Brussels is the capital of Belgium, but it is also the administrative seat of the European Union. Brussels is in the heart of Europe and also of Belgium, between the provinces of Flanders and Wallonia. It is a bilingual city in French and Dutch. As a curiosity, it is worth mentioning that it belonged to Spain between 1477 and 1713.
Brussels has history, culture and numerous attractions to visit in the city. Brussels is a city of about 175,000 inhabitants, so you can walk to most tourist sites. Here are some of its main attractions.
Let’s get started!
The Grand Place
The famous Grand Place is the heart of the city and one of the most beautiful squares in the world! This square is considered a World Heritage Site since 1998. The Grand Place. It is an icon, the geographical, commercial and historical center of Brussels. There are incredible buildings that today house from institutions to cafes, and of course stores where you can buy souvenirs and typical products such as chocolate and traditional lace and embroidery of Flanders. In this square are concentrated daily and at all times of the year flower stalls, locals who pass in a hurry and, of course, travelers contemplating the beautiful buildings that surround it. You’ll see how wonderful!
Although everything from battles to executions have taken place in the Grand Place, today something much more joyful is celebrated there. In August of even-numbered years, the Flower Carpet is held. At this time, the square is covered with beautiful flowers that form colorful images on a particular theme. It is advisable to visit it both during the day and at night, you will see how beautifully it is illuminated! Don’t miss it at Christmas time either. Light and sound shows are held there that are a real blast. The most important buildings to see in the Grand Place are:
- Brussels City Hall
Of all the buildings that make up the square, the town hall is the oldest. Inaugurated in the early 15th century (although renovated in the late 18th century after the Palatinate War), the impressive town hall is the star of the square.
It survived a French attack in 1695 and the rest of the buildings had to be rebuilt. But it did not take long to restore its prestige. In 5 years the architectural ensemble was completed.
For its part, the town hall was built in 1459 in two phases, directed by two different architects, so it is not symmetrical. Its intricate facade is a fine example of Brabantine Gothic architecture. Its tower, more than 90 meters high, is crowned by a bronze statue of St. Michael the Archangel (patron saint of the city) that serves as a weather vane.
- King’s House
Just opposite the town hall is a neo-Gothic building with an incredible facade called Maison du Roi or The King’s House. The king referred to is Charles I of Spain and V of Germany. This building was built in 1536 and was, for many years, the residence of the monarchs. Today, this building houses the Museum of the City of Brussels where objects on the history of the capital are exhibited, as well as the different outfits of the Manneken Pis. Undoubtedly, one of the most curious places to see in Brussels!
- House of the King of Spain
The number 1 of the Grand Place (on one of the corners of the square) corresponds to this baroque building. Its facade is dominated by the sculpture of a triumphant Charles II, the bust of the patron saint of bakers (guild to which he belonged) and its small lantern tower in shades of green. - Houses of the Guilds
The buildings to the right of the town hall are guild buildings, that is, they belonged to a guild of workers. You can distinguish each of the guilds by looking at the decoration of the facade.
In addition to the bakers’ guild, on the Grand Place there are more houses of different guilds, especially on the side next to the King’s House. In one of them, even Victor Hugo lived for a while.
Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries
The Galeries Saint-Hubert were the first shopping arcades in Europe. They were built in 1847 and are covered by a beautiful glass dome, perfect to let the light through but not the rain.
And what do we find in these galleries? Well, all kinds of stores, jewelry stores, a small theater and a cinema, exclusive chocolate shops and stylish and glamorous cafes.
The galleries are about 200 meters long and connect the historical part of Brussels with a more modern area. There are three entrances to the galleries: Rue du Marché aux Herbes, Rue des Bouchers or Rue de l’Ecuyer.
The Manneken Pis and its collection of costumes
Although its real origin is unknown and a lot of legends surround it, the Manneken Pis is an icon in Brussels and is the most social citizen of the city because it is always surrounded by people. This statue of 50 centimeters was created in 1388 and represents what you see in the picture, a boy urinating in a fountain.
