Brussels travel guide
Brussels Tourism | Brussels Guide
You're Going to Love Brussels
With 1.02 million inhabitants, Brussels is the most populous city in Belgium. It is the most popular tourist destination in the country. Brussels deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.
When to visit Brussels
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Brussels in July, when the average temperature is 17 °C, and the highest can go up to 22 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 1 °C, with an average temperature of 3 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in January, when precipitation is around 80 mm. In contrast, August is usually the driest month of the year in Brussels, with an average rainfall of 40 mm.
How to Get to Brussels
Plane
Brussels is served by 2 airports: Brussels Airport (BRU) and Charleroi Brussels (CRL). The closest to the city centre of Brussels is Brussels Airport, which is located 11 km from the city centre. Further away is Charleroi Brussels, 44 km from the centre of Brussels.
Train
Eurostar is the most popular train carrier serving Brussels, followed by SNCF. The train journey from Brussels to Paris takes 1h 22m and costs around $49 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Amsterdam, expect to pay about $58 for a 1h 35m trip. Located 1.8 km from the city centre, Brussels Midi is the busiest station in Brussels. Another popular train station is Brussels Nord, located 1.4 km from the centre.
Car
Another option to get to Brussels is to pick up a car hire from Ghent, which is about 49 km from Brussels. You’ll find branches of Hertz and Europcar, among others, in Ghent.
Bus
The most popular bus station is Brussels Rue de France, located 2.1 km from the city centre of Brussels. Brussels-North is also a commonly used station, and is 1.4 km from the city centre.
Airlines serving Brussels
Where to stay in Brussels
From 5-star hotels such as the Le Chatelain Brussels Hotel to great affordable options like the Hotel La Grande Cloche, Brussels offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around $169 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $346 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Generation Europe Youth Hostel and The Classic by 2GO4 Grand Place. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Brussels, with prices from $61 to $339 per night. Bruxelles-Ville is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Brussels are about 3% cheaper than a hotel room in the city.
Where to stay in popular areas of Brussels
Most booked hotels in Brussels
Hiring a car in Brussels
Hiring a car in Brussels costs $79 per day, on average, or $158 if you want to hire it for 2 days. Sixt, Hertz and Dollar are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to hire a car in Brussels is the keddy by Europcar branch at BRUSSELS AIRPORT National Airport Arrival Hall, which is 11 km from the city centre.
You’re likely to save money by hiring your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 13% more expensive than at Brussels Bruxelles-National.
Expect to pay $2.82 per litre in Brussels (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $33.80 and $45.06. The most frequently booked car type in Brussels is Economy (Opel Corsa or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact car hire (Renault Mégane Estate or similar) is, on average, 72% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.