I feel like when we talked about going to Brussels with our fellow travel community, we heard seriously MIXED reviews. I would say about 50% of people told us to skip it altogether! BOY are we glad we didn’t! Brussels was one of those cities that we wish we would’ve had MUCH more time in. Sadly, we only spent 24 hours in the city, but it was enough to fall in LOVE and make us want to go back for more! Here’s the breakdown of the all the important details so you can love the city as much as we did:
Why Visit Brussels?
Brussels is truly such an underrated city. We happened to be traveling in the area, which is why we decided to add it to the itinerary and I couldn’t be happier that we did. It’s no surprise that the city is known for its food & beer, but it also offers up one of the most gorgeous central squares we’ve ever seen. It also has endless amounts of gorgeous architecture, great museums, and really kind people. Oh and I didn’t I mention that they’re SUPER dog friendly?! Miesha went everywhere with us in this city!
So what makes it more special than, let’s say Paris or Amsterdam? Because the fact that it has far less hype! Brussels is completely underrated, which makes it much more chill PLUS it’s relatively small and can be conquered in one to two days, making it super convenient. It’s also relatively affordable (unless you eat/drink right in the center square). Plus, it’s home to the European Union, so it must be somewhat special, right?!
Where to Stay in Brussels?
We are faithful Airbnb users because it’s super affordable and much more convenient with a dog. Fortunately there are Airbnb’s EVERYWHERE in Brussels and, because Belgium is a super safe country, you don’t need to worry about any dangers here. For $55 off your first AIRBNB booking, click HERE for my discount code!
Unfortunately, we only had 24 hours in Brussels and we didn’t want to deal with an Airbnb check in and check out, so we opted for a hotel. I’m SO excited we stumbled upon Motel One! Not only are they pet friendly, it’s a super modern hotel as well, located just 10 minutes walking from the center of town. Because of the location, it makes it much more affordable as well, coming in at 79 Euros a night! Do note that parking is an additional 13.50 Euros.
5 Things You CANNOT Miss in Brussels
1. The Belgian Waffles, Chocolate and Fries…oh my!
It’s probably a blessing in disguise that we only had 24 hours in the city, because I probably would’ve gained 1000 pounds! If you have one take away from this blog article, I want you to know that THE FOOD IS BRUSSELS is the BOMB, so BRING YOUR APPETITE!
You CANNOT go to Belgium without eating a waffle, it would be sacrilegious. I’m not kidding! Fortunately, I went into the city with some really amazing recommendations from a few of my local friends, so they sent me straight to the best of the best, which is Maison Dandoy! You’ll have two options for waffles, the Brussels Waffle or the Leige Waffle. Take my advice and GET THE LEIGE, I’m still dreaming about it.
Pro Tip: Sit upstairs near the window, where you can enjoy a cappuccino and a waffle and watch the people below peruse the cobblestone streets.
Belgium chocolate is famous all around the world, and the creme de la creme of chocolate shops is Pierre Marcolini, which just so happens to be a 1 minute walk from Maison Dandoy! Bon Appétit!
Finally, finish off your food binging fest with some chips, better known to us Americans as FRENCH FRIES! Maison Antoine gets the award for best chips in the city, so stop by and eat your heart out!
2. Museum of the City of Brussels
If you’re going to choose one Museum in Brussels, make it the Museum of the City of Brussels. Why?! Well it’s centrally located- it’s actually located inside the Grand Palace & it basically houses the entire history of the City of Brussels. Entry is affordable as well, at just 8 Euros. Don’t miss the Wedding Cortége and be sure to take advantage of the audio guide that is included with your admission.
3. The BEER!
While the USA is more recently jumping on board the craft beer train, Brussels basically invented the train. I actually think they built the train…maybe with the Germans (I’m biased to German beer). There are over 400 craft beers in Belgium! Because we only had 24 hours in the city, we certainly didn’t even get to scratch the surface with all the adult beverages, but we FELL IN LOVE with the delicious Leffee Dark Beer. Thanks to the recommendation from a friend, I also tried the Kreik Beer, which is a cherry beer that tastes just like a cherry icee….yummmmm! Can I go back now, please?!
4. The ATOMIUM!
Ok, so I have to admit, we didn’t see this incredible sculpture, and I’m REALLY disappointed we didn’t, but we didn’t have enough time! If you have more than 24 hours in this great city, you have to go see it for me! It’s located 40 min by train from the main central square of Brussels. The Atomium was constructed for the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair. I never realized you could actually GO INSIDE this incredible structure! It actually has stairs, escalators and an elevator to permit access to all 5 spheres! Cool, right? The top sphere even has a restaurant where you can see epic views of Brussels (so I’m told)! Go check it out for me, please!
5. The Grand Palace!
The central square (Grand Palace) of Brussels was actually voted as the most beautiful square in Europe, and I couldn’t agree more! You MUST see this area by day and by night. The crowds of people visiting, eating and drinking, while surrounded by the illuminated buildings is nothing short of magical. The square literally is ALIVE- you can feel it! It’s was even inducted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998.
Of course the central square houses the beautiful Brussels Town Hall. I am a sucker for Gothic Architecture, so this one stole my heart. It’s actually the only remaining medieval building of the Grand Palace.
We loved this square because it was nothing but chill vibes! We actually got to slowwwww down in Brussels, which was absolutely wonderful. During our Euro Road Trip, we were frantically bouncing from site to site in each city, trying to ‘see it all’ while we were there. We didn’t feel this way AT ALL while we were in Brussels. We just kicked back, relaxed, ate, drank and took in the gorgeous atmosphere and it was absolutely perfect.
Other Nearby Cities
Want to know one of the other coolest aspects of Brussels?! It’s SUPER close to a LOT of amazing cities, making it a GREAT day trip or quick overnight trip! It’s a
- 2.5 hour drive from Luxembourg City
- 3.5 hour drive from Paris, France
- 2 hour drive from Amsterdam, Netherlands
- 4.5 hour drive from London
Soooooo what are you waiting for?! Let me know what you think of Brussels, Belgium when you pay it a visit!
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Thank you SOOOO much for stopping by!
I’m always SO grateful for feedback or ANY travel questions you may have! Feel free to hit me up on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest or email me at thetravelingblondie@gmail.com.
Wow! This looks really great destination to visit there. You captured awesome pictures in your post. Thank you so much for sharing this post.
Travelling within budget is a great idea. Now, it’s my big dream to visit there. I am really excited to travel there with the help of your awesome tips. It will really help me to save money and fit within my budget.
Thank you so much for reading it! Belgium is a wonderful country and Brussels is a very underrate city. Happy travels!