One Day in Brussels Itinerary

Morning

Porte de Halle (Halle Gate)

Exit Bruxelles-Midi and head east on Rue Théodore Verhaegen. This road runs
through the Saint-Gilles neighborhood, which is full of lovely residences and cafes.
Take a left on Chaussée de Waterloo and walk north.
You’ll shortly arrive at Porte de Halle, a 14th-century city gate that also contains a
history museum. The fortifications make the gate resemble a small castle sitting on
a major road. Depending on your interest in Brussels’ history and the time you
arrive, you could pop into the museum.

Opening hours are 9:30 – 17:00 Monday – Thursday and 10:00 – 18:00 Saturday
& Sunday. Admission is €7, and you can also climb the battlements for a view.

From Halle Gate, head northeast towards the Palais de Justice. This courthouse is
massive, with towering pillars and impossibly high ceilings. Sadly, they were
renovating the building during my visit, but hopefully you’ll have better luck!

Palais d’Egmont
From the Courthouse, walk north on the Rue aux Laines to Egmont palace. There
are no royal residents occupying these halls. Instead, Belgium uses this opulent
palace to host important guests and international conferences.

Enjoy the manicured grounds and take a rest in front of the fountain if needed.

Mont des Arts

From the Palais d’Egmont, head northwest up the Rue des Petits Carmes. Take a
left on the Rue de Namur and go towards the Koningsplein, Brussels’ original royal
palace.

From there, head west up the Rue Montagne de la Cour, which will bring you to an
area overlooking the Mont des Arts and the city center.
The Mont des Arts is one of Brussels’ most iconic places, with a long floral garden
and views of the city hall tower. The cube-shaped glass building adds a modern
element to the area’s traditional architecture.

Once you’ve taken in the sights, head through the garden path towards the city
center.

RELATED: One Day in Bruges Itinerary + Walking Tour

City Center

Just west of the Mont des Arts is the main hub of Brussels. However, before you
get absorbed into the shops and cafes, stay on the outskirts for a glimpse of the
Manneken Pis.

Brussels has three “pis” (i.e. urinating) statues throughout the old town, but this
little boy is the most famous of them all. You’ll know you’re in the right place when
you see a crowd blocking a narrow alley. Not being a fan of mass groups of
people, I admired the Mannekin Pis from afar and skipped the photo.

If you want to see all of the Pis statues during your one day in Brussels, try this
rhyming scavenger hunt from The Travel Medley.

Grand Place
Just three blocks north of the famous urinating child is the Grand Place. I’d seen
photos of the area before my visit, but I was still completely blown away at the
grandeur of it all. I’m a sucker for giant, intricately detailed buildings, and the
Grand Place did not disappoint.

The Grand Place is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and its crown jewel is
Brussels’ Town Hall. Technically over 600 years old (the original was burned down
in 1695 but was quickly rebuilt), the hall is open for limited guided tours.

If you time your visit just right, you may be able to squeeze this into your itinerary. I
was content to admire the facade.

Other landmarks in the area include the House of the Dukes of Brabant and the
King’s House/Breadhouse. The open square hosts festivals throughout the year,
including the famous flower carpet display held every other August. During our
visit, there was a rousing handball match complete with giant dolls cheering on the
players!

Afternoon

Brunch/Lunch
If you only have one day in Brussels, you’d be crazy not to eat as many waffle-
based dishes as possible. Peck 47 and Mokafe are both excellent options for
brunch/lunch in the city center.

The brunch menu at Peck 47 includes multiple savory waffle options with perfectly
poached eggs, including The Drunken Sailor (pictured above).

Mokafe is a traditional Belgian restaurant with a massive menu of classics like

quiche and fruit waffles. If you’re really short on time and only plan to eat one meal
in Brussels, I’d go with Mokafe.

Brussels Stock Exchange

Once you’ve eaten your fill, take a leisurely stroll through the nearby streets. You
can peer into the restaurants and pop into the shops for browsing (or buying
chocolate for the road).

As you meander, don’t miss the Brussels Stock Exchange, which is a favorite
hangout for revelers on the weekends.

Palais de Bruxelles
Double back southeast through the Grand Place to be amazed all over again.
Make your way to the Rue de l’Hôpital and continue south towards the traffic
circle. Walk up the Rue Bodenbroek, where you’ll see the Eglise Notre Dame du
Sablon.

