A Self-Guided Walking Tour of Brussels

We recently spent a short time in Brussels with our primary goal to see as much of the city as we could by walking. While we are not experts in this area, we put together our own self-guided walking tour of Brussels, thanks to advice from fellow bloggers and our AirBnB hosts’ recommendations.

As you’ll see, it was a rainy morning but we had a great time!

2) Royal Palace

At the South end of the park, you’ll find the Royal Palace, which is only open to the public in late summer. Walking through the large halls, ballrooms, and exhibits takes at least half an hour; entry is free.

3 + 4) Place Royale, View, and Meeting Center Clock

This historic square is just around the corner from the palace. Continue walking Northwest from here and you’ll get a charming view, then pass through the Meeting Center and Mont des Arts with its gigantic clock (or carillon) and bells.

The clock is surrounded by twelve historical figures from Belgian history and perched above it is a bourgeois figure, the Jacquemart, who rings a large bell.

5) Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula

This gigantic Catholic church from the 11th Century is named after the patron saints of Brussels. Entrance is free and when we were there, a gentleman was playing the impressively large organ.

Note: Technically if you want to make the walking tour into a nice loop, you can visit the Cathedral at the end and skip ahead to #6.

6) Grand Place

The Grand Place, or Grote Markt, is the central square of Brussels and possibly the most awe-inspiring part of the city. It is the site of both historical and current, cultural events.

7) Mannequin Pis

This small, bronze statue/fountain of a little boy peeing has become a national landmark.

Apparently, there is a non-profit that manages the Manneken’s weekly costume changes. When we were there, he was dressed in Mexican garb and sombrero. (Jedd was thoroughly confused by the tiny pissing boy attracting all this attention.)

P.S. We used Yelp to find a good waffle place and it led us one block up from the statue, on Lombard, to Waffle Factory. Good stuff!

8) Place de la Bourse

The large, pillared building here is the location of the Brussels Stock Exchange. It’s also the intersection of major shopping streets and a hot spot for events. And it’s next door to a popular fries place we sampled called Fritland.

9) Restaurants on Rue de Bouchers

There are countless eateries in Brussels but you’ll find a high concentration on Rue de Bouchers. Often more geared toward tourists, you may opt to just walk through to enjoy the ambiance. It has a very similar feeling to the Latin Quarter in Paris.

10) Les Galeries Royales de St. Hubert

The Galeries Royales (also called the Galerie de la Reine, it seems) are a series of luxury boutiques set along a stunning covered walkway. Whether you’re shopping or just enjoying the creative window displays, this place is a must see.

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Other Brussels Tours

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Bonus Route: Brussels ‘Parks and Politics’ Walking Tour

We took another afternoon, following our big sight-seeing day, to explore more of the sights that were out East of the city center. Whether you’re walking to sight-see or you’re a jogger needing exercise, this is another route we recommend.

* Access our free Brussels walking maps here *

1) Square Marie-Louise and Ambiorix

In the Quartier des Squares, these two adjacent parks offer a charming setting for rest or play. The lower, Square Marie Louise, features a beautiful pond. You’ll also find a playground, dog park, and gardens nearby.

2) Parc de la Cinquentenaire

This massive park features the grand Arcade du Cinquentenaire alongside gardens, sports fields, and a mosque. It is also home to the Royal Museum of Art and History and Royal Military History Museum as well as Autoworld. This park rivals those found in any other major European city.

3) Parc du Leopold and Parliament

Besides the beautiful park featuring a lovely pond and school down below, you’ll find some very important buildings. Here stands the home of the European Council, Commission, Parliament, and other key institutions. The Parlamentarium there serves as the Visitor Center.

4) Berlaymont Building

Just off the Schuman round-about stands the four-winged Berlaymont building, which houses the headquarters of the European Commission, the executive of the European Union. Now you should truly feel that you’re at the heart of Europe!

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Our Top Tips for Intentional Travel in Brussels

🤝 Try to make a local connection, whether it’s meeting a friend-of-a-friend you find through social media, staying with locals, or hiring a local guide.

🛍️ Shop at locally owned, independent businesses rather than familiar global chains like Starbucks.

❤️ For more guidance, see: how to have authentic, meaningful travel experiences in touristy areas and our simple rules for intentional travel series.

📱Master phone travel essentials with our Smartphone Savvy Travel course to travel safely, confidently, and improve connections with locals.

ᯤ Stay connected with an eSIM  – learn more and look for our discount code in this eSIMs for travel post.

✈️ Find better flight deals to Brussels with our Book Better Flights tutorials.

🛏️ Pinpoint perfect accommodations efficiently and avoid disappointing stays with our Smart Stay Finder course.

📋 Take this article with you as your guide! Upload this post for free to your phone with the GPSmyCity app. You can also upgrade to get an offline GPS map that guides you to each location we mention. Or subscribe to access all articles and maps around the world for a full year.

📍 Want to see more of Belgium quickly? Take a full-day tour to beautiful Bruges and Ghent. This top-rated tour includes guide and transportation – bring your walking shoes! Click here to check day tour prices >

🚂 Traveling onward by train? We like to pre-book train tickets through Rail Europe. Or get your multi-country rail passes from Eurail.

🛟 Protect your Brussels trip with insurance. We’ve started using Nomad Insurance by Safety Wing for affordable evacuation, international medical, and trip coverage.

 
 

You might also like: Top 5 Things To Do in Bruges

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Have you been to Brussels? What did we miss that we should see next time? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.