Is Brussels guide in two days It will help you prepare a getaway to this quiet Belgian city, making the most of your time.
The historic center of Brussels has in the beautiful Grand Place its great jewel and the starting point of the walking routes that pass through all the interesting corners of the city. Visit one of its museums, relax in the well-kept parks, enter old churches, buy in beautiful galleries, eat a delicious waffle or taste its famous craft beer, are some of the experiences that you can not miss in the known as capital of Europe.
Although a weekend is perfect for visiting Brussels, if you have more time we recommend you get by train to some of the jewels of Belgium such as Ghent, Bruges or Antwerp.
Based on the experience of our two trips to the Belgian capital, the first one is combined with Bruges and the second with Ghent, Leuven and Antwerp, we have made this guide to know what best of Brussels in 2 days. We start!
How to get from Brussels airport to downtown or to the hotel
There are two airports where most travelers who want to visit Brussels land: Charleroi Airport and Brussels Zaventem Airport. In Zaventem, located 15 kilometers from the city, the majority of large companies operate, while Charleroi, located 55 kilometers, is used by several low-cost companies such as Ryanair.
The best ways to go from the airport to the center of Brussels or your hotel are:
- Train: It is the fastest way to reach Brussels central, south and north stations from Zaventem airport, taking only 15 minutes. The price of the journey is 9 euros and the frequency is about 10 minutes.
- Bus: Lines 12 and 21 of Zaventem will take you to the center for 4.5 euros. At Charleroi airport you have the FlibCo bus companies that will take you to Brussels-Midi or South station in one hour for 17 euros.
Another good option from Charleroi is to take the Airport Express bus to the Charleroi train station which takes 20 minutes. From this station you can take a train in the direction of Antwerp that will take you to the three main stations in Brussels in one hour. From these stations you have several metro and train lines to get closer to your hotel. - Private transport: It is the most comfortable option, since a driver will wait for you at the airport with a sign with your name, which will take you directly to the door of your hotel. You can book it here.
- Cab: For a price of about 45 euros, you will find it more expensive and less comfortable than private transport.
For more information on the transfer you can check this post on how to go from Brussels airport to downtown.
Recommended accommodation in Brussels
Our recommended accommodation to get to know Brussels in a weekend or two days is the Hotel Park Inn by Radisson Brussels Midi, located next to the Midi or South Station and 15 minutes walk from the historic center. In addition to its good location, which allows you to make train trips to other Belgian cities, it has a 24-hour reception and a full breakfast.
If you want to stay closer to the center you can use this search engine to find the best hotel at the best price.
For more information on the best hotels and neighborhoods we recommend you check this post of where to stay in Brussels.
Tips for Brussels
- It is highly recommended to know the history of the city and not miss anything important, book this free tour of Brussels Free! and this alternative free tour that goes through less touristy places, both with guide in Spanish.
- The price of the transport ticket is 2.10 euros, 10 tickets cost 14 euros and the one-day ticket 7.5 euros, all are valid for the subway, bus and tram.
- If you have little time you can book the tourist bus that stops at all points of interest in the historic center and also in those that are further away such as the European Parliament and Atomium.
- In addition to trying waffles of all kinds, we recommend you order in some restaurant the traditional mussels with potatoes and delight the palate with the famous Belgian chocolate.
- Remember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot. You can find more information in this article about the best cards to travel without commissions.
- If you have a tight budget and do not want to get any surprises, check the prices of the menus, especially in the restaurants of the center, since these are usually the most expensive.
For more recommendations you can consult this post of tips to travel to Brussels essential.
First day of Brussels in 2 days
The route of the first day of Brussels in two days Start at the impressive Grand Place, one of the most beautiful squares in the world and one of the essential places to visit in Brussels. Arriving early in the morning you will enjoy this square and its magnificent historic buildings such as the Hotel de Ville, Le Piegeon, the Maison du Roi, the Maison des Ducs de Brabant and the guild houses, in a quieter way. As a curiosity in numbers 26 and 27 of La Grand Place, Victor Hugo stayed.
