Brussels, Belgium surprised us a bit as we didn’t realize just how awesome the city is, especially when it came to the delicious food.

This is a destination guide, intended to provide assistance for you as you plan your own visit to Brussels, Belgium. We paid for all attractions out of our own money and do not have any relationship (financial or otherwise) with the operators of the services described below. That allows us to give our honest feedback about what we did and did not like.

How long to stay?

We spent a total of three nights in Brussels, which felt about right to us for a first visit. That gave us plenty of time to explore the city itself and venture just a bit to the outskirts of town to visit the Atomium and Mini-Europe. When we visited, the Christmas Market was also just starting and we were able to enjoy an evening of the market.

That said, staying for only three nights prevented us from taking day trips to other neighboring cities like Antwerp or Ghent. If you have a desire to use Brussels as a base for exploring these other cities (only about an hour away each via train), you might want to add on an extra day per day trip.

Top Things to Do in Brussels

Atomium

Link to official site: https://www.atomium.be/Home/Index
Good for ages: 5 and up
Nearest rail station: Heizel (9 minute walk)
Stroller-friendly: No

The Atomium is located outside the main area of the city, but it offers some nice views of the surrounding area. You could purchase a combination ticket that gives you admission to the Atomium and Mini-Europe (more on that below). Doing that also unlocks a visit to the Design Museum, but though we visited it, we wouldn’t say it’s more than just a brief visit unless you’re really into exhibits that emphasize Belgian decor like cabinets and chairs.

Anyways, the Atomium is the site of the 1958 World’s Fair and designed to look like an atom. When you’re inside, you can go into some of the electrons (I’m assuming that’s what those balls are) but not all of them are accessible to the public. Fair warning before you go–it’s not easily accessible for those who need wheelchairs. Back in 1958, I suppose that was less of a concern.

Each “electron” holds a different light display. Some light up the room like a rainbow while other rooms have more of a lightning effect. The very top “electron” houses a restaurant and some nice views of the area. We wouldn’t call the Atomium a “must-see” on its own, but it’s still nice enough to combine for a nice day out.

Mini-Europe

Link to official site: https://www.minieurope.com/en/
Good for ages: 2 to 9, and kids at heart
Nearest rail station: Heizel (9 minute walk)
Stroller-friendly: Yes

While you’re near the Atomium, you could just easily go check out Mini-Europe. We wouldn’t call it a “theme park”, though there is certainly a theme here and in some ways you could call it a park. It’s all about seeing miniature versions of famous European countries, cities, and landmarks. In some ways, it might hold more intrinsic value to a European but anyone can benefit from the visit. The kids enjoyed visiting, though we’d hesitate to bring teenagers who might want something more high-octane.

We think the visit could be good for both re-visiting places we’ve been to before (like this scene of Copenhagen, Denmark) and for seeing somewhere new that might be nice. Much of Europe is represented here with intricate, detailed exhibits.

Not everything is just a static diorama–there are some interactive exhibits scattered throughout too. This one below shows off a scene of a knight trying to scale a ladder to reach a princess. Go too slow and instead of rescuing her, she will get caught in the dragon’s flames. Whoops!

If you’d like to learn more about our visit to Mini-Europe, check out our dedicated post to the attraction.

Frietmuseum (Fries Museum)

Link to official site: https://www.frietmuseum-brussels.be/eng/home
Good for ages: 2 and up
Nearest rail station: Bourse (7 minute walk)
Stroller-friendly: Yes

There are generic museums and then there’s the Frietmuseum (Fries Museum). You might think of it as a cheap knock-off of a museum, but you’d be wrong if you ignored it at first look. Inside you’ll find plenty of history on fries, as you might expect. But it also explains why Americans call them “French fries” incorrectly, as they should be “Belgian fries”. At the end of the tour, you’ll also get a fresh serving of fries with all the dipping sauces you want. It’s worth an hour or so of your time to come check this out.

What sets this museum apart from others is the number and variety of interactive exhibits. There are games you can play for just one person or there are some that accommodate up to 6 people. Sadly, some of them you can only enjoy one time per person, so make them count.

Manneken Pis

Address: Rue des Grands Carmes 26, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
Good for ages: N/A
Nearest rail station: Bourse (7 minute walk)
Stroller-friendly: Yes

We’re going to just toss this one in here more because it’s an emblem of the city. We wouldn’t consider it a must-see, but we know that it holds more symbolism for others. This is “the” site of Manneken Pis, the statue of a peeing boy as he releases into a fountain. Walk around the city and look in shops, and you’ll find lots of souvenirs focused on this tiny statue. There are other versions of the statue elsewhere in the city, so this isn’t by means the only place to find it. But if you’re here anyways to come check out the Frietmuseum, you might as well come see the statue too. It’s right around the corner.

