Guidebook for Brussel
Food Scene
A really charming and authentic café just across our place. They also have an excellent kitchen that offers great food for a good price.
Brasserie Le Royal
11 Parvis Notre DameA really charming and authentic café just across our place. They also have an excellent kitchen that offers great food for a good price.
Near Grand Place, the café is located in a covered passage, which makes it a nice place to go to whatever the weather is like.
7 locals recommend
Mokafé
9 Galerie du RoiNear Grand Place, the café is located in a covered passage, which makes it a nice place to go to whatever the weather is like.
We suggest you stop here for a drink on your way to the Grand Place, Manneke Pis and the historic center. Toone itself is a historic venue, it's a puppet theater and today a café.
20 locals recommend
Toone
6 Imp. SchuddeveldWe suggest you stop here for a drink on your way to the Grand Place, Manneke Pis and the historic center. Toone itself is a historic venue, it's a puppet theater and today a café.
The Horta Brasserie is designed by Art Nouveau architect Victor Horta (who has his own museum elsewhere in Brussels). The brasserie shares this building with the Comic Book Museum. The museum itself we don't find convincing but you can access the Brasserie Horta without paying entrance to the museum. And if you combine this with the free museum across the street dedicated to a Marc Sleen, comic book artist, you get a good impression of Belgian Art Nouveau and Belgian Comic Books for a low budget.
Horta Brasserie
20 Rue des SablesThe Horta Brasserie is designed by Art Nouveau architect Victor Horta (who has his own museum elsewhere in Brussels). The brasserie shares this building with the Comic Book Museum. The museum itself we don't find convincing but you can access the Brasserie Horta without paying entrance to the museum. And if you combine this with the free museum across the street dedicated to a Marc Sleen, comic book artist, you get a good impression of Belgian Art Nouveau and Belgian Comic Books for a low budget.
Located in the historic center in a street filled with restaurants this is a good place to look for a meal . Allthough not the cheapest this is the right place for good food in an authentic setting.
26 locals recommend
Aux Armes de Bruxelles
13 Rue des BouchersLocated in the historic center in a street filled with restaurants this is a good place to look for a meal . Allthough not the cheapest this is the right place for good food in an authentic setting.
When you are near Bockstael there is plenty of take-aways, pita and other streetfood style places to eat. But for just a little more budget you can go to a more sophisticated restaurant that's just down the street.
La Brasserie de l'Expo
188 Av. Houba de StrooperWhen you are near Bockstael there is plenty of take-aways, pita and other streetfood style places to eat. But for just a little more budget you can go to a more sophisticated restaurant that's just down the street.
Stylish restaurant , located in an area that's considered the center of the night-life with interesting cafés to go to after diner (cafés like De Monk).
42 locals recommend
Le Selecto
95 Rue de FlandreStylish restaurant , located in an area that's considered the center of the night-life with interesting cafés to go to after diner (cafés like De Monk).
Restaurant in an exceptionally beautiful setting. An art nouveau house in the style of some museums. Affordable and easily accessible by tram 93.
9 locals recommend
De Ultieme Hallucinatie
316 Rue RoyaleRestaurant in an exceptionally beautiful setting. An art nouveau house in the style of some museums. Affordable and easily accessible by tram 93.
Absolutely magnificent, even if you don't eat there, you can enjoy a drink outside mealtimes.
25 locals recommend
La Porteuse d'Eau
48 Av. Jean VoldersAbsolutely magnificent, even if you don't eat there, you can enjoy a drink outside mealtimes.
Arts & Culture
A museum doesn't need to be big to be fascinating. Here you will find renaissance art as well as a philosophical garden. A must see if you love history. (it's included in the museumpas)
7 locals recommend
Erasmus House
31 Rue de FormanoirA museum doesn't need to be big to be fascinating. Here you will find renaissance art as well as a philosophical garden. A must see if you love history. (it's included in the museumpas)
This museum covers 7 centuries of art history. The collection of paintings is enormous and hosts artists like Rubens, Bruegel, Bosch, Van Dyck, Rembrandt, Jordaens, Van Gogh, Magritte,...(free of charge every first wednesday of the month between 13 and 17pm)
Fine Arts Museum - Museumplein entrance
5 Rue du MuséeThis museum covers 7 centuries of art history. The collection of paintings is enormous and hosts artists like Rubens, Bruegel, Bosch, Van Dyck, Rembrandt, Jordaens, Van Gogh, Magritte,...(free of charge every first wednesday of the month between 13 and 17pm)
Better known as the Art and History Museum. It has one of the biggest and most diverse collections anywhere really. Because it's so diverse (Roman period, Egyptian, south-american cultures, etc...) everybody will find there interest there.
(it's included in the museumpas)
Art & History Museum
10 Parc du CinquantenaireBetter known as the Art and History Museum. It has one of the biggest and most diverse collections anywhere really. Because it's so diverse (Roman period, Egyptian, south-american cultures, etc...) everybody will find there interest there.
