5 Places to Visit in Brussels

The official palace of today’s Belgian Monarchy, in neoclassic style, is not the royal residence, as the king lives just outside the city at Castle of Laeken.

It is one of my favourite places to visit in Brussels, I must confess. Construction of the building we see today started in the 18th century, but the grounds were a part of the palatial complex since the 11th century.

Royal Palace of Brussels is open to the public during summer (only), from Tuesday to Sunday and admission is free. It is well worth a visit. Or two… or three! 🙂

Brussels Park

If you go to the Royal Palace, it’s virtually impossible to miss Brussels Park. It’s surrounded by the palace and the Belgian Parliament building.

It’s the largest public park in central Brussels and a great place for an early morning stroll any time of the year.

Autumn, when the leaves are yellow and red, are my favourite time to visit. For those travelling with children, there’s even a playground that’s especially popular on the weekends.

Royal St. Hubert Galleries

To be very honest, I only came here on my last trip to the city, but the fact I returned several times justifies it being here!

The galleries were built in the 19th century to relieve traffic and create a (luxury) shopping area for people to come on foot without worrying about rain and traffic – of horse carriages, of course!

They are in fact the world’s first shopping galleries, the predecessors of today’s shopping mall. Even today, they are home to several luxury shops selling anything from Belgian delicacies to gentlemen’s hats.

The Atomium

This 102 metre tall structure was built for the Expo 58 and is located in Heysel Park, a short drive from the city centre.

I only visited the interior of the structure once but I always come here to take  a few snapshots. Having recently read about its complicated copyright, I thought it would suffice if I just say it has the shape of a giant… atom?

Grand Place

As with everything, let’s leave the best for last! The Grand Place is the city’s main square and one of the most popular places to visit in Brussels. In fact, it is the main reason many visitors come to Brussels.

Grote Markt, as it’s called in Flemish, has been a market since the 12th century and in 1998 became a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The most impressive buildings on the square are the Gothic Town Hall with its 96-metre tall tower and the King’s House.

Also on the square, you will find many restaurants, artists and flower sellers. The area surrounding Grand Place has a vibrant nightlife with trendy clubs, gay bars (by the way, check out this guide to gay Brussels), top hotels and indeed some of the best restaurants in Brussels.

Whether you’re looking for a weekend getaway, one of the best nightlife or you’re backpacking in Europe, Brussels does deserve to be on your list. Stay tuned, as I will also let you know more about this vibrant city.

Every two years in August, a giant flower carpet is laid on the square with millions of begonias.

In December and the beginning of the new year, Brussels Winter Wonders – the city’s main Christmas market – takes place here and in the area surrounding the Bourse.

But Brussels is not the only cool city you should visit in Belgium. Bruges is another one that I really like and I would love to go back and share everything with you. But in the meantime, check out some of the best places to visit in Bruges.

Have you been to the Belgian capital? What other places in Brussels would you recommend?

Other Posts:
– Harry Potter & The City Of Porto, Portugal
– The Museum Of Broken Relationships in Zagreb
– Morbihan & The South Of Brittany, France