Brussels, what a charming little city! And when I say little, I mean it, this city packs a lot of charm into a small area. Most cities in Western Europe need days or even weeks to explore, but not Brussels. You can get a pretty good feel for the city in just one day, and its a great stop in between bigger cities like Amsterdam and Paris. While Belgium has both French and Dutch influence, Brussels really brings the French charm. If big French cities like Paris or Lyon are too much for you, I would suggest Brussels as an alternative. Now, let’s get to the list of possible sights to see when you only have 24 hours in this Belgian gem!.
Grand Place
The center of life in Brussels is the Grand Place. This is a UNESCO World Heritage plaza, and is usually at the top of every tourists list of Brussel sights. The Gothic city hall building is the gem of the plaza, but all of the surrounding buildings are beautiful as well. The Grand Place was originally a market square, and was over time, built into the heart of the city. In present day, this is the location of many city festivals, and while the market in the traditional sense is a distant memory, there is still an active flower market mid week and on weekends.
Mont Des Arts
This is a little courtyard park/ garden that sits in the middle of some of Brussels’ most important buildings, like the congress palace and the former Royal library, now the history museum. Mont Des Arts is the separation point between upper Brussels and lower Brussels. It’s a gorgeous little area to walk or stop and relax during a busy day of sight seeing. In a dense city like Brussels, I find it refreshing to see the stone and glass broken up by small spaces of greenery.
Royal Palace of Brussels
The western European countries seem to be more fond of short, expansive palaces than tall castles, so it’s no surprise that Belgium also has a Royal Palace. Belgium is governed by a constitutional monarchy, meaning they still have a royal family, and this is where the royal family works. Most of the time, the palace can be admired from the outside, but between late July and September, it’s open to the public. After admiring the palace, I would encourage you to also pay a visit to the park across the street. Not only is the park breathtaking (especially at dusk when the string lights come on), but it also has food and music venues.
Cathedral of St. Michael & St. Gudula
Ah, a gothic style cathedral, I just can’t resist. There’s something about cathedrals like this that just make the architect in me swoon, from the flying buttresses supporting the walls, to the tiny details that were carved from stone. You might think, hey, that looks like Notre Dame in Paris, which I can’t argue, because most of the roman catholic cathedrals built around this time followed a similar design, but don’t be mistaken, they’re not the same. Every gothic cathedral is different and holds its own beauty. If you’d like to explore the inside of this gothic beauty, its open for visitors Monday through Friday from 8am-6pm, Saturdays from 8am-3:30pm, and Sundays from 2pm-6pm, and entrance is free.
Les Galeries Royales Saint- Hubert
The Saint Hubert Gallery is a glass covered shopping arcade. Usually, stores in arcades like this are pretty expensive, so I don’t typically go into the stores, but I like to window shop and just walk through the beautiful structure. This is also a great place to wait for dry weather if you get stuck in the rain. The gallery isn’t just stores however, there are also restaurants and entertainment, like a cinema, theater, and salsa dancing.
Chocolate & Waffles
Going to Belgium and not eating chocolate and waffles should be a crime, I don’t think your Belgium experience could be complete without them! What’s better than ordering a crispy, warm waffle from a street vendor and eating it while people watching? Or going into a little chocolatier and choosing from an endless amount of truffle flavors. Waffle stands and chocolate shops are sprinkled all throughout the city, but you may want to go earlier in the day because they seem to close earlier in the evening. One concern some may have about going to shops and vendors is the language barrier, but fret not, Belgium has many English speakers, especially in shops near touristy areas. I speak a little french, but I still had to ask one of the chocolatiers to translate all the truffle flavors. Also, if you’re chocolate obsessed or have a loved on at home who is, boxes of truffles make a great souvenir! I brought home a small box of about 9 truffles that was easy to fit in my bag, and I had a really great time sharing them with family and getting to tell them stories from my trip!
Other Ideas If You Have More Time
- European Parliament
- Cinquantenaire Park
- National Basilica of the Sacred Heart
- Mini-Europe
Happy travels!
Pursuit of Happy Travel 
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