2 DAYS IN BRUSSELS ITINERARY – THINGS TO DO + TIPS

WHAT TO DO IN BRUSSELS IN 2 DAYS

If you plan your 2-day Brussels itinerary, you might be wondering about what to do and see. With 2 days in Brussels, you’ve got enough time to experience the wealth of art, history, and culture that Belgium has to offer. This Brussels itinerary covers the best places to see, the best things to do, and more travel tips for a weekend in Brussels.

Belgium is such an underrated country in Europe even though it has beautiful places to visit. Think about Ghent, Diant, Bruges or…Brussels.

The country is world-famous for its cuisine — especially renowned for fries, waffles, chocolate, and beer. Brussels is also home to a thriving comic book art scene, six fine arts museums, a musical instruments museum, and more! 

Additionally, Brussels is an important political capital in Europe and the home base for the European Parliament. There are many UNESCO World Heritage sites in Brussels, like the Grand Place. So, whether you’re into food, art, history, or politics… there’s something incredible for you to discover in Brussels!

Read on to discover what you can do in Brussels in 2 days.

This post was written by Valentina from Valentina´s Destinations

Shares

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. This means I will earn a small commission when you buy a product via my link (at no extra cost to you). More about it here.

TRAVEL TIPS FOR YOUR 2-DAY BRUSSELS ITINERARY

• If you visit Europe for the first time, check out my post with travel tips for Europe.
• For a European summer packing list, click here.

Before discussing how to spend two days in Brussels, here are some travel tips to smooth your trip.

How to Get Around

• Walking is the best way to get around Brussels. Especially if you only have 2 days. You’ll want to spend most of your time near the city center to avoid wasting time. All of the activities listed in this article can be reached on foot (except for the Atomium and Mini-Europe).
• Brussels is also very well connected by public transportation.
• If you have more than 2 days in Brussels, you may want to check out nearby cities like Bruges or Ghent. These can be reached in close to 1 hour by train. They’re charming medieval cities with unique history and flair.

Where to Stay for 2 Days in Brussels

Here are some great places to stay in Brussels for 2 days.

• Budget: 2GO4 Quality Hostel Brussels Grand Place, or B&B Hotel Brussels
• Mid-Range/ Affordable Luxury: Hotel Hubert Grand Place
• Luxury: Radisson Collection Grand Place Brussels

Best Time to Visit

• Summer brings large tourist crowds and scorching heat (that will melt your pralines).
• Spring and fall are the best times to visit Brussels – they offer more temperate climates and lower prices on flights & hotels.
• December is a great time to visit if you enjoy Christmas markets. Brussels markets are known to be really magical!

Recommended Restaurants

• Casual Breakfast: L’Arcadi, Mokafé, Peck 47
• Waffles: Le Funambule, Maison Dandoy, Mokafé Taverne
• Formal Dinner: Belga Queen, Comptoir des Galeries, Au Vieux Saint Martin, Fin De Siecle

ITINERARY FOR 2 DAYS IN BRUSSELS

Here is how to spend your two days in Brussels. This itinerary focuses on Brussels only. If you want to see other places in Belgium, check out the post on the best day trips from Brussels.

DAY 1 IN BRUSSELS

Let´s start with a walk to explore Brussels.

Explore the Belgian Fine Art Scene

Comic book arts and casual street murals are Brussels’ most accessible forms of art history and culture. But that’s just the beginning! A serious art lover would be delighted to explore the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Brussels. These six museums display over 20,000 works, including paintings, sculptures, and drawings from the beginning of the 15th Century until today.

• Of these light museums, the Oldmasters Museum has an excellent collection of Flemish primitive paintings.
• The Magritte Museum offers an impressive collection of Belgian surrealist works.
• There’s also a museum focused on Modern Art.

These museums are located in the Royal District in downtown Brussels. 

Check out the Musical Instruments Museum

The Musical Instruments Museum isn’t another stuffy museum with endless paintings and tiny text. This museum comes to life! Even the exterior of this museum is impressive. It’s housed in a mid-19th-century department store (another example of the Art Nouveau style).

The Musical Instruments Museum in Brussels is world-renowned for its collection of 8,000 musical instruments. Only some 1,000 of them are on display. It also features a concert hall, a library, and an awesome rooftop restaurant. The rooftop at the Musical Instruments Museum is one of the hidden gems of Brussels. It boasts breathtaking views.

The museum is broken up into four distinct galleries.

1. The first is dedicated to keys and keyboards of the Western world.
2. The next gallery displays Western classical instruments chronologically.
3. The third gallery explores traditional instruments from around the world.
4. Finally, the last gallery documents the electrical and mechanical constructions of various instruments.
5. Find out more on the website.

