USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS
Brussels Info Place (BIP) : Rue Royale, 2 - 1000 Bruxelles
City Hall of Brussels : Grand-Place - 1000 Bruxelles
Visit Brussels : + 32 (0)2 513 89 40 / hello@visit.brussels / www.visit.brussels
Emergencies (Ambulance, Police and Fire Brigade): 112 (All over Europe)
Police : 101
Pharmacies and on-call doctors : Visit the website pharmacie.be or call 1733
Taxis : Autolux +32 (0)2 411 41 42 +32 (0)2 512 31 23 / Unitax-Brabant +32 (0)2 715 40 40
Nearest hospital : Emergencies Saint-Jean - Rue du Marais, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgique / +32 2 221 91 00
MAIN TOURISTIC PLACES
Whether you want to admire Brussels' historic monuments, discover its museums or sample local flavours, there’s always something to see or do in the capital of Europe!
Visiting Brussels without spending some time in the
Grand Place is simply unthinkable. Here you’ll see the town hall (one of the most beautiful in the country), the
Maison du Roi, which is home to the
Brussels City Museum, and a series of private houses built at the end of the 17th century. The architectural richness of this square is simply overwhelming.
Just a stone's throw away from the Grand Place are the
Royal Galleries, one of the oldest covered galleries in Europe, as beautiful by day as by night.
Since the 15th century, the
Manneken Pis sculpture has adorned one of the public fountains that supply the city with drinking water. Over time, this wee little man became a kind of mascot, with the people of Brussels seeing him as a symbol of the local temperament, a unique combination of mischievous, irreverent and droll.
Brussels is the undisputed capital of the
comic strip. The ninth art can be found everywhere, in shops, galleries, flea markets, festivals and more. And since 1991, the city's walls have been gradually covered with frescoes that pay tribute to the authors and their many heroes. You can turn down a street and come face to face with Tintin, Cubitus, Billy and Buddy, Blake and Mortimer or Corto Maltese. In all, there are more than
80 murals immersing locals, visitors and tourists alike in the wonderful world of comics.
The
Place Royale, which was built on the ashes of the
Coudenberg Palace, has retained its historical function as the “executive power district”. You’ll find the
Royal Palace, the “office” of the Belgian King, at the Place des Palais, bordering the Place Royale. Opposite is the
Parc de Bruxelles or Royal Park. The streets bordering the park are also part of the same neoclassical ensemble. For instance, on the other side of the park, you will see the
Palace of the Nation, the seat of the Belgian Parliament.
As beautiful from the outside as it is from the inside, the
Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium is a treasure trove of art. In fact, it is the most visited museum in Brussels. Its pluralised name reflects the fact that it contains several sites, covering a variety of periods and themes. Near Place Royale, you can visit the
Old Masters Museum, the
Modern Art Museum, the
Fin-de-Siècle Museum and the popular
Magritte Museum.
Created for the 1958 World Fair, the
Atomium with its 9 balls represents an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times! Inside, you will find exhibitions and, most importantly, a stunning view of the Brussels-Capital Region from the top ball. Only a short walk away, embark on a tour of all Europe’s wonders in miniature, thanks to
Mini-Europe. Design lovers won’t want to miss the
Design Museum Brussels only a stone’s throw away, born following the Atomium’s acquisition of a private collection.
Far from being a neighbourhood of grey and austere offices, the
European Quarter combines European institutions with community life, parks, museums and more. In this district, you can attend plenary sessions in the
Parliament's hemicycle and learn more about the Union thanks to the
Parlamentarium, the
House of European History and
Experience Europe. You can also stroll through Léopold Park, a green space that recalls the days when the bourgeoisie moved in en masse from the bustling heart of the city. The district is also a landmark for fans of contemporary and Art Nouveau architecture.
Built in 1880 to celebrate Belgium's 50th birthday, the
Cinquantenaire attracts locals who appreciate its formal garden, history buffs who visit the
Art & History Museum, car fans who flock to
Autoworld and curious minds who are amazed by the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History.
The
Museum of Natural Sciences tops the list of the world's best dinosaur museums, which is hardly surprising given that it houses Europe's largest dinosaur gallery.
The Koekelberg Basilica: house of the holy. Legend has it that the idea of building a national basilica in Brussels came to King Leopold II after a visit to the construction site of the Sacré-Cœur in Paris.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTS
Metro, tram and bus. Public transport in Brussels is operated by
STIB / MIVB.
Timetables: 06:00 - midnight - consult the timetables shown at the stops.
Where to buy your ticket: In public transport with contactless payment. You can pay for your trip using your contactless bank card (debit or credit), smartphone or smartwatch. Every STIB bus, tram and metro station is equipped with a specific contactless payment device. This device supports any bank card with the contactless logo. For smartphones and smartwatches, compatible payment applications are Google Pay, Apple Pay, Fitbit Pay and Garmin Pay. In the various metro stations and at the STIB information offices.