Is Brussels worth visiting?
You’ve never been, so you Google it—and one of the main images you see is a statue of a naked little boy peeing into a public fountain.
Is it charming? Is it wrong? Is it representative of what Brussels is all about?
Yes, no, and maybe so.
You see, Brussels is an underrated European city that’s famous for far more than its waffles, chocolate, and beer.
It’s the home of NATO headquarters. It housed Tolstoy, Marx, and the Brontë sisters. It’s a city so full of gastronomic greatness and dozens of museums that you’ll hardly have time to eat, see, and do it all in one trip.
Brussels is the low-key European capital that you’ve yet to visit but won’t soon forget.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Vladislav Zolotov. Image Location: Mont des Arts, Brussels
Is Brussels worth visiting?
Umm…Verdammt, ja. Hel ja. Enfer ouais.
Say it in German, Dutch, or French: heck yeah Brussels is worth visiting. We’ve got five reasons beyond “good food”, “good beer”, and “pretty buildings” on why you should discover the wonderful things this underrated European city is famous for.
5 of the best things to do in Brussels
#1: See a different heart of Europe
Brussels is a global city in terms of international governance and business, not unlike the Big Apple, London, and Tokyo. The European Parliament and the European Commission are based here. Brussels, and Belgium itself, may be overshadowed by its larger neighbors, but it’s a keystone of the continent.
#2: Get a different perspective on European culture
Yes, in every European country you’ll catch people speaking in different languages, but Belgium has three official languages: German, French, and Dutch. Add in cultural influences from its neighboring countries and global visitors, and you’ve got a capital city that is staunchly Belgian yet inherently international.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Leonid Andronov. Image Location: Coudenberg, Brussels
#3: Visit the museums that matter to you
We get it: American tourists often feel obligated to visit *the* museum in a European capital. Brussels isn’t here to pressure you into the queue. Their diverse museum scene has nearly 100 sites for you to explore because you actually want to.
The mainstays are ready to welcome you: the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, the Beer Museum of Schaerbeek, Belgian Chocolate Village, Halles Saint-Gery, and the Museum of Natural Sciences. If you need an attraction askew, the Comics Art Museum, Musical Instrument Museum, Sewer Museum, and Fantastic Art Museum will do the trick.
Plus, Brussels is home to Train World, a railway museum that is basically our favorite place in the city (and one of the top-rated museums in all of Brussels, so that’s saying something).
#4: Sample a little bit of everything
We don’t mean just the food scene, either.
Brussels is not an imposing city and if you haven’t been acquainted with this capital, you’ll have zero first-day jitters. You can eat at a Michelin-starred restaurant or grab a waffle from a street cart. You can appreciate fine art, street art, or the latest movie in theaters. Take a long summer nap in the park or go ice skating in the winter.
Brussels is one of the few European capitals where you can feel like you’ve done a lot without feeling like you’ve done yourself in.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Westend61. Image Location: Manneken Pis
#5: Find the Manneken-Pis and Grand-Place/Grote Markt
All roads in Italy lead to Rome, all boulevards in Brussels lead to Manneken-Pis.
Not really, but most visitors seek out this iconic bronze statue and its sister statue, Jeaneke Pis.
Some stories claim that once a little boy urinated on a fire started by an invading army, thus saving the city. Others admit that history hasn’t remembered exactly what the statue symbolizes but that it’s been a proud mascot of sorts for the people of Brussels.
Either way, the ever-popular photo-op spot represents everything from their mischievous and rebellious spirit to their calm temperament.
Then, head down the street to the Grand-Place (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), the centuries-old town square at the beating heart of the city and Brussels' other obligatory photo opportunity.
Inspired to visit Brussels? Why not get there by train?
Download the Trainline app and take a day trip from Paris, Amsterdam, or Cologne to Brussels that’s as sweet and smooth as Belgian chocolate.
Header Image Credit: Getty Images, Jorg Greuel. Image Location: Grand-Place, Brussels