You wish visit Brussels in 2 or 3 days ? Do you know where to sleep in Brussels? Would you like to know what to do, have a simple and clear plan to discover Brussels easily? Do you know where to go out in Brussels? What is there to visit in Brussels? In this article, we're not kidding, we're getting straight to the point, so let's go!
If you're in a hurry, you have a menu on your right, which you'll find a little further down in the article. Anyway, here is the summary of the article on Brussels:
- The history of Brussels
- What to visit in Brussels, its museums, places, exhibitions
- How to get to Brussels from the international airport
- Where to stay in Brussels to be close to the places to see
- Where to go out in Brussels, bars, restaurants, neighborhoods
- What to visit in Brussels (Mechelen, Bruges, Gant)
1) History of Brussels
Located between France and the Netherlands, Brussels is the city that unites the Latin and Germanic cultures. It is one of the headquarters of the European Union. It is estimated that it was founded in 979, but nothing has been verified.
At the beginning of the XNUMXth century, trade became a major player in Western Europe, and thanks to its port on the Senne (and not the Seine, we agree), Brussels became a major commercial crossroads.
Map of 1581:
In fact, through the canals and rivers of the region, Bruges, Ghent, Louvain and Antwerp have become true commercial centers that allow the passage of goods from Germany to France, England and also to Italy. For two centuries, Brussels will happily enrich itself.
Find out more about the beautiful city of Brussels via our friend Wikipedia - Brussels, or on the website of this city of Brussels enthusiast.
A short video presentation from Brussels:
The famous Battle of Waterloo (June 20, 18) took place less than 1815 km south of Brussels. As a reminder, he opposed the French Army (led by Napoleon I) known as the Army of the North, the Allied Army, commanded by the Duke of Wellington and made up of British, German and Dutch (Belgian and Dutch units). ), which was joined by the Prussian army under Marshal Blücher.
It ended with the decisive defeat of the French army.
2) Visit Brussels in 2 days
I discovered the Belgian capital at the end of September, I went from Thursday morning (arrival at the international airport at 11 am) and departure on Sunday at 17 pm One-way price with Brussels AirLine € 32, return with EasyJet € 28, ¡ a small gift! (Of course, except summer and school holidays).
Now let's see what is there to visit in Brussels, and to keep it simple, here is a GoogleMap for visit Brussels easily, I finally can't do better! :)
- Visit of Brussels by tourist bus:
A good idea to discover Brussels easily is to use the convertible tourist buses, which is good is that you can hop on and off whenever you want, it saves you time and allows you to explore Brussels effortlessly. If you are interested or here.
As you can see, it goes up to the Atonium which is a bit far from the center. The Atonium is very crowded so skip the line. This will allow you to see the surroundings of central Brussels.
- Visit of the Magritte Museum
A Belgian artist who combines art and surrealism at all levels. In June 2009, the world's largest museum dedicated to Magritte was opened on the Place Royale in Brussels, at the Hotel Altenloh. A museum to do!
For fans and curious, know that there is another Magritte museum in Brussels, this museum is located in the house of Magritte and his wife Georgette. The house (inhabited from 1930 to 1954) is located at 135 rue Esseghem. More information at www.musee-magritte-museum.be
- Visit to the comic museum
This is one of my favorite museums during my stay in Brussels. The Brussels Comic Museum is a must.
There you will find the famous Tintin and Smurfs comics ... In this museum they will tell you the history of the comic, with detailed and illustrated explanations of the design of a comic strip, you will also find original sketches and drafts. A visit for lovers of the ninth art.
- Visit of the Grande Place in Brussels
Aaahhhhh the Grande Place de Bruxelles, the central square of Brussels. It is world famous for its magnificent ornaments. There you will find the Town Hall and the Casa del Rey. This place really has terrible charm! If you are looking for a guide to help you discover the city.
Since 1998 it has been listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is said to be considered one of the most beautiful places in the world, and I have to say that I have not seen a more beautiful place.
The afternoon is beautiful!
At the end of September the festival of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation is celebrated. The Grande Place in Brussels is transformed into an open-air concert hall. Access is free. More information on the official website of lafetefwb.
