now, let me skip to the best part and go through how to spend the perfect 3 days in Brussels! See everything and more.
DAY 1: COVER THE MAIN SITES AND GET TO KNOW THE CITY
Use this day to explore all the main sights located around the city center. The good thing about sightseeing in Brussels is that most main attractions are located within walking distance of each other. Of course, there are some attractions you may need to use public transport to reach or better, use a hop-on hop-off bus. However, I will get into more detail about the transport options further in the post. If you want to find out more, then keep on reading!
Begin your day with a typical Belgian breakfast – toast with some marmalade, jam or chocolate spread, and a cup of coffee. Alternatively, Belgians do enjoy a nice pastry for breakfast, such as the croissant, pancakes or waffles!
TIP: Whenever I travel, the first thing I like to do, is to establish my surroundings near my accommodation. You never know, you may find some hidden gems and unexpected sights!
1.) MANNEKEN PIS / ‘LITTLE PISSING MAN’
You may be wondering if you read that right, I can confirm you did. The first time I heard about Manneken Pis I was extremely confused. You will notice it’s plastered all over Brussels, from souvenirs, and tour buses to window displays and coffee shops. It is a small man pissing into a fountain. Let me try and explain to you why this attraction is so popular and important to Brussels.
The iconic 55cm bronze figure was built in 1388 and used as the main distributor of water for hundreds of years. At some stage, many people of Brussels would have visited this statue daily for water. To this day, the statue is highly protected and honored.
On the other hand, you may wonder why the statue is particularly of a ‘Little Pissing Man’. well, there are many legends and stories behind the inspiration for this figure and where it came from. One legend state, the young boy saved the city from a spreading fire by pissing on it… This is my favorite legend. However, you will hear many others while in Brussels, so you can choose your favorite.
Sometimes you may see Manneken Pis dressed up for different occasions in Belgium. You might be lucky to catch him in his Christmas attire soon!
2.) GRAND PALACE CENTRAL SQUARE
This is the beautiful central square of Brussels. Here you can take in the awing architecture of the 17th century surrounding the cobbled square center. In fact, The Grand Palace is part of the UNESCO World Heritage, being one of the most architecturally beautiful squares in Europe
Also, here you can find the Brussels City Museum. It is open Tuesday to Sunday 10 am to 5 pm, costing €8 per adult (2022).
If you want to take a quick break, you can grab a seat in one of the nice restaurants located around the Grand Palace!
TIP: If you are looking to get some nice photos here, the crowds can get very overwhelming during the day. It is best to visit in the morning or late in the evening for photos. However, I do recommend visiting the Grand Palace both in the morning and evening. In the mornings you can observe and enjoy the central square much better. Meanwhile, at night, the square is very lively with vendors, dining, and beautiful shining lights.
[see the Grand Palace at night video]
3.) ROYAL GALLERY OF SAINT HUBERT
Not only can you enjoy the cozy cafes, high-quality chocolate, and appealing window displays, take in the aesthetic architecture of the building. Walk through the 3 glazed shopping arcades and find the perfect picture spot!
4.) ST. MICHAELS AND ST. GUDULA CATHEDRAL
This is an impressive medieval Roman Catholic church that cannot be missed. Admire the Brabantine Gothic architecture where you can witness the beautiful arched ceiling, colorful stained-glass windows, and an ambulatory with radiating chapels! There is no entry fee.
5.) MONT DES ARTS
This is an urban complex and historic site in Brussels. Here you can find the Royal Library of Belgium, a small public garden, some nice restaurants, and even a nightclub. Take a small walk through the garden as you make your way to the steps. When you get to the top of the steps, you can enjoy the views of the city.
6.) MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS MUSEUM
This museum is part of the Royal Museums of Art and contains around 8,000 instruments! However, what is truly captivating – is the style of the unique architecture! Also, neighboring the museum are other interesting buildings to observe. Overall, it makes it a great spot for an interesting photo, even if you don’t intend to enter the museum! To visit the museum, it costs €15 per adult (2022).