Just past the church, take a left on the Rue de la Régence. You’ll see the
Konigsplein up ahead, and just past it on the right is the Palais de Bruxelles.

From this direction, you’ll first see the Palais du Coudenburg, which houses a
museum and archaeological dig site. Head right for a frontal view of the palace.

If you’re spending one day in Brussels in summer, you can enter the palace free of
charge Tuesday-Sunday from late July through the end of August. Queues get
quite long, so prepare to flex your itinerary if you’d like to go inside for a tour.
Directly opposite the palace gates is a sizeable park. Like the Grand Place, the
Parc de Bruxelles hosts festivals and events throughout the year. During our visit,
they were setting up for a carnival!

After you stroll through the park, exit via the top-left side to see the St. Michael and
St. Gudula Cathedral, where Belgium’s royal weddings take place.

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Cinquantenaire
The walk to the Cinquantenaire is a refreshing change from the historic city center.
As you head east down the Rue de la Loi, you’ll pass a number of modern
governmental buildings, including multiple EU offices.

This part of Brussels has a completely different feel from the rest of the city, which
makes approaching the Cinquantenaire even more intriguing.

After you pass the fun rainbow crosswalk, spend some time meandering around
the park. If it’s summer, there may be festivals or other special events scattered
across the green spaces. There was a board game festival during our visit, which
was fun to browse but made photographing the famous archway quite challenging!

If you’re tracking well on time, stop into the Art & History Museum on the right side
of the arch to learn more about Belgium’s past.

Once you’re finished admiring the area, pass through the arch and enter the
Merode Metro station. Buy a metro ticket using the GO machine, and hop on the
#1 or #5 tram to De Brouckere.
Save me for later!

Dinner
If you only have one day in Brussels, make sure you dine at Fin de Siècle. Despite
being one of the most famous and well-regarded restaurants in Brussels, the
atmosphere feels far more casual and homey.

You’ll find the food menu written on the large chalkboard near the bar (pro tip: take
a photo of the menu to browse at your table). There’s plenty of delectable Belgian
fare like rich Carbonnade beef stew, but you’ll also find other seasonal European
dishes.

Note that it used to be cash-only, but I believe they started accepting card
payments in 2020.

Galeries Royale

If you opted for Mokafe at lunch, you’ve already visited the Galeries Royale.
However, the area really shines in the evening (see what I did there).

Though some of the shops will be closed, there are plenty of hidden surprises in
these glamorous halls. We stumbled upon a jazz trio playing outside a champagne
bar, and hearing the music echoing through the Galeries made for a special
moment.

The Galeries Royale is also a must see during the Brussels Christmas Market. In
late November, you’ll find hundreds of golden baubles hanging from the high
ceilings, turning the passageway into a holiday masterpiece. The glass shopfronts
also put on beautiful Christmas displays.

Shopping in City Center

Nothing settles a full stomach like a mini shopping spree and a late night snack. It
would be madness to wrap up a Brussels itinerary without making time for
chocolate, frites, and more waffles!

If you’re looking for excellent chocolate at a decent price, head to Leonidas. They
have a wide selection of treats at the counter (including ice cream), or you can opt
for a box assortment.

Pierre Marcolini is the haute chocolatier of Brussels, with inventive flavors like
yuzu and cayenne pepper. In my experience, the quality justifies the high price tag.

Enjoy Belgian Waffles and Frites

Assuming you still have room for more food, finish off the evening with some
waffles and/or frites.

Friterie Tabora and Los Churros & Waffle are located right next to each other, and
both offer my favorite version of their respective Belgian street food. Friterie
Tabora has over 30 sauces to top your frites, from classic mayo to sweet and
savory curry.

As you might imagine, the waffles from Los Churros have a churro-like texture to
them. If that’s not enough culinary magic to convince you, adding toppings like
chocolate and banana make the waffles mind-blowingly delicious.
Map for One Day in Brussels Itinerary

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Have More Than One Day in Brussels?

If you have some extra time to spend in Brussels, here are a few places to add to
your itinerary:

!"The Atomium: this architectural marvel of metal and spheres is somewhat

far from the city center, but the views and uniqueness make it worth the
trek. Grab your skip the line ticket to save time!

!"Chateau de Laeken: the official residence of the Belgian royal family is just
up the street from the Atomium and boasts beautiful grounds, though the