I visited Brussels in march and to be honest it’s great time to go on a weekend trip, especially if your goal is to really get to know the city. Why this direction? Well, first of all I was lucky enough to found cheap ticket flights (like 4-26 zlotych, one way, duh!), and second of all, I figured it’s time to explore north of Europe, somehow I always choose southern directions, like Italy and so on.

Flights | Airport | Airport Shuffle

So, let’s talk about basic informations. As I mentioned before flight tickets costs me nearly nothing, and because it was a weekend getaway I managed to pack myself in hand luggage (no more luggage cost necessary). I landed in Zaventem Airport and to be honest, I can’t say that it is well prepared for tourist, it took me a while to figure out a way to the center (there were 2 options: bus or a train, but in my opinion buses were quicker choice). I prefer airports when you can directly go to the city center by airport shuffle, like Terravision for instance, but at the end, when it comes to Zaventhem, tickets weren’t expensive and it took like 20 minutes to go to the center (bus stops just in front of European Commission building).

Sightseeing

The best part – sightseeing! If I could describe Brussels in few words it would be: the city of flea markets, art nouveaux and avant-garde fashion. When it comes to three day trip I can recommend you 3 ways to visit the city. When you plan your weekend like I did theres no way that you miss something worth watching!

Belgian chocolate, Grand Market and museums. When starting first day, it is good to go by subway to the Atomium – the part of the city which in 1958 held World Exposition. The most important building there is Atomium, which is a huge molecule installation. Then we are heading back to the center.

In the center the best is to walk on foot. Luckily, nearly all worth seeing places are located along the road connecting Grand Place and Mont des Art Kunstberg ( The Art Hill), which is one of the highest hills in Brussels – yes, this is the place with the best city view! I suggest to start your walk from Mont des Art Kunstberg, not Grand Place, because most of the museums located there are closed by 5 pm. If you are not a total art freak (I don’t blame you, only art historians are insane enough to visit all these museums in one day) then I would recommend you to pick Renee Magritte Museum or Royal Collection Museum, depends on your interests, contemporary vs old masters? Your choice, to be honest I would choose Magritte’s because, this great surrealist painter was born in Brussels and the collection that they have here is really stunning, the only better place to find his works of art is New York, so …. 🙂

When all the museum madness comes to an end, it is worth watching the Instrument Museum building, which for me is one of the best art nouveax examples in Brussels. Don’t forget also to stop along the way to take some amazing photos and eat belgian fries. The next stop is Grand Place with stunning, gothic City Hall building and lots of belgian chocolate shops.

Near the Grand Place are located cosy, little restaurants and more tourist attractions, for example „Manneken Pis” – the figure of a peeing boy (nothing special, really), but most importantly there are worth seeing murals.

The whole first day route closes Rue Antoine Dansaert, the street with designers boutiques like Ann Demeulmeester, which are worth seeing just to look at the great decor and clothes itself.

Second Day Route! Grand Sablon and Petit Sablon are yours destinations. This will be totally different Brussels that you’re about to see, and you will definitely fall in love with this districts if you like fancy and elegant places.

First of all the flea market. There are a lot of places like this in Brussels but the one that is located in Saint Gilles is the biggest one. Take your time and walk a little bit and who knows maybe you find something unique!

When it comes to food I can definitely recommend you going to Grand Sablon to Pistolet, a restaurant that serve tasty hamburgers, and for dessert macarons from French pasticceria „Laduree” which is near. And of course COFFEE!

Last day! For the last lazy day I recommend you going to Ixelles district, more quiet and housing place, where you can find a lot of beautiful buildings, parks and lakes. As you can see the weather was so beautiful that we could feel the spring for the first time.

And finally it is time for the European District, where all the European Unions buildings are located. It is nice to see this glass and steel architecture but to be honest I imagined it myself differently.

Całą dzielnicę zamyka Leopold Park z pięknym łukiem triumfalnym i kolumnadą po bokach, przypominający łuk w Berlinie.

The whole district is closed by Leopold Park with the stunning Triumphal Arch, similar to the Berlins one.

The places I chose in this post are for me the most interesting places that are worth seeing in Brussels. Let me know what you think and if you find it useful maybe it’s time for you to visit this European Union capital!

Legal notice: All the pictures used in this post are my own, if you would like to use them, please let me know – artfashionnewsletter@gmail.com.