TIP: there is a very beautiful restaurant located on the 10th floor of the building with panoramic views of Brussels called the ‘Mim Restaurant‘.
7.) THE ROYAL PALACE OF BRUSSELS
As you may be aware, Belgium consists of a Royal Family with a monarch titled ‘King or Queen of the Belgians’. This is the official palace of the Royal Family in Belgium. However, the palace is not used as a royal residence and rather functions as the King’s workplace.
NOTE: The palace is only open once a year to the public – From the 23rd of July to the 28th of August. During these dates, it is open daily from 10.30 am to 5 pm (except Mondays).
For the rest of the year, you can only view the palace from the outside. However, I still highly recommend passing this beautiful palace and getting a quick glance. Regardless, it is still an impressive site to witness even from the outside.
TIP: Right across the Royal Palace, you can find Brussels Park. I recommend taking a relaxing stroll through the park. It’s quite picturesque and fairytale-like!
These are all the main attractions I managed to cover in one day! As I previously mentioned, most main attractions are very central and located within walking distance of each other. However, that being said, there is still quite a lot of walking involved – but nothing you can’t handle! If anything, it is very relaxing strolling through the city while also getting to discover other unexpected sights along the way. This is a great opportunity to get to know the city better.
TIP: I have put the number of attractions in the order that makes the most sense to visit! Of course, depending on where your accommodation is based and what side of town you are walking from, you might want to start with the closest attraction to you.
DAY 2: TAKE A DAY TRIP TO BRUGES AND GHENT
Although Brussels is a big city with plenty of attractions, I find venturing outside of the capital is worthwhile, especially if you want to get more from your trip to Brussels!
ABOUT GHENT
This is one of Belgium’s oldest cities and the historic capital of Flanders. Once, this charming historic capital was a well-established and powerful trade center. During the 13th century, Ghent was one of the largest towns in northern Europe. Ghent was particularly famous for its luxury cloth made from English wool. However, its thriving wealth led to many political conflicts, resulting in multiple wars.
Nonetheless, the city still retains a lot of its charm and history to date. Today, it is seen as a university town and cultural hub. You can enjoy the stunning Medieval architecture as you explore the mesmerizing city center, take a scenic boat ride through the Leie river, shop for local souvenirs and see the Gravensteen castle.
TIP: Make sure to try the famous Ghent candy – ‘Cuberdon‘!
ABOUT BRUGES
This is an important port city for fishing and European trade. It is also the capital of Flanders – the Flemish Region of Belgium. Just like Ghent, this city has lived through its fair share of conflicts.
The city offers a stunning historic center, where you can view the picturesque colorful buildings, see the medieval tower of Bruges – Belfry, and enjoy some amazing surrounding restaurants. To no surprise, the city center is a World Heritage site of UNESCO.
RECOMMENDED TOUR
I highly recommend booking this one-day tour if you have limited time. If you are staying in Belgium a little longer, you can always spend a day or two in these beautiful cities individually. Both Bruges and Ghent are considered to be the most beautiful cities to visit in Belgium! It is a must-visit if you are in Belgium.
I found the day trip to be well-planned and sufficient to get a good taste of both of these charming cities. They have great tour guides that speak multiple languages, so make sure to choose your preferred language at checkout! English is one of the options.
We made our first stop in Ghent and had about one hour guided walking tour. After the walking tour, we had another hour to relax and explore the city.
NOTE: the historical center of Ghent is quite small, so one hour is enough to grab a quick bite, walk around and take some photos.
Later, we arrived in Bruges where we had lunch. After lunch, we met our tour guide and did a walking tour of Bruges. Once we completed the walking tour, the tour guide will recommend a scenic boat ride through Bruges for an additional €12 per person. This is organized by your tour guide, and you will be given all the details if you wish to participate. If not, you will have around 2.5 hours to yourself to wander around until it’s time to depart. However, just to mention that if you do go on the boat tour, you still have about an hour and a half to wander around!
