Perfect One Day in Brussels Itinerary for First-Timers

If you only have one day in Brussels, Belgium, you have enough time to see the city’s biggest landmarks, eat Belgian waffles and fries, and sip world-famous beer.

We’ve explored Brussels several times, and this itinerary follows an easy walking route through the historic center while leaving room for plenty of great food along the way.

Our first trip to Brussels started as a “work” trip. We were there to officiate a wedding for our travel buddies, so I wasn’t sure how much time we’d have to galavant around the city and see what there was to see.

Turns out the city’s walkability allowed us to enjoy everything this place is known for. I’ll get into all of it in this guide to the best of Brussels for those similarly short on time.

One day enough in Brussels?

You can do quite a bit with just a day in Brussels. The city center is quite compact and walkable, so it’s ideal for a short city break.

One day is enough for the highlights, but you could also focus on the best museums in Brussels or the city’s quirkier sites. I wouldn’t even blame you if you wanted to spend the day eating your way through Brussels.

READ MORE: Spending a week in Belgium? Steal my itinerary to help you plan the perfect trip!

How to Spend a Day in Brussels

Here’s a plan for what to do in Brussels for a day:

• Start with coffee at Corica.
• People-watch on the Grand Place.
• Meet Manneken Pis.
• Shop at the Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert.
• Snack on waffles at Maison Dandoy.
• Marvel at the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula.
• Eat mussels at Café Georgette.
• See the view at Mont des Arts.
• Find your favorite Brussels murals.
• Visit the Royal Palace of Brussels.
• Sip on Gueuze at Cantillon Brewery.
• Stop by a Belgian fry shop.
• Relax at Parc du Cinquantenaire.
• Find dinner in Etterbeek.

One Day in Brussels

Most visitors arrive at Brussels Central Station, which is only a 10-minute walk from Grand Place. That makes this itinerary easy to follow whether you’re visiting on a day trip or spending the night. But first, coffee.

Stop 1: Coffee

You can coffee shop-hop on your visit to Brussels, or you can do as the locals do and find your favorite and embrace it. Ours was Corica, a cafe that’s a little bit fancy and very delicious.

Don’t trust me just yet? MOK, Parlor Coffee, and Belga & Co are all lauded as being among the best Belgian coffee shops.

Stop 2: Grand Place

If you’re staying near the city center, you’ll likely be within a short walk of the Grand Place, the city’s most elaborate square and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

You’ll find the best people watching on top of buildings of note that include the Maison du Roi, or the Brussels City Museum, and the Brussels Town Hall.

If you’d like to linger, the exhibits inside the Brussels City Museum give a primer on the history of Brussels as told by the visual arts.

This is also where you can catch the Flower Carpet, a multi-day event where the place is covered in colorful flowers. The event only happens every two years, so you’ll really need to time things right to see it.

Stop 3: Manneken Pis

Everyone sees this statue of a boy taking a wee at some point or another. You’ll know you’re there by the crowd gathering around him.

If you visit multiple times throughout your trip, you’ll likely find him in a different getup each time. He was both a scout and a punk rocker on our own visit there.

Fun fact: Place the Brussels City Museum even higher on your list if you’re interested in seeing more of his costume collection. They have about 100 unique outfits on display at any given time.

If Manneken Pis feels right in your wheelhouse, visit two other statues taking a wee on Brussels.

Jeanneke-Pis is the little girl version and perhaps the more disturbing of the two. She sits behind a cage in a small alleyway. I’m not even making that up, and you won’t see a photo of it here.

Zinneke Pis is the dog version, with yellow paint for the urine and all. Keep Brussels weird.

Optional Stop 4: Poechenellekelder

The Poechenellekelder is a tavern across the street from the little naked boy and a whole lot more fun.

It’s not just any bar, though. It’s puppet-themed. I’m talking about the kinds of puppets you’d see at a ventriloquist show and life-sized dolls staring you down as you down your beers.

It’s a magical place. Do it if you have the time.

Stop 5: Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert

The Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert, or Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, is an aesthetically pleasing shopping arcade that offers excellent window shopping.

If you’re looking for chocolate gifts for folks back home, it’s also perfectly fine for real shopping, too.

You’ll find several prominent chocolatiers there, like Mary Chocolatier and Neuhaus, both offering beautifully packaged gifts for loved ones who really deserve it.

Friends and family back home shouldn’t get all the glory when it comes to the best Belgian chocolates, though.

If you’re hanging around the main square, you’ll find many delectable options tempting you inside. As someone who isn’t really a connoisseur of chocolate, I found it hard to say, “Yep, THIS is the best chocolate shop.”

They were all delicious.

I’ve already mentioned Mary and Neuhaus, two classic options in Belgium. Leonidas is popular with white chocolate lovers, and Galler is a niche establishment. For chocolate versions of the Manneken Pis in three flavors, visit Corné Dynastie.

If you’re seeking something more substantial, like hot chocolate or an array of delectable cakes and desserts, head to Wittamer on Place du Grand Sablon. The treats here are fancy, but so are you.

