Brussels City Guide

Discover Brussels at your own pace with our self-guided tour app, immersing yourself in the city's rich history and vibrant culture.

This comprehensive self-guided tour will take you through the highlights of Brussels, allowing you to explore the city's rich history, stunning architecture, vibrant culture, and culinary delights at your own pace. 

The tour begins in the heart of the city at the magnificent Grand Place, a UNESCO World Heritage site surrounded by opulent guildhalls and the iconic Town Hall. From there, you'll visit nearby attractions like the cheeky Manneken Pis statue and the elegant Royal Galleries.

You'll explore the city's medieval roots at the Mont des Arts and Royal Palace, before diving into Brussels' Art Nouveau heritage at the Musical Instruments Museum. The tour takes you to major landmarks like the imposing Palace of Justice and the futuristic Atomium.

Along the way, you'll discover hidden gems like the Comic Book Route with its colorful murals, and the charming Sablon district known for antiques and chocolatiers. You'll get to experience Brussels' cafe culture at historic establishments and sample local specialties like Belgian waffles and frites.

The tour covers Brussels' top museums, including the Magritte Museum showcasing the famed surrealist painter, and the thought-provoking House of European History. You'll also visit the European Quarter to learn about the EU institutions headquartered in Brussels.

Nature lovers will enjoy stops at the serene Cinquantenaire Park and the lush Royal Greenhouses of Laeken when in season. The tour concludes with an overview of easy day trip options to nearby cities like Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp.

Throughout the tour, you'll gain insights into Brussels' history, architecture, art, and culture through informative commentary. The flexible itinerary allows you to customize the tour to your interests while hitting all the major highlights of this captivating European capital.

HOW TO REACH

Here are the key ways to reach Brussels by public transport:

1. By train:
- Brussels has several main train stations, including Brussels-Midi/Zuid, Brussels-Central, and Brussels-Nord.
- There are direct high-speed train connections to Brussels from cities like Paris, London, Amsterdam, Cologne, and Frankfurt.
- The Belgian national railway SNCB/NMBS operates frequent domestic train services to Brussels from other Belgian cities.

2. From Brussels Airport:
- There is a direct train connection from Brussels Airport (Zaventem) to the city center. Trains run every 10-20 minutes.
- The journey takes about 20 minutes to Brussels Central station.

3. By bus:
- International bus companies like Flixbus and Eurolines operate routes to Brussels from many European cities.
- The main bus terminal is Brussels North station.

4. Within Brussels:
- The city has an extensive public transport network of metro, trams and buses operated by STIB/MIVB.
- Single tickets or multi-day passes can be purchased for use on all public transport modes.

5. Bike sharing:
- Villo! is the city's bike sharing system with stations throughout Brussels.

The most convenient options for visitors are usually taking the train from the airport or arriving by high-speed rail at one of the main stations. From there, the metro and trams provide easy access around the city center.