How Many Days In Brussels Is Enough In 2025?
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Brussels is an incredible city to visit, it’s definitely one of Europe’s most underrated cities.
But how many days in Brussels is enough?
This is a common question people have before visiting the Belgian capital. You want enough time to see everything but not so long that you get bored, right?
Luckily for you, I am a full-time traveller and I have visited Brussels, so I feel confident to provide an answer as to how many days are enough in Brussels.
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How Many Days In Brussels Is Enough?
I spent 3 days in Brussels and I would say that 3 days is the perfect amount of days to spend in the city.
Spending 3 days there allow for enough time to see all of Brussels’ most popular sights and visit the main attractions, as well as some downtime to relax or explore the city for yourself.
When visiting a city, you want to allow some time to do your own thing. One of the best things to do anywhere in the world is to simply walk the streets and see what you find. And there’s nowhere better than Brussels- all of the streets are so picturesque.

Of course, there is no universal “one-size-fits-all” answer to how many days in Brusesls are enough. It comes down to how you like to travel, and how much you typically do in one day of travelling.
Brussels is such a flexible city that you could see the main sights in one day, or you could spend a month in Brussels and never run out of things to see or do.
What I will say is that I recommend a minimum of 3 days in Brussels.
And there are never too many days in Brussels, just more than enough.
What To See In Brussels
Brussels is a city filled with things to see and do, there are endless reasons why Brussels is worth visiting. To help you decide how many days in Brussels are enough for YOU, I have created a list of 10 of the best things to see in Brussels.
1) The Grand Place: The Grand Place is the staple of sightseeing in Brussels. Any trip to Brussels would not be complete without seeing the Grand Place. It’s the most famous thing about Brussels and once you see it for yourself, you’ll understand why. During my 3 days, I saw the Grand Place in the morning, during the day and at sunset. The square is completely different throughout the day and I’d recommend seeing it for yourself. Look at this sunset…

2) Mannekin Pis: One of Brussels’ more unique sights is the Mannekin Pis statue. It’s a statue of a little boy peeing and once again, a trip to Brussels would be incomplete without seeing the famous fountain. Be warned though, the statue is likely much smaller than you anticipate. But as my tour guide said, the statue is living proof that size doesn’t matter! People still flock to see the peeing boy in their thousands, despite the underwhelming size of the statue.
3) Cinquantenaire Arch: A lesser-known sight in Brussels but in my opinion, one of the most impressive sights is the Cinquantenaire Arch. It’s found as part of the Parc du Cinquantenaire, which is also a really nice park. The archway itself is absolutely huge and the architecture is so impressive.

4) Comic strip murals: Throughout Brussels, there are comic strip street art murals around every turn and corner. They are officially commissioned, and there is a Brussels comic strip route where you can walk around the city between the murals. They’re pretty cool to see and some of the most famous Brussels-produced characters are the Smurfs and TinTin.
5) Mont des Arts: Mont des Arts is a beautiful part of Brussels and the garden filled with shrubbery makes for some really nice pictures. Especially in the summer months when the red is a lot more vibrant. There’s also a view of the Brussels landscape in the background, where you can see the Town Hall in the Grand Place.

6) Jeanneke Pis: On top of Mannekin Pis, the peeing boy statue, Brussels has 2 other peeing statues for you to see. The first one is Jeanneke Pis, which is the female version of Mannekin Pis. It’s a fountain of a little girl peeing, but it’s less popular than its male counterpart.
7) Zinneke Pis: The third and final of Brussels’ peeing statues is Zinneke Pis, which is a statue of a peeing dog. It’s the only of the three which does not actually have a fountain with flowing water. It’s “just” a statue in the middle of the street, but it’s something that makes Brussels unique and the locals adore their peeing statues.

8) Brussels Palace: Another of the famous landmarks found in Brussels is Brussels Palace. Unfortunately, during my trip to Brussels, it was under renovation so my pictures aren’t great, but the palace is stunning nonetheless. I’ve listed it as something to see, but if you visit in the summer months, you can step inside for a tour of the palace too.
9) Cathedral of St. Michael and Gudula: The most popular cathedral to see in Brussels is the Cathedral of St. Michael and Gudula. It’s extraordinary and one of the most stunning churches I have seen anywhere in the world. Both the outside and inside are gorgeous.

10) Atomium: The last of my recommended things to see in Brussels (of course, there are many more things to see, and you will always stumble upon some cool sights) is Atomium. It’s a huge iron atom which was constructed for the 1958 World Fair, and it’s quite spectacular to see in real life.
What To Do In Brussels
As well as having so many wonderful things to see, Brussels is jam-packed with things to do too. Again, you can use this list to begin to plan what you would want to get out of a trip to Brussels, thus allowing you to figure out how many days in Brussels are enough for you. It’s worth noting that in my 3 days in Brussels, I saw all of these sights and did all of these things.
1) Go inside Atomium: As well as seeing Atomium from the exterior, it’s also possible to go inside the huge atom sculpture. Inside Atomium’s 9 spheres are exhibitions and a viewing deck. Connecting each sphere are several escalators and lifts, some of which offer an experience of their own. The final spheres you visit are filled with illuminous lights in the dark, making for a unique atmosphere.
2) Visit Mini Europe: Next to Atomium, offered as part of a bundle ticket, is Mini Europe. The park is exactly what you would expect it to be: a mini version of Europe’s most famous buildings and landmarks. From the Leaning Tower of Pisa to Big Ben, everything is scaled appropriately and in ratio to each other. The attention to detail is incredible.