Grand place
A good opportunity to see the Grand Place at its best is to come in August, when the whole square is covered with flowers forming a beautiful carpet, unique and unforgettable moment.
After taking thousands of photos and touching the arm of the bronze statue of Everard t'Serclaes, they say it brings luck, you will head to the Bolsa building, one of the most impressive buildings in the city.
A few meters from the Stock Exchange, down the Rue du Midi, you will reach another of the symbols of the city, the Manneken Pis. This small bronze statue of the year 1619 represents a boy urinating of which one of its peculiarities are the different costumes with which they dress it, depending on the celebration or celebration of the calendar. To see a part of its more 800 costumes you can visit the Maison du Roi, in the Grand Place.
Before continuing the itineraries and if you have not had breakfast, we recommend you to eat a delicious waffle in one of the stalls around the Manneken Pis.
Manneken Pis
The Brussels route in 2 days Keep on walking to the imposing Courthouse, located in the elegant neighborhood of Le Sablon, which is worth entering for free inside, to see the impressive lobby over 100 meters high.
When leaving the palace you can walk along Rue de la Régence to reach other of the most charming points of the neighborhood, the garden of the Place du Petit Sablon. After resting for a while on one of its benches, you can see some of the 48 bronze statues that surround the park and represent each of the ancient medieval guilds.
Next to this small square is the gothic church of Notre-Dame du Sablon, which stands out for the wooden pulpit and its huge stained glass windows, which are located inside.
Notre Dame du Sablon
Leaving the church you will reach another of the most popular squares in the neighborhood, the Place du Grand Sablon, the next stop of the Brussels in two days. In addition to squares and churches, this neighborhood stands out for its chocolate shops, antique shops and boutiques.
Before continuing the route we recommend you to stop along the way to try delicious Belgian dishes such as flamandes carbonnades (stewed meat in Belgian beer) in C'est Bon C'est Belge, one of the most recommended places.
In the afternoon the Brussels on a weekend It starts with a walk to the Brussels Park, passing before the Old England, a beautiful Art Nouveau building where the Musical Instruments Museum is located. This museum and other city attractions are included if you buy the Brussels Card.
The first building you will see when you arrive at the Brussels Park will be the great Royal Palace, which was for a long time the residence of the Belgian kings and in which there are several rooms such as Goya, the Mirrors, the Throne and a large white marble staircase, only open in summer.
Brussels Royal Park
The palace occupies one of the sides of the Brussels Park, a favorite place for locals to relax walking through its gardens, forests and ponds.
After the walk, you can continue the Brussels in two days visiting the Cathedral of San Miguel and Santa Gúdula, which is worth entering to admire its 13th century Gothic style and see the wood-carved pulpit, the large stained glass windows and the organ .
When you leave the cathedral you can return to the center to visit the famous Saint Hubert Galleries, which are very close to the Grand Place. Strolling through the first commercial galleries in Europe with several chocolate shops and luxury stores is one of the best things to do in Brussels.
If you are addicted to chocolate we recommend you book this tour with a guide in Spanish where you will try chocolates and pralines of the best Belgian brands such as Godiva, which opened its first store in La Grand Place.
Visit the Saint Hubert Galleries in Brussels in two days
Before returning to the Grand Place you can not miss the excellent craft beers at Delirium Café, one of the most famous breweries in Brussels. Although if you are fond of beer we recommend you book this tour with a guide in Spanish in which you will try different types of beers in some of the best breweries.
Next to this place is the Jeanneke Pis, the female version of the Manneken Pis, which is another place to visit in Brussels.
At dusk you can enjoy the atmosphere of Rue des Bouchers, full of restaurants for tourists, before returning to the Grand Place to see it illuminated.
