27 Mar
Top 10 Free Things to Do in Brussels, the Heart of Europe!
BY Aileen Adalid / 50 Comments
The thing about Brussels is that people would often say that it is ‘underwhelming’… but you know what? When I actually saw and experience this metropolis for myself, I experienced the exact opposite! (Things to Do in Brussels)
Brussels can be such an exciting cultural and artistic scene, especially when you know where to go. Plus, it’s really NOT all about the Manneken Pis — but such can already be a good start as a distinct way of showing someone the quirky side of this multicultural city. Then again, I believe that more than that, Brussels simply and truly holds a lot of historical beauty and importance.
Besides, other than being the center of Belgium, did you know that it is also the heart and capital of Europe? It holds the European Commission, the European Parliament, the headquarters of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and all the other important EU institutions — it is even the de facto capital of the European Union!
TRIVIA: By the way, most of the people here speak French which was weird for me because there were so many times that I almost felt like I was in France! Anyhow, they speak Flemish too (a local dialect of Dutch used by most Belgians) but people in Brussels prefer to speak in French. This makes the city officially bilingual and you will see that most road signs, street names, etc. are always in both French and Flemish.
I’d love to indulge you with more interesting facts, but it’s better that you go to the link below if you want to learn more about Belgium and/or Brussels.
Going back on topic, whenever you are in Brussels for a trip, a getaway, or a vacation, please let me save you the trouble of figuring out your itinerary because I can list out the most important spots that you should go to — in fact, to better cater to those who are on a tight traveling budget, below are the top free things to do in Brussels!
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#1 – Visit the Grand Place (Grote Markt)
Photo by Wouter Hagens / CC
The beauty and architecture of this square is so amazing… I can still remember the wonderful feeling that I felt when I turned a corner in a narrow street and finding it unexpectedly in front of me! It was a really nice surprise — a picturesque memory that I will forever cherish.
TIP: Other than visiting this place during the day, try to visit it at night too because the way they lit this place up can be a magical feast for your eyes!
Some facts about it:
TRIVIA: Near this square at Charles Buls you will find a statue of Everard ‘t Serclaes. It is a monument that commemorates Everard, a citizen of Brussels who recovered the city from the Flemish. What’s interesting about this is that other than its history, locals have said that rubbing or touching the statue (particularly on the arm) brings luck and grants the wishes of all those who touch it! …Well, it doesn’t hurt to try, right?
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#2 – Witness the famous Manneken Pis (Look out for Jeanneke and Zinneke too!)
Located near the Grand Place just between Rue de l’Étuve/Stoofstraat and Rue du Chêne/Eikstraat is one of Belgium’s most famous landmarks, the Manneken Pis — a cute and funny 61cm bronze sculpture of a naked little boy urinating into a fountain!
This was put in place in 1618 or 1619 and a lot of legends revolve around its origins that if you ask locals about it, you will surely get different answers. Some would say that it signifies a young lord in 1142 that urinated on troops that were trying to occupy Brussels (the enemy troops eventually lost) and this thereby illustrates the attitude of Belgians towards people who try to oppress them. Meanwhile, others would explain that in the 14th century while the city was under attack, a boy named Julianske saw the enemy forces setting up an explosive and he quickly urinated on the burning fuse to save the city. Another legend states that a boy woke up to see a starting fire by the king’s castle and he put it out by urinating on it.
…Ultimately, no one can really tell you the true and only meaning behind it, but the legends are interesting enough to hear in order to put some reason on why this naked little boy became one of the most popular statues in the country! Anyhow, what we are truly sure about is that:
#3 – Window-shop at Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert
A must-see! I fell in love at first sight with the architecture in this shopping arcade, and I especially liked its beautifully vaulted glass ceilings. Apparently, this is Europe’s first covered shopping gallery since it was built in 1847 — with this fact, it clearly precedes the other famous 19th-century shopping arcades such as the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan and The Passage in St Petersburg.
Housing over 54 luxury shops, this gallery has two major sections — the Galerie du Roi (King’s Gallery) and the Galerie de la Reine (Queen’s Gallery) — with a smaller side gallery called as the Galerie des Princes (Gallery of the Princes). Personally, I simply enjoyed walking through this place and I would often ogle at a well-known Belgian chocolatier brand’s store because of their mouth-watering displays!
TIP: The King’s Gallery and Queen’s Gallery are separated by a ‘bend’, and in this section, you will see the Rue des Bouchers, a famous, colorful, and photogenic pedestrian street that is jam-packed with restaurants. If you pass by, a lot of the shop attendants will try to lure you in to their establishment; however, I advise that you refrain from dining here since it is a big ‘tourist trap’. It’s better for you to spend your money elsewhere on food.
