Brussels
Visit Belgium’s capital for its historic center, the European Quarter and parks such as Parc du Cinquantenaire and the Bois de la Cambre.
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Brussels is Belgium’s capital and the largest municipality in the Brussels-Capital Region. Its historic center lies within the Pentagon, an area whose limits roughly follow the Small Ring, built along the route of the city’s former second walls. Many principal European Union institutions are in the European Quarter. Parc du Cinquantenaire has museums and a leisure park, and Brussels Park is in front of the Royal Palace.
French and Dutch are Brussels’s official languages. Residents have varied backgrounds, including Belgian, non-Belgian European, Moroccan, Indian and Congolese origins. For time outdoors, Avenue Louise runs south-east from the city center toward the Bois de la Cambre, a recreation park annexed by the City of Brussels in 1864. The City also includes Haren, Laeken and Neder-Over-Heembeek, former municipalities merged into it in 1921. Nearby municipalities including Ixelles, Saint-Gilles, Etterbeek and Schaerbeek have their own local governments; they are separate from the City of Brussels.
Brussels in five
- Take the train from Brussels AirportTrains reach Brussels-Central in about 20 minutes. The airport station adds a surcharge to the fare, so buy the ticket before you board.
- Plan museums around the weekly closing dayMany city museums, including the Royal Museums of Fine Arts, close one day a week, often Monday. Check hours, and keep that day for the Grand-Place, the parks or a day trip.
- Tap a bank card on STIBMetro, trams and buses accept contactless cards at the gates and validators. Tap each time you board.
- See the Grand-Place twiceWalk through by day and come back after dark, when the guild houses are lit and the square is quieter.
Things to do in Brussels
See all attractions in Brussels
Need to know
- Airport
- Brussels (BRU), about 20 min by train; Charleroi (CRL) about 1 hour by bus
- Getting there
- Eurostar from London about 2 hours, from Paris about 1.5 hours
- Getting around
- Metro, trams and buses; contactless payment works
- Best base
- Near Central or Sainte-Catherine for sights, Ixelles for food
- Time needed
- 2 days, more as a base for day trips
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Snowy days
- Festival
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryRain14 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh6°Low2°Cold, grayJanuaryRain
Poor
- High
- 6°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 80 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, gray
- FebruaryRain12 rainy daysHigh9°Low3°Cold, quietFebruaryRain
Poor
- High
- 9°
- Low
- 3°
- Precipitation
- 68 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- MarchRain13 rainy daysHigh11°Low4°Cool, showersMarchRain
Mixed
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 71 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, showers
- AprilPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh14°Low6°Mild, showersAprilPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 6°
- Precipitation
- 47 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, showers
- MayPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh18°Low9°Mild, greenMayPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 64 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, green
- JunePartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh22°Low13°Long daysJunePartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 22°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 76 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Long days
- JulyPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh23°Low14°Warm, some rainJulyPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 23°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 72 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, some rain
- AugustPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh24°Low15°Warm, busy squaresAugustPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 24°
- Low
- 15°
- Precipitation
- 59 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, busy squares
- SeptemberPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh21°Low12°Mild, clearSeptemberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 12°
- Precipitation
- 65 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, clear
- OctoberRain13 rainy daysHigh16°Low9°Cool, rainOctoberRain
Mixed
- High
- 16°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 75 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, rain
- NovemberRain13 rainy daysHigh10°Low5°Wet, quietNovemberRain
Poor
- High
- 10°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 69 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Wet, quiet
- DecemberRain14 rainy daysHigh8°Low4°Winter marketDecemberRain
Poor
- High
- 8°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 73 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Winter market
Average daily high and low in Brussels, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Festivals: Aug Flower Carpet of Brussels
Right now in Brussels
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
7
- Feels like
- 5°
- Humidity
- 92%
- Wind
- 9 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 96%
Brussels
11:38 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today10°7°96%Monday: Drizzle. High 10°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 96%.
- Tue8°4°12%Tuesday: Drizzle. High 8°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 12%.
- Wed9°2°0%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 9°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Thu9°3°0%Thursday: Clear. High 9°, Low 3°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Fri9°1°2%Friday: Partly cloudy. High 9°, Low 1°. Chance of rain 2%.
- Sat7°1°6%Saturday: Fog. High 7°, Low 1°. Chance of rain 6%.
- Sun9°5°8%Sunday: Drizzle. High 9°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 8%.
Updated 10:15 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Coming up
Every year
- JulTomorrowlandAntwerp, a day trip
- JulGhent FestivitiesGhent, a day trip
- JulRock WerchterLeuven, a day trip
- JulLes Francofolies de SpaLiège, a day trip
- AugFlower Carpet of BrusselsBrussels
- AugMAfestival BruggeBruges, a day trip
Day trips by train
- Brugesabout 1 hour by trainCanals, the belfry and a medieval center; stay late to see it after the day groups leave.Read the guide
- Ghentabout 30 minutes by trainA student city with a castle, canals and the Ghent Altarpiece.Read the guide
- Antwerpabout 45 minutes by trainThe cathedral, the Rubens Experience, the MAS roof and one of Europe's grand stations.Read the guide
- Leuvenabout 25 minutes by trainA university town with a Gothic town hall and a long square of cafés.Read the guide
Before you go to Brussels
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Rules for Brussels, checked
- Check whether your passport needs a visa to enter Belgium on the Belgian Foreign Affairs website before you travel.Source
- Brussels has French and Dutch as its official languages; use either for local signs and public services.
- Call 112 for emergency services in Belgium.
Plan around Brussels
Canals and the belfry, about 1 hour by train
Read the guideGhentA student city and castle, about 30 minutes
Read the guideAntwerpRubens, the MAS roof and the station hall, a short direct train
Read the guideLeuvenA university town with a Gothic town hall square and a beguinage
Read the guideLiègeThe Calatrava station and a Sunday market, direct from Brussels
Read the guideNamurA citadel park above the Meuse, direct from Brussels
Read the guideAll of BelgiumBrussels in a wider plan with Flanders, Wallonia and the coast
Read the guideParisThe Eurostar corridor south from Midi
Read the guideBrussels FAQ
Is Brussels worth visiting or should I just go to Bruges?
Brussels has the bigger museums, Art Nouveau and food scene, and it is the easiest base. Many visitors sleep in Brussels and see Bruges and Ghent as day trips.
How do I get from Brussels Airport to the city?
The train to Brussels-Central takes about 20 minutes and runs often. Buy the ticket before boarding, since the fare includes an airport station fee.
Where should I stay in Brussels for day trips?
Near Brussels-Central or Brussels-Midi. Both have direct trains to Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp, and Midi also has the Eurostar.
How many days do you need in Brussels?
Two days cover the Grand-Place, a museum and a good meal; three if you add Art Nouveau houses or the parks. Use it as a base for a day trip to Bruges or Ghent.
Do you need French or Dutch in Brussels?
No. Signs are bilingual in French and Dutch and English is widely understood in hotels, museums and restaurants. A greeting in French goes a long way.