Brussels Brabant
3
Day Itinerary •
Belgium
Three days in Brussels and Brabant delivers the most extraordinary capital experience in northern Europe, where the remarkable Grand Place, the finest medieval market square on the continent, sits alongside the extraordinary Magritte and Flemish Masters collections, the finest Art Nouveau architecture in the world at the Victor Horta Museum, and the remarkable Belgian beer culture that produces more styles per square kilometre than any country on earth. This focused route covers the essential Brussels and Brabant experience. The extraordinary Grand Place and Galeries Saint-Hubert, the remarkable Royal Museums of Fine Arts and Magritte collection, the fine Atomium, the extraordinary Art Nouveau Brussels walking tour with the Victor Horta Museum, the remarkable Mechelen day trip, the extraordinary Waterloo battlefield and the finest Belgian beer in the remarkable lambic bars of the capital.
Best Time To Visit
April to October, Christmas market in December extraordinary
Getting There
Eurostar from London 2 hours, train connections throughout Europe
Getting Around
Metro, tram and walking within Brussels, train for excursions
Budget Per Day
Approx 80 to 180 EUR per person per day
Difficulity
Easy, flat city walking
DAY 1
GRAND PLACE
MORNING
GRAND PLACE AND HISTORIC CENTRE
The most extraordinary medieval market square in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the remarkable 15th-century Gothic Town Hall and the extraordinary gilded guild houses that entirely surround the Grand Place create the finest architectural ensemble in northern Europe. Victor Hugo called it the finest theatre in the world. The extraordinary gold and black facade details of the guild houses are most remarkable in morning light. The fine Manneken Pis statue 200 metres away is the most famous bronze in Belgium. 10 min walk
MIDDAY
GALERIES ROYALES SAINT-HUBERT AND BELGIAN CHOCOLATE
The extraordinary Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, the first covered shopping arcade in Europe built in 1847 and the finest example of glass and iron arcade architecture in Belgium. The remarkable Galeries house the finest Belgian chocolate shops including the outstanding Neuhaus, the fine Galler and the remarkable Leonidas. The extraordinary praline, invented at Neuhaus in 1912, is the finest Belgian culinary invention. The remarkable arcade architecture is extraordinary at any time of day. 15 min walk
AFTERNOON
ROYAL MUSEUMS OF FINE ARTS AND MAGRITTE MUSEUM
The extraordinary Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium housing the finest collection of Flemish and Belgian art in the world, including the remarkable Bruegel the Elder collection, the extraordinary Rubens and the fine Anthony van Dyck. The outstanding Magritte Museum in the same complex contains the world's largest collection of works by the extraordinary Belgian Surrealist with 200 remarkable paintings and drawings. Entry approx 15 EUR.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Place du Jeu de Balle in the Marolles quarter, Brussels' oldest daily flea market in continuous operation since 1873, is the finest and most overlooked market in Belgium, a remarkable sprawl of extraordinary antiques, fine Art Nouveau objects and the remarkable detritus of Brussels history spreading across the fine cobbled square every morning from 6am. The extraordinary finds and the remarkable Marolles atmosphere are unlike any market in Europe.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe du Vaudeville, Grand Place Outstanding breakfast in the extraordinary Galeries Saint-Hubert. Fine Belgian pastry and remarkable coffee. | Lunch: Le Marche des Grands Carmes Outstanding covered market lunch. Fine Belgian cheese, remarkable charcuterie and extraordinary bread. | Dinner: Chez Leon, Brussels The most famous moules-frites restaurant in Brussels since 1893. Extraordinary Belgian mussels and fries.
