As someone who has lived in Belgium for the last 27 years, I’m almost ashamed to say I hadn’t properly visited my own capital yet. This all changed a few weeks ago, and it was so good. From getting free chocolates at a Neuhaus store (stay tuned to discover how), going inside the Atomium to sampling some delicious food at one of the food halls, Brussels has everything anyone could want. Come with me, as I take you on my daytrip around Belgium’s capital…
Morning (9am-12pm)
We started our day taking the train from Antwerp to Brussels, which takes about an hour and costs a fraction of the price of UK trains (only €18 for a return ticket!) It was going to be a warm day, so we prepared by mapping out our itinerary on the journey. Once we arrived in Brussels-Midi, the biggest train station in the city, we quickly found the metro that took us to the Atomium.
Quick fact – did you know that the Atomium was built for Expo 58? It represents a unit cell of iron atoms, magnified 165 billion times. The name itself comes from ‘atom + aluminium.’ Cool, right?
Inside the Atomium, you can read all about Expo 58, why the Atomium was built, and what it meant for the city. There are also cool light shows in the building, which made it an amazing spot for our latest Instagram pics.
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Lunch (12-2pm)
Brussels is full of amazing restaurants, cosy spot and new flavours to try. We went to Wolf Sharing Food Market, a food hall where you can try 27 different cuisines! As we were feeling the Belgian vibe, we had a medium rare steak with fries and peppercorn sauce. And to drink, you ask? A Belgian beer, of course.
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Afternoon (2-5pm)
Feeling rejuvenated by the amazing food, we felt ready to explore more of Brussels. We walked around the Royal Palace, the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula and Cinquantenaire Park, and felt like kings and queens. We also found Manneken Pis, a statue of a tiny man having a wee, and were surrounded by hundreds of tourists trying to take the same exact picture as us.
Quick fact – did you know there’s also a Jeaneken Pis? While most people only visit Manneken Pis, the man, there’s also a statue of a woman! You can find her at the Delirium village, a five minute-walk away.
Our next stop was the Neuhaus chocolate shop. As I recently celebrated my birthday, I received some free chocolates from them, all I had to do was show them an email! We snacked on the pralines while walking around la Grand-Place. Did you know this is a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
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Evening (5-7pm)
Time to wind down, because what a day… We discovered a radio kiosk in Brussels Park, where DJs were playing techno and house, so we decided to end our day here. They had a bar, too, and a restaurant kiosk less than 100 metres away, so it was the perfect spot to relax.
One day was way too little to see everything in this massive capital, but I’ll be back. Now I know why people call it ‘Bruxelles, ma belle’…
If you like the sound of Brussels, you’ll love the rest of our Belgium holidays.
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Author: Annelies Rom (she/her)
Last updated: 15/08/2025
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