Brussels from Copenhagen: Best Things to Do & Where to Stay

Brussels is one of the easiest European capitals to reach from Copenhagen for a weekend: a short direct flight, a historic core small enough to cross on foot, and a food-and-drink culture built on chocolate, waffles and some of the best beer in the world. It is also a genuine bargain after Danish prices, with hotels, restaurants and a round of trappist (strong abbey-brewed beer) all costing less than you would pay back home. Add the surreal sights, the EU quarter and a quick train to medieval Bruges, and a two- or three-day break covers more than you would expect.

Getting there from Copenhagen

The flight from Copenhagen Airport (CPH) to Brussels Airport (BRU) is operated direct by SAS and Brussels Airlines, with several departures most days and a flight time of roughly 1 hour 30 minutes. Because the route is short and well served, you can leave Copenhagen on a Friday evening and be eating moules-frites (mussels and fries) in the centre the same night. Schedules and fares shift with the season and seat availability, so check the airlines directly for current times and prices rather than relying on a fixed figure.

Brussels Airport sits at Zaventem, north-east of the city, and the simplest way in is the train. The station is directly beneath the terminal on level -1, reached by escalator or lift, and frequent direct trains run to Brussels-Central in around 17 to 20 minutes. From Brussels-Central it is a five-minute walk to the Grand-Place. A fixed "Brussels Airport supplement" is already built into the train fare, which makes it pricier per kilometre than a normal Belgian ticket but still far cheaper than a taxi; buy from the machines or counters on level -1 before you board. A second airport, Brussels South Charleroi (CRL), is used by some low-cost carriers and lies about an hour away by shuttle bus, so check which airport your flight actually serves when you book.

The best things to do in Brussels

The Grand-Place is the obvious starting point: a UNESCO-listed central square ringed by gilded baroque guildhalls, the towering Gothic Town Hall and the Maison du Roi. It is genuinely one of the most ornate squares in Europe, and it is free to stand in the middle of it and look up. Come back after dark when the facades are floodlit, and time a visit for August in even-numbered years if you want to catch the flower carpet that covers the cobbles.

Manneken Pis, a few minutes' walk away, is the tiny bronze statue of a boy relieving himself that has become the city's tongue-in-cheek mascot. It is far smaller than visitors expect, and the original now lives in the city museum, but the statue is regularly dressed in costumes from a wardrobe of hundreds, which is half the fun. The spirit is pure Brussels: irreverent and a little surreal.

The Atomium is the city's most striking modern landmark, built for the 1958 World's Fair in the shape of an iron crystal magnified billions of times. Standing about 102 metres tall, its nine connected spheres house exhibition spaces and a panoramic viewpoint, reached by escalators and a lift. It sits north of the centre near the Heysel plateau and is a short metro ride out; check the official site for opening hours and ticket prices before you go.

The Royal Museums of Fine Arts hold one of the best art collections in Belgium, spread across several linked museums. The standout is the Magritte Museum, which holds the world's largest collection of works by René Magritte, the Belgian surrealist behind the bowler hats and floating apples. The neighbouring Oldmasters Museum covers Flemish and Belgian painting from the 15th century onward, so surrealism fans and classicists are both well served.

The Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert is an elegant glass-roofed shopping arcade from the 1840s, one of the oldest in Europe, lined with chocolatiers, bookshops and cafes. It once drew Victor Hugo and Alexandre Dumas and still makes a lovely place to shelter from the famous Brussels rain while sampling pralines.

The Sablon district pairs the Gothic Church of Our Lady of the Sablon with the Place du Grand Sablon, an antiques-and-chocolate square that hosts a weekend market of old books, prints and curios. It is more refined and less crowded than the area around the Grand-Place, and a good place for a slow coffee.

The Comics Art Museum celebrates Belgium's contribution to the bande dessinée (comic-strip) tradition, from Tintin to the Smurfs, inside a restored Art Nouveau building by Victor Horta. Even if comics are not your thing, the building itself is worth the entry, and you will spot Tintin murals on walls across the city centre.

The European Quarter is where the EU institutions cluster around Place Schuman, and it is more interesting than its reputation suggests. The free House of European History and the Parlamentarium explain the EU clearly and engagingly, and the green Parc du Cinquantenaire, with its triumphal arch and museums, sits right beside it.