Sample Belgian Chocolate

Belgian chocolate is world-famous for a good reason. It was Belgium where the revolutionary praline was first invented. What’s a praline? You may ask. Praline is the technical term for a hollow chocolate shell filled with special delicacies inducing nougat and other confections. 

Initially, pralines were used by apothecaries to disguise the bitter taste of medicines. Over time, pralines transformed the way chocolate was enjoyed all across Europe. They are the reason that we buy a “box of chocolates” for our sweethearts on Valentine’s Day.

While in Brussels, enjoy a sampling of pralines at one of the best chocolate shops. These include Maison Pierre Marcolini, Neuhaus and Laurent Gerbaud.

If you are looking to elevate your chocolate experience in Brussels, sign up for a chocolate workshop. These are available at Planete Chocolat and Chocolissimo & Zaabär. You’ll see first hand how pralines are made & you’ll sample some fresh ones as well. Another way to experience the excitement of Belgian Chocolate is to visit the Chocolate Museum — Choco-Story.

Comic Book Walk

Then it is time to explore more outdoor areas in Brussels for your 2-day itinerary. As you start to explore the streets of Brussels, you can’t help but notice the enchanting cartoons charmingly displayed on every other street corner.

Comic books share an important place in the early 20th-century history of Brussels and Belgium. The most famous of these comics include The Smurfs and The Adventures of Tintin. In years since their debut, these stories were translated into over 70 languages and have sold over 200 million copies!

If you’re interested in learning more about comics’ unique history in Brussels, you must visit the Belgian Comic Strip Center. This museum is housed in an incredible Art Nouveau-style building. The building’s exceptional architectural features include its dramatic glass ceiling, striking facade, and cozy library space. 

Although, you don’t have to visit the Comic Strip Museum to immerse yourself in Brussels comic book art. Walk over to some of the most iconic murals. I recommend Victor Sackville, Olivier Rameau, and Tintin. They are all within a few blocks of Grand Place. If you want to discover more comic murals while exploring the city, this Brussels Tourist Map includes all of the top-rated pieces you’ll love.

Stroll the Royal Galleries of St. Hubert

No visit to Brussels is complete without a stop at this glamorous & historic location. The Royal Galleries of St. Hubert were one of Europe’s first shopping malls. They were part of a 19th-century gentrification project meant to clean up murky swamplands and attract ladies of leisure. 

When it was first built, the Royal Galleries of St. Hubert contained a theater, shopping spaces & fancy cafes. Stroll through the Galleries today, and you’ll notice that not much has changed. The windows continue to display luxury goods, pralines from chocolate shops, and relaxed cafes.

It’s important to note the unique architecture within the Galleries. The repetition of arches, pillars, and windows creates a sense of length and depth. The impressive fish-scale, arched glass ceiling allows light to flood in while each wall is ordained with marble.

• It only takes a few minutes to walk through the Royal Galleries of St. Hubert. They’re only a short walk from Grand Place.

Visit the Grand Place

The Grand Place might be the most popular tourist attraction in Brussels. Certainly, it is impossible to miss! This is the main town square of Brussels and has a pretty fascinating history. It’s been used as a meeting place and market since as far back as the 11th century! 

The Grand Place is where you’ll find the Brussels Town Hall Building (and museum), the Museum of the City of Brussels, and the origin point for many free walking tours. The Town Hall is this square’s only remaining Medieval building. It’s notoriously asymmetrical, resulting from a mistake on the part of the architect. Another dramatic building in Grand Place is the ‘King’s House.’ The style of this wooden building is Gothic Revival. Today, it’s home to the Museum of the City of Brussels. If you only have 2 days in Brussels, you may not be able to visit every museum. Although, you should stop by the Grand Place and, at least, appreciate their facades.

• I recommend the free walking tour organized by Viva’s Tours.
• This is a 2.5 – 3-hour tour that gives you a great introduction to Brussels’ history while also getting you acquainted with some of the top tourist attractions. If you are traveling solo, free walking tours are great ways to meet people and get locals’ recommendations.

Try Belgian Beer

Belgium, especially Brussels, is the perfect place to drink beer! If you haven’t tried Belgian beer, you haven’t experienced Brussels culture. Belgian Beer Culture isn’t just colloquially known. It’s been added to the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Many Belgian beers are produced in microbreweries. This is why Belgium has more diverse brewing styles than any other beer-producing region.

In Brussels, beer has long since been an important part of everyday life. Beer-making in Belgium has been seen in history as early as 3 and 4 AD. During parts of Medieval history, beer was safer to drink than water.

Until the 1960s, schoolchildren could choose beer as their beverage at school lunch. This was a light “table beer,” low in alcohol — but still!

• We recommend you check out the Delirium Cafe for your sample of Belgian beer.
• You can also visit one of the many microbreweries and sample local ales. Check out the Brussels Beer Project, Cantillon Brewery, or En Stoemelings Brewery, and end the day with this activity.

