What to Do and Where to Eat in Brussels

Brussels is a city that gets a bit of a bad rap. It sometimes seems on the surface not to have a lot for visitors to do. I think lots of people stop in just for a day trip or as an overnight on their way to their next destination. Personally, I don’t think that is ever enough to understand a place. I don’t care how “uninteresting” somewhere supposedly is, I am staying a minimum of four days. And that’s exactly what I did on this trip to Brussels (despite having been there back in my early 20s). And while I didn’t fall in love with the city, I did learn more about its depth. There is an impressive amount of food from Brussesls — and incredibly specific dishes at that. There is centuries worth of history, and then there are the issues and the fascinations of today. Ultimately, I don’t think four days is even quite enough to experience it all. But it’s a start. So here is what I recommend you do, see, eat, and experience on your trip to Brussels. 

What to Do in Brussels

Go on a Free Walking Tour

I think a free walking tour is always a good way to get the lay of the land in a new city. It will give you both an understanding of the physical land as well as the historical context of the current city and country. 

I did a free walking tour with Ambassadors of the City as they seemed to be one of the most local companies. Unfortunately, across Europe there have been a small number of huge tour companies that have swallowed any local tour companies. It’s always really important to me to keep my money as local as possible, and to put my tip money into the pockets of a local.

My tour guide with Ambassadors was local. And he did a great job showing us the city. We talked about everything from the smurfs to the colonies. 

The tour was about three and a half hours in total. And while it was long, we didn’t actually cover a huge amount of distance so don’t worry too much about a lot of walking — though there will definitely be a lot of standing. 

The tour did stop for a quick bathroom and drink break about an hour before the end. 

Explore the Atomium

The Atomium was built for the 1958’s World’s Fair. I think the whole concept of the World’s Fair is so fascinating, and the structures it left behind are equally so (see the Unisphere in Queens). The Atomium was specifically chosen to be builtin Brussels as it was meant to honor the metals industries across Belgium.

Now, the huge, 102 meter tall structure (335 feet) stands proud on the outskirts of the city. To get there you’ll need to take the number 6 metro to Heizel. 

Entry to the Atomium is €16 and also gives you access to the nearby design museum. You can also get a combined ticket which includes mini-Europe for a total of €32.20.

You’ll start your Atomium tour by getting into the elevator which takes you all the way to the top where you can walk around in one of the ‘balls’ of the atom for 360° views of the area. You can actually see all of mini-Europe from here. After that, you head all the way back down before going up one level on an escalator to explore another one of the ‘balls.’ In this one there is more on the history of the structure. You’ll learn about the architectural decision, and the lead up to the World’s Fair, as well as lots of photos from the time period.

From there, at least when I visited, you’ll go up more escalators to a strange light exhibit. Through several rooms there is sort of like a strange rave with strong museum-vibes. There was absolutely no explanation as to why this was here or what was happening, but I guess it was cool!

I spent around 45 minutes in total inside the Atomium. 

Stop in at the Design Museum

As I mentioned, the Design Museum is included in your Atomium ticket price. It’s about a ten minute walk up the road and since you have the ticket, you may as well go right?

To be honest, I thought the museum was fairly interesting. There is a lot of furniture from the last several decades. So if you have any interest in architecture or interior design. Or if you are just always trying to decorate your home like I am, it’s cool to see all of these interesting furniture models. 

I spent about 20 minutes walking around the few rooms of the museum. 

Wander Mini-Europe

Between the Atomium and the Design Museum is mini-Europe. I visited this area in February, and mini-Europe was closed, as it is every winter from early January to early March. But, outside of that season you can go inside the park which is essentially a miniature reproduction of some of the most iconic monuments throughout Europe. 

You can see the baths of Budapest, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and Notre Dame Cathedral — all reproduced in perfect detail. Along with the miniatures and the interactive exhibits, the park is full of trees and flowers and it’s a beautiful space to walk through. 

As I mentioned, you can buy a combined ticket with the Atomium (same price in person or online), but if you only want to go to mini-Europe you should get your ticket online as it is €23 in person but discounted to €20 online.

Visit TinTin

TinTin, both fictionally and in reality, is a Brussels native. He was created in the 1920s by Belgian native Georges Prosper Remi who was known by his pen name of Hergé. 

Now, nearly a century later, TinTin is as much a part of Brussels as Brussels was always a part of TinTin. You can take a self-guided walking tour around the sights of the city and see spots which were featured in the Adventures to TinTin.  

You can also see TinTin painted on buildings around the city. This guide will tell you where TinTin, along with other comics, are painted in mural form throughout Brussels. 

If you want to shop all things TinTin, I liked the shop Moule à gaufres. They have comic books as well as memorabilia and other collectibles. There is a lot of TinTin but there are also Smurfs and a whole array of other comics.

Enjoy the View from the Musical Instruments Museum

Brussels is built on an escarpment, so there is a lower and an upper part of the city. You can walk up to the upper part and get views across the lower part. But if you can get yourself into a taller building in the upper part those views will be even better. And that’s exactly what you’ll be able to do at the Musical Instruments Museum. 

Normally you can go straight up to the cafe at the top of the museum and you don’t have to pay entry to the museum itself. However, when I was in Brussels that cafe at the top was closed to everyone. As of writing this post, in March 2024, the cafe appears to be closed indefinitely for renovations. Hopefully it will reopen soon so we can all get back to enjoying that view. I will check back in with an update when one is available. 

Say Hi to The Manneken Pis

The Manneken Pis, or the pissing boy, is perhaps the most famous Belgian (maybe second to TinTin) but he is certainly the oldest. This young boy has stood on the corner of Rue de l’Etuve and Rue du Chêne pissing into a water fountain since the 17th century. 

