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As soon as you arrive in the city and check-in at the hotel, do not waste any more time and set off to discover Brussels. The Grand Place, it is a place accessible only on foot; It is the central square of Brussels, a UNESCO heritage site, and is considered one of the most beautiful squares in the world … word of Victor Hugo! Your Weekend in Brussels can not leave this place
DAY 1 WEEKEND IN BRUSSELS
The Grand-Place is surrounded by magnificent buildings, the headquarters of the guilds of arts and crafts, most of which date back to the late seventeenth century. This impressive architectural group is dominated byHôtel de Ville of Brussels, whose construction dates back to the early fourteenth century (1402). Guildhouses, is one of the most beautiful palaces of the Grand Place.
The square also welcomes major events such asOmmegang and the Tapis de Fleurs (Flower Carpet).
One of the places of great interest that is worth visiting immediately is definitely the Cathedral St-Michel and Gudule.
A building with imposing Gothic-style towers, Renaissance stained glass windows, and whose façade incorporates elements from the fifteenth-century architecture. The origin of the Cathedral is to be found in a small church built around the year one thousand, and dedicated to the cult of St. Michael the Archangel.
Note the remains of the Romanesque collegiate church, its 16th century windows, the statues of the apostles of the nave, the baroque style pulpit, its treasure, and its great organ.
Days and Hours of the Cathedral: dMonday to Friday, from 7 to 18.
Saturday: from 8.30 to 18 (visits from 8.30 to 15.30).
Sunday: from 8.30 to 18 (visits after 14).
Free entry.
Town Hall (Brussels Town Hall) is situated on the famous Grand Place. It is a beautiful example of a public building in Europe, as well as one of the highest masterpieces of the Brabant Gothic style.
The incomparable beauty of its tower, whose spire supports the archangel Saint Michael, make it the most visited and photographed attraction of the nation.
The building, of Gothic style, began in 15 ° century, to end in 17 ° sec. In the 1695 the Town Hall was set on fire by the bombardments of Marshal de Villeroy. The reception rooms and the municipal lavatories preserve prestigious brussellesi tapestries from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, coats of arms of the ancient guilds and paintings from the collections of the city’s museum.
After a short walk, find the MIM (Museum of Musical Instruments), that certainly deserves your attention. Obviously, to enter, you must consider the time available.
In the famous Old England Department Stores, with a magnificent entry in Art Nouveau style, the building is located in the neo-classical style of the Place Royale complex. It is in this architectural jewel that the MIM took office in 2000. It is abouta place to live with music. An infrared headphone system allows you to explore the thematic routes listening to the melodic sound of the instruments presented.
Kanoa recommends visiting this Museum for the beauty of Old England department stores but also for experiencing an unforgettable musical and sensorial experience.
The central train station is at 200 meters. You can arrive with the Subway, 1 Line and 5, getting off at the stops Central Station o Parc; in Tram with 92 and 94 lines, or in Bus with 27, 38, 71 and 95 lines. In a case you have to get off at the stop Royale.
The Museum is open every day, except Mondays, from 09:30 to 17:00 (Saturday, Sunday and holidays always open at 10:00).
Closed on Mondays, 01/01, 01/05, 01/11, 11/11 and 25/12. The permanent collections of MIM are accessible for free on the first Wednesday of the month, from 13.
Admission costs 10.00€ for adults, 8.00€ for over 65 years. FREE for under 18. The ticket is included with the Brussels City Card.
What is the best way to close your first day of the Weekend? Brussels? Making a stop in a Brewery, of course, we mention the “Delirium Cafe”.
This brewery is an institution in the city and if you go there over the weekend it may be difficult to grab a beer, but “you have to go there”. It is located right at two pass by the Grand Place in a hidden street; do not be scared by the rather high prices; we still speak of the real “Kingdom of Beer”, with over 200 different flavors to try !!
DAY 2 WEEKEND IN BRUSSELS
This morning Kanoa, always attentive to your tastes to “put gas in the engine”, recommends a rich breakfast from “Aksum coffee house”, a stone’s throw from the central station; you will enter a relaxing place, enjoying excellent coffees, cappuccinos and local specialties.
With the supposedly full stomach, start the second leg of the Weekend in Brussels, admiring the church of Notre Dame du Sablon, located in the homonymous district.
It is one of the most important buildings in Brussels, a true masterpiece of the Brabant Gothic style. The interior has five naves with seventeenth-century statues and a wooden pulpit of Marten de Vos (1697).
If you are lucky, on Sunday in front of the complex there is an interesting antique market, where you can find rare items and even some silver. Not to be missed during the weekend in Brussels. In fact, it is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful churches in the country! It is open every day from Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 18:30; Saturday and Sunday from 09:00 to 19:00. Free entry.