Stop 6: Maison Dandoy

There are a lot of waffle options to consider on a Brussels itinerary. The most well-known, though, is likely at Maison Dandoy.

Order your waffle plain. They’re already sweet enough just as they are, and you’ll look less like a tourist. It’s typically visitors who load their waffles up with toppings like sprinkles and whipped cream and the like.

If you do choose to load it up, you’ll still have a delicious time of it. You’ll just make your status known, and that’s OK.

Stop 7: Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula

There are a lot of beautiful churches throughout Europe, and Belgium is no exception. The Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula is still a doozy by any standards.

The Roman Catholic cathedral is compared by some to Notre Dame in Paris. It’s even lauded by author Victor Hugo as one of the purest examples of Gothic architecture across Europe.

Note: If you want to see the view from the church’s tower, make a reservation well in advance. Tower tours close down for the winter months.

Stop 8: Lunch

You didn’t think I’d just leave you eating waffles alone, did you? The mussels in Brussels are as divine as you can imagine, and I’m not talking about Jean-Claude Van Damme.

Fun fact: Jean-Claude Van Damme’s full real name is Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg. Both versions are adept at high kicks and the splits.

I ate several kilograms of delicious mussels while exploring Brussels, but my favorite experience by far was at Café Georgette. You won’t go wrong at this classic Belgian eatery.

If you’re a fan of tartare, another popular appetizer across the city, they have several varieties here, too.

Stop 9: Mont des Arts

Mont des Arts is a meeting place and center of several important sites, including the Royal Library of Belgium and the country’s national archives.

What it’s most well known for are the views from here. We were there in the fall, but I can only imagine how lovely it can get in the spring with the flowers blooming.

Don’t miss the funky street art at the top as a reward for climbing those stairs.

Optional Stop 10: Musical Instruments Museum

The Musical Instruments Museum houses over 8,000 different instruments in this collection, a joint effort with the Royal Museums of Art and History. 

This one was on our list, but we just found ourselves short on time and enjoying the unseasonably sunny weather during our stay. If you’re similarly frantic, make sure you check out the exterior on your walkabouts.

It’s housed in the Old England building, a former department store that was built as a blend of Art Nouveau and neoclassical architectural styles. It’s gorgeous, and shouldn’t be missed.

Stop 11: Brussels Murals

Brussels is known for its comic strips, so much so that you’ll see clips presented as murals throughout the city.

I thought part of the fun was finding them on daily walks throughout the city in between beer stops, but the city has put together a comic strip walk map of the highlights.

The Tintin comic strip wall is likely the most popular. Sadly, it was covered in scaffolding on our own visit there.

Le Jeune Albert and Ric Hochet are also popular and centrally located if you’re hanging out in the city center.

If you had yourself a ball finding your favorite comic strips around the city, don’t miss out on the Comics Art Museum in the Belgian Comic Strip Center.

The museum takes a deep dive into the city’s comic strip scene, including a focus on the most popular contributions like Tintin and the Smurfs.

Stop 12: Royal Palace of Brussels

The Royal Palace of Brussels, or Palais Royal, is where I fancy myself living one day if I were forced to relocate to Brussels. The royal family spends most of their time outside of the city, after all, so there’s definitely room for me.

Unless you’re visiting during a short window during the summer, you’ll likely only see this one from the outside. Have yourself a stare-down contest with the guard out front if you dare.

Stop 13: Belgian Beer

You’ll need to head out of the city to try the most famous Belgian beers at the source, but if you’re willing to get a little funky, the Cantillon Brewery is excellent.

The Gueuze-style beer served there is a style of Lambic, an at times sweet but ideally sour concoction that undergoes a double fermentation for an extra fizz.

Note: You’ll notice it’s labeled as the Musée Bruxellois de la Gueuze on your map. Don’t expect a museum here, but you can set up a tour if you find yourself fancying this place.

If you’re still parched after you visit the Cantillon Brewery, Delirium Monasterium will do just fine for late-night pursuits on the weekend.

Check hours before you go, and prepare for a good time. This one is a favorite for tourists, so do with that what you will.

Stop 14: Belgian Fries

The frites. They’re everywhere. Some spots have unique sauces for drizzling and dipping. Most will come in an overflowing cone.

Try them sauced. Try them naked. Kick off your days with them. End your days with them.

I’m going to go on a limb here and say that it’s hard to screw up fries, but it’s also hard to find your favorite spot. They’re fries, people, not sushi.

You’ll find folks with allegiances to places like Maison Antoine on Place Jourdan. That one is popular with expats but not so much with locals, depending on who you ask. You’ll also pass hole-in-the-wall fry joints, such as the Fritkot stands.

Just pop into one with a line, and you can’t go wrong.

Stop 15: Parc du Cinquantenaire

Etterbeek’s Parc du Cinquantenaire, or Jubelpark, was first designed as a celebration of Belgium’s 50th year of independence in 1880. The most impressive site there is the Triumphal Arch, completed in 1905.