To end the first day of Brussels in 2 days In the best way we suggest you to dine the typical mussels with fries (moules-frites) in Le Marmiton, one of the most recommended restaurants in the city.
Map of the first day of Brussels on a weekend
What to see in Brussels in two days
The second day of what to see in Brussels in two days Start by making the popular route of the comic, where you can see several facades painted with murals of the most famous Belgian comics such as Tintin, The Little Spirou, Lucky Luke or the Gauls Astérix and Obélix, among others. Actually, there are three comic routes in the city, although the most common is the one that runs through the center and for which it is almost mandatory to buy a map at the tourist office, located in the town hall, to find all the points.
Another more interesting option to not miss anything is to book this tour through the murals with a guide in Spanish, considered one of the best excursions in Brussels.
Comic Book Route
If you have read all the Tintin comics as a child or you are interested in the subject, it is advisable to finish the route in the Comic Museum that has many objects that will remind you of this popular comic and you can also buy a souvenir figurine. Admission to the museum is free if you have the Brussels Card.
The Brussels in 2 days Continue on bus 71, at the Arenberg stop, to get to the Luxembourg stop, located in the European Quarter. In this neighborhood is the European Parliament and most of the buildings and institutions that control the European Union. Here we recommend, if you have time, make the visit to Parliament that is free and is done with a multimedia guide in Spanish.
In addition to visiting parliament, we recommend you to see the Justus Lipsius building, headquarters of the Council of the European Union, the Belayrmont building, official headquarters of the European Commission, and Leopold park.
A good way to visit this neighborhood knowing the history and the most essential places is to book this free tour with a guide in Spanish Free !.
European Quarter
When you leave Leopold Park you can walk a few meters to reach the Cinquantenaire Park, another of the most popular parks in the city. Among its most famous places is an arch of triumph, with a bronze quadriga, the Museum of Military History and the Cinquantenaire Palace. It is worth entering this palace to visit the Autoworld museum, which has one of the best car collections in the world.
At this time of day and if hunger presses, a good way to regain strength is to try the delicious Italian food of the D'Amalfi Coast, located in the area and one of the best restaurants to eat in Brussels.
After eating, the Brussels in two days Continue taking the subway and making two transfers until you reach the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Art Deco style, which stands out for its green dome and for having the best views of Brussels from its terrace.
When you leave the church, you will take the metro line 6 again, this time in the direction of the Atomium. This Brussels symbol represents an iron atom enlarged 165 billion times to reach a height of more than 100 meters.
You can visit inside by booking this ticket in advance with which you will avoid the lines.
Atomium
At this point on the route, if you go with children it can be fun to get close to Mini Europe, where you can see a miniature Europe with almost 350 models of the most famous monuments.
A good option to visit this park and save time in the queue is to book this ticket in advance.
After the visits to the points furthest from the center, you can take the metro 6 that will take you to Rue Neuve, the most commercial pedestrian street in Brussels, perfect for looking for a last souvenir.
To finish in the best way this Brussels on a weekend You can approach the Place Ste. Catherine, full of restaurants and with a lot of atmosphere, for dinner at the Grimbergen Cafe.
If you have one more day, you can follow this Brussels guide in 3 days.
Map of the second day of Brussels in 2 days
Do you want to organize this trip to Brussels in two days?
Get it here:
The best offers of Flights to Brussels here
The best hotels at the best prices in Brussels here
Get € 35 for your reservation with AirBnb here
Book the best tours and excursions in Brussels in Spanish here
Book your Brussels Airport transfer here
10 essential places to visit in Bruges
Rent your car in Belgium at the best price here
Book your travel insurance with a 5% discount here
The best offers of Flights to Brussels here
The best hotels at the best prices in Brussels here
Get € 35 for your reservation with AirBnb here
Book the best tours and excursions in Brussels in Spanish here
Book your Brussels Airport transfer here
10 essential places to visit in Bruges
Rent your car in Belgium at the best price here
Book your travel insurance with a 5% discount here
