Grand Place
A bustling central square, you must see The Grand Place while in Brussels. It’s full of people taking pictures, sitting on the curb eating ice cream, or tour groups hustling to their next location. The main building, depicted above, is the Town Hall. Others demonstrate houses of various professions (guilds) and the former house of the king of France. As you can see, the square is beautifully lit up at night, and there are a lot fewer people out. I recommend visiting both nighttime and daytime. You will also find yourself walking through this square multiple times to get to other sights/attractions in Brussels.
Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert
The Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert reminded me a lot of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan. This mall is loaded with high-end shops and restaurants. Similar to the Grand Place, walk through here at night so you can admire the beauty of the mall. Find the entrance near the Grand Place.
Atomium
Atomium is one of the most interesting buildings I have ever seen. Built in celebration of the 1958 World Fair in Belgium, Atomium shows off the technical feats of Belgium. There are nine spheres in total, which all depict different exhibits as part of a museum. The links between the spheres are escalators to take you between them. You can buy tickets to visit the Atomium online, and if you’re planning to visit Brussels, then I strongly suggest you do it in advance. Tickets are available here. An adult ticket will cost 16 euros. You will need to take the train or tram to Atomium. Take tram line 7 or train line 6 to the last stop called Heysel. It will be a short walk from this station. Expect a longer wait time with little to no places to sit while in line, but it is all worth it. The ticket includes the entire museum as well as a panoramic view at the top. The museum has a lot of information so feel free to take your time.
Manneken Pis & Jeanneke Pis
Manneken Pis is one of the most notable symbols of Brussels. The statue is simply a little boy urinating into a pool of water. The replica statue is a short walk away from the Grand Place, but the original is kept in the Brussels City Museum which dates back to 1619. The fountain was used to distribute drinking water for one location in the city. Sometimes the statue is dressed up in various costumes for certain events. There will be a lot of people in the area trying to catch a look at the infamous fountain, but it is easy to take a quick look and continue walking. Another lesser-known statue is called the Jeanneke Pis. This statue is much smaller but depicts a little girl urinating into a fountain, it was made to make fun of/replicate the Manneken Pis. On a side note, the alley (Fidelity Alley) that Jeanneke Pis is located in has some fun bars to wander into if you’d like.
Royal Palace of Brussels
The Royal Palace of Brussels houses the royal family of Belgium, which is the family of current King Philippe. The Palace is in front of Brussels Park, which is a lovely park to walk through on a nice day anyway. It is a cool note to realize that the front of the palace is 50% longer than the infamous Buckingham Palace. If you are visiting between July 23rd and August 25th, you will have the opportunity to visit the Royal Palace of Brussels for free. It will be open every day from 10:30 am – 3:45 pm, but these dates/times are tentative to change. Make sure to check this Brussels travel website for updates about visiting the Royal Palace of Brussels.
Parc du Cinquantenaire
This park was created in 1880 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Belgian Independence, then the grand arc was finished in 1905. This area has two museums in it, the Royal Military Museum (on the left), and the Art & History Museum as well as an AutoWorld Vintage Car Museum (on the right). This park is a lovely place to visit and walk around. There is usually a Belgian Waffle truck in the park if you needed a snack.
National Basilica of Sacred Heart in Koekelberg
Also known as the Koekelberg Basilica, I believe that this church is one of the most underrated places I have ever been to. there were barely any tourists, but the church was immaculate. Construction began in 1905 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Belgian independence. Construction was completed 64 years later due to the world wars halting construction. Koekelberg Basilica in Brussels is one of the 10 largest Catholic churches in the world. The entrance fee is only 6 euros and that includes the panoramic view. There is also a small museum about Koekelberg and the history behind its construction. You can find more information about admission to the Koekelberg in Brussels on their website here.
Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula
The Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula is probably the most visited church in Brussels. It has grand steps leading up to the doors of the cathedral. The entrance is free and you can visit the archaeological site underneath the church for 1 euro. You could also see the treasury for 2 euros. Then you could book a timeslot to visit the Romanesque crypt and towers by email. More information about those can be found here. Hours are from 7 am to 6 pm on weekdays, 8 am – 3:30 pm on Saturdays and 8 am – 2 pm on Sundays.
Remember if you would like to learn more about any of the places included in my best sights & attractions of Brussels, Belgium, then you can visit my all-inclusive guide for free here!
No Comments