How to Plan One Day in Brussels, Belgium

Our trip to Brussels, Belgium, 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.

Much of what we did end up doing involved indulging as many waffles, fries, and beer as the belly could handle, but we were also able to cover quite a bit of the city center.

If you only have one day in Brussels, stick to the city’s walkable pursuits with stops along the way to indulge in everything this place is known for. I’ll get into all of it in this guide to the best of Brussels for those short on time.

One day is enough to scratch the surface 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.

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

There are a number of Brussels tourist attractions you shouldn’t miss on a visit, but don’t consider this some kind of list you need to tick off while you’re there. As you plot out your Brussels sightseeing, leave room for the edible pursuits featured here.

I’m not talking about gummies, people. I’m talking about Belgian beer, plentiful frites, and, yes, waffles.

A tour of this city just isn’t complete without a whole bunch of eating.

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 all of the best people watching here, 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 makes for some 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 a number of 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 more 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. These are a little bit fancier than what you’ll find on the waffle trucks around the city.

Those are also delicious, by the way.

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 murals 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 was 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 an excellent place to do so.

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 your visit to the Cantillon Brewery, Delirium Monasterium will do just fine for late-night pursuits on the weekend.

We weren’t able to make it, as the place was only open on Friday and Saturday nights, two nights we were busy doing things that somehow didn’t involve drinking beers.

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

READ MORE: Love a city with an excellent beer scene? Bogota should be on your list!

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 like the Fritkot stands you’ll find throughout the city.

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 later 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 of 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.

With More Time 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, though, 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:

• Leopold Park: The green spaces of Brussels are supremely lovely. Leopold Park and its small lake are the perfect escape from the surrounding city noise.
• Jardin du Petit Sablon: This park includes sculptures, water features, and Église Notre Dame du Sablon, a Roman Catholic church from the 15th century.
• Royal Theatre of La Monnaie: The architecturally significant Royal Theatre of La Monnaie houses the National Opera of Belgium.
• Brussels Stock Exchange: If you’re into architecture, you’ll want to take a look at the imposing Brussels Stock Exchange.
• Place Saint Catherine: The church of Sainte Catherine is the centerpiece here, a 14th-century house of worship that may resemble churches you’d see in France.
• The Black Tower: The Black Tower, or La Tour Noire, was built in the 13th century, making it one of the oldest fortifications in the city.

With a few days here, you can also plan a day trip to my favorite city in Brussels, Bruges. I have a detailed guide full of travel tips to making that happen 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.

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:

You can see Brussels in one day.

You just may need to return to explore more of the city or take things at a less frenetic pace. While it’s not my favorite European city, we did have a very fun time there. There is quite a bit to enjoy in a place known for beer and waffles, honestly.

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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