See and Do in Brussels

With so much to see and do in Brussels, expats won't have much chance to be bored. The Belgian capital is a city of culture, with museums, galleries and historical buildings aplenty just waiting to be explored.

New arrivals wanting to get a feel for the city and its attractions should purchase the Brussels Card, which grants entrance to most of the city's museums. The card gives the option for the free use of either hop-on hop-off buses or the local public transport system of buses, trams, and metros.

Recommended attractions in Brussels

Royal Museums of Fine Arts

Expats visiting the Museum of Ancient Art and the Museum of Modern Art will have the opportunity to view one of the finest collections of Fleming art in the world by artists such as Ruben and Van Dyck.

Comic Art Museum

The Comic Art Museum is one of the city's most popular attractions, where offbeat humour, vivid colours and fabulous illustrations abound. Visitors can enjoy an extensive collection of comic-strip art, with particular attention paid to Belgian native Hergé's Tintin.

Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert

Brussels is home to Europe's very first shopping arcade, completed in 1847. This noteworthy attraction isn't to be missed. If the impressive and aesthetic architecture isn't enough to dazzle, peruse the shops, make a few purchases, and watch the world go by over a cup of coffee from one of the quaint arcade cafés.

Grand Place

The Grand Place is frequented by locals and tourists alike and is well worth a visit. Spend the afternoon admiring the incredible architecture surrounding the square, peruse the stalls that line it, or enjoy a cup of coffee at one of its pavement cafés.

Brussels Town Hall

Architecturally speaking, Brussels Town Hall is one of the finest buildings in Brussels. It survived some of the worst bombings during World War II when nearly every other building on the Grand Place was destroyed. Take a tour of this magnificent building and discover the art, architecture, tapestries, and history that lie inside.

Manneken Pis

One of the city's most noted attractions is the small Manneken Pis statue depicting a small child who stands proudly relieving himself atop a fountain basin. The statue represents Brussels residents' 'zwanze', or good sense of humour. There is a decades-long tradition of putting the statue in costume, with costume changes occurring every few days – so regardless of what time of year the urinating urchin is visited, he's sure to be dressed in the season's best.

Palais Royal

The original official residence of the Belgian Royal family, the Palais Royal stands as magnificently as ever in front of Brussels Park and is used for official functions and ceremonies. Tours take place during the summer months, allowing visitors to enjoy the palace's art and historical artefacts.