A huge amount of people arrive with no plan for spending 48 hours in Brussels and wonder where to start with in terms of building an itinerary. How can they eat all the best food, drink those famous Belgian beers and see all the sights? Fear not, as we have you covered so as you can whizz around this wonderful city and pack in a huge amount.
Brussels probably doesn’t get enough credit as it should, and that could be because of the competition from well connected cities like Paris, Amsterdam and London. It is however, a city that once you scratch the surface will delight and surprise you; throwing some great culinary treats as well as classic architecture and great memories.
If you’re about to land or arrive by road or rail to Brussels for a weekend and want pack as much in as you can, we have you covered. This is how to spend 48 hours in Brussels…
How to Spend 48 Hours in Brussels:
1. What Should You Eat?
If there is one thing that this city does well it is really great food. Brussels might not have the same culinary reputation on the global stage as its neighbour France, but it should have.
With so much choice we picked out the top local delicacies you cannot afford to miss and where to eat them: 7 Tasty Things You Have To Eat In Brussels
This is a city that is made for chocolate lovers. These spots will have you feeling like you are in heaven The 7 Best Chocolate Shops In Brussels
The chips are famous all over the world. You’ll want to tick off at least one of these when visiting The 7 Best Places For Frites In Belgium
The city has a brilliant Italian community. You shouldn’t miss out on The 7 Best Pizzas In Brussels
Want to laze around at the weekend people watching? Check out The 7 Best Brunch Spots In Brussels
Sometimes you need to go back to basics. There are some classics on The 7 Best Burgers In Brussels
Fancy a treat meal when here? Check out The 7 Best Places For Steak In Brussels
2. What You Should Drink?
A third wave of coffee has been sweeping over the city of late. There are some brilliant choices The 7 Best Places For Coffee In Brussels
You can’t come to the city and not have a few local beers. There is something for everybody on this list The 7 Best Bars In Brussels
Want to capture that iconic Insta photo of your travels? You better head to one of The 7 Most Instagrammable Cafes In Brussels
3. What To Do in Brussels?
The city is easy to get around with an excellent public transport system including an underground (Metro). You’ll find a mixture of huge open parks, high quality museums and restaurants and bars of a super standard around every corner.
With only 48 hours in Brussels, we wanted to cram it down to the essential, so go with our 7 Unmissable Things To Do In Brussels
If you haven’t already booked a trip but are considering it, this should sway you. It will also give you a list of great things to do: 21 Reasons Why You Absolutely Need To Visit Brussels
Sometimes the best thing to do is to wander around the city looking for beautiful spots. You can photograph them at The 7 Most Instagrammable Spots In Brussels
4. Museums And Cultural Highlights
The Magritte Museum
This fantastic museum houses the world’s largest collection of artwork by iconic Belgian artist René Magritte. Known for his witty and thought-provoking surrealist art, The Magritte Museum
The museum has paintings and sculptures, as well as advertising posters, musical scores, photographs and films made by Magritte and is a great way to spend an afternoon in the city. Keep an eye out for the bowler-hatted mirrors in the bathrooms – ideal for a selfie.
5. Where To Stay in Brussels
Given the amount of people who visit the city for business and as the home of the European Union, the city is super well serviced with accommodation options. You will want something as central as possible if spending 48 hours in Brussels, as most of the attractions are within a small central location.
The city is packed with hotels, Airbnbs and other options. We focused on some of the very top end ones here: Brussels, Belgium: The Best Hotels In The City
If you want something truly memorable you could stay in this insane pad. This Grand-Place Apartment Might Be Brussels’ Nicest Airbnb
6. If You Only Do One Thing What Should It Be?
The area around The Grand Place is one of the best walking areas in all of Europe. Set 2-3 hours aside and get ready for a nice stroll admiring “The Art Nouveau” buildings (for which Brussels is famous). Within three hours you should…
- Browse the stunning Saint-Hubert Royal Galleries
- Have a beer in one of the cafes living the Grand Place
- Admire the Manneken pis the small statue of a boy peeing (yes, really!)
- Get lost in the backstreets admiring the chocolate shops and boutiques
It is a totally relaxing way to spend several hours out of the 48 hours in Brussels that you have.
7. Special Times Of The Year And Events In Brussels
More than any other, Brussels is a city that really changes drastically with the seasons and is defined but events it holds.
The city comes alive in the months leading up to Christmas. Check out Winter Wonders: 7 Things To Know About Christmas Markets In Brussels
Every year the Grand Place is turned into a huge tapestry of flowers. It is a stunning site and one you should not miss. It will be from the 13th-16th August in 2020.
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