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#4 – Take the Comic Strip Trail
…by creating your own personalized comic walk! To do this, see these maps: [1] [2] [3] which shows the complete list and locations of famous comic strip murals that you can see around Brussels. You don’t need to do all though, feel free to just pick out the spots that you really want to see in order to save time (especially if you are short of it).
Now I bet you are wondering why you should do this and my answer is this: if you really want to know more about Brussels’ culture, comic history is one of things that you should immerse yourself in!
Besides, did you know that the homeland of the popular comic series ‘The Adventures of Tintin” is Brussels? The Smurfs, Spirou, Lucky Luke and the Daltons, Corentin, Black and Mortimer are also some of the many famous comics that have been born here!
TIP: To learn more about the comic culture in Belgium, stop by the museum: Belgian Comic Strip Center (Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinée – CBBD).
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#5 – Enjoy the FREE museums!
(L) Musical Instruments Museum (R) Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium via Brussels.info
Yes, FREE! There are a LOT of museums in Brussels that have no entrance fees! For example, if you are interested in the history of combat and military for ten centuries, feel free to explore the impressive Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and of Military History. Otherwise, if you want a fun and hands-on experience of the European Parliament, head to the Parlamentarium!
TIP: To see a complete list of FREE Brussels’ Museums, go here.
Other famous museums such as the Musical Instruments Museum (MIM), Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, and Museum of Natural Sciences (perfect for kids!) are also free to the public but only on the first Wednesday of each month. Therefore if you can time your visit well, you can definitely enjoy these cultural experiences to your heart’s content!
TIP: To see a complete list of FREE museums on certain days, go here. And if you ever drop by MIM, make sure to visit its rooftop terrace for a brilliant view of the capital!
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#6 – Relax in the city gardens and parks
Brussels may be a bustling city but it is also full of large green spaces! My favorite ones are:
TIP: To see a complete list of parks and gardens in Brussels, see here.
(If you want a taste of the east, head to the Chinese Pavilion and Japanese Tower at Laeken)
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#7 – Catch sight of Europe & Belgium’s important political institutions
As I have previously mentioned, Brussels has been called as the heart of Europe because it houses most of the European Union’s vital organizations which are particularly found in the European Quarter of Brussels — the unofficial name of the area corresponding to the approximate triangle between Parc de Bruxelles, Parc du Cinquantenaire, and Leopold Park. In here, some of the most notable ones you will see are the:
Photo by: Martin Mycielski / CC
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Meanwhile, you will find Belgium’s main political buildings in Parc de Bruxelles (Park of Brussels) with each structure on opposite sides of the park and facing one another to symbolize Belgium’s government system which is a constitutional monarchy:
Other than these, you can also check out the Palace of Justice which is the most important Court building in Belgium. It is situated on Galgenberg hill and its dimensions make it bigger than the St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome!
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#8 – Discover the city’s stunning churches
Even though most of them require entrance fees, gaining the chance to glance at their intricately-designed facades is already a good opportunity that you should take! To name a few:
TIP: To see a complete list of churches in Brussels, go here.
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#9 – View the famous Atomium
Originally built for the Brussels World’s Fair (Expo) in 1958, the Atomium was only supposed to last for 6 months, but it became so popular that it wasn’t taken apart. From then on up to today, the Atomium became a major part of the Brussels landscape as a way to embody the ideas of the future and universality.
So what does this structure represent? The 9 atoms of a unit cell of an iron crystal. It was a reference to science — which was the theme of the Expo — and the use of the atom, which was in full development at the time.
Standing at 102 meters tall, you can explore the inside of these spheres (5 out of 9, with the top-most part offering visitors the chance to see a wonderful panoramic view of the city) — however, visiting the interior comes with an entrance fee. Still, viewing it from the outside is already a wonder of its own! If you have the time, I suggest that you lounge around by the surrounding Heysel Exhibition Park area, have a picnic, and enjoy the view of this peculiar yet fascinating construction.
TIP: Though not free, near the Atomium is the famous ‘Mini Europe‘ miniature park which makes for a fun trip and photo spree! TRIVIA: The miniature monuments that you will see here were chosen for the quality of their architecture or their European symbolism, and most of these models took a while to make (they also cost a LOT to make)!
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#10 – Take advantage of FREE music and theatre shows
Photo by: iMAL.org / CC
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Not only does Brussels have free museums but it has free performances too! The Museum of Musical Instruments, for instance, hosts regular free concerts, and there are even several bars across the city that hold free concerts from time to time to spice up everybody’s nightlife — surely one of the great things to do in Brussels!
TIP: To see a complete list of these free shows, click the links below for:
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» How to Get to Brussels?
By Train. Thalys, Fyra, Eurostar, ICE, TGV, NMBS and SNCB all lead to Brussels. You can choose from 3 main train stations: Midi-Zuid (south of the city), Central-Centraal (right at the heart of the city), or Nord-Noord (north of city center).