Belgian food and drink is an attraction in itself. Work through fresh-made waffles (the lighter Brussels style and the denser, sugar-studded Liège style), pralines from the historic chocolatiers, a cone of double-fried frites (Belgian fries, served with mayonnaise), and a beer in a traditional cafe. Belgium's beer culture is UNESCO-recognised, so try a gueuze (a tart, sparkling Brussels beer made by blending spontaneously fermented lambics) or a Trappist ale poured in its own branded glass.

A day trip to Bruges is the perfect third-day add-on. Direct trains leave Brussels regularly and reach Bruges in around an hour. The medieval centre, with its canals, the towering Belfry over the Markt square, and the Church of Our Lady housing a Madonna by Michelangelo, has earned it the nickname "Venice of the North". A short canal cruise is the best way to see it. Nearby Ghent makes an equally good alternative if you prefer somewhere a little less polished.

Where to stay

The city centre around the Grand-Place puts you within walking distance of nearly every sight, with the train from the airport arriving close by. It is the most convenient base and the liveliest after dark, though room rates run higher and the streets nearest the square can be busy with visitors. Best for first-timers who want everything on the doorstep.

The Sablon and Royal Quarter, just uphill from the centre, suit travellers who want museums, antique shops and good restaurants without the tourist crush. It is a short, pretty walk down to the Grand-Place, and the mood is calmer and more upmarket. Best for art lovers and couples after a refined base.

Ixelles, south of the centre, is the city's most characterful residential area, full of Art Nouveau townhouses, leafy ponds, cafes around Place Flagey and the multicultural Matongé quarter. It is a tram or metro ride from the main sights but rewards anyone who wants to feel like a local rather than a tourist. Best for repeat visitors and those staying longer.

The European Quarter is quiet, green and well connected, with plenty of mid-range hotels built for the EU and business crowd that often discount on weekends when the offices empty. It is light on nightlife but close to the Cinquantenaire park and museums. Best for value-seekers who do not mind a short commute into the old town.

When to go

Late spring and early autumn are the sweet spots. May, June and September bring the mildest weather, long daylight and lighter crowds than peak summer. July and August are warm and busy, and the Grand-Place flower carpet appears for a few days in mid-August in even-numbered years, drawing big crowds for a spectacular display.

Winter is cold and grey but has its own appeal: the Winter Wonders (Plaisirs d'Hiver) Christmas market lights up the city centre from late November into early January, with a market, lights show and ice rink. Whatever the season, Brussels is genuinely rainy throughout the year, so a waterproof layer and a flexible indoor-museum plan are sensible. Coming from Copenhagen, the winters will feel familiar, if a touch milder and wetter.

Budget & practical tips

Belgium uses the euro, so if your everyday card is a multi-currency one like Wise or Revolut you will get a fair exchange rate and can pay contactless almost everywhere, which beats carrying cash or paying airport-counter rates. Cards are accepted widely, though a few small cafes and frites stands are cash-only.

The compact centre is best explored on foot, and the rest of the city is covered by the STIB/MIVB metro, tram and bus network; a rechargeable card or a day pass is the easy option for trips out to the Atomium or Ixelles. The intercity trains that link Brussels to Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp are run by SNCB/NMBS and are cheap and frequent. The Brussels Card bundles free entry to dozens of museums and can pay off if you are doing several in a day.

On cost, Brussels will feel noticeably cheaper than Copenhagen across the board: a sit-down meal, a round of beer, a hotel night and a museum ticket all come in lower, which is part of what makes it such good weekend value from the Nordics. Tipping is not expected as service is included, though rounding up is appreciated.

Good to know

Brussels rewards a loose plan. Two days is enough to see the headline sights, eat extremely well and still have time to wander, while a third day opens up Bruges or Ghent by train. Book your flights and a central or Sablon hotel ahead for the best choice, pack for rain in any season, and carry a travel card that handles euros without sting. For a short hop from Copenhagen, few city breaks pack in this much history, art, food and easy day-tripping. It is also worth checking that your travel insurance covers a short EU trip; a flexible policy such as SafetyWing is designed for exactly this kind of weekend away.