Traveling to Belgium? This one day atypical itinerary will give you a quick rundown on things to do in Belgium. I will also share ideas of what you can explore during your visit. Just curious, ever heard an eccentric story while traveling? Stay tuned, this blog post will give you all of the deets.
Disclosure: This blog post has affiliate links which means if you click and make a purchase I may earn a small commission at NO additional cost to you. These are my own personal suggestions based on products I love and use. Read the full disclosure here.
Fun Facts About Brussels, Belgium
The Belgium Flag has the following colors: Black, yellow, and red. Belgium’s official languages are the following: Dutch, French, and German; English is spoken as well. Brussels is the capital of Belgium, and Belgium’s currency is the Euro. The population in Belgium is nearly 12 million, and Belgium’s time zone is on Central European Summer Time (at the time of this post).
Traveling to Belgium
I decided to take a bus ride from Amsterdam to Belgium although I normally like to travel to other European cities by train if I can. For the amount of time I had, and the budget I was working with, traveling by bus was the best option. In order to take the exact tour I took, you can book it directly here.
If you decide to take this tour, make sure to give yourself time to get to the bus departure station, my sister and I made it just in the nick of time. It takes just short of 2 ½ hours to get to Brussels from Amsterdam. It’s a nice scenic bus ride with a well-informed guide.
Exploring Brussels
The first stop on the tour was the Atomium which is a landmark in Brussels. The Atomium apparently was originally built for the Brussel’s World Fair (more information can be found here). There is also a museum inside, but I did not get to visit.
Some notable mentions I quickly encountered were the Parc de Laeken (stunning park to take a walk), The National Basilica of the Sacred Heart, King Baudouin and Boudewijn statue, St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral (a beautiful cathedral which began in the 13th century), European Quarter (if you’re a history buff this is perfect for you), Koninklijk Paleis te Brussel (the official palace of the King and Queen of Belgium), and Eglise Notre Dame du Sablon which is a beautiful Gothic church founded in the 15thcentury.
After looking at some of the monuments and landmarks, we were finally able to start exploring again on foot. Ever saw the movie Taken? Well, my tour guide made sure to put the fear into everyone on the trip about the possibilities of what could happen if you venture out too far. The morbid story included a tourist who apparently went to the bathroom and disappeared never to be seen again.
Morning
As if that wasn’t scary enough, a few scams going on in Brussels were also mentioned. One of the scams mentioned was a person (usually a woman) pretending to be homeless and when you give this individual money, a group of people then surround you also begging for money while simultaneously robbing you. This goes without saying, keep it in mind (whenever and wherever you travel) to always be aware of your surroundings, to exercise caution, and common sense. Despite the unnerving story I had an amazing time in Brussels.
The absolutely stunning Grand-Place of Brussels is where we began exploring again. The Grand-Place is the cities central square and inside you’ll find shops, restaurants, bars, City Hall, Guild Houses (town hall etc.), and Maison du Roi (The King’s House). You could easily spend a good amount of time here visiting the museum, taking pictures, and shopping.
Next up, the Mannekin Pis which is a famous fountain sculpture of a boy well you guessed it, taking a piss. My tour guide said the sculpture is said to represent the people from Belgium’s sense of humor. Visit, and let me know what you think lol. The original Mannekin Pis statue is in the Brussels City Museum. I also took a picture with Mannekin Pis’ “girlfriend”.
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Afternoon
After exploring on foot, next up was a quick chocolate presentation at Planete Chocolat. This was an awesome demonstration where you are able to learn about and taste chocolates that were also sold on the premises.
Belgium is known for their chocolates, so I shopped at both Leonidas, and Godiva. I ultimately ended up purchasing chocolates, and butterscotch cookies from Leonidas, Godiva, and a small mom and pop shop (I can’t remember the name sadly :(). Leonidas and Godiva are typically tourist locations, so patronize a small owned shop too if you can. I enjoyed everything I purchased from all locations however.
You can’t go to Belgium without trying Belgian waffles. I decided to purchase waffles at Vitalgaufre. The waffle was delicious, but could’ve been hotter. Next up was shopping at a comic book store Moule à Gaufres, second hand bookstores (I visited a few, here are some you can too Tulibris, and Sterling Books), and 72 Records for old vinyl’s. Next was shopping at my favorite store overseas Primark! I mention my love for Primark and explain why in my Amsterdam blog post.
After shopping around for a while buying souvenirs and other miscellaneous items, my sister and I refueled with lunch at The Blue Restaurant. I wasn’t blown away by the food, but it was enough to hold us over for the long bus ride back. Although this trip scratched the surface of Belgium, I know for certain that I’d like to return for a longer amount of time. Brussels is such a charming city, with so much history and culture.
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Final Thoughts
Well, that concludes my Brussels itinerary. Thank you so much for reading! Would you travel to Brussels? Learn anything new, or have any feedback? Was this itinerary helpful? Please comment below, and subscribe here. I’m on most social media, so let’s be friends! Click the icons located on the right side (desktop), and the bottom of the screen (mobile) to find me. Looking for the perfect travel gift for your loved one? Sign up for my freebie of travel gift ideas.
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