- See the Manneken-Pis and its sister, the Jeanneke-Pis
So I tell you right away, you will be disappointed, the Manneken-Pis is very small! Anyway, go check it out, it's in the center.
And Jeannette, who is on the rue de infidèle, opposite the Délirium bar. Nothing extraordinary like that!
- Visit the Atomium
The Atomium is a bit like the Eiffel Tower in France. The Atonium was built during the 1958 World's Fair, it measures 102 meters. What does this monument represent?
Although it seems obvious! It represents the conventional iron crystal mesh enlarged 165 billion times, of course! It weighs more than 2400 tons. Like the Grand-Place and the Manneken Pis (which I was a bit disappointed in), the Atonium is a symbol of the capital of Belgium, so go ahead and climb to the top. The view is really pretty! On the other hand, there are crowds, so go early or skip the line.
It will take 25 minutes by metro to get there from the central station. After following the metro line that you will take, you will have to change lines! On the other hand, go in the morning because there are a lot of people.
For my part, I returned to the center by renting a bike / vilo, it was a little walk because I had it for 30-40 minutes, but it also allows you to visit the metropolitan area of Brussels! Nice ride. On the other hand, if you do, use your cell phone for the trip, it is not so easy to find the city center.
As for all VLib, VCub, Vilo, whatever their name, you must put a deposit when renting one of them. Count, if memory serves me, € 150 (once the Vilo has been placed in a terminal, the deposit is canceled. Wait for the beep when I put the vilo back).
- Visit the Royal Museum of Fine Arts
Located right next to the Magritte Museum, you will find in this large museum beautiful Flemish and Impressionist paintings. There are many temporary exhibitions, so it is up to you to find out ... for the upcoming exhibitions.
You can also visit the huge "Fin-de-siècle Museum", which features paintings and sculptures by Belgian artists Ensor, Horta, and French artists such as Gauguin and Rodin. But also beautiful paintings by Brueghel, Bosch, Memling, Cranach, Van Orley, J Patinier, Petrus… In short, beautiful people and beautiful works.
- Cathedral of the Saints-Michel-et-Gudule
Take a tour to visit the Saints-Michel-et-Gudule Cathedral. In the basement you can visit an archaeological site, a Roman crypt. You can observe it through transparent mirrors. If you are looking for a guide to help you discover the city ,.
- Visit the Marolles district
The Marolles district is the popular district of Brussels, there you will find the oldest market in Belgium. Everything is cheap in this market.
Located on the Place du Jeu de Balle, the Marolles flea market is truly an institution. Hundreds of new finds arrive every day. To do, there is everything!
- Visit the parks of Brussels by bike
A good idea to do is visit the parks of Brussels in Vilo, the Vilo is the Vlib, the Vcub, in short, urban bikes accessible in many terminals by means of a deposit of € 150 (which will be canceled once the Vilo rested in a terminal. Wait for the beep).
Well, there are two very well known parks in Brussels, the Parc Royal (Brussels park) and the Cinquantenaire. Therefore, they are often crowded (during sunny days) because they are too easy to access.
Egmont Park is much smaller but much quieter. You will find the Orangerie and its south-facing terrace, a veritable little institution for Sunday brunchers. To get there, walk through The Hotel.
Etang Mellaerts is a bit far, but it is a very nice park and you can even go pedal boating and mini golf there.
In the Bois de la Cambre, people from Brussels love this park to have a picnic and sit by the lake while listening to music.
This is a good idea for a bike ride visit Brussels! to enlarge this map in GoogleMap
- Visit of Brussels by tourist bus:
A good idea to discover Brussels easily is to use the convertible tourist buses, which is good is that you can hop on and off whenever you want, it saves you time and allows you to explore Brussels effortlessly. If you are interested or here.
If you are looking for a guide to discovering Brussels, check out the reviews.
JP's comment: We did the visit with Beatrice, a fascinating and passionate person who did not count her time to make us love the places visited. Well done and thanks.
Anne's comment: Many thanks to our guide Thomas. He managed to captivate us for 2h30 by making us share anecdotes and unusual places that we could not have discovered alone. I highly recommend this tour.