The Sablon district, where the Church stands, is among the most beautiful in the whole city. It is an extremely lively area, very popular especially for lovers of furniture and objects. The heart of the neighborhood is the Place du Grand Sablon; square with a triangular shape, with the fountain of Minerva (1751) in the middle, surrounded by stately buildings of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Among these, it deserves mention The Art Home, a luxury hotel transformed into an artistic center that hosts interesting exhibitions.
Visible, the Palace of Justice, a majestic building with a classic shape and a grandiose dome that rises to 100 meters above the ground.
The district takes its name from the Sablon, a yellow sand that is located around Brussels. When the district was outside the walls, to enter the city it was necessary to go along this sandy road. Here, moreover, you will have a wide choice of restaurants and brasseries in which to taste the dishes of the Belgian cuisine; point Wittamer, the oldest pastry shop in Brussels, famous for its delicious gauffres.
Photo ©, Michel Wal
For those who want to go shopping, do not miss a visit at the “Galeries Royales St. Hubert”, located at the center of the Grand Place. Right in the center, the Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium, represents an unmissable stop during a Weekend in Brussels. Housed in a beautiful building, through its extraordinary collections, it traces the history of visual arts, painting, sculpture and drawing, from the fifteenth to the twenty-first century. An incredible tour of the works of Flemish Primitives by Pieter Bruegel, Peter Paul Rubens, Jacques Jordaens, Jacques Louis David, Auguste Rodin, James Ensor, Paul Gauguin, Ferdinand Khnopff, Henry Moore, Paul Delvaux, René Magritte, Marcel Broodthaers, Jan Fabre and many others.
The complex consists of 6 different museums: Musée Old Masters, Musée Modern, Musée Wiertz and Musée Meunier, Musée Magritte and the Musée Fin-de-Siècle. Just on these two, we advise you to turn your attention, even if much depends on subjective tastes, and time available.
The Magritte museum includes over 200 works by the Belgian surrealist artist, in an exhibition space of about 2500 square meters. Open from Monday to Friday, from 10:00 to 17:00. Saturday and Sunday, from 11:00 to 18:00. The adult admission ticket costs 10.00€; reduced, from 3.00 to 8.00€.
The Musée Fin-de-Siècle is a is a multidisciplinary museum dedicated to the various art works of the late nineteenth century. Open from Monday to Friday, from 10:00 to 17:00. Saturday and Sunday, from 11:00 to 18:00. The combined ticket with the Magritte costs 15.00€. All the info on the official website, from this link.
Are you a lover of Art Nouveau? Then you can not miss the appointment with the splendid Horta Museum.
The museum is located south of the city, and we recommend to reach it by public transport: by tram, with the 81 line, 91, 92, 97, stop Place Janson or with the 54 bus. Recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the Horta Museum invites you to the former residence of Victor Horta. It was built between the 1898 and the 1901 by Victor Horta (Art Nouveau) who, free from the constraints of the clients, was able to give free rein to his own ingenious inventiveness.
Here you can admire the main staircase (which is the central axis of the building), its wealth of decorative motifs, projects, photographs and models. The architecture and furnishings were designed by V. Horta.
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 14 to 17.30
Last entry to 17.15 Morning reserved for group visits.
Closed on Monday, 1 January, Easter Sunday, 1 May, Ascension, 21 July, 15 August, 1 ° and 11 November and 25 December. The adult admission ticket costs 10.00 €; reduced for children from 6 to 18 years, 3.00€; students with a valid card attesting their status, 5.00€.
You will be hungry. There is nothing better than sampling the best Brussels fries, perhaps accompanied by the famous mussels of the city. Kanoa recommends youMaison Antoine, a kiosk that is a must in Brussels; you may find queues of people but it is absolutely worth it. You can get there by metro from the station De Brouckere near the Grand Place, and after 5 stops getting off at Schuman, you arrive in just 5 minutes of walking.
For more info, see the official website of MaisonAntoine.be.
DAY 3 WEEKEND IN BRUSSELS
Final stop of your weekend in Brussels. You probably still have a lot to see. Whether you are a couple, friends or children, you can not leave the capital without visiting Atomium. It is near the Mini-Europe and the Océade water park. At this fantastic attractions, we have dedicated a separate section, available at this link, with Train World and the Chocolate Village!
In the beautiful Park Cinquantenaire, green lung not far from the center, you will find the unmissable Autoworld, living museum of cars. A fantastic collection of over 250 vintage cars awaits you, for an exciting journey through the history of the automobile. An area is dedicated to racing cars with a fantastic scenery. There is no shortage of workshops and activities, especially on Sundays.
Autoworld is housed in the splendid Palais Mondial de Bruxelles. It is open from Monday to Friday, from 10:00 to 17:00; Saturday and Sunday, from 10:00 to 18:00. The adult ticket costs 10.00€; reduced over 65, 8.00€; reduced for children from 6 to 11 years, 4.00€. FREE WITH CITY CARD