Looking for the most epic things to do in Brussels? Check out this list of the best sights and top tourist attractions in Brussels, Belgium.
The capital of Belgium is a lovely city that has been named the capital of Europe. This is where you’ll find the headquarters of NATO and the EU institutions, including the European Parliament and the Commission.
Unfortunately, the fine titles mean that Brussels is often overlooked because many believe that this is all the city has to offer. Fortunately, that is far from true! When visiting the beautiful capital of Belgium, you’ll find that there are countless cool things to do in Brussels.
So, if you’re planning a trip to Brussels, you should stay on this page a little longer. Here you’ll find a list of the very best things to do in Brussels, including the top sights and attractions in Brussels, Belgium.
Table of Contents
Top sights and attractions in Brussels:
1. Grand Place
Centrally located in the city, Grand Place is one of the most popular attractions of Brussels. This site is one of the most beautiful sites in Europe and is even a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
As you enter the Grand Place, you’ll be greeted by an impressive sight with beautifully decorated buildings. Most of the buildings date back to the late 17th century. The most fascinating building is Brussels Town Hall, an extremely breathtaking town hall from the 15th century.
2. Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert
The Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert was completed in 1847 as one of the first covered shopping arcades in Europe. It’s built in an insanely beautiful architecture that can take the breath away from most people.
The gallery consists of two main sections, each more than 100 meters long. Here you can find elegant upscale shops and cafes with prices at the high end of the scale. Regardless of the price, however, it’s still a great place to go window shopping in Brussels.
3. Manneken Pis
One of the top tourist attractions in Brussels is remarkably a statue of a naked boy peeing. The statue is seriously small, yet it attracts an incredible number of visitors daily.
Manneken Pis has been stolen several times and therefore he’s placed behind a high fence today. He’s often dressed in unusual and humorous costumes. In fact, his wardrobe consists of about 1,000 costumes, several of which are on display at the City Museum. It’s probably not every day you’ll come across a statue that has more clothes than most people!
4. Jeanneke Pis and Zinneke Pis
Besides the Manneken Pis, you can also find two other peeing statues that have found their way to the streets of Brussels. They aren’t as popular as Manneken Pis, but they’re worth a visit if you’re nearby anyway.
Jeanneke Pis is the female counterpart to Manneken Pis and is a statue of a girl who squats and pees. The other statue is the Zinneke Pis, also called the Het Zinneke. This is a statue of a dog standing and peeing on a pole. It may seem a bit bizarre, but the peeing statues are some of the most popular attractions in Brussels.
5. Parc du Cinquantenaire
The Parc du Cinquantenaire is also called the Jubelpark and is a magnificent public city park in Brussels. It’s a lovely place to relax in the green surroundings, enjoy beautiful architectural buildings, or visit exciting museums.
When visiting the Parc du Cinquantenaire, remember to make your way past the giant and majestic triumphal arch from 1905. It is truly beautiful and impressive! Other popular things to do in the park include the Royal Military Museum and Autoworld.
6. Atomium
Atomium is without a doubt one of the most iconic landmarks and attractions in Brussels. This 102-meter-high steel structure was built for the World’s Fair in 1958. It’s supposed to be a magnified iron crystal with nine atoms.
You can get up in several of the atoms that are connected by stairs, escalators, and an elevator. At the time of construction, the elevator was the fastest in the world while some of the escalators are among the longest in Europe. From the upper atom, you can enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view of the surrounding area.
7. Mini-Europe
At the foot of the Atomium, you’ll find Mini-Europe, offering a walk around Europe in quite a few hours. Here you can slip past the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Big Ben in London, and the canals of Venice in record time.
The park is home to about 350 miniature models of many of Europe’s greatest landmarks and wonders. However, they have shrunk slightly in size and are reproduced on a scale of 1:25. A visit to Mini-Europe is one of the best things to do in Brussels for families.
8. Royal Palace of Brussels
The Royal Palace of Brussels is the official palace of the King and Queen of Belgium. However, it must be said that they don’t live in the castle at all. Instead, they live in another castle in Laeken on the outskirts of Brussels.
The castle is incredibly beautiful on the outside as well as the inside. This is also why it’s one of the most popular tourist attractions in Brussels. When the castle isn’t used by the royals for official events, it’s possible to go on a free guided tour of the castle.
9. Parlamentarium
Given that Brussels is the headquarters of the European institutions, don’t miss a visit to the Parlamentarium. This place is part of the European Parliament. If you’re interested in EU cooperation, there’s no doubt that the Parlamentarium is a must-visit attraction in Brussels.
In the Parlamentarium you can go on a free self-guided tour, usually lasting about 1.5 hours depending on interest. Here you’ll be able to learn all about how the European Parliament works. But you can also learn about its members and the history of EU cooperation. A visit to the Parlamentarium is an exciting and educational thing to do in Brussels.
10. Mont des Arts
Situated on an elevation, Mont Des Arts is a beautiful and historic area that offers stunning views. From here there are beautiful views of Grand Place and the Town Hall Tower. On a clear day, you can even see all the way to the Atomium in the distance.
This artistic area is characterized by beautiful and cultural buildings, offering all kinds of activities. Best of all, though, is the stunning views of Brussels and the Geometric Gardens. It’s definitely a beautiful site among the top attractions in Brussels.
That’s all on this list of the greatest sights and top tourist attractions in Brussels. What are your favorite things to do in Brussels? What are you looking forward to on your trip to Brussels? Feel free to leave a comment.
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