Watch the Sunset at Brussels Mont des Arts

For a beautiful sunset on day 1, I recommend Mont des Arts (or Hill of the Arts in English) which is a must-see in Brussels. It’s a romantic spot to hang out, watch people, or appreciate breathtaking views. In the distance, you can see the tower of the Brussels Town Hall building.

It is a short walk from the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Brussels.

DAY 2 IN BRUSSELS

For day 2 in Brussels, I recommend the following itinerary.

Learn About Politics at the Parlamentarium

Brussels prides itself on being Europe’s political center. It’s also home to the European Union’s Parlamentarium. This is essentially a museum that documents the history and achievements of the European Union. 

A visit to the Parlamentarium takes about 90 minutes and includes a self-guided multimedia tour. You can experience this in 24 different languages! If you are looking for more ways to experience EU culture within Brussels, look no further than Mini-Europe. Mini-Europe is a miniature theme park composed of tiny replicas of famous buildings from EU countries. You can check out a mini Eiffel Tower, mini Trevi Fountain, and mini Acropolis.

• Mini Europe is a 20-minute drive or cab ride outside Brussels city center. You can also get there in about 30-40 minutes by public transportation.

Visit the Famous Atomium

The Atomium is another famous landmark that’s located just outside of the city center.

It is an incredible structure shaped like an iron crystal (if that iron crystal was magnified 165 billion times). It was built in honor of the 1958 Brussels World Exposition. At that time, it was a massive feat of engineering.

• Guided tours of the Atomium are available but must be arranged at least 3 weeks in advance. Tours last 90 minutes, and you can fit them into your 2-day Brussels itinerary.

Gawk at the Brussels Cathedral

Also known as St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral, the Brussels Cathedral is a sight to behold. It’s one of the most popular attractions in Brussels. 

The Brussels Cathedral was built in the Brabantian Gothic style. It took over 300 years to complete! You can visit the interior of the Brussels Cathedral for free – there is an entrance fee of a few euros to visit the interior crypt and special treasures. Make sure to check out the beautiful wooden pulpit (carved in 1699). You’ll find incredible stained glass windows that date back to the 16th Century. The Brussels Cathedral also boasts an impressive organ. It contains some 4,000 pipes and 4 keyboards. Wowza!

Find Manneken Pis and his friends

Manneken Pis is a cutesy statue of a little boy peeing. His friends include Jeanneke Pis (little girl pees) and Zinneke Pis (dog pees). Zinneke is Manneken and Jeanneke’s dog.

While his friends are fun counterparts, Manneken Pis steals the show. He has become an important symbol of the city of Brussels and a dearly beloved icon. The statue of Manneken Pis has quite an interesting history. The original statue was stolen and lost a few times throughout history. Each time, enraging the natives of Brussels. Manneken Pis is dressed up on special occasions and holidays.

Try to visit Manneken Pis in the evening – when the crowds are gone. This is a popular stopping ground for many tours. It’s a small statue so you won’t see much from far away.

Enjoy Belgian Fries

Looking for more ways to sample Brussels culture? You’ve got to sample Belgian fries! Belgian fries have also made UNESCO’s list of Cultural Treasures. 

Belgian fries are usually served with sauces like ketchup or mayonnaise. The best places to enjoy them are Fritland and LaFunambule.

Vegan Alert: Fries are naturally vegan (potatoes, duh!), but Belgian fries are often fried in animal fats. If you are a strict vegan, you can check out Friterie De Frietketel in Ghent’s nearby town. They serve up tasty, savory fries that are cooked in 100% vegetable fats.

The best sunset spot for day 2 comes with panoramic views near the Law Courts building.

CONCLUSION: ITINERARY FOR 2 DAY BRUSSELS

A 2-day itinerary in Brussels offers a fantastic introduction to this captivating city. Delve into the city’s rich history with visits to iconic landmarks like Manneken Pis and the imposing Atomium, offering unique perspectives on Brussels’ past and future.

A two-day visit to Brussels may leave you longing for more, but it offers a taste of the city’s rich heritage, vibrant culture, and delightful culinary experiences. Prepare to be captivated by the charm and allure of Brussels, a destination that promises unforgettable memories and a desire to return for more.

It is an international city with many interesting places and sights. 2 days in Brussels will allow you to get a good glimpse of the city and see its main sights and attractions. 

• Check out beautiful places to visit in Europe in December.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Valentina’s Destinations was born from my obsession with meticulously researching, organizing, and planning my travel itineraries.

I’m originally from Nis, Serbia. My family moved to the US when I was young, and I’ve lived in Chicago for the last decade. My passion is traveling the world with my boyfriend, Remigijus. When we’re not traveling, I work as a physician assistant in the psychiatry field. The mental health field is as rewarding as traveling can be.

Find her on social media: Instagram