Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Brussels?
Should you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Brussels?
Most visitors spend one to five days in Brussels when visiting. The cosmopolitan city offers so many things to see and explore, so you'll want to take full advantage of the limited time you have. Highlights include the big city activities, shopping, the museums and landmarks, and the historic old town.
Brussels offers a perfect combination of beauty and grit. It's a city that remains authentic to its roots while embracing its multicultural character and diverse, mixing bowl environment. You'll find amazing ethnic restaurants, fascinating outdoor markets, and a colorful city with a fun atmosphere. The main square is filled with beautiful architecture and historic ambiance.
Do you have one or two days to visit Brussels? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.
Is one day enough time in Brussels?
One day is generally not enough time to experience everything in Brussels. A shorter schedule may leave you with a sense of urgency to discover the big city activities, find the best deals at the shops, browse through museums, and browse around the old town. To genuinely appreciate the highlights, a more lengthy visit is typically recommended. Many tourists opt for one to five days to immerse themselves fully in the charms of the area. After all, Brussels, a huge city offering numerous sights and attractions, is fairy popular with visitors. However, if you're working with limited time, we have some great ideas for making the most of your stay below.
How to spend a day in Brussels
Since Brussels is such a large city, you can spend at least a day exploring the many neighborhoods, attractions, and activities found around town. Break up visiting popular landmarks with the more authentic neighborhoods for shopping and dining. The city is large, multicultural, and filled with energy. There's a lot of activity around the main squares and the streets are filled with restaurants and shops.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Brussels Tootbus Discovery Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour ($38)
- Private Transfer from Brussels hotels to Zeebrugge Cruise Port ($143)
The restaurant and food scene here is top notch, so make sure you spend time at one of the local restaurants where you can taste the delicious cuisine. While the city is most known for its waffles and fries, the diversity of dishes and international restaurant selection continues to grow. There are Lebanese, Japanese, and Indian restaurants among others. Popular local dishes include moules-frites, waterzooi (a stew), and stoemp (made with mashed potatoes and vegetables).
A few tour suggestions include:
- Brussels Walking and Tasting Tour ($75)
- Brussels: Historical Walking Tour with Chocolate & Waffle Tasting ($38)
- Discovery hike and tasting in the heart of a natural park ($27)
Brussels is a walkable city and easy to explore on foot. With only a day in the city, you'll have no trouble seeing the local sights. If you stay in the historical area, it's easy to walk around and many boulevards are being converted to pedestrian areas.
Is a weekend (two to three days) enough time in Brussels?
To do everything that Brussels has to offer, you'll need more than a weekend, but two or three days does allow you a bit more time to explore. You'll have a chance to experience at least some of the highlights. In addition to the great big city activities and fun shopping, visitors can enjoy the charming old town, food, and nightlife. By staying a night or two, you'll be able to take advantage of the most interesting activities found here, and we have some suggestions below.
How to spend 2 days in Brussels
If you have more than a weekend (two to three days) in Brussels, you'll appreciate the added time for everything the city has to offer.
Shopping in Brussels is very popular, and it's easy to see why. Spend time exploring the many shops and boutiques to find the perfect gift, souvenir, or outfit. Although it's famous for diamonds, the city also has many shopping streets where you can find designer brands, vintage shops, and other unique boutiques that are fun to explore.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Independent Shopping Trip to Maasmechelen Village Luxury Outlet from Brussels ($19)
The nightlife scene is very popular here. After dark, head out to one of the many venues around town. The city's nightlife is quieter and more mellow than some other major cities around Europe. That doesn't mean there aren't plenty of dance clubs and bars where you can hang out. Keep your wits about you after the sun goes down as some areas are a bit rougher than others.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Brussels Pub Crawl - Nightlife & Party Experience ($17)
The public transit in Brussels is fast and efficient. Over the course of a few days, you should be able to explore the city quite easily and affordably. Transit options include train, tram, metro, bus, and waterbuses.
More Info
If you're looking for more information about Brussels, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.
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