Brussels Sightseeing Tours

For the traveller who prefers to see the sights rather than bury their nose in a travel guide, there are sightseeing tours available all over Brussels to give you a different taste of the surroundings. There is a variety of ways to see the city: air-conditioned buses, open-top buses, walking, cycling or even private guides. Below is a sample of choices you may find.

Bus Tours
Brussels bus tours are perfect for visitors who are starting out on the trip and want to have a quick overview of the city. There are two bus tours in Brussels organised by Brussels City Tours. One is a covered bus taking you on the Brussels Grand City Tour and the other is a classic hop-on hop-off bus which you will find in many fine cities.

Brussels Grand City Tour
This is a tour of the city on a luxury air-conditioned bus. There is a hotel pick-up service and the trip lasts for 2h 30 minutes, which is plenty of time to get a good feel of the city. The tour begins as a walk in the Grand Place accompanied by and experienced guide. It then continues on a coach that takes visitors from north to south finished in the European quarters, where the European Parliament and EU Commission are based. Tours are available 7 days a week from 10am and 2pm with extra tours on Wednesdays and weekend days starting at 11am. Further information at telephone: +32 (0) 2 513 77 44
Address: Rue de la Colline, 8 Heuvelstraat - 1000 Brussels

Hop-On Hop-Off
Most major cities would not be complete without an open-top hop-on hop-off bus service that takes you to see the best sights of the city and acts as a great transportation for up to 24 hours. A good suggestion is to start with the full 90 minute tour around the city first to listen to the commentary (available in 8 languages) and then follow up with smaller tours by foot in your favourite destinations – Place Royale, Avenue Louise, Atomium or Parc du Cinquantenaire. Starting point is Brussels Centrale. Tickets can be purchased at hotels, hostels, the Tourism centre at the Town Hall and on the bus.
www.brussels-city-tours.com

Guided Tours in Brussels
Guided tours of the city are normally organised by guided tour associations which charge a fee for groups and at scheduled times of the year. They are normally most suitable for large groups that are travelling together.

The major benefits of these tours are discoveries of hidden gems of Brussels that are made possible with local guides. There are different types of walks depending on your interest: food and drink, architecture, European quarter, and dream-like working-class districts.

Guides GBB
The classic set of guided tours from the Tourism centre of Brussels located at the Town Hall. There are a multitude of themes suitable for adults and children. Tours can be organised for up to groups of 20 people 2 weeks in advance. Look for these tours at the Brussels tourism website under ‘Organizer’ and ‘Travel Trade’. www.brusselsinternational.be

Vizit
Guided tours of the city centre, the Marolles or the Sablon. They specialise in nibbles tours, lunch tours and dinner walks which are a journey through the culinary delights of your chosen area. It is a fantastic idea for team building events, activities for family gatherings and conferences.
www.vizit.be

Pro Velo
Tours on bicycles add a twist to the traditional on-foot guided tours. It let’s you see Brussels in a whole new angle. Tours of interests include architectural heritage, culinary delights, parks and green spaces, and evening tours. Check out the website for the most up-to-date information and fees. Bike rental is available.
www.provelo.org

D*Tours
Audio tours of the city are available from this unique organisation, which has combined unique personal interviews into a trendy Brussels experience. Beautifully vocalised into several different languages; the most popular one is a tour of the Grand Place. You can rent an audio guide from the Tourism Centre at the Town Hall for €7.
www.d-tours.org