In an emergency
112 is the EU-wide emergency number for police, ambulance and fire, and works from any phone. A non-emergency police line, tourist police or complaint line could not be confirmed from an official page, so they are left out.
Fair prices
What locals pay. If you are asked for much more, you are probably being overcharged.
| Shawarma or falafel wrap at a Lebanese counter in the centreL'Express on Rue des Chapeliers; sit-down terraces nearby charge far more for a main course. | 6-8 EUR |
|---|---|
| Cone of fries at a friterieExample: Fries and More (Galerie Ravenstein) cone EUR 4.50; sauces cost extra. | about 4.50 EUR |
| Pizza at a simple pizzeriaCosi Com'e in Forest charges EUR 8-18 per pizza; Il Colosseo lists EUR 10 for any pizza. | 8-18 EUR |
| Pizza by weight lunch dealMamma Roma, Place Jourdan. | under 10 EUR |
| Fish and chips mainBia Mara; a fair benchmark for a quick-service sit-down main in the centre. | about 17 EUR |
| Smash burger at a burger barSmash (Ixelles) EUR 16 per burger. | about 16 EUR |
| Syrian tannour wrap mealMy Tannour Ixelles, meal price quoted by Wanderlog. | about 22 per meal EUR |
| Belgian bistro dinner main (stew, meatballs)Nuetnigenough range; compare before sitting down on Rue des Bouchers or the Grand-Place. | 15-30 EUR |
| All-you-can-eat ribs (Amadeo)Set price per person. | 25-30 EUR |
| Museum entry, major federal art museumMagritte or Old Masters; EUR 20 for both. Under-18s free. | 13 EUR |
| City museum entryBrussels City Museum, includes GardeRobe MannekenPis. | 10 EUR |
Tickets
Official prices and the only places to buy. Anyone else selling on the street is a reseller.
- Atomium
EUR 17 adult; EUR 9 student or child over 115 cm; free under 115 cm; EUR 15 seniors 65+; Atomium + Mini-Europe EUR 35
Buy at: https://www.atomium.be/tickets (or the on-site desk)
Third-party resellers add fees for the same ticket; the Atomium only sells via its own shop and cash desk.
- Magritte Museum
EUR 13 adult; EUR 10 seniors; EUR 5 ages 18-25; free under 18; combi with Old Masters EUR 20; audio guide EUR 5
Buy at: https://fine-arts-museum.be (or on site)
Only buy from the museum; Brussels Card and Belgian Museum Pass give free entry.
- Old Masters Museum (Royal Museums of Fine Arts)
EUR 13 adult; EUR 20 combi with Magritte; EUR 5 ages 18-25; free under 18
Buy at: https://fine-arts-museum.be (or on site)
- Brussels City Museum
EUR 10 adult; EUR 7 seniors; EUR 5 students, job-seekers and Brussels residents
Buy at: On site at the Maison du Roi or the city ticketing site
One ticket covers both museums - do not buy twice.
- Horta Museum
EUR 14 adult; EUR 6 students; EUR 3.50 ages 6-17 (2026 visitor guide)
Buy at: Official museum website (hortamuseum.be) - timed online booking required
Tour platforms also sell Horta visits; booking directly with the museum is the plain entry ticket.
- Belgian Beer World (Bourse)
EUR 25 regular; EUR 21.50 reduced; includes tastings and one 33cl drink on the rooftop
Buy at: https://www.belgianbeerworld.be/en
- Coudenberg Palace
Price not verified 2026
Buy at: https://www.coudenberg.brussels/en/
- Comic Art Museum (Belgian Comic Strip Center)
Price not verified 2026
Buy at: tickets.stripmuseum.be (official) or on site
- Cantillon Brewery
Fee not verified 2026
Buy at: On site (Rue Gheude 56); contact [email protected] for groups
- Royal Palace of Brussels
Free
Buy at: No ticket - just queue for the security check
Anyone selling palace tickets is a scam: entry is free.
- Parlamentarium
Free
Buy at: No ticket needed
Both are free; do not pay a tour seller for entry.
Traps
- Watch outBuy Atomium tickets only from the Atomium
The Atomium sells through its own online shop and the on-site desk (EUR 17 adult in 2026). Reseller sites charge more for the same entry.