Belgium Beer World

Link to official site: https://tickets.belgianbeerworld.be/selection
Good for ages: 16 and up
Nearest rail station: Bourse (1 minute walk)
Stroller-friendly: Not really

We’re going to say that going to a beer-centric activity isn’t ideal for children, but that doesn’t mean they’re not welcome. You can bring kids of any age to Belgium Beer World and there are interactive exhibits that can entertain them. But the minimum beer drinking age is 16 in Belgium (18 is the minimum for spirits). Thus, by that metric, we’ll say it’s good officially for those 16 and up but don’t interpret that to mean younger kids aren’t welcome.

Once inside, you’ll find plenty on the history of beer, what makes Belgian beer a bit different than elsewhere, and a couple of samples. From there, you’ll also get an immersive video that gives you the sense that you’re floating with the yeast in some beer. And you can spend some time figuring out what kind of beer you might like based on your own preferences.

After you figure out your preference, take the list up to the top floor where you can get a free beer and try it out. This bar is also open to the public generally, so it can get crowded. It also means you can just sit here and chill for an evening trying out other beers. If not too crowded, it’s a nice place to hang out, but it can feel a little claustrophobic if there are crowds.

For more on our time at Belgian Beer World, check out our dedicated post to the experience.

Visit Town Hall

Link to official site: https://www.brussels.be/city-hall
Good for ages: All ages
Nearest rail station: Bourse (5 minute walk)
Stroller-friendly: Not really

Right in the heart of the city is the Town Hall (or City Hall), which can be more impressive than the city halls you might think of back home. I love how in Europe, so many buildings look like they have long history. As you might expect, this one does. This building was constructed in the early 1400s, a remnant of the Gothic style of architecture that dominated parts of Europe.

There are tours here intended for guests of all ages. Ideally, you should take the time to book a tour in advance as there might not be space if you walk up and ask for one. Sadly, we didn’t get a chance to take a tour, but we’ve heard the views from the tower are nice. Booking in advance will also help in the event that the Town Hall is unexpectedly closed (which is why we couldn’t visit).

Belgium’s Christmas Market (if you’re here at the end of the year)

Link to official site: https://www.plaisirsdhiver.be/en
2026 season dates: November 27, 2026 – January 3, 2027
Good for ages: All ages
Nearest rail station: Bourse, though many other city-central stops will take you there
Stroller-friendly: Yes

Who doesn’t like a Christmas Market? Winter Wonders is an excellent choice for a European Christmas Market, full of food, drinks, and rides for the kids. The dates for the 2026 season are already established, so you can go ahead and start planning a visit.

The food can include sausages (not unexpected), plenty of fried food, and salmon sandwiches. Of all we ate, the salmon sandwiches ended up being our favorite. Delicious!

If you bring the kids, they might be interested in going on one of the most unique carousels we’ve ever seen. There are all sorts of animal contraptions and machines to sit on, including some the kids can control. We just had to give it a ride and the kids had a blast on it. There are no stereotypical animals to choose from here.

Another neat thing about the Christmas Market is the ability to try out curling. Sadly, taking pictures of our time here ended up being quite miserable but it didn’t look this dark–or blue–when we were there in person. While you could try out ice skating, curling seems like the more interesting activity to do.

For more on our time at Winter Wonders, the Brussels Christmas Market, check out our dedicated post to the event.

What about more activities in Brussels specifically focused around children?

If you’re interested in checking out more on what we did in Brussels with a bit more focus around kid activities, check out our dedicated post to what to do in Brussels with kids.

Where to Eat in Brussels

We thought it would prudent of us to point out all the restaurants we ate at to help you decide on what you might want to try. In no way do we have the opportunity to try every restaurant in the city, but I think we’ve tried a good variety.

Le Clan des Belges

Link to official site: https://clandesbelges.be/fr/
Good for kids: Yes
Nearest rail station: Porte de Namur (4 minute walk)
Reservations needed: Yes, it’s preferred

We proudly declared this restaurant one of our favorite meals we ever had and we still stand by that thought. What makes the restaurant so good? Take your pick between the excellent service, delicious food, and great atmosphere. If you want a nice dinner out with someone else be it for a special occasion or not, we’d recommend Le Clan des Belges.

One of our favorite dishes while dining here were the mussels in white wine. These were so fresh and come with enough to share with someone else–unless you want to be selfish and not share. You wouldn’t do that to someone else, would you? Enjoy these with someone else and you’ll at least have enough room to try out some other dishes, which were tantalizingly awesome too.

If you want more detail on our visit to Le Clan des Belges, check out our dedicated post to the restaurant.

Fin de Siècle

Link to official site: https://findesiecle.be/fds-en.html
Good for kids: Yes
Nearest rail station: Bourse (4 minute walk)
Reservations needed: Yes, unless you want a long wait

Our visit to Belgium was full of excellent dinner options. On our three-night stay, we ended up only being able to dine at two dinner restaurants, which was a bit of a bummer. Brussels has excellent dining and we would recommend you invest the time in advance to make reservations. If you don’t, expect lengthy waits at some of the more popular restaurants, including Fin de Siècle.

