10 Best Things to Do for Couples in Brussels

Parc du Cinquantenaire is a 19th-century urban park that was built to commemorate 50 years of Belgian independence. Located in the easternmost part of Brussels’ European Quarter, it has an impressive U-shaped arcade that houses the AutoWorld Museum, Royal Military Museum, and Jubelpark Museum. 

Head over to the north-western end of Parc du Cinquantenaire to visit the Great Mosque of Brussels and the Temple of Human Passions.

The Cathedral of St Michel and Gudula dates back to the 9th century, making it one of the oldest buildings in Brussels. Inspired by Paris' Notre Dame, this hilltop church features a vaulted interior with 16th-century stained-glass windows and views of Brussels’ skyline.

There are several archaeological remains that are open to the public, including a well-preserved Romanesque crypt located beneath the choir. If you want to learn about the history of St Michel and Gudula Cathedral, you can arrange for a free guided tour with Eglise et Tourism (Church and Tourism of Brussels).

Brussels’ must-see art collections are in the Royal Museums of Fine Arts, an expansive museum complex located 1 km south of Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert. Artworks on display date back from the 15th to the 18th century.

The Museum of Ancient Art showcases paintings by Flemish and Renaissance masters, such as Rubens and Pieter Bruegel, while the Modern Art Museum spotlights masterpieces by Picasso and Magritte.

Satisfy your chocolate cravings at Brussels’ top chocolatiers, most of which are located in Place du Grand Sablon. Nip into Wittamer to drink thick hot chocolate, or Pierre Marcolini for herb-infused pralines, bitter cocoa truffles and pastel-coloured macaroons. 

If you’re visiting Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, you can shop for chocolate pralines at Neuhaus’s first store, which has been a tenant at this upscale shopping arcade since 1857. Make your way to a café terrace or city’s many parks for people-watching and enjoying your chocolate haul.

The Van Buuren Museum is formerly the personal residence of art collectors David and Alice van Buuren. Today, it displays Art Deco furniture and rare paintings from the 15th until the 20th centuries, including 32 paintings by surrealism artist, Van de Woestijne.

Outside the museum, you can explore a lush garden complex that spans almost 20,000 sq m. One of its highlights is the Garden of Hearts, which features several heart-shaped bushes surrounding bright red flowers.

If you’re looking to escape from the buzzing crowds congregating in other districts, then head to Place Stephanie. Offering quiet dining experiences with first class service, you can enjoy traditional Belgian dishes and multicultural fare. 

Explore the street of Chaussée de Charleroi and rue Berckman to find small, local restaurants that are worth visiting in this quaint neighbourhood. For something on the luxurious side, the cobbled lanes within Brussels’ main square, Grand’Place, are lined with Michelin-starred restaurants and wood-panelled Art Deco brasseries.

For 2 weeks every year – from mid-April to early May – the Art Nouveau Royal Greenhouses in Laeken is open to the public. The celebrated 19th-century architects Balat and Victor Horta designed the manicured grounds and neoclassical rotundas to harbour the botanical collection of King Leopold II. 

Follow in the footsteps of Belgian royalty with a fragrant stroll through the park, taking in orange and banana trees, giant ferns, geraniums, and hot pink azaleas in the Azalea House.

You will find over 400 types of beer on tap in pubs and bars across Belgium. Joining a brewery tours in Brussels is an informative yet casual way of learning about the process of brewing quality beers. 

These tours typically include beer tasting sessions – expect to sample between 2 and 4 types of craft beer. Brasserie Cantillon, a family-owned business in Anderlecht, has been producing kriek, gueuze, and lambic beers since 1900. Belgian Brewers displays traditional tools, brewing and fermentation tanks, and brew kettles dating back to the 18th century.

Erasmus House, located in Anderlecht, was where renowned scholar and theologian Erasmus lived back in 1521. The Gothic, redbrick building displays oil paintings dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries, antique prints of Albrecht Dürer, and Erasmus' early manuscripts.

Medicinal and philosophical gardens surround the Erasmus House, where you get to see art installations and hundreds of plants once used by Eramus himself. Visit on the first Sunday of the month to enjoy free admission to the Erasmus House.

Brussels Grand-Palace may be known for its historical buildings, but it also has a busy nightlife scene. Wind down the day with a cherry-flavoured Kriek beer at A la Mort Subite, a classy bar furnished with polished dark wood tables, globe lights and brass mirrors. 

If you’re a fan of jazz, L’Archiduc is a high-ceilinged, Art Deco jazz bar serving decadent cocktails and live music. Beer enthusiasts may enjoy Délirium Café’s extensive selection – a whopping 3,000 types of beer to choose from!