Source: atomium.be - Watch outRoyal Palace, Parlamentarium and House of European History are free
Nobody should charge you for entry: the palace is free during its summer opening and the two EU museums are free all year. Paid 'tickets' for them are a rip-off.
Source: wanderlog.com, wanderlog.com - Watch outOnly take licensed taxis at the airport
Licensed Brussels taxis carry a blue-and-yellow emblem and wait at the rank in front of arrivals. Ignore drivers who approach you inside the terminal.
Source: en.wikipedia.org - Watch outHorta Museum: book on the museum's own system
Entry is by timed 15-minute slot booked online; walk-ups are not admitted when full. Book the plain ticket directly rather than through a mark-up tour.
Source: planetwhitley.com - TipOne City Museum ticket covers two museums
The EUR 10 Brussels City Museum ticket also includes the GardeRobe MannekenPis; do not buy a second ticket for the costume museum.
Source: brusselscitymuseum.brussels - TipCheck which Belgian Beer World ticket you need
Belgian Beer World is EUR 25 (EUR 21.50 reduced) and already includes tastings and a rooftop drink; the Atomium combo is EUR 37 - only buy it if you plan both.
Source: belgianbeerworld.be, atomium.be
Money
- TipFirst Wednesday afternoon: big museums free
On the first Wednesday of each month, the Magritte, Old Masters, Art & History and Natural Sciences museums are free from 13:00 (BELvue from 14:00) and the Military History museum is also free.
Source: brusselsmuseums.be, fine-arts-museum.be - TipFirst Sunday: 17 more museums free
Free on the first Sunday include the Horta Museum, Brussels City Museum, GardeRobe MannekenPis, Sewer Museum, Erasmus House, La Fonderie and the Design Museum.
Source: brusselsmuseums.be - TipUnder-18s go free at the Fine Arts museums
Children and teenagers (0-17) enter the Royal Museums of Fine Arts free; ages 18-25 pay EUR 5 instead of EUR 13.
Source: fine-arts-museum.be - TipBrussels Card and Museum Pass
Brussels Card and Belgian Museum Pass holders get free entry to the permanent collections of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts - work out whether you will visit enough museums to make a card worthwhile.
Source: fine-arts-museum.be - TipTap your bank card on transit
Contactless bank cards work directly on STIB metro, tram and bus validators, so you do not need to buy a paper ticket first.
Source: en.wikipedia.org - TipGo to the Midi Market late for bargains
At the Sunday Midi Market prices fall significantly after about 13:30 as traders clear stock.
Source: spottedbylocals.com
Transport
- RuleOne ticket, one hour, all modes
STIB fares are time-based: transfers between metro, tram and bus within an hour are included. Tap on every vehicle you board.
Source: en.wikipedia.org - RuleAirport train carries a supplement
Trains from Brussels Airport charge a 'Diabolo' supplement on top of the rail fare; still the fastest way (at least four trains an hour) to Nord, Central and Midi.
Source: en.wikipedia.org - TipStaying in the EU quarter? Take bus 12
STIB bus 12 links the airport directly with Schuman, Brussels-Luxembourg and Trone; it needs an airport fare, not a regular ticket.
Source: en.wikipedia.org, fr.wikipedia.org - Watch outCharleroi is not in Brussels
Brussels South Charleroi airport (Ryanair, Wizz Air) is about 40 km away; the Flibco shuttle runs to Brussels-Midi.
Source: en.wikipedia.org - TipPremetro is a tram underground
Stations like Bourse, De Brouckere and Anneessens are served by trams 3 and 4 in tunnels, not by metro trains; the axis is being converted to Metro 3 around 2030.
Source: en.wikipedia.org - TipTransit runs about 05:30 to 01:00
STIB operates every day of the year from about 05:30 to 01:00, with shorter hours on some lines; plan a taxi or walk for later.
Source: fr.wikipedia.org
Etiquette
- RuleNo suitcases in the City Museum
The Brussels City Museum refuses suitcases and travel bags; use lockers at Brussels-Central.
Source: brusselscitymuseum.brussels - RuleNo phones or photos in the Horta Museum
Photography of any kind is prohibited in Horta's house; phones stay away.
Source: planetwhitley.com - RuleNo dogs at Cantillon
Dogs are not allowed inside Cantillon brewery.
