Sightseeing tour of Brussels by car and on foot

A sightseeing tour of Brussels will give you the most complete idea of this city – the capital of the Belgian Kingdom!

A century ago, Brussels was only a tiny fortress, which over the years was able to turn into the mighty capital of one of the most magnificent European states - Belgium. Brussels is often referred to as the capital of not only one country, but of Europe as a whole.

This is not surprising, since the headquarters of NATO and the European Union are located in the Belgian capital. Thus, every year Brussels is visited not only by thousands of tourists from all over the world, but also by hundreds of the most important and respected politicians from different countries.

As such, Brussels occupies only one-seventh of the Greater Brussels we are used to seeing on the map. A walking sightseeing tour of Brussels will give us an idea of the very center of the city, but many of the sights of Brussels are impossible to see without a trip by car or bus - too long distances.

“Brussels Automobile” perfectly complements a walking tour of the city center. The trip will allow you to see another Royal Palace of Brussels, it is home to His Majesty Philip I and his family, the Royal greenhouses, considered the forerunner of the new architectural style of Art Nouveau, the Arc de Triomphe in the Jubilee Park. The park is famous for its museums - Musees Royaux d'art et d'Histoire, Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History, Autoworld.

By car, it is easy to drive around the modern district of the North Station (the same one where the thief hid the flap of the Ghent Altar), look at the Euroquarter, appreciate the monumental forms.

The building of the European Parliament, for example, is a metropolis of political life of the European Union. Corridors, stairs, elevators, meeting rooms, kilometer-long glass passages from one building to another – this is the EU headquarters, where the European destiny is decided. And again the ratio of mini-forms and gigantism, where the role of the Lilliput is a simple mortal.

Brussels is a city where you can feel yourself in the shoes of Gulliver, who visited both one and another kingdom. The apotheosis of love for miniature things is the Mini-Europe Museum. For around €10–15, each visitor will be able to see hundreds of the most outstanding sights and structures from all corners of Europe on a 1:25 scale.

In Mini-Europe Park in one day you can walk between miniatures of the most famous sights of France, Italy, Holland, Great Britain, Germany and, of course, Belgium. In addition to the most detailed recreated buildings, special dwarf trees and amazing miniature plants are planted in the Mini-Europe Park. A visit to the miniature park must be remembered not only by adults, but also by the youngest tourists.

The atomium is considered one of the main symbols of Brussels, which can be seen on most tourist postcards and brochures dedicated to the Belgian capital. The atomium is a metal structure with a height of just over 100 m, which is an enlarged model of a real iron molecule. The surreal structure looks impressive, causing delight not only among fans of science, but also among the most ordinary people of all ages. The six atoms of the Atomium have special observation decks for visitors. Of course, the best view of Brussels opens from the observation deck of the highest atom, where for about €11 you can climb by high-speed elevator.

Near the Royal Palace we will make a short stop and wander around the Japanese and Chinese pavilions.

You will see the Cathedral of Notre Dame of Laken, it is the tomb of Belgian kings, Brussels Sacre Coeur, exceeding the size of Paris, Ambiorix Park, Exchange, then there we will meet small city sculptures.

It is very interesting to drive along the old streets of the city, along the canals, along the boulevards laid on the site of the dismantled city fortifications.

If we are lucky, we will even see a local ecological landmark - in good weather, cows bred in Belgium graze on a specially left meadow. Animals are the pride of Belgian farmers and a good reason to boast before tourists.

If desired, a sightseeing tour of Brussels allows you to delve into more details in special places and expand the pedestrian part of Brussels.

Of course, during the excursion in Brussels, first of all, you should visit the magnificent capital square - the Grand Place. It is recognized as one of the most important sights of Brussels. On the square you can take many magnificent photos against the background of the main ancient buildings of the city, for example, the town hall or the Bread House.

But the most impressive square of the Grand Place looks when every two years the Belgians create right on the pavement amazing floral carpet, consisting of hundreds of thousands of live flowers of different shades. The next Brussels flower carpet the world will see in 2016 in the third week of August.

The peeing boy, whose height does not exceed a meter, is recognized as one of the most photographed sights of Brussels. Amazingly, the statue of a peeing boy is the only sculpture in the world that has its own impressive wardrobe. Brusselsians dress up their favorite statue on various occasions, using more than 900 special outfits from the personal wardrobe of a peeing boy. Few people know that on the streets of Brussels you can also find a sculpture of a peeing girl and a full-size statue of a yard peeing dog.

Finally, when the sightseeing tour of Brussels comes to an end, we are sure to try the unique Belgian beer and local cuisine, which are highly appreciated by many of the most sophisticated gourmets.