3) Have some Belgian waffles: It would be a sin to visit anywhere in Belgium without having some Belgian waffles, and there’s no better place than Brussels. In Brussels, you have two options: a Brussels waffle or a Liege waffle. To be honest, even Brussels locals prefer Liege waffles…they’re much tastier. Belgium is famous for its waffles so you simply have to!
4) Learn Europe’s history at Parlamentarium: The visitor centre of the European Parliament, Parlamentarium, is free to enter and it offers a complete overview of the history of the countries of Europe. It’s not just about the history of the European Union, but about Europe itself. It’s really cool to visit and the exhibitions are modern and interactive.
5) Tour the European Parliament: On top of visiting the visitor centre, you should make an effort to walk 2 minutes to the European Parliament itself. As long as there are no parliament sessions that day, you can go into the hemicycle and see where the politicians meet and debate, as shown all across Europe.

6) Explore the Museum of Natural Sciences: Continuing the theme of education, the nearby Museum of Natural Sciences is one of the best value-for-money things to do, in my opinion. As a student, it cost €5 for entry to the museum, and I was there for 3 hours. There are so so many things to see and read about. If you read every bit of information, I think you’d be there for 3 days!
7) Enjoy some Belgian chocolate: Adding to the Belgian waffles, you also need to enjoy some Belgian chocolate. Brussels, and Belgium in general, is a foodies’ paradise. The food scene in Brussels is marvellous and there are lots of options when it comes to chocolatiers to choose from. You can’t beat a Brussels food tour!

8) Take a walking tour: One of the best things to do when visiting a new city, Brussels included, is to take a free walking tour. I use FreeTour and my free walking tour in Brussels was one of the best. There was free chocolate tasting included too! Although it is a free tour, you are expected to tip your guide. Usually €5-10 per person is enough, making it much cheaper than a normal tour.
9) Have some fries: A final food to try during a trip to Brussels are fries. Most people assume fries are from France because French Fries, but they are actually from Belgium. Belgian fries are so yummy! They are fried twice at two different temperatures and are cooked in beef oil instead of sunflower or vegetable oil. The fries are sooo good!
10) Go shopping in Galeries Royales St. Hubert: Lastly, go shopping in Galeries Royales St. Hubert. It’s an extremely attractive-looking shopping mall in Brussels and even if you don’t intend to buy anything, simply walking through the shopping centre is a must. The decor and design of the building are striking.

How To Spend 3 Days In Brussels
Since the answer to “how many days in Brussels are enough?” is 3 days, you may be wondering how to best spend 3 days in Brussels. Without giving a full and in-depth itinerary, here is a quick overview of how I recommend spending 3 days in Brussels:
- Day 1: Walking Tour, Grand Place, Mannekin Pis, Jeanneke Pis, Zinneke Pis & Cathedral of St. Michael and Gudula
- Day 2: Mini Europe, Atomium, Brussels Palace, Galeries Royales St. Hubert & Comic Strip Walk
- Day 3: Mont des Arts, Parlamentarium, European Parliament, Museum of Natural Sciences & Cinquantenaire Arch
Day Trips From Brussels
If you choose to spend longer than 3 days in Brussels, even though you won’t run out of things to do, you may wish to explore a bit more of Belgium – or even a new country – and take a day trip outside of Brussels. There are tons of excellent day trip options from Brussels, but 3 of the best are Bruges, Antwerp and Luxembourg.
Bruges
Brussels to Bruges will take about an hour by train, making it a really quick and easy day trip option. Bruges is one of the most popular destinations in Belgium and is known for its quaint canals and pretty buildings. It’s the Amsterdam or Copenhagen of Belgium and you will have such a good time there.

Antwerp
Antwerp is the largest city in Belgium, and it will take around 40-50 minutes via train to get there from Brussels. Like Brussels, and most cities in Belgium, the city’s architecture is one of the main calling points. Some of the buildings are spectacular! Antwerp also has a famous square, Grote Markt (yes, the same name as the Grand Place in Brussels in Dutch) which is one of the most popular things to see when visiting.

Luxembourg
When visiting Belgium, why not visit a whole other country?! Brussels to Luxembourg, one of Europe’s smaller countries, is a bit of a longer trip but one worth taking. It takes just under 5 hours to get there, but if you leave early in the morning and return late at night, you can definitely make a day trip out of it. Luxembourg is so small that you can pretty much explore the whole country in full in just one day!

How Many Days In Brussels: FAQ
Below are some FAQs related to “How many days in Brussels?” along with my answers.
3 days in Brussels is the minimum amount of time to get a real feel for the city, see the sights and visit the attractions. So a minimum of 2 nights in Brussels would be necessary to stay for 3 days.
1 day is not quite enough in Brussels, but you are able to see quite a lot of the main sights. Brussels is a really walkable city and most sights are close together. It’s definitely possible to see the Grand Place, Mannekin Pis, Brussels Palace, Atomium and more all in the space of one day.
2 days are probably long enough to see the must-sees in Brussels. Most things in the Belgian capital are in close proximity to each other and you can go sightseeing in Brussels in quite a short period of time. But I recommend 3 days to see the sights and visit the attractions, as well as allowing some time to explore Brussels for yourself.
A stay in Brussels should be a minimum of 3 days. This allows you to see all of the sights and attractions in Brussels, and there are loads! 3 days also encompass time for you to explore the city for yourself, which is one of the best things to do in Brussels as the city is so picturesque and pretty.
How Many Days In Brussels: Conclusion
And there you have it, a complete guide to “how many days in Brussels are enough?”
Remember, my answer is 3 days as a minimum. 3 days allow you to go sightseeing, do the attractions and see a bit more of Brussels.
But once again, there is no definitive answer. It depends on how you like to travel and you should judge for yourself how many days in Brussels are enough for you.
I hope you enjoy your trip to Brussels, it’s a city I wholeheartedly believe is slept on, and you are guaranteed to have an amazing time!