He is only about 20 inches (around 60 cm) tall, so if you don’t look for him you very well miss him. During the day however you’re unlikely to simply walk past as there is just about always a small swarm of people gawking at this young, naked child. 

He may also draw extra crowds when he is dressed up. The Manneken Pis has a massive wardrobe of themed outfits which he wears throughout the year. The wardrobe is so massive that it is displayed in a dedicated museum which you can visit. He is only ever dressed in the daytime hours and has an official dresser. Usually he is dressed at 9:00 am but these hours may vary depending on the day. There is an official calendar outlining his outfits which is published monthly. Examples of celebrations the boy takes part in include St. Patrick’s Day and the birthday of Adolphe Sax — some very well known holidays, others quite obscure.

If there is something that you feel Manneken Pis should celebrate, you can submit an official request to add an outfit to his wardrobe. 

Where to Eat in Brussels

Have a Waffle

One of the most famous Belgian dishes is of course the Belgian waffle. Now, it is important to note that if you are an American reading this, the Belgian waffle is not the same as an American waffle, it is not meant to be, and if you see one that appears to be the same, that just means it is not an authentic Belgian waffle and is instead being targeted at tourist. That’s an indication that you are in the wrong spot and you should go elsewhere to find a more authentic option.

In that same vein, Belgian waffles should not be eaten with a whole load of toppings. They are often displayed that way though in the shop windows. Again, that’s for tourists. And sure, you are a tourist, but don’t you want the real thing?

So then what is the real thing. OK, looks-wise a Belgian waffle is thicker than an American waffle. The dough will come out fluffier and lighter — and this is the reason you want to avoid lots of toppings, those toppings will soak through and create a mushy mess of the soft waffle. 

But the most important difference is when you bite into the waffle. The dough used for a Belgian waffle has chunky white sugar mixed in, when they’re baked these pieces of sugar melt and create little explosive pockets of joy in the middle of the waffle.

Another thing to consider when looking for the perfect waffle is whether or not they are made fresh. A lot of shops make them in bulk in the morning and then reheat them throughout the day. This means they’re simply not as nice as a hot, freshly made one. I had a waffle at Santos Palace Shop Speciality coffee and tea. It was also recommended to me that if you are in Brussels in the winter you should get waffles from the ice cream vans. They are not selling ice cream when it’s so cold so they fire up the irons and make waffles fresh to order instead. 

Eat Chocolate

Thanks entirely to its colonial roots, Belgium makes some damn good chocolate. During the times that the kingdom held the Congo as a colony, Belgium was the main trader of chocolate. Luckily, one of those things has changed and the Congo is no longer under Belgian rule and also luckily, the other things have not changed and chocolate is still a very important Belign product. 

While I didn’t get to try all of the chocolatiers around town (there are a lot), I did try a few and came up in favor of Nauhaus. 

Neuhas was actually started by a Swiss immigrant at the end of the 19th century. If you want to go to the first store it is still at Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert in Brussels. But of course the company has grown significantly and there are now 11 locations just in central Brussels. Plus there are tens more around the rest of Brussels, the entirety of Belgium, and around the world as a whole. 

Do be careful when buying chocolate from the display cases as the prices can add up quickly. So while I never want to discourage anyone from indulging heavily in chocolate, make sure to check in as you’re picking pieces out on what your final bill will be. 

As well as Neuhaus I was recommended to try Laurent Gerbaud which is a newer chocolatier in the city. It was nice, but ultimately not my preference.

Eat Belgian Fries

Did you know that french fries are not actually French? They are, in fact, Belgian. Supposedly Belgian fries date back to the 17th century. The the thing that really sets apart how Belgian fries are made is that they are double fried. And usually that frying occurs in animal fat. While there are places you can get vegetarian fries these days if you are of that dietary persuasion, if you are an omnivore I really highly recommend going all in. This is not the moment to worry about your arteries. 

On top of the double frying, the potatoes are cut into thick slices so the combination of that cut and the double frying means they are extra crispy on the outside but still soft and delicious on the inside. The perfect consistency for a plate of fries really. 

I tried Belgian fries at Fritzguard. They have a number of options of toppings for your fries including things like bacon, guacamole, pickles, onions, even popcorn. I had one of the more basic fry bowls which was topped with white truffle oil, parmesan, parsley, and salt. It was delicious and the serving was massive, eating it on my own — even with an empty stomach — I wasn’t able to finish the whole thing.

Another spot that was recommended to me for Belgian fries is Café Georgette. 

Drink Beer

The truth is I actually don’t drink beer. But, I also don’t break the rules when I’m traveling. So when the Belgians say you have to try their beer, I obliged. 

Belgium has an amazingly diverse array of beers to choose from. So you won’t be stuck with just one really hoppy option and a second that’s like watered down piss (can you tell why I stopped drinking beer). In fact, in Belgium you will get Trappist beers, lagers, wheat beers, ales, stouts, fruit beers, and so much more. The selection is huge.

One thing to know about Belgian beer is that the alcohol content is always higher than what you’re used to. And sometimes it is dangerously so. Trappist beers, for example, can regularly go above 10%. If you want something that is on the lower end, look for Kriek which is a fruit beer and has an alcohol content around 4%. 

You really can’t go wrong with bars in Brussels. Just about anywhere will have a good selection of beers on tap and in bottles. Another note is that the better beers are often in bottles — so you may have to step away from your preference for tap pours. 

Got anything else you love to do in Brussels and would recommend for others? Put your thoughts in the comments, I always love to hear your recommendations!