Itineraries
Where to stay
The old center around the Grand-Place and Brussels-Central for first-timers on foot; Sainte-Catherine and Dansaert for seafood and bars; the Sablon for an upmarket feel near the museums; the European Quarter for parks and EU sights.
The areas: Old center (Grand-Place and Brussels-Central), Sainte-Catherine and Dansaert, Sablon, European Quarter.
Where to stay in Brussels: areas and adviceHotels in BrusselsPlaces to see
All things to do in BelgiumTransportAntwerp Central Station, AntwerpAntwerp's grand main station, nicknamed the railroad cathedral, with a vast steel platform roof and grand entrance hall.Entry: Free to visit
ViewpointAtomiumSteel model of an iron crystal built for the 1958 World Fair, with exhibitions inside its spheres.Entry: Buy at the desk or online
MuseumBelgian Comic Strip CenterMuseum of Belgian comic strip art in central Brussels, a short walk from the cathedral.Entry: €[fee]
TransportBrussels AirportBelgium's main airport, with its railway station directly beneath the departures and arrivals halls.Entry: Free to visit
TransportBrussels-Central StationThe station nearest the Grand-Place, with trains to Brussels Airport in about 18 min and to Flemish cities.Entry: Free to visit
ChurchCathedral of Our Lady, AntwerpGothic cathedral in Antwerp's old center, home to paintings by Rubens including The Descent from the Cross.Entry: €[fee]
ChurchCathedral of St Michael and St GudulaBrabantine Gothic cathedral built from the 13th to the 15th century, with some of the oldest stained glass in Belgium.Entry: Open daily; check service times
NeighborhoodGrand-PlaceThe city's main square, framed by the Gothic town hall, the King's House and rows of late 17th-century houses.Entry: Free to visit
NeighborhoodGrote Markt, AntwerpAntwerp's main market square with its Town Hall, a few steps from the cathedral and full of cafés.Entry: Free to visit
ViewpointHet Steen, AntwerpCenturies-old castle on the Scheldt, now a visitor center with a free panoramic roof terrace.Entry: Visitor center and roof terrace free
MuseumHouse of European HistoryFree museum of Europe's past in Leopold Park, with audio guides in 24 languages.Entry: Free to visit
MuseumMagritte MuseumPart of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts on Place Royale, devoted to the work of René Magritte.Entry: Book online or buy at the desk
ViewpointManneken PisThe small bronze boy on a street-corner fountain, a copy of the original kept in the Brussels City Museum.Entry: Free to visit
FoodMarollesA working-class district below the Palace of Justice, with traditional Belgian brasseries and cafés along Rue Haute.Entry: Pay as you go
MuseumMAS (Museum aan de Stroom), AntwerpA nine-floor museum on the Eilandje docks telling Antwerp's story, with a free rooftop panorama.Entry: Book a time slot
NatureParc du CinquantenairePark built in 1880 for Belgium's 50th birthday, crowned by triumphal arches and ringed by museums.Entry: Free to visit
MuseumParlamentariumThe European Parliament's free visitor center, explaining how the Parliament works with multimedia guides.Entry: Free to visit
FoodPlace du Grand SablonAn upmarket square of chocolatiers, brasseries and antique dealers below the Gothic Church of Our Lady of the Sablon.Entry: Pay as you go
MarketPlace du Jeu de Balle flea marketThe Marolles' daily flea market, held from dawn until early afternoon, ringed by old cafés.Entry: Free to visit
FoodPlace JourdanA lively square in the European Quarter, home to the Maison Antoine chip shop for over 70 years.Entry: Pay as you go
NeighborhoodRoyal Galleries of Saint-HubertOne of the oldest covered shopping galleries in Europe, lined with chocolate shops, cafés and boutiques.Entry: Free to visit
FoodSainte-CatherineThe city's old fish market and port, now a district of seafood restaurants around Place Sainte-Catherine and the Vismet.Entry: Pay as you go
FoodVrijdagmarkt, AntwerpA historic square near Museum Plantin-Moretus with a Belgian bistro, a wine bar and café terraces.Entry: Pay as you go
FoodWOLF Sharing Food MarketA food hall of 16 kitchens and a microbrewery on Rue du Fossé aux Loups, near the old center.Entry: Pay as you go
FoodWOLF Sharing Food Market, AntwerpA food hall of ten restaurants and three bars in the historic Saint Felix Warehouse on the Eilandje.Entry: Pay as you go