The food at Fin de Siècle was excellent. These spare ribs were fall-off-the-bone, exactly how we love our ribs. Even in late fall when the weather is cold outside, it’s always a nice decision to settle on eating ribs.

While the restaurant doesn’t have dedicated kids meals, they’re more than willing to find something that works from their kitchen. One example can be making some of their dishes smaller for children, which is what they did with their sausage dish. They’re friendly here so just ask them what you’re looking for. You’re in for a great treat here.

If you want more information on our visit to Fin de Siècle, check out our dedicated post to the restaurant.

Waffle Factory

Link to official site: https://restaurants.wafflefactory.com/en/brussels
Good for kids: Yes
Nearest rail station: Bourse (5 minute walk)
Reservations needed: No, not possible

Looking for a casual, quick-service restaurant near the heart of the city? Waffle Factory might be something that fits what you’re looking for. This isn’t just a restaurant for breakfast–they have plenty of savory waffles to choose from. This is a chain, but this is the only location you’ll find in Brussels.

The ordering system is quite simple, including ordering at the counter or via a self-service screen. For those looking for free entertainment, you can also watch the workers make batches of waffles from the windows surrounding the kitchen. And, yes, there are kids meals for little ones.

We kept things simple for lunch, ordering a couple of kids meals and a duck waffle for the adults the share. The duck was cut rather thin since it’s shaped inside the waffle itself. We tend to like our duck a bit thicker, but it wasn’t a bad option. There are multiple options for waffles including liege, Bruxelles, and waffines (or waffle sandwiches).

These are the waffines, which you can think of as a waffle with a savory filling. The waffle exterior tends to get a little soggy because of its construction. But if you’re looking for a quick lunch, this might satisfy your cravings. We like simple lunches and we got it here.

Where we stayed

Hilton Brussels Grand Place

Link to official site: https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/brugrhi-hilton-brussels-grand-place/
Good for kids: Yes
Nearest rail station: Brussels Central (right next to the station)
Points needed: up to 65,000 Hilton points per night

Let’s say it up front: the best reason to stay at the Hilton Brussels Grand Place is the central location within Brussels. In our opinion, it’s one of the biggest assets of the hotel. This Hilton is immediately next to the Brussels Central station, which makes both train travel and light rail travel simple. On top of that, there is plenty to do immediately in walking distance.

We stayed in a family room, which was really just two rooms with a connecting door between them. While the main (adult) room was a pretty standard bedroom, the kids room had a more fun vibe to it. The kids room included some bunk beds and a setup that made it perfect to watch movies. Sure, it wasn’t a glamorous stay, but it met all of our basic needs. That said, if you’re planning on using Hilton points, this family room isn’t a base room and would be extremely expensive on points. This is a better option if you’re looking to spend cash.

The food and beverage options at the Hilton Brussels Grand Place are a bit lacking. Take this picture below as an example from their main breakfast option. Usually you might expect scrambled eggs at a buffet or perhaps an option for omelets and freshly cooked eggs. How about pre-cooked fried eggs that sit in a heater waiting for you to free them onto your plate? Yes, the yolks are way too overcooked. Again, come here for the location and consider dining elsewhere.

If you’d like to learn more about our stay in the Hilton Brussels Grand Place, check out our dedicated post to the hotel.

Sample 2-day Brussels itinerary

If you only have two days in Brussels, what should you do? Our recommendation would be the following:

Day 1

• Morning: Town Hall
• Afternoon: Frietmuseum & Manneken Pis
• Evening: Belgian Beer World

If you want an easy start, consider this grouping of activities, which are all clustered right around the center of the town. Take a moment to check out Brussels Town Hall and get a sense of how special the city is from its central point.

From there, our favorite museum in the area is the Frietmuseum, but there are other options to consider nearby. And since you’re in the area anyways, you might as well go see Manneken Pis and check it off the list of touristy things to do. After all, you’re a tourist here, aren’t you?

Finally, a nice way to cap off the evening would be to visit Belgian Beer World. Personally, we would prefer to do this before dinner, but where you squeeze this in (even if earlier in the day) is certainly up to your own preference.

Day 2

• Morning: Mini-Europe
• Afternoon: Atomium
• Evening: Wander the city

If you’re looking for a couple of more famous activities to do by the outskirts of the city, check out the combination of Mini-Europe and the Atomium, which are conveniently right next to each other. Which one you should visit first is debatable. The Atomium has a harder time handling crowds, but we didn’t think starting with Mini-Europe was such a bad idea (it can be pleasant in the morning). Either way you start, both attractions have options for lunch, so take your pick on where you might want to eat. (The Atomium seemed to have more of a sit-down option while it’s quick-service at Mini-Europe.)

If you’d like to extend your stay to Brussels, it would be easy to use Brussels as a base for exploring other Belgian cities like Antwerp or Ghent.

Let us know what you like to do in Brussels, Belgium!

Suggested reading:

• Trip Introduction: Cheese and Chocolate in Western Europe
• Pro Tip: Exchange Currency at Your Destination
• The Travel Gadgets That Make Our Travel Easy