A Self - Guided Walking Tour of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium

We recently spent a short time in Brussels with our primary goal to see as much of the city as we could by walking. While we are by no means experts in this area, we put together our own walking tour, thanks to advice from another travel blogger’s post, Top 10 Free Things to Do In Brussels by I Am Aileen, and our AirBnB hosts’ recommendations. (As you’ll see, it was a rainy morning but we had a great time!)

Our apartment rental was closest to the Parc de Bruxelles, so that’s where we started. The park is a huge, a great place to run laps (if you’re into that), and contains a number of Belgian government buildings.

At the South end of the park, you’ll find the Royal Palace, which is only open to the public in late summer. Walking through the large halls, ballrooms, and exhibits takes at least half an hour; entry is free.

This historic square is just around the corner from the palace. Continue walking Northwest from here and you’ll get a charming view, then pass through the Meeting Center and Mont des Arts with its gigantic clock (or carillon) and bells. The clock is surrounded by twelve historical figures from Belgian history and perched above it is a bourgeois figure, the Jacquemart, who rings a large bell. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).