With one of the most beautiful central squares in all of Europe, Brussels is not an obvious tourist destination otherwise. This is where Europe does most of its bureaucratic business so most of the city is built for government workers and business people.
Brussels gets ignored by most of those who tour Europe, and it deserves its reputation for being a city of international bureaucrats, but it also has a charm that is undeniable. Compared to most European cities it’s a bit on the expensive end of things, with relatively few options for those on tight budgets.
The main attractions, except for the Grand Place and the nearby Mannekin Pis statue, are relatively expensive as well. This is a tough city for a backpacker, which is one reason why most of them stay only a day or two if they stop here at all.
| Population | 1,100,000 |
| Area | 1,900,000 |
| Timezone | UTC+1 |
| Currency | Euro |
| Airports | Brussels Airport (BRU) |
Hotels in Brussels are often full of business travelers so they tend to be expensive unless you come on a weekend or during the summer break. If you can adjust your dates it’s worth looking into, since you can sometimes get great bargains at the better places if you time it right. There aren’t many hostels in Brussels, and those that are here aren’t particularly cheap.
Hotels in Brussels can have somewhat unpredictable prices compared to most other European cities. This is a major business and bureaucrat city, without so much leisure tourism, so prices are often cheaper on weekends and during the July and August summer break, at least at mid-priced and high-priced hotels. You can sometimes get great bargains at those nicer places that turn out to be cheaper than budget places if the timing is right. Near the lower end prices don’t change much through the year, and tend to be cheapest from January through March.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
 | 31.58 - 58.95 |
| 53.68 - 70.53 |
| 44.21 - 105.26 |
| 74.74 - 127.37 |
| 136.84 - 193.68 |
Hotel Le Berger Doubles from €72/night | |
Our pick: The best cheap and central 3-star hotel in Brussels |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 18.95 - 30.53 |
Brxxl 5 City Centre Hostel Beds from €24/night | |
Our pick: The best cheap and central hostel in Brussels |
Brussels has a few standard museums in and near its center, but most of its notable attractions are actually somewhat quirky.
The Manneken Pis statue is free to see on a street corner near the main square, and it’s smaller than you would otherwise expect.
The Atomium was built for the 1958 World’s Fair on the edge of the city center. It’s more educational than thrilling, for what it’s worth.
The free (tips-based) walking tours of Brussels are highly recommended and are a great way to explore the Grand Place and the area around it.
The hop-on, hop-off tours of Brussels are an interesting way to get out of the city center and see the Atomium along with a few other notable sights if you’ve got a few spare hours.
| Location | Description | Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atomium | Space-age symbol of Brussels, this odd attraction is interesting to see for free from the outside. Admission gets you displays + observation deck. | adults | 32.63 |
| Mini-Europe | At the base of the Atomium you can see many or Europe's landmarks in miniature. Combine the two and save a bit. | adults children | 15.79 11.58 |
| Musées Royaux Art et Histoire | Brussels' oldest and most important art museum, with pieces from around the world. | adults | 10.53 |
| Belgian Comic Strip Center | The city celebrates its fascination and history with comic art at this museum. | adults 65+ | 13.68 10.53 |
Food and drinks are also quite pricey by local standards, especially if you’d like to sit down in a proper restaurant near the city center.
| Food Type | Description | Price(USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Budget breakfast | Often breakfast is included with a room or bed. If not there are neighborhood cafes in most tourist areas. | 5.26 - 8.42 |
| Budget lunch | Finding cheap meals in Brussels can be challenging in some areas. | 7.37 - 12.63 |
| Budget dinner | Restaurants near the main square can be expensive, so walk a couple blocks for better value. | 11.58 - 20.00 |
| Beer (pint) | Most beer is served in bottles, and there are many dozens to choose from. Lagers can be cheap while monk brews are expensive. | 5.26 - 8.42 |
| Belgian waffle | Street carts are all over the city center, offering many topping choices. | 1.05 - 3.16 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Taxi from airport to city center | 37.89 - 43.16 |
| Train from airport to city center | 8.42 - 14.74 |
| Public bus from airport to city center | 6.32 - 18.95 |
| 3km taxi ride in Brussels | 9.47 - 10.53 |
| Metro or bus ride in Brussels | 2.11 - 2.11 |
Brussels Airport (BRU) is a major international airport with some reasonable fares from within Europe as well as from North America. The airport has its own train station with frequent departures going to all three central Brussels metro stations, taking about 20 minutes.
Many people will visit Brussels by rail as part of a longer tour. There are high-speed trains connecting Brussels with Paris and Amsterdam, so it makes for a good stop in between those two.
The historic city center of Brussels is small enough to walk through, but most of the hotels are a bit farther out and Brussels is a pretty big city.
Fortunately, the city has a modern metro system with underground trains connecting all of the important neighborhoods.
| Month | High F | Low F | Precip (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 42 | 33 | 2.8 |
| February | 44 | 33 | 2.1 |
| March | 50 | 37 | 2.9 |
| April | 56 | 41 | 2.1 |
| May | 64 | 48 | 2.8 |
| June | 68 | 53 | 3.1 |
| July | 72 | 57 | 2.7 |
| August | 73 | 56 | 2.5 |
| September | 66 | 51 | 2.5 |
| October | 58 | 46 | 2.7 |
| November | 48 | 39 | 3.1 |
| December | 44 | 35 | 3.1 |
Brussels has a fairly moderate climate all year round. Summers rarely get hot enough to be bothersome, and winters rarely have snow or long stretches of sub-freezing weather. Rain is fairly constant all year round, and it usually comes in persistent drizzles rather than downpours, so it can get annoying.
| 21 Mar | 6:44am | 6:57pm |
| 21 Jun | 5:29am | 10:00pm |
| 21 Sep | 7:27am | 7:44pm |
| 21 Dec | 8:43am | 4:39pm |