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Brussels highlights: from the Bourse to the Sablon

If you only have a few hours, this is your route. It crosses the heart of Brussels from west to east and then climbs the hill towards the Sablon, with stops that blend history, architecture and neighbourhood life. At the end, the chocolate shops of the Grand Sablon are waiting.

  • 6 stops
  • 1.9 km
  • 1 h 45 min
  • Free
Start with GPS Read about this stop 1
The Mont des Arts garden with the Town Hall tower in the distance

The route

Stop by stop

  1. 1 The Bourse, a temple over a buried riverA palace of money built where the city’s river once flowed, which now celebrates beer and hides a medieval friary.
  2. 2 The Grand-Place, the drawing room of BrusselsGuildhalls dripping with gold, a town hall said to be lopsided and a bronze hero everyone rubs so they’ll come back.
  3. 3 The Galeries Royales Saint-HubertOne of Europe’s first great covered shopping arcades, where the praline was invented and Belgium saw its first film screening.
  4. 4 The Mont des Arts and its viewpointA terraced garden between the lower and upper town, with the best postcard view of the Town Hall tower.
  5. 5 Old England, an Art Nouveau gemAn 1899 iron-and-glass department store that now holds thousands of musical instruments.
  6. 6 The Petit Sablon gardenForty-eight bronze trades stand guard around two counts beheaded on the Grand-Place.

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Start with GPS

Guide mode

Walk it with GPS.

Open guide mode on your phone: you’ll see your position and the distance to each stop, and we’ll let you know when you arrive. Then read or listen.

Start with GPS

  1. Turn on your location

  2. Walk to the spot

  3. Check the photo and listen

What you’ll discover

Brussels highlights: from the Bourse to the Sablon

The must-sees

The Grand-Place, the Manneken Pis just around the corner and the Saint-Hubert galleries, told with facts and anecdotes.

From Gothic to Art Nouveau

Six centuries of architecture in under two kilometres, from the Town Hall to Old England.

Viewpoints and gardens

The best view of the Town Hall tower and the city’s most original garden.

Keep exploring

More routes in Brussels

Back to Brussels
HistoryFrom the ashes of 1695 to a king’s oath Mysteries & legendsBrussels in the shadows: gallows, miracles and a gunshot

Itineraries

How many days do you have in Brussels?

We’ve planned it day by day for you: which routes to walk and in what order, what else to see and where to eat.

1

Brussels in 1 day

All three routes in one full day: the highlights, the history and the legends at dusk.

See the itinerary 2

Brussels in 2 days

A gentler pace: the three routes over two days, plus extra sights and where to eat.

See the itinerary 3

Brussels in 3 days

The city in depth: one route a day, extra museums and neighbourhoods, and a day for good food.

See the itinerary