How to spend a weekend in Brussels

Are you planning a weekend trip to Brussels?

There are many reasons why Brussels is a great destination for a weekend trip.

Firstly, if you live in London like I do, then you can take the Eurostar and be there in under 2 hours. To give you an idea, this is less than the time it takes to get from London to Manchester!

Secondly, you would be surprised how much of a city you can see in a weekend! Brussels is not a city where you would want to stay for weeks, and a few days is more than enough to see all the main attractions and eat all the chocolate.

Read on to find out how to make the most of your weekend trip.

Day 1

Start at the Grand Place

If it is your first time in Brussels, then the Grand Place is the best place to start any of your explorations. The Grand Place is the main square in Brussels, surrounded with lots of shops, cafes and restaurants. At Christmas time you can also find Christmas markets here.

Enjoy the Brussels nightlife

If you are starting your weekend in Brussels on Friday evening, then I would suggest visiting the Grand Place and the bars and clubs that are around.

The best place for nightlife is Delirium Bar. This bar serves over 2,000 beers from around the world – it was even entered into the Guinness Book of Records in 2004 for having the biggest variety of beer. What is more, the bar staff know every single beer by heart. Describe to them what you like and they will pick the right beer for your taste!

Day 2

Take the sightseeing bus

We found that the quickest and most efficient way to see the city was by taking the sightseeing bus tour. You can pay €23 for 24 hour access to the hop on hop off bus. This gives you enough flexibility to get off wherever you want and also be able to explore some areas on foot.

Visit the Atomium

There are a couple places which you really must see in Brussels, and one of those in the Atomium. The red sightseeing bus can drop you off directly in front of it, so it is definitely worth getting off and taking some pictures here.

There is also a museum inside the Atomium – this is nothing special so I would not recommend visiting. However, it is worth going to the top to see the views of the city from above! Unfortunately we did not manage to do this as the queue was too long, so make sure to go early to avoid disappointment.

Eat a lot

If you love cheese, then you will find that Brussels is paradise.

Here are the top dishes which you really must try when in Brussels:

1. Tartiflette – this divine dish is the one to try if you are a cheese lover. It is made from potatoes, ham, cheese and onions, and originally comes from the French Alps. However, it can be enjoyed in Brussels in one of the market stalls and is incredibly tasty.

2. Moules- frites – if there is one thing you must try when in Brussels, then this is it. The dish is mussels with fries, and the most common way they are served is in white wine in a big pot. They also contain shallots, parsley and butter.
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3. Filet Mignon Fromager – literally translates to Filet mignon with cheese – this is the most amazing thing I tried in Brussels. The Roquefort cheese is put on top of the steak for that extra touch. It is a little bit heavy, but one can never have enough cheese, right?!

4. Fries – what makes the fries here unique is the way they are prepared. The potatoes are freshly cut and prepared twice. The result is the perfect fry – golden and crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside. What is more, you can have them with any topping you like!

Have Belgian waffles for dessert

The waffles in Brussels are an absolute must. They come with all sorts of toppings and are sold everywhere in a way that you simply cannot resist having them all the time. Perhaps it’s best that I was only there for a weekend…!

You will find waffles everywhere, but the one place I would recommend is Maison Dandoy near the Grand Place. They make the waffles so fresh that they melt in your mouth!

Check out Mannequin Pis

Of course, you cannot spend a weekend in Brussels without getting a glance at the Pissing Boy statue – after all, it’s the most famous statue in Brussels!

The Mannequin Pis is located only a couple minutes walk away from the Grand Place. This is also the area where you can find some of the best shops to buy some Belgian chocolates to take home.

Day 3

Check out the flea market

Visiting the flea market is a nice Sunday activity, and there happens to be a very nice one in the Marolles neighbourhood. They mostly sell antique items – perhaps you will find something useful to take with you as a souvenir.

Chocolate tasting tour

You cannot leave Brussels without going on a chocolate tasting tour.

However, you don’t need to pay for an overpriced tour to do this. It is very much possible to do a chocolate tasting tour all by yourself.

Starting at the Grand Place, make sure to check out each one of these chocolate stores:

Neuhaus – this is one of the oldest chocolate shops in Brussels and a great place to start. Make sure to try their Cornet Dorés!
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Mary Chocolatier – this chocolate shop has a very vintage feel to it, but it is also incredibly aesthetic and serves very luxury chocolates.
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Pierre Marcolini – this one is probably the most famous chocolate shop which must be visited. They offer many different flavours, all selected with taste – this could be due to the fact that the owner started off being a pastry chef before making his own chocolates!
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Elisabeth – this boutique chocolate shops is also not to be missed. The selection of chocolates here is very unique and hand picked.

Royal Palace of Brussels

After filling yourself up with chocolates, you can go on a trip to explore how the Belgian royalty live. Although this is the official residence of the King and Queen of Brussels, this is not where they reside. It is still an interesting and beautiful place to visit as it remains the head of the constitutional monarchy.

It is only open to go in from July until September – otherwise it is also possible to admire it from afar!

This neighbourhood is also a very nice place to explore, Strolling around in the area you will find lots of beautiful buildings and striking architecture.

Tip for getting around: we found that the best way to get around was to hire electric scooters! Brussels is mostly a pretty pedestrian city and the distances between places were not too big. Electrical scooters were also a lot of fun and much faster than walking.

Have brunch

If you are a brunch addict like me, then you will not miss an opportunity to have brunch during your weekend in Brussels.

We very much enjoyed visiting a brunch cafe in Oma (which actually translates to Grandma). It was a very cosy and relaxed serve yourself brunch cafe which I very much recommend!

As you can see, there are lots of things you can do and see during your weekend in Brussels. Two days may not seem like much, but so much can be accomplished if you do it right!

What do you think? Do you agree? Have you been to Brussels? Let me know your thoughts below!