Things to Do in Brussels: Itineraries, Costs and Food

Pedestrianized since 1990, gilded guild houses on all sides, floodlit after dark. Go once in daylight and once at night, it reads differently each time.

Smaller than photos suggest and most visitors are briefly underwhelmed. The statue is dressed in one of roughly 1,000 costumes on a published schedule several times a week, worth timing if you can.

Built for the 1958 World's Fair, an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. The panorama sphere is the payoff; the temporary exhibitions in the lower spheres are hit or miss.

The largest Magritte collection anywhere, arranged roughly chronologically over three floors. Go slow on the top floor, the early commercial work most visitors skip is worth the extra ten minutes.

Bruegel, Rubens, and a serious Flemish Primitives collection in the same building complex as the Magritte Museum. Free entry to all Royal Museums sites from 13:00 on the first Wednesday of each month.

Housed in a 1906 Victor Horta building, the Art Nouveau architecture is worth the visit on its own before you get to the Tintin and Belgian comics history inside.

An annual citywide contemporary art event running September 10-13, 2026, opening more than 80 galleries, museums and private collections to visitors over four days. A real, dense way to see Brussels' art scene in one go. It's a specific four-day window each year, not something you can just walk into any time.

An immersive exhibition of oversized bubble installations, pastel light rooms and interactive VR elements aimed at a family and Instagram audience. Fine for kids and for photos, thin on substance for adults. Priced like a major museum for what is a 45-60 minute pop-up format.

The upscale Sablon district's antique dealers and chocolatiers sit a short walk from the Marolles, whose Place du Jeu de Balle hosts a daily flea market, busiest on Sunday mornings. The Sunday market is the real draw, genuinely local rather than tourist-facing. Go early, both for the good finds and before it gets packed.

A large park anchored by a monumental triumphal arcade, home to Belgium's military history, car and Art & History museums, with an observation platform at the top of the arch. The platform view over the EU quarter and the park is free and underrated. The museums inside are dated but the building itself is worth the visit.

A self-guided walking route through central Brussels tracing large-scale murals of Tintin, Lucky Luke and other Belgian comic characters painted on building facades. Free and a good excuse to walk streets you'd otherwise skip. A few murals have faded or been obscured by scaffolding, don't expect a polished museum experience.

Mussels steamed in white wine, cream or beer, served in the pot with a side of fries. A full pot is a real meal; order it with a Belgian white to drink.

Double-fried potato, first at a lower temperature to cook through, then hot to crisp. Order andalouse or samurai sauce rather than defaulting to ketchup.

Praline-style filled chocolates are the local specialty, distinct from the plain chocolate bars sold as souvenirs. Buy from a working chocolatier rather than an airport-style shop.

Lighter, crispier and more rectangular than the Liege style, usually served plain or with a simple dusting of sugar rather than piled with toppings.

Strong, complex beers brewed by or in the tradition of Trappist monasteries, each served in its own branded glass. Ask the bar which glass matches which beer if unsure.

A large Congolese community gives Brussels a genuine West and Central African food scene, poulet moambe and fufu among the dishes worth seeking out.

Mashed potato blended with vegetables, usually served alongside sausage, an everyday Belgian comfort dish that rarely makes it onto the tourist-facing menus around the Grand Place.

A frites stand just off the Grand Place with roughly 45 sauces, twice-fried potatoes, and long-running fame that predates social media by decades. Still delivers, still crowded. Long waits are real but portions are generous enough to make up for it.

A hand-pulled noodle spot in central Brussels from the team behind Because Good, where lamian dough is stretched and slapped in an open kitchen before going into broth bowls. Reviews through mid-2026 are consistently good on noodle quality and value, around 14 to 20 euros a bowl. No reservations, so expect to queue at peak times.

Chef Karen Torosyan runs the two-star restaurant inside the Bozar arts center and was named Gault&Millau Belux Chef of the Year for 2026. It's fine dining, not street food, but it's the best-corroborated food story out of Brussels.

A sharing-style food hall with rotating vendor stalls and communal tables. Opened a second, bigger location in Elsene in February 2026, billed as the largest food market in Belgium. Good for a group with different cravings. It's a scene as much as a meal. Expect crowds and noise on weekends, not a quiet dinner.

A Schaerbeek pizzeria whose pizzaiolo was named best in Europe at the 2025 European Pizza Show, part of a wider run of Brussels pizzerias landing on European rankings. Reservations have exploded since the award. Book ahead or expect a wait. If you like Neapolitan-style pizza with Belgian ingredients, it earns the hype.

A Franco-Belgian brasserie that replaced the Hard Rock Cafe on the Grand-Place in June 2026, serving mussels and bistro classics from late morning to late night. The address alone usually means tourist pricing, but reviewers flag a 1.3kg mussel pot under 20 euros. Worth checking if you want a central meal without the usual markup.