City Walks in Brussels

The European capital has many faces and is known for many sights, be it the Brussels lace or the famous Manneken Pis, the 102-metre-high Atomium from the 1958 World's Fair, Belgian waffles, Belgian chocolate or Belgian beer. Brussels is often underestimated, but there are numerous architectural gems to discover on a tour of the city, and there is no shortage of culinary delights here either, such as "moules frites", mussels with french fries.

Locally guided tours through Brussels usually last around three hours and cost between 25 and 70 euros, depending on the number of participants. If you are travelling in a group, you can book a group rate for 280 to 300 euros. Depending on the size of the group, this can be well worth it. The city tours on offer are designed to be family-friendly.

If you only have one day, it is advisable to start the city tour in the early morning to visit all the important sights. Historically, Brussels was a Dutch-speaking city. With the independence of Belgium, French became the official language of the small country. You can discover traces of past times everywhere in the historic centre. A tour of the city can start in the lively Rue du March aux Herbes or in the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert. The Galeries Royales is a 200-metre-long shopping arcade. It was built in 1846 and is the first covered shopping arcade in Europe.

Not far away is the Grand Place, the city's beautiful main square with the unique Maison du Roi and the magnificent guildhalls, which are worth every look. Not far away is St. Mary Magdalene, one of the oldest churches and well worth a visit. From the Grand Place, you can walk to the Manneken Pis, the impressive Brussels Bridge and the unique Church of St Nicholas.

The European Quarter is also worth a visit. With its modern buildings, it offers a stark contrast to the city centre with its Grande Place and baroque houses. The European Parliament in particular is a great place for visitors to see.