BE
Brussels
Belgium’s capital: the Grand-Place, Art Nouveau houses, comics, chocolate and the Atomium
Belgium’s capital: the Grand-Place, Art Nouveau houses, comics, chocolate and the Atomium
The central square is surrounded by the Gothic Town Hall and ornate guildhalls, rebuilt after a French bombardment in 1695. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998. Every two years in August, a carpet of begonias covers the square.
Come back after dark, when the buildings are lit.
Photo: Trougnouf (Benoit Brummer), CC BY 4.0
The small bronze statue of a boy, a few streets from the Grand-Place, dates from 1619; the one on the corner is a copy. He is regularly dressed in costumes, which are displayed in the GardeRobe MannekenPis museum.
Photo: Trougnouf, CC BY 4.0
Opened in 1847, these glass-roofed shopping arcades are among the oldest in Europe, with chocolate shops, cafés, a cinema and a theatre.
Photo: Johan Bakker, CC BY-SA 3.0
The architect Victor Horta’s own house and studio in Saint-Gilles is a showcase of Art Nouveau design. It is one of four Horta houses listed by UNESCO.
Book a time slot in advance; photography inside is not allowed.
Photo: Romaine, CC0
Built for the 1958 World Fair, the 102m-high structure represents an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. Escalators and a lift connect several of the spheres, and the top one has views over the city.
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
Try moules-frites (mussels and chips), stoemp (mashed potato and vegetables), carbonnade flamande (beef stewed in beer), Belgian waffles and pralines. Belgian beer culture is listed by UNESCO as intangible heritage.
Avoid the tourist restaurants on Rue des Bouchers; better food is found around Sainte-Catherine, Saint-Gilles and Ixelles.
Brussels Airport (BRU) is about 20 minutes from the centre by train. Brussels South Charleroi Airport, used by low-cost airlines, is about an hour away by bus. Eurostar and other high-speed trains arrive at Brussels-Midi/Zuid from London, Paris, Amsterdam and Germany.
The centre is walkable; the metro, trams and buses cover the rest. Belgium is in the Schengen area. Non-EU visitors are registered in the EU Entry/Exit System on arrival, and visa-exempt travellers will need an ETIAS travel authorisation once it launches, expected from late 2026. Check current rules before you travel.
Belgium uses the euro. Prices are similar to neighbouring France and the Netherlands; trains are good value, especially with weekend or multi-trip tickets.
Hotels can be cheaper at weekends, when business travel falls.
Old town, art and architecture.
Start at the Grand-Place, see Manneken Pis, walk through the Royal Galleries and visit the Royal Museums of Fine Arts or the Magritte Museum. Return to the Grand-Place after dark.
Visit the Horta Museum in Saint-Gilles, then take the metro to the Atomium.
🛂 Entry rules: EES and ETIAS
Belgium is in the Schengen area, which has two EU border systems for non-EU visitors.
EES (in force): since 10 April 2026 the EU’s Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors’ passport details, fingerprints and a photo the first time they enter the Schengen area, replacing passport stamps. Allow extra time at the border on your first trip; later crossings are quicker. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens are not registered.
ETIAS (not yet running): a €20 online travel authorisation for visitors who don’t need a visa, such as UK, US, Canadian and Australian citizens. It hasn’t started and no start date has been confirmed, so nobody can apply yet; ignore websites that offer to “pre-register” you for a fee.
Visa-free visitors can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole Schengen area, not per country.
Official information: EU: Travel to Europe (EES & ETIAS) · Reviewed September 2026
Pay by contactless bank card on metro, trams and buses.
Brussels has a low-emission zone; foreign cars may need to register.
Buy pralines from specialist shops rather than souvenir stalls.
It rains often; carry an umbrella.
Quick answers for planning time in Brussels.
Yes, the Grand-Place in Brussels has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998.
Every two years, in even-numbered years, for a few days around 15 August.
By train, which takes about 20 minutes to the central stations.
Yes: it combines one of Europe’s finest squares, major museums, Art Nouveau architecture and some of the best food and beer in Belgium.
April to September for the mildest weather; December for the Christmas market.
Dutch is spoken in Flanders, French in Wallonia; both are used in Brussels, and English is widely understood.
Free
Planning a wider trip? Our Belgium travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.