Source: cantillon.be - RuleCantillon is closed Wednesdays and Sundays
Visits run Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 10:00-16:00; plan around the midweek closure.
Source: cantillon.be - RuleMost museums close on Mondays
The Fine Arts museums, Brussels City Museum and Horta Museum are closed on Mondays; the Comic Art Museum opens Mondays only in July and August.
Source: fine-arts-museum.be, brusselscitymuseum.brussels, planetwhitley.com
Food
- TipFries come from a friterie, not a restaurant
The best frites are sold at kiosks and counters such as Maison Antoine (Place Jourdan), Frit Flagey and Fritland; eat them standing or on a bench.
Source: wanderlog.com, wanderlog.com - TipDrink lambic and gueuze, Brussels' own beers
Spontaneously fermented lambic, gueuze and kriek are the local styles; Moeder Lambic Fontainas has around 40 Belgian draughts and 400-plus beers, and Cantillon still brews lambic in Anderlecht.
Source: wanderlog.com, cantillon.be - FunOrder a half-en-half at Le Cirio
The historic 1886 cafe by the Bourse is known for the half-en-half, part sparkling, part white wine.
Source: wanderlog.com - TipStand-up seafood at Noordzee
At Noordzee on Sainte-Catherine you order fish soup, scampi or croquettes at the counter and eat standing at barrels outside.
Source: wanderlog.com - TipBib Gourmand for good-value dinners
Michelin's 2026 Bib Gourmand list for Brussels includes Selecto, Le Tournant, Strofilia and three new Asian picks (Alley Mian, ONGBA, Stone Dial) - reliable value away from the tourist lanes.
Source: guide.michelin.com, bruxellessecrete.com - TipWednesday apero at the Chatelain market
The Place du Chatelain market runs from about 14:00 on Wednesdays with cheese, charcuterie and fresh pasta, and turns into an after-work gathering.
Source: brusselstourism.org - TipLate-night pita on 'Pita Street'
Rue du Marche aux Fromages, just off the Grand-Place, is lined with Greek pita and gyros counters such as Plaka, Hellas and Mykonos, open late.
Source: wanderlog.com
Safety
- Watch outCrowds at the Grand-Place and Manneken Pis
The densest tourist crowds gather at the Grand-Place and the Manneken Pis corner; keep bags zipped and phones in front pockets.
Source: wanderlog.com - Watch outBusy markets need bag care
The Midi Market and the Jeu de Balle flea market are packed on weekend mornings; carry only what you need.
Source: spottedbylocals.com, brusselstourism.org - TipDieweg Cemetery is remote and overgrown
Go in daylight, stick to the paths and let someone know if you wander alone; it is open during daylight only.
Source: brusselstourism.org, spottedbylocals.com - TipLeave big bags at the station
Some museums (for example the Brussels City Museum) refuse suitcases and travel bags; lockers are available at Brussels-Central station.
Source: brusselscitymuseum.brussels - TipUse only licensed taxis
Licensed Brussels taxis carry a blue-and-yellow emblem; at the airport take one from the official rank in front of arrivals.
Source: en.wikipedia.org - TipSecurity checks at EU buildings and the palace
Expect airport-style bag checks at the Parlamentarium and the Royal Palace; travel light.
Source: wanderlog.com, wanderlog.com
Free
- TipGrand-Place by night
The square and its lit facades are free at any hour and best after dark when groups have left.
Source: wanderlog.com, en.wikipedia.org - TipMont des Arts sunset
Free view from the gardens back to the Town Hall spire; sit on the steps at sunset.
Source: wanderlog.com - TipFree EU museums
The Parlamentarium and the House of European History charge nothing, all year.
Source: wanderlog.com - TipFree panorama from Place Poelaert
The terrace by the Palace of Justice and the free glass lift down to the Marolles give a view over the city to Koekelberg.
Source: brusselstourism.org - TipMeunier Museum is always free
The Constantin Meunier museum (part of the Fine Arts museums) is free for everyone; weekday opening only.
Source: fine-arts-museum.be, fine-arts-museum.be - TipParks residents love
Parc Duden, Bois de la Cambre, Parc Josaphat and the La Cambre Abbey gardens are free and full of locals at weekends.
