We all love us some free things. As some of you might already know, I’m Dutch. And if there is one thing Dutch people love, it’s free things. In every city there is so many things you can do for absolutely free!
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission on products or services if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.
If you’re planning on visiting Brussels on your vacation this year, but you’re on a budget, let me tell you all my favorite things you can do and see for free!
Why you should visit Brussels
Brussels is probably my favorite city in the world. I know it’s not something everyone agrees on (my friends are my source), but I think Brussels is a perfect city to spend a day, maybe two. You probably don’t need many more days than that. There has been a time where I visited Brussels about once a month; I just loved that city so much.
I think the vibe is perfect, it’s just big enough to not get completely lost, but there is so much to see as well. The weather can be a bit tricky, but I have found it’s not that hard to find a few sunny days in May until September.
I definitely recommend it for just about every city, but it’s such a relaxing city to visit just out of the peak season. The city center is usually the busiest place, but outside of the peak season it’s absolutely fine to navigate.
There are some areas that aren’t well spoken about, but honestly, I have barely had any moments where I felt unsafe. The one time I felt unsafe was not even in one of these areas.
Free Things To Do In Brussels
1. Visit the touristic attractions
Something about Brussels, is that most of the biggest touristic attractions are all verrry close together (apart from the Atomium). I think this is great for 2 reasons.
One, it doesn’t take much time to see the main attractions, so if you’re visiting Brussels for only a short amount of time, you’ll be able to see just about everything Brussels is known for. The Grand Place and Mannekin Pis are only a street away from each other.
A fun fact about Manneke Pis is that he is often dressed in some themed outfits. For example, he has been dressed as famous people, Belgian traditions and the Belgian soccer team outfit. He has worn over 1000 outfits so far! You can see about 150 of them in the GardeRobe MannekenPis museum (unfortunately paid).
Here is a list of my recommended must-see attractions in Brussels:
Click them to see their locations in Google Maps.
- Grand Place
- Manneke Pis
- The Royal Quarter
- The Royal Gallery
- The musical instrument museum (I just love the outside alone)
- Mont des Artes
- Atomium
- Royal Palace
- Saint-Michel Cathedral (I love lounging here)
- Basilique Nationale du Sacré Coeur
- Église Notre-Dame des Victoires au Sablon
- Palais de Justice
- The several parks (listed further down)
The second reason is because it gets significantly less busy outside of these areas, as well as less touristic shops/restaurants wise. No matter what it looks like, you’ll probably won’t get the best quality of chocolates and waffles in this small area. Walk a few blocks away and get these things at a small shop a little out of the center.
Read more: 4 Travel Myths You Probably Didn’t Know About
2. Visit the Atomium
As I mentioned before, the Atomium is the one of the only big touristic attraction that isn’t located near the city center of Brussels, but it’s definitely worth paying a visit. You can easily access it from the Grand Place or Gare Midi. You’ll arrive in about 15 minutes at your destination!
You can find the directions here.
You can buy a ticket to get inside and look at the exhibitions and the panorama view, but that wouldn’t make it free anymore, and I personally have never done that either.
3. Take a free walking tour
Well, well, well, if it’s not me talking about my favorite go-to touristic activity again. Free walking tours. It says it in the name, it’s literally free. Free walking tours are literally the best way to quickly get to know a city.
Brussels has several free walking tours with several different themes, like this standard one, given by locals or this one about the Royal Palace and the Grand Sablon. Some tours even include a free tasting of Belgian chocolates!
If you’d like to know more about free walking tours, read this article below!
Read more: What Is A Free Walking Tour? – Everything You Need To Know
4. Watch the sunset at the lookout des Marolles
I found out about this place because it was right in between the city center and the hotel I was staying at at that time. It’s a nice lookout where you can see all over the city.
It’s located right next to the Palais de Justice.
Bring a bottle of wine and some snacks, and just enjoy the view.
One thing that makes this place even more special is this random free elevator, which takes you from the city center area up to the lookout.
5. Have a picknick at Mont des Artes
Another great place to bring your own food and beverages is Monts des Artes. It’s a little park with a nice panoramic view of the city. Everything from the Town Hall to even the Atomium (on a sunny day) is visible from here.
People come out here to meet up with others, relax in the sun and there are often some dancers or skaters around.
Something to look for when you’re at this place is the big ‘carillon’ clock on the building on the right side of the park. It’s a beautiful star-shaped clock, surrounded by twelve figurines, each representing a historical figure in Brussels. The clock plays two tunes, alternating each other every hour. One is Flemish, the other one Walloon.
6. Do a comic book tour
If you’re a big comic geek, you’ll definitely appreciate all the wall paintings of comics scattered throughout the city. The city of Brussels created a list of all the places where you can find these art pieces. You can find them here.
7. Stroll around in one of the parks
Even though Brussels is a big city, it also has several places to relax in nature. In fact, it’s one of the greenest cities of Europe. If you have a little more time on your hands or just want a little break from the touristic center, the city parks are the place to go. Here are just a few of them.
Parc de Bruxelles has a little kiosk to get some food and drinks, some sculptures, a fountain and a little gazebo.
Parc de Laeken brings New York vibes to Brussels. It’s located close to the Atomium. You can find the Dynasty Monument here, dedicated to the first King of Belgium Leopold I. This park also features a fountain and a chapel, and yo can visit many other touristic (paid) attractions from here.
Another thing to look for here is the Japanese tower, Chinese pavilion and the museum of the Far East, which are located close to this beautiful park.
Parc du Cinquantenaire is both a park and a landmark, as well as home to a military museum. It celebrates 50 years of independence. Don’t just stop at the fountain and the arch, but take a nice stroll around!
If you like even more of a nature break, take a visit at Bois de la Cambre. It’s a huge forest, a little further south of Brussels. Chalet Robinson is a tearoom on a little island in this park. You’re able to visit this tearoom with an electrical ferry boat for €1 per person, or you can admire it from afar.
8. Take some pictures at this ‘hidden’ spot
One “hidden” place I found while I was just randomly strolling around the city was this very pretty colorful wall art. It’s located right here!
We all love a good new instagramable picture, so take some here while you’re at it!
It’s located in a little alley in the city center, so it’s easily accessible and yet you don’t have people walking in your shot. It’s also great for people who are a little shy when taking pictures in public!
–
These were 7 free things to do in Brussels, so you can get the most out of this beautiful city without breaking the bank!