During your free time in Bruges, I recommend grabbing a beer in the main central square where you can enjoy the views of the lively Bruges center. Next to the main square, there is a busy shopping street where you can find plenty of different shops, from Belgian chocolate, scented candles, and sweater shops to food stalls and even some kid’s attractions. You can also find popular clothing brands such as Zara and Tommy Hilfiger.
TIP: Make sure to wear comfortable shoes as you will be doing a lot of walking. Most of the streets in both cities are cobblestoned, so keep that in mind! Also, for the boat tour in Bruges, they will ask you to have the exact amount in cash.
DAY 3: DISCOVER ATTRACTIONS OUTSIDE THE CITY CENTER
On this final day, take the time to discover the rest of the attractions further away from the city center. I recommend getting a hop-on hop-off bus ticket – Book a ticket here.
TIP: Book online for a 10% discount! Find tickets starting from €22. The prices may slightly differ depending on the time of the year.
There are 3 types of tickets, 1-day pass, 2-day pass, and 2hour express sightseeing tour. There are two different routes the bus takes, the ‘red line‘ and the ‘blue line‘, see the map below. Your ticket covers both routes!
NOTE: The Serres Royales Botanical Gardens only open during Spring, from mid-April to the beginning of May!
These routes will cover the rest of the main attractions you may want to see in Brussels. I chose to only do the blue line, as I was eager to visit the famous Atomium and the National Basilica of the Sacred Heart (one of the largest Basilicas in the world!). If you decide to visit the Atomium, you can find Mini Europe right next to it.
The Atomium is one of the top attractions in Brussels, depicting 9 iron atoms. It was built to symbolize faith in scientific progress and nuclear power.
NOTE: The entrance ticket costs €16 per adult for the Atomium alone. If you like to add Mini Europe, the ticket costs €33 per adult. The ticket prices are the same online and in person! However, upon my arrival at the Atomium, I was told I can only pay in cash for my ticket, luckily, I had some cash! I am unsure if that was a once-off thing or maybe the till was broken, but just in case, I recommend having cash.
TIP: I suggest having some cash regardless, as there are some food vendors outside the Atomium serving delicious hot dogs, burgers, and drinks that can only take cash! It is also a lot cheaper than the Atomium restaurant food!
Other popular sites include the European Parliament (free to enter!), Palais de Justice – the most important and beautiful court buildings in Belgium (free to explore), and the astonishing Triumphal Arch – a grand monument built in honor of Belgium’s 50th Birthday.
TIP: If you are looking to visit a few museums in Brussels that have an entrance fee, like Autoworld, it might be worth looking into the Brussels Card! A 1-day pass starts at €29. It covers a large number of paid attractions in Brussels – so you can save some money!
ITINERARY SUMMARY
DAY 1
1.) Manneken Pis
2.) The Grand Palace
3.) Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert
4.) St. Michaels and St. Gudula Cathedral
5.) Mont Des Arts
6.) Musical Instruments Museum
7.) The Royal Palace of Brussels
DAY 2
Ghent and Bruges Day Trip
Day 3
Discover outside the city center
do a hop-on hop-off bus tour:
1.) Atomium
2.) National Basilica of Sacred Heart
3.) European Parliament
4.) Triumphal Arch
ALTERNATIVE SUGGESTIONS
If you are not a fan of doing a lot of walking and rather take it easy, you could buy a 48-hour hop-on hop-off bus pass and cover the ‘blue line’ one day and the ‘red line’ the following day. Leave Ghent and Bruges day trip for your last day or perhaps plan an alternative tour. However, as I mentioned before, I strongly recommend visiting Ghent and Bruges – whether on a day trip or longer! Don’t forget to look into the Brussels Card!
FOOD
ACCOMMODATION
I highly recommend staying in the Ibis Style Hotel, Louise. It is conveniently located a 30-minute walk from the famous Grand Palace or a 7-minute drive. It has plenty of dining options and easily accessible public transport available nearby.
I found the rooms to be very spacious, clean, and comfortable. The breakfast was also decent with a sufficient choice of food. I found the staff to be very helpful and had no issues communicating in English. Overall, I think this hotel is very good value for money, given the facilities and location.