It’s certainly not as well-known as the Arc de Triomphe on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, but this isn’t a competition.

READ MORE: Are you as big a Paris fan as I am? Read my guide to why it’s always worth the visit.

Stop 16: Dinner

Stay close to the park with a brasserie like La Terrasse, a homey establishment with unique specials throughout the week.

I’ll call this one Belgian comfort food. Brian ate a giant sausage there, which helped soak up some of everything else that happened over the course of that day.

If you want to be closer to the city and you could do with some cheese at this point in your adventure, La Fruitière was one of my favorite spots in the city.

If you take my word for it, order a cheese plate to share. They’re big enough, I promise. Order some cider to go with it if you’re feeling festive.

If You Have More Than One Day in Brussels

We had a few days to wander Brussels in search of trouble and treats. If you want to get out of the city center, the Atomium is a cool option.

It was constructed as a gigantic representation of the atom for the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair, with plans by the city to tear it down shortly after. The people loved it so much that the city kept it, turning it into the hub for body odor today.

Please wear deodorant on your tour of the inside, you guys. We smelled some ripe bodies during our visit.

My favorite part was riding the psychedelic escalators from section to section. Anything involving lasers and moving walkways is right up my alley.

To get there, you can combine a bus and a train for the fastest option, or watch the trains leaving central Brussels. It’ll take longer, but you’ll get there without a transfer.

Here are a few more spots I’d recommend if you have a full weekend in the city:

• Relax in Leopold Park, complete with a small lake that makes for the perfect escape from the surrounding city noise.
• Stroll the Jardin du Petit Sablon for sculptures, water features, and the Église Notre Dame du Sablon, a Roman Catholic church from the 15th century.
• Marvel at the architectural and cultural wonder of the Royal Theatre of La Monnaie, which houses the National Opera of Belgium.
• If you’re into architecture, you’ll want to take a look at the imposing Brussels Stock Exchange.
• Get your cultural fix at the Oldmasters Museum, the Horta Museum, or the Magritte Museum, all offering a different lens on Brussels’ artistic heritage.
• Visit Place Saint Catherine, home of the church of Sainte Catherine, a 14th-century house of worship that may resemble churches you’d see in France.
• See The Black Tower, or La Tour Noire, which was built in the 13th century, making it one of the oldest fortifications in the city.
• Book a walking tour that includes a little historical action through the city centre and a little waffle action…plus a little beer action, too.

With a few days here, you can also plan a day trip to fairytale Bruges. I have a detailed guide full of travel tips to Bruges if you love charming towns as much as I do.

Otherwise, head to Antwerp if you’re fancy, Ghent for an added dose of medieval architecture, or Luxembourg if you’re a country counter. All are within an easy train ride of the city and perfect for day trips away.

Best Time to Visit Brussels

Brussels is a year-round destination, but spring (April to June) and early fall (September to October) are the best times to visit. Mild temperatures make it comfortable to explore the city’s walkable center and dine outdoors.

Summer brings festivals and the busiest crowds, while winter transforms Brussels with Christmas markets.

If you’re visiting in mid-August of even-numbered years, you may also catch the famous Flower Carpet. The Grand Place becomes covered with an intricate display of thousands of colorful begonias.

How to Get to Brussels

Brussels is one of the easiest cities in Europe to reach, thanks to its central location and excellent rail connections.

If you’re flying in, most international flights arrive at Brussels Airport. From there, direct trains reach Brussels Central Station in about 20 minutes, placing you within easy walking distance of many of the stops in this itinerary.

Brussels is also well connected by high-speed rail. You can reach the city easily from Paris, Amsterdam, and London (via the Eurostar), and it’s under an hour from Antwerp or Ghent.

If you’re already exploring Belgium, the train is by far the easiest way to visit for a day.

Where to Stay in Brussels

We were traveling to Brussels for a week in a large group, so a short-term rental made the most sense. With just a day in Brussels, stay closer to the city center to make the most of your time.

Use the map to browse your options:

Is Brussels worth visiting?

Yes, Brussels is worth visiting, but I’d recommend seeing it as part of a larger Belgium itinerary rather than making it your only destination.

One day (or two) is enough to experience the city’s highlights, from Grand Place and Manneken Pis to Belgian waffles, fries, beer, and chocolate shops.

While I personally preferred Bruges and Ghent, I still had a genuinely fun time exploring Brussels, and it’s an essential stop if it’s your first visit to Belgium.

Planning more European travel? Check these out:

• How to Day Trip to the Cliffs of Étretat
• Things We Learned About Living Near Paris
• Planning a Trip to Lausanne, Switzerland
• Choosing Between Rome and Florence
• Visiting Lovely Giverny in the Springtime

Read these European guides, too, while you’re at it:

• How to Stay Warm in Iceland in the Winter
• How to See Venice, Italy, in Three Days
• A Detailed Guide to Three Venetian Islands
• How to Plan a Frankfurt Trip at Christmas
• Naples From Rome: An Easy Day Trip Guide

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