Source: spottedbylocals.com, brusselstourism.org, wanderlog.com - TipFree Galerie Bortier browsing
The quiet 1840s book arcade near the Grand-Place is free to wander.
Source: brusselstourism.org
Fun
- FunManneken Pis has a wardrobe museum
The statue has hundreds of costumes; they are shown at the GardeRobe MannekenPis on Rue du Chene, included with the City Museum ticket.
Source: brusselscitymuseum.brussels - FunHe has a sister
Jeanneke Pis, a squatting girl statue from 1987, sits in the Impasse de la Fidelite next to Delirium.
Source: wanderlog.com, wanderlog.com - FunSmurfs on the ceiling
A Smurfs mural is painted on the ceiling of the Putterie passage opposite Brussels-Central; most commuters never look up.
Source: brusselstourism.org - FunA medieval street underground
Beneath Place Royale you can walk the buried Rue Isabelle inside the Coudenberg palace ruins.
Source: coudenberg.brussels - FunJazz in a railway station
Jazz Station in Saint-Josse occupies a restored 1885 neo-Renaissance railway station.
Source: spottedbylocals.com - FunA cafe on an island
Chalet Robinson sits on an island in the Bois de la Cambre lake and is reached by a small barge.
Source: spottedbylocals.com, brusselstourism.org - FunA cemetery turned jungle
Dieweg Cemetery stopped burials in 1958 and now shelters over 200 plant species among its tombs.
Source: spottedbylocals.com - FunTechno in an old cinema
Fuse, open since 1994, is one of Europe's long-running techno clubs, in a former cinema in the Marolles.
Source: wanderlog.com, wanderlog.com - FunWhere Magritte actually painted
The modest house in Jette where Magritte lived has been a museum since 1999.
Source: spottedbylocals.com - FunSurrealists' doodles on the walls
La Fleur en Papier Dore was a meeting place for surrealist artists, and its decor still shows it.
Source: wanderlog.com - FunA 13th-century site under a beer museum
The Belgian Beer World ticket includes the Bruxella 1238 archaeological site under the Bourse.
Source: belgianbeerworld.be - FunKwak at the puppet theatre
The bar of the Toone marionette theatre, in an alley near the Grand-Place, serves Kwak on tap.
Source: wanderlog.com - FunYour Atomium ticket includes a design museum
The Atomium entry also covers the Design Museum Brussels next door.
Source: atomium.be
When to go
- TipRoyal Palace opens only in summer
The state rooms are open free for a few weeks each summer (July-September period); the rest of the year it is exterior only.
Source: wanderlog.com, wanderlog.com - TipRoyal Greenhouses of Laeken: spring only
The 1870s royal greenhouses open to the public for a few weeks from mid-April to early May.
Source: wanderlog.com - TipChalet Robinson is seasonal
The island cafe runs from spring to autumn.
Source: brusselstourism.org - RuleCantillon's summer closure
Cantillon closes annually; in 2026 from Monday 27 July to Saturday 1 August, plus Easter Monday, 1 May and Christmas.
Source: cantillon.be - TipComic Art Museum opens Mondays in July-August
Otherwise closed Mondays; closed 25 December and 1 January.
Source: comicscenter.net - TipFlower Carpet on the Grand-Place
Every two years in August the Grand-Place is covered with a carpet of begonias.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Words
- TipFrites / friet
Fries. A 'friterie' (French) or 'frituur' (Dutch) is the fries kiosk.
Source: wanderlog.com, wanderlog.com - TipBallekes
Brussels meatballs, usually in tomato sauce with fries.
Source: wanderlog.com, wanderlog.com - TipPistolet
The round crusty bread roll Brussels families buy on Sundays; filled as a sandwich.
Source: wanderlog.com - TipLambic, gueuze, kriek
Lambic is spontaneously fermented Brussels-area beer; gueuze is a blend of lambics; kriek is lambic with cherries.
Source: wanderlog.com, cantillon.be - TipHalf-en-half
Half sparkling, half white wine: the old Brussels aperitif served at Le Cirio.
Source: wanderlog.com - TipMoules-frites / mosselen met friet
Mussels with fries, the Belgian classic at neighbourhood places like Le Chou de Bruxelles and Le Pre Sale.
Source: wanderlog.com
Checked September 2026. Every item links to where it came from.