(it's included in the museumpas)
Inside the European quarter this small and free museum, dedicated to a painter that produced megalomanic works. There are more works then visitors. If you are in the neighbourhood it's definitely worth a visit.
24 locals recommend
Musee Wiertz
62 Rue VautierInside the European quarter this small and free museum, dedicated to a painter that produced megalomanic works. There are more works then visitors. If you are in the neighbourhood it's definitely worth a visit.
This small museum offers a unique mixture of architecture (art deco) , art (Permeke, The Fall of Icarus,...) and a stunning garden. (it's included in the museumpas)
39 locals recommend
Van Buuren Museum
41 Av. Léo ErreraThis small museum offers a unique mixture of architecture (art deco) , art (Permeke, The Fall of Icarus,...) and a stunning garden. (it's included in the museumpas)
Small but charming museum dedicated to the work and life of René Magritte. A good 25 minutes walk from our place. There is another -bigger- museum dedicated to Magritte as well, but this is so well know I preferred to highlight this smaller hidden gem.
20 locals recommend
Musée René Magritte Museum
135 Rue EsseghemSmall but charming museum dedicated to the work and life of René Magritte. A good 25 minutes walk from our place. There is another -bigger- museum dedicated to Magritte as well, but this is so well know I preferred to highlight this smaller hidden gem.
Sightseeing
Atomium
1 Pl. de l'AtomiumA must see for any tourist. Worthwhile even without going up / in.
Mini-Europe
1 Av. du FootballTour of Europe in miniature buildings, excellent for all ages.
This Unesco world heritage site is a must see for any tourist. At the Grand-Place you will also find the City Museum, which hosts an unusual array of arts (painting, sculptures offcourse but also medieval woodwork, bronze statues and the original Manneke Pis). (Every first sunday of the month, this museum is free of charge).
204 locals recommend
Grand Place
Grote MarktThis Unesco world heritage site is a must see for any tourist. At the Grand-Place you will also find the City Museum, which hosts an unusual array of arts (painting, sculptures offcourse but also medieval woodwork, bronze statues and the original Manneke Pis). (Every first sunday of the month, this museum is free of charge).
public transport
Subway, metro
Takes you north (direction Baudouin) to the Atomium in 5 minutes (get off at Heysel) (other sites here are music hall Palace 12, Brussels Expo, museum ADAM, mini-Europe, Kinepolis, ...)
Direction south takes you direction gare de midi, Erasmus house, etc... please check a map for other connections
Gare de Bockstael station
Subway, metro
Takes you north (direction Baudouin) to the Atomium in 5 minutes (get off at Heysel) (other sites here are music hall Palace 12, Brussels Expo, museum ADAM, mini-Europe, Kinepolis, ...)
Direction south takes you direction gare de midi, Erasmus house, etc... please check a map for other connections
Tramstation :
From our house it's a 10' walk , but once there tramline 3 above ground takes you to the Grand Place in just 10 minutes (take direction Churchill and get out at De Brouckère or Bourse/Beurs both are ok)
Jules De Trooz
Tramstation :
From our house it's a 10' walk , but once there tramline 3 above ground takes you to the Grand Place in just 10 minutes (take direction Churchill and get out at De Brouckère or Bourse/Beurs both are ok)
Closest tram to our house (it's 5 minute walk) , it has a good connection to Flixbus (Brussels north) , so this is a good stop for when you have heavy bags to carry or just don't want to walk too much ;-)
Prinses Clementinastraat
Rue Princesse ClémentineClosest tram to our house (it's 5 minute walk) , it has a good connection to Flixbus (Brussels north) , so this is a good stop for when you have heavy bags to carry or just don't want to walk too much ;-)
Shopping
ALDI Laken
132 Rue Emile Delvasupermarket at 5 minutes
City advice
Ways to save
museumpass or Brussels Card
For only 59€ you can buy a museumpass which gives acces to a very large range of museums for one year in all of Belgium . In Brussels : Broodhuis on the Grote Markt / Grand place , KBR Museum, the Erasmus House, Van Buuren museum, Arts & History museum, Autoworld, Villa Empain, etc...etc... The also offer 50% discount on 5 train rides , e.g. to Brugge, Gent, Antwerpen,.... There you can visit free museums that are includes as well . Read more on museumpassmusees. If you only plan to visit Belgium for less then 3 nights the Brussels card for 30€ is an option too.
Ways to save
free museums - 1st sunday of the month
On visit Brussels you can look up which ones (we advise Broodhuis, garderobe Manneke Pis, Erasmushuis, ....)
Ways to save
free museums - first wednesday of the month in the afternoon
Old Masters (Bruegel), Magritte,...for free ! More information on Visit Brussels