DAY 2
MODERN BRUSSELS
MORNING
ATOMIUM AND LAEKEN
The extraordinary Atomium, Belgium's most recognisable structure, built for the 1958 World Exposition as a remarkable 102-metre model of an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. The fine interior with its extraordinary panoramic restaurant and the remarkable tube walkways between the spheres give the finest elevated view over Brussels. The remarkable Laeken Royal Greenhouses nearby, open for two weeks in April and May, are the finest royal gardens in Europe. Atomium entry approx 16 EUR. 20 min metro
MIDDAY
EUROPEAN QUARTER AND PARC DU CINQUANTENAIRE
The extraordinary Parc du Cinquantenaire, Brussels' finest formal park, with the remarkable Triumphal Arch built for the 1880 national exhibition and the fine Royal Museums of Art and History housing the most extraordinary collection of antiquities in Belgium. The remarkable Art Deco Cinquantenaire Museum building is the finest large-scale building in Brussels. 20 min walk
AFTERNOON
IXELLES AND ART NOUVEAU BRUSSELS WALKING TOUR
The extraordinary Art Nouveau architectural heritage of Brussels, the finest concentration of Art Nouveau buildings in the world, with the remarkable Victor Horta Museum in the extraordinary Horta house from 1898, the finest example of Art Nouveau domestic architecture on earth. The remarkable Hotel Tassel from 1893, the outstanding Hotel Solvay and the fine Hotel van Eetvelde are the finest Art Nouveau sequence in Europe. Horta Museum entry approx 12 EUR.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Comic Strip Museum housed in the remarkable Art Nouveau Waucquez warehouse by Victor Horta, a fine 1906 building with an extraordinary central hall of glass and iron, is the finest museum of Belgian comic art, home to the remarkable Tintin, Asterix and Lucky Luke collections. Belgium produces more comic books per capita than any country on earth. Entry approx 12 EUR.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Hotel breakfast Good breakfast before the Atomium. Metro from the centre takes 20 minutes. | Lunch: Brasserie La Clef d'Or, Laeken Outstanding traditional Belgian brasserie near the Atomium. Extraordinary stoofvlees beef stew. | Dinner: Restaurant Sea Grill, Brussels Outstanding fine dining. Extraordinary Belgian seafood. One of the finest restaurants in Brussels.
DAY 3
BRABANT
MORNING
MECHELEN DAY TRIP FROM BRUSSELS
The extraordinary Mechelen, the finest small city in Belgium and entirely overlooked by visitors between Brussels and Antwerp, where the remarkable St Rumbold's Cathedral has the finest tower in Belgium and the extraordinary carillon school trains the finest bell-ringers in the world. The remarkable Grote Markt is the finest medieval square between Brussels and Ghent. The outstanding Royal Tapestry Manufactures produce the finest hand-woven tapestries in Europe. 25 min train back
MIDDAY
WATERLOO BATTLEFIELD
The extraordinary Waterloo battlefield 18km south of Brussels where the remarkable final defeat of Napoleon on 18 June 1815 ended the Napoleonic Wars. The fine Lion's Mound butte raised in 1820 gives the finest elevated view of the remarkable battlefield. The outstanding Waterloo 1815 Last Headquarters Museum in Napoleon's final command post and the remarkable Waterloo Memorial 1815 Visitor Centre tell the extraordinary story. Entry approx 18 EUR. 30 min drive
AFTERNOON
BRUSSELS BEER TOUR AND EVENING
The extraordinary Brussels craft beer scene, the finest in the world per capita, where the remarkable Delirium Tremens bar with its extraordinary 3,000 beer menu, the fine A la Morte Subite lambic brewery bar and the remarkable Cantillon Brewery tour give the finest Belgian beer experience in the capital. The extraordinary lambic and gueuze sour beers produced in Brussels are unlike any beer style in the world.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Tervuren and the Royal Museum for Central Africa 15km east of Brussels, housed in a remarkable 1910 Colonial palace in extraordinary parkland, contains the finest collection of Central African art and natural history in the world, with remarkable collections from the Belgian Congo period recontextualised with extraordinary frankness. The fine Tervuren park and the remarkable tree-lined royal avenue from Brussels are extraordinary.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Hotel breakfast before Mechelen Good breakfast before the Mechelen train. | Lunch: Het Anker Brewery, Mechelen Outstanding traditional Belgian lunch at the remarkable Mechelen brewery restaurant. Fine Gouden Carolus. | Dinner: Restobaires, Brussels Outstanding modern Belgian restaurant. Extraordinary seasonal Belgian cuisine and remarkable natural wine.
DAY 4
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
DAY 5
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Where To Stay
Brussels Centre Hotel Amigo or Hotel des Galeries. Near Grand Place. Approx 150 to 350 EUR per night. Ixelles Area Hotel Manos or Stanhope Hotel. Quieter upmarket area. Approx 120 to 250 EUR per night. Budget Meininger Hotel or Sleep Well Hostel. Approx 30 to 80 EUR per night.
Top Tips
1. Visit the Grand Place at sunrise. The extraordinary gilded facades in morning light are the finest sight in Brussels.
2. Book the Victor Horta Museum online. Entry is timed and limited to protect the extraordinary interior.
3. Cantillon Brewery lambic tour is by appointment. Book the week ahead for this extraordinary experience.
4. The Magritte Museum closes Monday. Plan accordingly for the extraordinary collection.
5. Mechelen is 25 minutes from Brussels by train. The extraordinary St Rumbold's tower is unmissable.
6. Belgian frites are extraordinary. Only Maison Antoine in the Cinquantenaire or Friterie de la Chapelle.
Total Budget
73 to 480 EUR/day