By Plane. You can choose to land into the main airport Brussels Airport (BRU) or Brussels South Charleroi Airport (CRL) which is 60km south of the central station.
By Bus. Eurolines, Megabus, De Lijn, and TEC all cn travel to/from Brussels.
» If you want a more detailed transportation planner, try using Rome2Rio! I am in love with this platform since it gives you all the possible routes.
» Where to Stay in Brussels?
» Check by Booking.com for the best deals on other hotels, inns, and hostels in Brussels!
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There are VARIOUS other things that you can still do in this diverse metropolitan area, but for now, these free activities should do! I guess I will just let it up to you to discover the other interesting (and paid) places in Brussels since ‘getting lost’ in a foreign city and discovering hidden gems are the fun part of travel that you should experience.
Though, if I may add one more tip to you, NEVER leave Belgium without trying its famous food and dishes! You can’t really get these for free of course, but it’s an indulgence that everyone should take up. So while you’re in Brussels, other than trying the country’s famous fries, chocolates, waffles, and beer, do also try the other Belgian fares as mentioned in the article below…
Anyhow, by now you can see that Brussels can be a magnificent wonder of its own, that you can already save tons of money without missing out on anything — since most of the primary spots are free to see and explore anyway! Now before I end this post, let me leave you with these last two important tips:
How about you?
Hey there! I am Aileen Adalid.
At 21, I quit my corporate job in the Philippines to pursue my dreams. Today, I am a successful digital nomad (entrepreneur, travel writer, & vlogger) living a sustainable travel lifestyle.
My mission? To show you how it is absolutely possible to create a life of travel too (no matter the odds), and I will help you achieve that through my detailed travel guides, adventures, resources, tips, and MORE!
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Great list of things to do! We managed to check out a few of these things on our one day in Brussels, but I want to go back and see more of the city now! The comic strip trail and the Atomium are definitely on my list for next time!
Glad to hear that you enjoyed your previous trip there :D Hope you can see the others when you come back (and a tip for the Atomium, don't expect much on their exhibits. The only thing I enjoyed was the trip up the escalators [it was soooo steep] and the view at the highest sphere!)
I really want to go to Brussels. I've been to Belgium before but never Brussels and I get the impression it's a place you shouldn't miss especially by the photos you shared!
There are a lot of places not to miss in Belgium too -- there's Ghent, Bruges, Antwerp, etc. Hope you can see these too!
Hey Aileen,
Thanks for sharing these free things to do! That's always something that people want to know. Never been to Brussels, but it's definitely high on the list.
Cheers!
You're welcome! I always find joy in sharing the things that I learn as I travel. Hope that you can be in Brussels soon!
Wow! I love the view and the gardens! I am hoping to visit Brussels so it is good to know what you can do for free :)
I actually miss these gardens already and hope that I had the chance to do a picnic there (maybe for next time!)
Nice article Aileen! The pictures are beautiful and it makes me want to travel to Brussels all the more.
Glad you like it, Jennifer! Hope you can see Brussels sometime soon :)
Europe always seems so expensive for us Indians. It's quite surprising to find out that there's so much we can do for free!
It's expensive for us Filipinos, too! It's quite the predicament for nationals from a 3rd world country so I always become so happy when I find wonderful things to do for free. Hope this helps you too, Revati!
That Gallerie is truly amazing. So many things to see in Belgium! That, the Automium and the Comic Walk are now on my list. Thanks for the details and links, the maps and suggestions. A great resource.
It really was amazing; I don't mind 'window shopping' if it's that kind of shopping place that I have to go to. :) And thanks, Elaine! I'm glad to hear that you find this article helpful. Safe travels!
What a great guide and your photos are gorgeous! My eyes just drink in The Grand Palace with those stunning floral displays!
Thanks, Erin! Glad you liked it :) I'm actually aiming on visiting Brussels again when the flower carpet is on. Hope you could too!
Hi, Aileen!
we're planning to visit The Netherlands but while reading this. i'm torn between the two now. thanks for writing this.
makawawa ka pirmi wherever your feet and adventure brings you. pirmi ku mayvidi an angu vayu du travel blogs mo..:-)
Hey Ning! Thanks for dropping by, and that's great to hear that you're planning on visiting the Netherlands too! Hmmm... if you have the time, I suggest that you see both! I absolutely loved Netherlands too (and oh, don't forget to visit the other wonderful places in Belgium like Antwerp, Ghent, and Bruges).
(And oh, didn't notice. 'Wakay' ka sawen! :D Tu ku masuyut ta aytu Ivatan a may-reading su blog ku aya. Safe travels, Ning!)
Brussels look majestic! Europe will always be a dream destination. Hope I can fly out there and experience its beauty myself. <3
It really is, Jhanz! And I dearly hope you can come here too!