Things to do in Brussels
Head to the Mont des Arts for historic city views and the main museums. A short walk brings you to the grandeur of the Grand'Place, and the nearby Manneken-Pis fountain of a peeing boy. Away from the centre, Brussels is full of hidden gems. The districts of Ixelles and Saint-Gilles are brimming with Art Nouveau architecture. Further north lie the Japanese Tower and the gleaming Atomium. Most museums are closed on Mondays.
David and Alice van Buuren Museum
Art Deco treasure trove
David and Alice were passionate collectors who decorated their home in Art
Deco style. Filled with artwork spanning five centuries, including Van Gogh
sketches and a Bruegel, it is now a museum. Don't miss the garden with maze
and sculptures.
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Cost
€10 museum and garden; €5 garden only
Opening Hours
Wed-Mon 2pm-5.30pm
Address
41, Avenue Léo Errera, Brussels 1180
Telephone
+32 (0) 2343 4851
Musical Instrument Museum
World of sound
This wrought-iron and glass Art Nouveau building, designed by Victor Horta,
is home to MIM, Brussels' musical instrument museum. Located off the Mont
des Arts, the converted department store features 1000 world instruments on
four floors, and a rooftop café.
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Cost
€5
Opening Hours
Tue-Fri 9.30am-5pm; Sat & Sun 10am-5pm
Address
2, Montagne de la Cour, Brussels 1000
Telephone
+32 (0) 2545 0130
Magritte Museum
Belgian Surrealism
Celebrated Surrealist painter René Magritte gets his very own museum. Located
on Brussels' place Royale in an extension of the Fine Arts Museum complex,
the Magritte Museum features hundreds of works set off by the latest
technology.
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Cost
€8; concessions €5; under 18s free
Opening Hours
Tue-Sun 10am-5pm (until 8pm Wed)
Address
3, rue de la Régence , Brussels 1000
Telephone
+32 (0) 2 508 32 11
Horta Museum
Home of Art Nouveau
Victor Horta is Belgium's most celebrated Art Nouveau architect. The Horta
Museum in Châtelain is Horta's former home and studio, with a sinuous
staircase inspired by vegetation, twisting metal with asymmetric patterns
and carved details on the furniture.
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Cost
€7
Opening Hours
Tue-Sun 2pm-5.30pm
Address
25, rue Américaine, Saint-Gilles, Brussels 1060
Telephone
+32 (0) 2543 0490
European Parliament Complex
Democracy at work
The European Commission and the Council of Ministers both have their seats in
the European Quarter of Brussels. Visit the Parliament building and, during
part-sessions, attend a parliamentary sitting of this political powerhouse
and see democracy in action.
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Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Audio-guided visits in various languages Mon-Thu 10am & 3pm; Fri 10am
Address
60, rue Wiertz, Brussels 1047
Telephone
+ 32 (0) 2 284 2111
Japanese Tower
The Orient in Belgium
Part of the Museums of the Far East, the Japanese Tower is set in the quiet
commune of Laeken, home to the royal family. The kitsch pagoda features
stained glass and a façade crafted in Yokohama, and is filled with Japanese
porcelain.
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Cost
€4; concessions €3
Opening Hours
Tue-Fri 9.30am-5pm; Sat & Sun 10am-5pm
Address
44, Avenue Van Praet, Brussels 1020
Telephone
+32 (0) 2 268 1608
Mini-Europe
Children tower over Europe
Located at the foot of the Atomium, Mini-Europe faithfully reproduces the
cities and sights of Europe. Wander past the Eiffel Tower and Big Ben, watch
the gondolas go sailing by in Venice or witness the dismantling of the
Berlin Wall.
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Cost
€12.90
Opening Hours
Mid-Mar-Jun & Sep 9.30am-6pm; Jul & Aug 9.30am-8pm; Oct-Dec 10am-6pm; closed Jan-mid-Mar
Address
Bruparck, Brussels 1020
Telephone
+32 (0) 2 478 0550
Grand'Place
Medieval grandeur
Bursting with Gothic façades, the Grand'Place is one of Europe's largest city
squares. Don't miss the gloriously asymmetric Town Hall and adorned guild
houses. This is the historic heart of Brussels, with free concerts, cafés
and a regular flower market.
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Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Daily all day
Address
Grand'Place, Brussels 1000
Transport
Gare Centrale, de Brouckère or Bourse metro
Manneken-Pis
Unusual fountain
This bizarre little statue of a peeing boy is the most popular tourist
attraction in Brussels, just off the Grand'Place. Famously touted as a
glorious example of Belgian humour and capacity for self-mockery, it is a
true cultural icon.
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Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Daily all day
Address
rue de l'Etuve, Brussels 1000
Transport
Gare Centrale metro
Atomium
Shining iconic molecule
Halfway between design and architecture, the Atomium is a 102-metre-high
representation of iron crystal molecules, designed for the 1958 World Fair.
Reopened in 2006 after extensive renovations, it now illuminates Brussels'
skyline at night. Try the panoramic gourmet restaurant.
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Cost
€9; concessions €6-7; under 12s free
Opening Hours
Daily 10am-6pm
Address
Atomium Square, Brussels 1020
Telephone
+32 (0) 2 475 4777
Autrique House
Art Nouveau haunt
Set in the Schaerbeek district, Autrique House is the first hôtel
particulier designed by Art Nouveau darling Victor Horta in 1893.
Now a museum, the house is filled with graceful corridors, asymmetrical
shapes, curvy staircases and Horta's revolutionary use of metal.
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Cost
€6; concessions €3-€4.50
Opening Hours
Wed-Sun 12pm-6pm
Address
266, Chaussée de Haecht, Brussels 1030
Telephone
+32 (0) 2 215 6600
Cantillon Brewery
Historic beers
Since the 19th century, the Van Roy-Cantillon family has been producing
Lambic, Gueuze and Kriek beers at these small premises near the Gare du
Midi. Highlights of the tour include the gleaming barrels, brewing process,
and the complimentary glass of beer.
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Cost
€5 (includes beer tasting)
Opening Hours
Mon-Fri 9am-5pm; Sat 10am-5pm
Address
56, rue Gheude, Brussels 1070
Telephone
+32 (0) 2 521 4928
Abbaye de la Cambre
Urban retreat
Leave the traffic of Avenue Louise behind with a visit to the Abbaye de la
Cambre, surrounded by perfectly manicured French gardens. Founded by
Cistercian monks in the 13th century, it's a green sanctuary right in the
middle of Ixelles.
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Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Daily all day
Address
Enter from Avenue Emile Duray, Brussels 1050
Transport
Tram 94 to Abbaye
Forêt de Soignes
Green heart of Brussels
The Forêt de Soignes is Brussels' largest forest where you can walk, cycle,
ride horses and even go fishing. The 60km Green Walk passes through the
forest, taking in clearings, thickets and marshes.
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Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Daily dusk-dawn
Address
Forêt de Soignes, Brussels 1170
Belgian Centre of Comic Strip Art
Old and new comics
The Belgian Centre of Comic Strip Art is dedicated to cartoons, celebrating
artists such as Bruxellois Hergé, creator of Tintin. New comic strip
art appears alongside rare originals. Check out the Art Nouveau building by
Victor Horta and the bookshop.
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Cost
€7.50; concessions €6; under 12s €3
Opening Hours
Tue-Sun 10am-6pm
Address
20, Rue des Sables, Brussels 1000
Telephone
+32 (0) 2 219 1980
