Attractions

Brussels has such a variety of things to see and do that it can sometimes be overwhelming. There are more than 75 museums dedicated to just about every special interest under the sun, in addition to impressive public buildings, leafy parks, and interesting squares. History is just around every corner. Fortunately, numerous sidewalk cafes offer respite for weary feet, and there's good public transport to those attractions beyond walking distance of the compact, heart-shaped city center, which contains many of Brussels's most popular attractions.

Your very first stop should be at the Brussels International Tourism office in the Town Hall in Grand-Place to pick up its comprehensive guidebook and city map. The helpful guide is a gold mine of information regarding both tourist sights and the practicalities of your stay in the city. If your visit is a short one, you may want to engage one of its multilingual guides, available at very reasonable rates, to make the best use of your time.

Bruparck

Built on the site of the 1958 Brussels World's Fair, this attractions park (Métro: Heysel) is home to the Atomium and Mini-Europe; The Village, a collection of restaurants and cafes, including a restaurant in a 1930s railway car of the legendary Orient Express; Océade, an indoor/outdoor watersports pavilion with water slides, pools, and saunas; a planetarium; and Kinepolis, a 26-screen movie multiplex. Reduced-rate combination tickets are available if you plan to visit the Atomium and Mini-Europe: 15€ ($19) for adults, 10€ ($13) for seniors, students, and children under 13; children under 1.2m (4 ft.) free.

The European District

Home to the European Commission, European Parliament, Council of Ministers, and related institutions, Brussels has no less than 1.2 million sq. m (12.7 million sq. ft.) of office space packed with 20,000-plus Eurocrats to back up its "capital of Europe" tag. Entire neighborhoods full of character were swept away to make room for them.

To tour the heartland of European Union governance, take the Métro to Schuman station. Your first sight is the X-shaped Palais de Berlaymont (Berlaymont Palace), the Commission's headquarters, at place Schuman. Once laced with hazardous asbestos and evacuated as a safety hazard, it has been cleaned up and reopened for business. The European Union national flags billow proudly out front.

Across rue de la Loi, the Council of Ministers headquarters, the Consilium is instantly recognizable for its facade's lavish complement of rose-colored granite blocks. On its far side, a soothing stroll through little Parc Léopold brings you to the new, postmodern European Parliament and International Conference Center complex, an architectural odyssey in white marble and tinted glass. Take the passageway through the building's middle to place Léopold, an old square that looks lost and forlorn in comparison to its powerful new neighbors.

Suggested Itineraries

You could easily spend a busy week doing Brussels justice. Even then you need to divide it into natural zones so that you aren't jumping around all over the place. My own preference is for three major zones, each of which ideally requires a day.

If You Have 1 Day--First up is the Grand-Place area, with a strong focus on the beautiful square itself. Visit the 15th-century Hôtel de Ville and the Musée de la Ville, and view the decorated facades of the square's elegant guild houses. Squeeze in a pilgrimage to the nearby Manneken-Pis statue before returning to the Grand-Place for lunch at the convivial restaurant 't Kelderke. Shop (or window-shop) at the graceful 19th-century Galeries Royales St-Hubert, an early shopping mall, on the way to the Cathédrale des Sts-Michel-et-Gudule. End with the adventures of comic-book heroes at the Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinée. Between times, if you can fit in one or more of them, there's the Bourse, the Mont des Arts, and the restored place des Martyrs. After a dinner that should include mussels, in season, at a traditional eatery in the nearby Ilôt Sacré restaurant district, spend the evening checking out one or more of the city's famed cafes, or take in an opera or dance performance at the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie.

If You Have 2 Days--On the second day, explore the "Royal Road" that runs through the Haute Ville on rue Royale and rue de la Régence. Along the way, you'll pass by the Jardin Botanique, and the Belgian Parliament, housed in the Palais de la Nation. Take a look at the neoclassical harmony of place Royale, the elegant Palais Royal and the Palais des Beaux-Arts, and the adjacent Parc de Bruxelles. After lunch, view Belgian art masterpieces by Brueghel and Rubens at the Musée d'Art Ancien, and by Magritte and Delvaux at the Musée d'Art Moderne next door (together they form the nation's premier art collection: the Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts). Then, move on to the two Sablon squares. Buy a bag of handmade Belgian pralines at Wittamer on place du Grand-Sablon, and browse the antiques stores around the square. Stroll through the 15th-century church of Notre-Dame du Sablon before heading over to tranquil place du Petit-Sablon for a rest. Finish up with a close look -- but better hope it's not too close -- at the Palais de Justice.

If You Have 3 Days--On the third day, get up early and check out the steals at the Vieux-Marché flea market on place du Jeu-de-Balle in the Marolles district. Then, head out from the center to Bruparck, an attractions park on the northern edge of the city, that includes Mini-Europe and the Océade water leisure center. Nearby are the giant spheres of the Atomium and a panoramic view of the city from its viewing deck. Just south of here is the Laeken district, an area replete with sights associated with Belgium's royal family. Take in the Royal Greenhouses, the Chinese Pavilion, the Japanese Tower, and the church of Notre-Dame de Laeken, where the royal family has its mausoleum. Return to earth by having dinner in one of the guild hall restaurants, like La Maison du Cygne, that overlook the Grand-Place.

If You Have 4 Days or More--On day 4 compare the old and the new by spending the morning in the city's most ancient quarter, around place Ste-Catherine and the Marché-aux-Poissons, and the afternoon at the Parc du Cinquantenaire and the ultramodern European District. On day 5 head out of town to critique Napoleon's generalship at the Waterloo battlefield, south of Brussels. If military history isn't your thing, visit instead the Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale in Tervuren. Or explore instead Brussels's Art Nouveau architectural heritage by visiting the Musée Horta, and by strolling the side streets off avenue Louise and Porte de Namur, and around Square Ambiorix. If you have time left, look into edge-of-town or out-of-town places such as the Bois de la Cambre, Genval, Beersel Castle, or the National Botanical Gardens at Meise. A little more time brings nearby towns and places of interest like Mechelen, Leuven, and Villers-la-Ville within reach.