The original was stolen and the one that exists today is a replica that was placed in the same place in 1619. In 1698, a governor gave the statue a piece of clothing. It has become a tradition to the point that it has more than 1,000 costumes and there is a person who is dedicated solely to change the Manneken Pis dress. If it is the national day of a country, for example, he is dressed in the traditional costume of that country.
Janneke Pis and Zinneke Pis
And since there is the ‘peeing boy’, they had to create the girl and the dog as well. The girl was created in 1987 at the request of a restaurant owner. We see her squatting and peeing behind some bars. She is right in front of the entrance of the Delirium Tremens, the most famous brewery in Brussels.
The Zinneke Pis follows the same line, but it is a dog lifting its paw to urinate in the street.
Delirium Tremens Café
The Delirium Tremens Café is known for having more than 2,000 different brands of beer. Today it is also possible to find this brewery in other parts of the world such as Tokyo, Lisbon or Kuala Lumpur, as they have expanded the business.
Mont des Arts
The Mont des Arts or Mont des Arts is so named because around it are the most important museums of the city, such as the Magritte Museum or the Museum of Musical Instruments, which occupies part of the Old England building.
In addition to being a meeting point for art lovers, the Mount has incredible views of the old town of Brussels. Strolling here, especially at sunset, is one of the best things to do in Brussels.
The Mont des Arts is also home to the Royal Library of Belgium. On the top floor there is a cafe with good prices and excellent views of the city.
Museum of instruments – Old England
In the Old England building is the museum of musical instruments. It is a museum dedicated to instruments of all kinds, from all countries and from all eras and the truth is that it is very interesting to see.
The Royal Palace and the Park of Brussels
The palace is the workplace of the Belgian King, but not his residence. It was built in the early nineteenth century and, as usual in such buildings, has undergone renovations and extensions. The Royal Palace opens its doors during the summer, approximately from July 21, which is the day of the country, until early September, coinciding with the return of the monarch to work. At that time you can take guided tours inside the palace.
Just in front is the Brussels Park, which would be like the Central Park of the city, although it is obviously not as big. During medieval times, this space was used as a hunting ground. Today it is a green area with fountains, sculptures and walks where it is common to see people running, having picnics with friends or taking a walk with the family.
Cincuentenario Park
The Cincuentenario Park is another public park located in the European neighborhood. In addition to the park there are a number of buildings that were built for the National Exposition of 1880. One of the most outstanding buildings is the triumphal arch, which was built in 1905.
European Parliament
The European Parliament is located in Brussels and can be visited individually or guided tours to see some areas open to the public.
Visit the Atomium, one of the best things to do in Brussels.
Another of the things to do in Brussels is to visit the Atomium, a structure that represents an iron crystal magnified 165,000,000 times. It is 102 meters high and the structure is composed of 9 steel spheres of 18 meters in diameter each. So do not be surprised if, when you see it for the first time, you really hallucinate with its size. Just as the Manneken Pis is surprisingly small, the opposite is true for the Atomium.
The Atomium was built in Heizel Park in 1958 and has become a symbol of the city. Of the 9 spheres, only 6 are open to the public. The other three are closed for security reasons. Each sphere is reserved for a specific activity and are connected to each other by tunnels and escalators. Inside the spheres you will find permanent and traveling exhibitions and a restaurant with an observation deck.
St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral
The Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula is one of the most important and emblematic buildings in Brussels. Construction began in the thirteenth century on an earlier building of the eleventh century. It was originally known as the church of St. Michael, but in 1047 they deposited inside the remains of St. Gudula and there adopted the name of both.
Sablon Quarter and the Place du Petit Sablon
One of the lesser known things to do in Brussels is to stroll through the Sablon district. It is an architecturally beautiful area, full of bars and restaurants and with an antique market every weekend.
The Place du Petit Sablon is one of the must-see places in this neighborhood. Belgium had achieved independence a few years ago and decided to create a public space that reflected Belgian nationalism and pride in the country. Thus, this square was created, which has 48 bronze statues representing the old medieval guilds. Probably, what stands out most is the monument dedicated to the Counts of Egmont and Homes, who were executed in the Grand Place for leading a revolt against Spain in the sixteenth century and became a symbol of Flemish resistance. From this square you also have an excellent view of the Church of Our Lady of Sablon.
