Brussels itinerary — 4 days

A late Gothic church of the 15th century in the Sablon quarter, grown out of a small chapel that received a venerated statue of the Virgin in 1348. Inside are pale stone, pointed vaults, stained glass and the burial vault of the Thurn und Taxis princes. The church stands a couple of steps from the Grand Sablon square with its chocolatiers and antique dealers. Entry is free, and the organ often sounds through the nave in the evening.

Located beside Leopold Park in Brussels, the Museum of Natural Sciences is home to Europe's largest dedicated Dinosaur Gallery, spanning over 3,000 square meters. The star attraction is the herd of thirty authentic Iguanodon skeletons unearthed inside a coal mine at Bernissart in 1878, meticulously mounted in dramatic postures. The museum also features extensive halls tracing human evolution, gigantic whale skeletons, and rare mineral crystals.

A monumental 30-hectare public park anchoring Brussels' European Quarter, commissioned by King Leopold II in 1880 to mark the 50th anniversary of Belgian independence. Its centerpiece is a colossal triple triumphal arch crowned by a bronze quadriga representing Brabant. Flanking horseshoe arcades house three major national cultural institutions: the Royal Military Museum, the Autoworld car museum, and the Art Museum.

Autoworld is located in the grand southern hall of the Palais du Cinquantenaire in Brussels. Beneath the soaring iron-and-glass roof of this historic late 19th-century pavilion sits one of Europe's finest automotive collections, featuring more than 250 vintage vehicles. The exhibits trace the history of motoring from horse-drawn carriages and rare Belgian marques like Minerva to royal limousines, sports cars, and racing icons.

Designed in 1862 by landscape architect Édouard Keilig in the style of an English romantic garden, Bois de la Cambre is Brussels's favorite urban park. Bordering the southern end of Avenue Louise, it serves as the natural gateway to the ancient Sonian Forest. The centerpiece is a serene artificial lake with Robinson's Island, accessible by a quaint hand-pulled cable ferry, surrounded by rolling lawns, ancient beech trees, and winding paths.

A hands-on confectionery masterclass in central Brussels, where visitors learn the art of authentic Belgian chocolate making. Guided by professional chocolatiers, participants master the tempering process, create filled pralines with assorted ganaches, and mold sweet bars. At the end of the session, all handcrafted treats are neatly packaged into souvenir boxes to take home.

A working family brewery from 1900 and a lambic museum in one: Cantillon still brews spontaneously fermented lambic, gueuze and kriek in open vessels and oak barrels. A self-guided tour with a brochure leads through the brewhouse, the attic coolship and the cellars, ending with three tasting glasses — lambic, gueuze and a fruit beer. Damp walls and vinegar smells are all part of the authentic charm.

One of the largest churches in the world, crowning the Koekelberg plateau in north-west Brussels. Built in Art Deco style between 1905 and 1970, it is clad in dark brick with terracotta trim. An ascent to the gallery of the dome opens a panorama over the whole city, while below sit a museum of modern religious art and an exhibition tracing the basilica's six decades of construction.

Mini-Europe is an engaging outdoor miniature park located directly beneath the Atomium in Brussels. Spread across landscaped gardens, it showcases approximately 350 painstakingly detailed scale models representing major landmarks from across the European Union in 1:25 proportions. Interactive displays bring the park to life with operating high-speed trains, canal boats, moving windmills, and a simulated eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

A striking modernist monument in Brussels, built for the 1958 World Expo to the design of engineer André Waterkeyn. Representing an iron crystal cell enlarged 165 billion times, it consists of nine steel-clad spheres connected by tubes and escalators. Several spheres host permanent and temporary design exhibitions, while the top sphere offers a 360-degree panoramic view over Brussels.

Belgium's national railway museum in Schaerbeek, opened in 2015. Comic artist Francois Schuiten conceived the scenography, so the halls unfold like a surrealist journey through time. The collection counts over twenty locomotives and carriages, including the 1835 Pays de Waes, one of the oldest locomotives in continental Europe, plus royal saloons. Simulators and open cabs let you climb aboard.

A beloved Brussels artisan confectionery established by Jean-Baptiste Dandoy in 1829, steps away from the Grand-Place. The bakery is internationally famous for handcrafted speculoos biscuits spiced with cinnamon and cloves, traditionally pressed in antique wooden moulds. On the upper floor, its charming tearoom serves freshly made waffles: crisp, light Brussels waffles alongside dense, pearl-sugar-caramelised Liège waffles.

A petite bronze fountain sculpture measuring 61 centimetres at the corner of Rue de l Étuve in central Brussels, recognized as the cheeky symbol of the city independent spirit. Cast in 1619 by sculptor Jérôme Duquesnoy the Elder, the fountain has inspired numerous urban folklore tales. For special festivals, the boy is dressed in elaborate costumes, with a wardrobe of over 1,000 outfits in the City Museum.

A chocolate museum a couple of minutes from Grand-Place, tracing cocoa from Aztec drinks to Belgian pralines. Three floors of antique moulds, vintage advertising and factory machines end with a live praline demonstration by a master chocolatier; tastings await on every level, including a freshly made artisanal praline. An audio guide in 11 languages comes with the ticket, so the story goes down easily.

The Brussels Town Hall is a crowning masterpiece of Brabantine Gothic architecture dominating the Grand-Place. Built between 1402 and 1455, its 96-metre pierced belfry tower is topped by a gilded statue of Saint Michael slaying the dragon. The facade features hundreds of intricate stone statues, while the opulent interior preserves historic tapestries and grand council chambers.

Brussels' main square and a UNESCO site: the 15th-century town hall with its 96-metre tower topped by St Michael, guild houses in gilded baroque, and the Breadhouse. Every second August the square is carpeted with a giant flower carpet of begonias. Dumas called it the most beautiful square in Europe.

A historic Brussels dining institution on Rue des Bouchers near the Grand-Place, founded by Léon Vanlancker in 1893. Renowned worldwide as the quintessential temple of Belgian 'moules-frites' (steamed mussels and crispy fries), it serves over a dozen preparations of fresh North Sea mussels alongside Belgian beers, including its proprietary Bière Léon. The venue has expanded into a vibrant maze of nine interconnected dining rooms.

A legendary beer tavern tucked into a small alley off the Grand-Place, opposite the Jeanneke Pis fountain. Delirium earned a Guinness World Record for offering the largest commercial beer selection on Earth, pouring well over 2,000 varieties from authentic Belgian Trappist ales and fruit lambics to global craft rarities. Its labyrinth of cellar rooms is vibrantly decorated with vintage beer trays, bottle caps, and enamelled signs.

Jeanneke-Pis is a whimsical bronze fountain sculpture tucked away in the narrow Impasse de la Fidélité alley near Brussels' Grand Place. Created by sculptor Denis-Adrien Debouvrie in 1987, the half-meter-tall statue depicts a carefree young girl with pigtails squatting to urinate, designed as a playful sister counterpart to the iconic Manneken Pis. The fountain sits behind protective iron railings directly opposite the famous Delirium Café.

Standing atop Treurenberg Hill, this magnificent Brabantine Gothic cathedral serves as the national church of Belgium. Constructed between the 13th and 15th centuries, its majestic twin 64-meter facade towers strongly evoke Notre-Dame de Paris. Inside, soaring vaulted naves are lined with statues of the twelve apostles, a dramatic 17th-century carved Baroque wooden pulpit by Verbruggen, and stained-glass windows by Bernard van Orley.