3) Looking for accommodation in Brussels
Here we are, where to stay in Brussels? In this part I share my findings and of course those of Internet users who also share their smart information;)
Keep in mind that to stay in the center, the price will be between € 60-90 / night in a double room and of course depending on the season.
It is best to stay in the center, and to have a point of reference, all you need to do is find the closest accommodation to the main square (because it is a 5 minute walk from Brussels Central Station. If you are coming by plane c this is where you'll get). These are the addresses that I found and that Internet users have informed me.
- A stone's throw from the Place de la Grande Place, you have the legendary hotel that often offers discounted prices, so take a look!
- One of the cheapest and most conveniently located I could find is The Moon, perfect for small budgets.
- The opera, a good direction. You also have the DanseAert which is not bad, they offer discounts, to see!
- Near the JeanneKen Pis this time, you have the Floris Arlequin.
- Another very very well located, the Ibis hotel.
- More elegant and still well located, you have the crossing of Nh Brussels, so yes it is a bit more expensive but they also offer discounted prices of up to -50%, so if you do it in advance, you can treat yourself;) Also, in the same style, always in a good position, has the madeleine hotel.
- See also the Be Appart Hotel. Less close to the center but we were less than 10 minutes walk from the main square.
Take a look at the reviews and if you still can't find anything, you can always search TripAdvisor!
4) Get to Brussels city center from the international airport
Let's move on to the part: How to get to Brussels from the international airport. Once you arrive at the airport, the best way to get to the city center is to take the train that is located in the basement of the airport, on level -2 more exactly. Take the train ticket for level -2, you will get a ticket for € 8,50.
I personally took the return train ticket, but I had to do a bad manipulation because my return ticket was no longer valid, in short I managed not to refund the return passing the gates in the same time that a passenger (I'm crazy!) remains between us;)
25 minutes will be enough to get to Brussels Central Station. The train station is a 10-minute walk from Grande Place, so it is ideally located, no need to take a taxi to get there.
Also, you will see that the center of Brussels is not big. Here is a GoogleMap plan to get to Brussels city center from Brussels airport.
5) Where to go out in Brussels
You want to know where to go out in Brussels? Here are some good addresses, including the famous Delirium bar.
Before we start giving you directions, you should know that Brussels is known for its beers as well as for its mussels, it is a real institution so it would be a shame to miss it!
Brussels people are also known for their good humor, they are really very nice and warm. Therefore, you will have no problem meeting people.
- During the beautiful days, every week many urban aperitifs take place. I advise you if you can take a walk there, the atmosphere is very pleasant. However, you cannot enter with bottles. You have to buy tickets at the reception to pay for food and drinks (but if you're smart, there's always a way to put a few beers in your pockets and a packet of chips;)
For my part, I had the opportunity to be there during the last urban aperitif of the season (September 25), it was located in the fiftieth anniversary park (JubelPark), go by tram (account 15min).
- Located rue de la fidelity, a small cul-de-sac, perpendicular to the very touristy rue des restaurants (rue des bouchers) in Brussels (which I don't recommend for dinner). You will find 5 bars, including the famous and royal bar, the Délirium. Very popular atmosphere guaranteed, so go ahead and you won't be disappointed;)
Find out that there are often small groups of artists performing. Official website of the delirium bar.
Right in front you have the Floris bar. This bar offers an impressive variety of absinthes, take care of your palate, it's very hot! It is to be done! I finally really burned my throat on this thing, so it's up to you! :)
- Of course, it has many bars in the city center of Brussels. Near the Grande Place in Brussels.
- A slightly more remote but fairly tidy bar is the popular bar "Le stoemelings" which is located on London Place, between the European district and Place Flagey. You will often find small impromptu concerts there. Try the beer "Malheur";)
- A very famous bar in Brussels is Le Corbeau. It is good to go with more than 2. From 21 pm
- The Mirano box in the Schaerbeek district. Very cozy atmosphere, the music depends on the theme, they don't do things by halves. The only problem is that you have to wait a long time to access the changing rooms (and € 4.5 pica…), and the toilets cost € 0,5, so for small bladders like me, it is not ideal. There are 2 rooms with 2 DJs.
- Idea restaurante, la Becasse (Rue de Tabora 11):
For my part, I opted for lasagna. Very filling and very good.
