Brussels tours and tickets
Brussels needs little advance booking. The Atomium and the fine arts museums can get busy on weekends and holidays, so a ticket a few days ahead is sensible. The Grand Place, the comic murals and the Galeries Royales are free to walk. Beer, chocolate and food tours are the best things to reserve, and Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp are easy by train.
Book these first
- Atomium and Magritte Museum tickets
- a few days ahead in busy weeks. Both can fill on weekends and school holidays.
- Dinner at a popular restaurant
- a few days ahead for Friday and Saturday. Small dining rooms fill, especially in the Lower Town and Sainte-Catherine.
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Museums and galleries
Royal Museums of Fine Arts and Magritte Museum
A group of museums on one site, covering old masters and the largest Magritte collection in the world. Tickets cover individual museums or a combined entry, and audio guides and guided visits are sold.
Which to pick. Buy the official combined ticket if you want both the old masters and Magritte. Go on a weekday morning, and skip a guide unless you want the context for the surrealist rooms.
A few days ahead in busy weeksOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorBelgian Comic Strip Center
A museum in a Horta-designed building, covering Tintin, the Smurfs and Belgian comics from drawing to print. A guided visit exists for groups, and an audio guide is sold.
Which to pick. Buy at the door unless it is a rainy weekend. A wall trail of comic murals outside is free and pairs well with a visit.
On the day is fineVisitor guideOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorHorta Museum
The architect Victor Horta's former home and studio in Saint-Gilles, with Art Nouveau stairs, glass and ironwork. It is small, and entry is by timed ticket in limited groups.
Which to pick. Book a timed ticket online, since walk-in places are few. Pair it with a walk through the nearby Art Nouveau streets.
A few days aheadVisitor guideOfficial siteTours and tickets on Viator
Monuments and landmarks
Atomium
A giant model of an iron crystal built for a world fair, with exhibitions in the spheres and a restaurant at the top. Tickets are timed, and combined passes with nearby sites are sold.
Which to pick. Book a timed ticket for a weekday morning. Skip the queue by buying online, and add the nearby miniature park only if you travel with children.
A few days ahead in busy weeksVisitor guideOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorGrand Place and the Galeries Royales
The ornate main square, with the town hall and guild houses, and the covered arcades nearby. Walking tours link the two with chocolate and waffles. The town hall also runs short visits.
Which to pick. Walk the square on your own, ideally at night when it is lit. A guided walk helps if you want the guilds and the history explained.
On the day is fineOfficial siteTours and tickets on Viator
Guided walks and tours
Comic strip mural walk
A walk past the large wall paintings of comic characters scattered across the center. Self-guided maps are free, and guided walks add the stories behind the artists and the format.
Which to pick. Use a free map for a short wander, or book a guide if comics are the reason you came. A bike or tuk-tuk tour covers more ground.
On the day is fineOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorArt Nouveau walk
A walk through Saint-Gilles and Ixelles, past houses with curved ironwork and painted facades by Horta and his contemporaries. It runs in small groups, usually for two hours.
Which to pick. Choose a walk with an interior visit if you can. Otherwise a self-guided route works, though the details are easier to spot with a guide.
A few days aheadOfficial siteTours and tickets on Viator
Food tours and classes
Beer tasting and brewery visit
A tasting of Belgian beers, from lambic to abbey styles, with the history of the breweries explained. Some tours visit a working brewery in the city, and others use a bar.
Which to pick. Book a tour that includes a brewery visit if you want to see how the beer is made. Pace yourself, since the strengths are high.
A few days aheadTours and tickets on ViatorChocolate workshop
A hands-on class in tempering and moulding chocolate, followed by a tasting. Some include a shop tour and a history of Belgian chocolate.
Which to pick. Book a class that lets you take your creations home. Check the language and group size, since smaller groups are more fun.
A week aheadTours and tickets on ViatorFood tour
A walking tour of the city's markets, bakeries and bars, covering waffles, frites, chocolate and beer. It usually lasts three hours.
Which to pick. Go on a weekday when the markets are open. Check dietary details when you book, and arrive hungry.
A few days aheadTours and tickets on Viator
Day trips
Bruges
A medieval canal town about an hour by train, with a market square, a belfry and boat trips. Guided day tours from the city include a canal ride and a chocolate stop.
Which to pick. Take the train and buy a boat ticket on the day, unless you want a guide. Start early, since the day trippers arrive by late morning.
On the day is fineOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorGhent
A canal city of medieval buildings and the Ghent Altarpiece, about 35 minutes by train. The altarpiece is in the cathedral and has timed tickets.
Which to pick. Book the altarpiece slot online, and walk the rest on your own. Ghent is quieter than Bruges and rewards a slower day.
A few days aheadOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorAntwerp
A port city with diamond history, fashion and a grand railway station, about 40 minutes away. Guided tours cover the diamond district and the cathedral.
Which to pick. Go by train, and buy the Rubens house or cathedral ticket on the day. A tour is optional.
On the day is fineOfficial siteTours and tickets on Viator
City and museum passes in Brussels
- Brussels CardA card that gives free entry to many museums and unlimited public transport for a set period. It suits a visit packed with museums. It does not cover day trips, and you should check the list of included sites before buying. Official page
Booking tours and tickets in Brussels
Is a guide worth it for the Grand Place?
Not essential. The square is open, free and best seen at dusk. A guide helps for the guild houses and the history behind the town hall.
Do I need to book the Atomium?
In busy weeks a timed ticket saves a queue. On a quiet weekday you can usually buy on arrival, but the timed slot is cheap insurance.
Is the Brussels Card good value?
If you plan three or more paid museums plus transport in a day or two, yes. For one or two sights, single tickets are simpler.
Can I cancel tour tickets?
Official museum tickets are usually fixed to a date and slot. Partner tours often allow cancellation a day before. Read the terms before paying.
Is Brussels good for a rainy day?
Yes. The comic museum, the fine arts museums and the covered Galeries Royales all work indoors. Book a food or chocolate class for an extra wet-day plan.
What can wait until I arrive?
The Grand Place, comic murals, Galeries Royales, and trains to Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp can all be handled on the day. Book the Atomium, the Horta Museum and a dinner you care about first.