2 days in Brussels

Sablon

An upper-town square and the streets around it, known for antique dealers, chocolate makers and the church of Notre-Dame du Sablon. It is best on a weekend, when the antiques market is open.

1 h 30 visitAlways open

Come on a Saturday for the market, then walk down through the Marolles to the flea market on the Place du Jeu de Balle.

The square is open at all times. The antiques market runs on Saturday from 9:00 to 17:00 and on Sunday from 9:00 to 15:00.

Source: City of Brussels, Markets, checked October 5, 2026

Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium

Two large museums that share a ticket system: the Old Masters Museum, with Flemish painting from the 15th century onwards, and the Magritte Museum on Place Royale. Together they are the main art stop in the city.

4 h visitOpen 11:00 am–5:00 pm · last entry 4:30 pmAdult ticket €13

Pick one museum if time is short. The Old Masters Museum is the larger of the two and needs most of a morning.

Tuesday to Friday 10:00 to 17:00, weekends 11:00 to 18:00. Closed on Mondays, 1 January, 1 May, 1 and 11 November and 25 December. On 24 and 31 December the museums close at 15:00. Ticket offices close at 16:30 on weekdays and 17:30 on weekends.

Source: Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, checked October 5, 2026

Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert

A glass-roofed shopping arcade of the 1840s with three connected galleries. Walk through it for the architecture and the cafe windows rather than to shop.

40 min visitHours not confirmed. Check the official site.

Pass through on a rainy afternoon, or in the evening when the shop windows are lit.

The shops, cafes and theatre inside keep their own opening hours.

Source: visit.brussels (Brussels tourism board), checked October 5, 2026

Manneken Pis

A small bronze fountain figure on a street corner near the Grand-Place. The visit lasts a few minutes, and the statue is smaller than most people expect.

20 min visitAlways open

Go in the early morning, when you can reach the railing without a crowd. The statue is often dressed in a costume.

The statue stands on the street and can be seen at any hour.

Source: visit.brussels (Brussels tourism board), checked October 5, 2026

Place Poelaert and the Palace of Justice

A viewpoint over the lower town from the front of the Palace of Justice, a courthouse built on a vast scale. You see the roofs of the city and the Marolles below.

45 min visitAlways open

A glass lift on Rue de l'Épée in the Marolles takes you up to the viewpoint. It is quicker than the stairs and links the flea market with the view.

The square is open at all times.

Source: visit.brussels (Brussels tourism board), checked October 5, 2026

Atomium

A 102 metre steel model of an iron crystal, built for the 1958 World's Fair. Five of the nine spheres are open, with exhibitions inside and a panorama at the top.

3 h visitOpen 10:00 am–6:00 pm · last entry 5:30 pmAdult ticket €17

Arrive at opening or after 15:00 to avoid the longest lines. The panorama is poor in low cloud, so check the sky first.

Tickets are sold at the door, but you can also buy them online on the official site. The official site names 11:00 to 15:00 as the busiest hours.

Open every day, 10:00 to 18:00, with the last entry at 17:30. On 24 and 31 December it closes at 16:00 and on 25 December and 1 January it opens at noon. The building is closed for annual maintenance from 18 January to 5 February 2027.

Source: Atomium, checked October 5, 2026

Cathedral of St Michael and St Gudula

The Gothic cathedral of Brussels, free to enter, with a treasury, Romanesque remains and a crypt that charge separately. The twin towers face a small square on the slope above Gare Centrale.

1 h visitOpen 1:00 pm–5:00 pm

Go on a weekday morning for the quietest visit. A free guided tour in French and English starts on Saturdays at 14:00 and lasts about an hour.

Monday to Friday 8:00 to 18:00, Saturday 8:00 to 17:00, Sunday 13:00 to 18:00. Visits are not allowed during services. The crypt can only be seen by appointment.

Source: Cathedral of St Michael and St Gudula, checked October 5, 2026

Comic Art Museum

A museum of Belgian and international comics in a former warehouse designed by Victor Horta. It is quick to read and rewarding even if you do not read comics.

1 h 40 visitOpen 10:00 am–6:00 pm · last entry 5:00 pmAdult ticket €14

Look at the building as well as the exhibits: the Art Nouveau stairs and iron work are part of the visit.

Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 18:00, with the last admission at 17:00. It also opens on Mondays in July and August, except 24 and 31 August. Closed on 25 December and 1 January.

Source: Comic Art Museum, checked October 5, 2026

Mont des Arts

A terraced garden that links the lower and upper town, laid out for the 1910 World's Fair. It gives a view over the old town.

30 min visitAlways open

Stop here between the Grand-Place and the museums on the hill. Listen for the carillon in the covered passage.

The garden is open at all times.

Source: visit.brussels (Brussels tourism board), checked October 5, 2026

Grand-Place

The market square at the centre of the old town, closed in by the Gothic town hall and the guild houses. It is open at any hour and takes little time, but it is worth seeing both by day and after dark.

1 h 30 visitAlways open

Come early in the morning, before the tour groups arrive, and again after dark when the facades are lit.

The square is open at all times. Events such as the summer flower carpet and the Christmas tree change what fills it.

Source: visit.brussels (Brussels tourism board), checked October 5, 2026