- If you are looking for gay addresses, you have Homo Erectus, near the stock exchange, rue des Pierres. Another address, La Demence.
- Rue du Marché au Charbon has the salsa club bar, the Cartagena.
- What can also be nice is going out to the bars.
Other addresses on the Visitbrussels site
Too much for your evenings, but feel free to share your good addresses by leaving a comment at the bottom of the page!
6) Visit the surroundings of Brussels
If you go visit Brussels 3 days You can visit Bruges, visit Mechelen or even visit Ghent. For my part I think it can be very beautiful and not stupid to take 5 days to visit the surroundings of Brussels. In fact, cities like Bruges, Mechelen and Ghent are really worth a detour and are very close to the Belgian capital.
You have excursions from Brussels to discover Ghent and Bruges,
To give you an idea of the magnitude, you should know that between Bruges and Brussels you only have 1 hour and 15 minutes by train. You also have trains every 30 minutes, which is not bad to easily schedule a day in one of these cities. SNCB link.
- Visit Bruges
Bruges is a concentrate of history and architectural beauty. It obtained the title of city in 928. In the 1000s, thanks to its port, crafts and commerce developed, the city walls and canals were built.
Besides a good plan for discover Bruges is to rent a bicycle to tour the city. If you have time you can take a walk along the Damme canal, very beautiful! Anyway, don't hesitate to get lost in its alleys.
You have excursions from Brussels to discover Ghent and Bruges,
Bruges is also called the Venice of the North because it has many canals that surround the city. You will also find there old mills, or rather the remains of mills. It really is a very beautiful city where it is pleasant to walk.
The essentials to visit Bruges:
-See the Basilica of the Holy Blood
-A break at the family brewery De Halve Maan.
-See the church of Notre-Dame, the Town Hall, the Saint-Jacques Hospital.
- Try the specialties: its shrimp croquettes, its tomatoes with prawns, its flamenco stew. Babelutte, the Flemish version of hard candy, try it;)
Bruges is colorful in winter, it might be a good idea to take a tour! To plan during your visit to Brussels!
You have excursions from Brussels to discover Ghent and Bruges,
- Visit malinas
Mechelen is a small city full of charm, it is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will find small squares full of history but also atypical shops. It is known for its Gothic and Baroque palaces and churches.
The essentials to visit Mechelen:
-Try their asparagus and local beers.
-Visit the toy museum
-See the Royal Tapestry Manufacture De Wit or the Palace of Margarita de Austria, the aunt of Carlos V ...
- Visit Ghent
Ghent is a very, very beautiful city full of history, it is one of the hidden treasures of Europe. I highly recommend that you spend a short day there.
The essentials to visit Ghent:
-The castle of the Counts
-The Cathedral of Saint Bavo houses a unique work: "The Mystic Lamb" by the Van Eyck brothers
-Located in the Grand Place of Ghent (Korenmarkt), the bell tower, symbol of the independence of Ghent. An elevator gives access to the fourth floor, the view is magnificent - count € 4.
-The STAM museum, the museum of the city of Ghent located in a XNUMXth century abbey.
-A boat trip through its canals
-Visit the imposing Castle of the Counts of Flanders
You have excursions from Brussels to discover Ghent and Bruges,
- Discover Amsterdam
You can also visit Amsterdam! Amsterdam is 280 km from Brussels, so it is not very far. It is one of my favorites. If you do not know this wonderful city, I can only advise you to go there for 3 days.
Well there you go, I think you have all the keys in hand to visit Brussels in 3 days as it should be
Do not hesitate to leave a comment at the bottom of the page to give me your impressions, share a good address, a hotel, a bar ... Sharing is good;)
- And you, what do you prefer in Brussels?
- Do you have an interesting address to share? A restaurant, a bar, a hotel?
- Feel free to leave a comment at the bottom of the page!
See you soon!
Maxence
Other items not to be missed!
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- Where to sleep in Amsterdam
- Visit Keukenhof Park near Amsterdam
- Amsterdam bike tour
- Visit Porto in 3 days
- Visit granada
- Visit Berlin in 3 days
- Visit Rome in 4 days
- 4 days to visit London
- Visit Harry Potter Studios
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