Viewpoint of the Palace of Justice
The Palace of Justice in Brussels is larger than St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. Its total surface area is 26 000m². Next to the palace there is a viewpoint from which you can see the whole city.
Visit Bruges and Ghent
And if you have time, Antwerp, Leuven, etc.. Belgium is much more than Brussels, the good thing is that it is a country perfectly connected by public transport and you can visit neighboring cities quickly.
Overall, Brussels is a beautiful city to discover.
European Travel Commission
ETC activities are implemented by the Executive Unit based in Brussels under the guidance of the Board of Directors, and with the support of a number of expert groups: the Market Intelligence Group, the Marketing Group and the Overseas Chapters.
Established in 1948, the European Travel Commission is a unique association in the travel sector, representing the National Tourism Organizations of the countries of Europe. Its mission is to strengthen the sustainable development of Europe as a tourist destination.
In the last several decades, ETC has positioned itself at the forefront of the European tourism scene, establishing its expertise and building up partnerships in areas of tourism, based on promotion, market intelligence and best practice sharing.
ETC currently focuses its activities in the following areas:
- Research
The European Travel Commission considers research a critical tool to develop marketing strategies and services. ETC research activities are meant to deliver its members the intelligence support necessary to keep a competitive edge in the global tourism market. By identifying and analysing tourism market trends and producing knowledge on relevant and fastest growing outbound markets, ETC research activities help the organisation and its members understand the business environment, detect new growth opportunities and formulate suitable promotional strategies. ETC adopts a holistic approach to research, which is reflected in its large portfolio of publications, which includes easily accessible visual content, and in the research partnerships that ETC is committed to grow and which at present include:
The ETC research programme is devised and implemented by the ETC Research & Development department of the Executive Unit and research expert groups (the Market Intelligence Group and the Market Intelligence Committee) following the principles of The Malta Declaration on the Role of Market Intelligence in the development of European tourism adopted by ETC members at their General Meeting and 2nd Executive Summit & Symposium on Market Intelligence, held in Malta on 3/4 October 2006.
- Marketing
The European Travel Commission is responsible for the promotion of Europe as the worldwide number one tourist destination in key third visitor markets.
The European Travel Commission carries out its marketing activities with the following objectives:
- Establishing ETC as the leading organisation responsible for marketing Europe as a whole to overseas markets
- Increasing Europe’s market share of global tourism
- Providing an attractive and useful range of services to its members that enhances their individual and collective competitiveness
- Raising the profile of ETC within the tourism industry in Europe
In order to optimize Europe’s market positioning, ETC has developed the “Destination Europe” brand as part of its marketing strategy. By defining the continent’s unique selling points and brand identity, the “Destination Europe” brand is intended to create an effective umbrella for all ETC members to unite, benefit from economies of scale and build trust among tourists and the travel trade, whilst still conveying their countries’ distinctive and individual characteristics.
The ETC marketing programme is formulated by the Marketing Group (MKG), it is devised and implemented jointly by the ETC Marketing and Communication department of the Executive Unit and by four Overseas Operations Groups (OGs) whose members are comprised of NTO personnel located in key source markets.
- Advocacy
Advocacy has always been part of ETC’s mission. Through its activities, ETC contributes to raising awareness and understanding among national European authorities and the general public of the importance of tourism and the need to ensure its development through appropriate collective measures.
ETC explores and develops advocacy activities and a broader cooperation with the travel industry by building alliances to remove disadvantages and to create advantages for tourism in Europe. ETC is committed to the establishment of a public and private forum for collaboration and information exchange with the European Travel Industry.
Currently, ETC’s advocacy work addresses the following topics:
- Sustainability (environmental, economic and sociocultural)
- Visas
- (Inter) connectivity
- European Tourism Manifesto for Growth and Jobs
ETC has the long-term aspiration of setting up a new unique forum in which public and private tourism stakeholders can cooperate to create benefits and eliminate disadvantages for the travel industry in Europe. For this purpose, the organisation extends its membership to private organisations and academia, through the Associate Membership Programme.
Some moments to remember:
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