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Grand Place

Grand Place

Grand Place
4.5
Historic SitesPoints of Interest & Landmarks
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
About
Considered one of the most beautiful medieval squares in Europe, the ornate Grand Place is the center of Brussels, where many historic buildings dating from the 17th century are located.
Duration: < 1 hour
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The area

Address
How to get there
  • Beurs • 4 min walk
  • De Brouckère • 5 min walk
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See what travelers are saying

  • lucius c
    Tinton Falls, New Jersey70 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Brussels sprout up well
    Beautiful old charm ( story has it the architect commited suicide due to a minor misalligned entrance ) lit at night gives everything new appearance as day does true justice to its Beauty ! The entire courtyard around the City hall is an old trade building to represent the trade it covered . Cobble stone streets add to its rustic atmosphere . Pictires dont do it justice however I tried . A must see while in Europe . Belgium is full of history and 2 days didn’t seem to show me all I wanted ! Never got to explore the museums !.
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written October 7, 2023
  • Diane H
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful View!
    Such a beautiful location! It was really easy to find and the views were so lovely. My husband and I actually visited it during the day and at night and loved the night view. There were so many tours we wished we were part of a group, but maybe for next time.
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written November 3, 2023
  • Dmitrii Marinkevich
    Manosque, France268 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Come to the square in different times of the day
    I had stopover in BRU airport for 3 hrs, i took the train to the city center and was amazed by the beauty of the Grand Place. Same day i bought tickets for me and my wife to come back to Brussels. We were lucky, when we came back it had purple lights on. That day there was not much rain. We enjoyed walking. We walked around several streets and came back - still beautiful ))))
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written November 11, 2023
  • Thomas V
    Oakland, California18,505 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    It is Indeed a Grand Place
    This central square is spectacular. On all sides are beautifully maintained old guild houses. Looks great during the day, but come back at night when it sparkles with all the floodlights. Be prepared for lots of people as this is ground zero for tourism. Tourist restaurants and bars all around. Just beautifu.
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written November 27, 2023
  • Tobique
    Ruckersville, Virginia602 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Don’t miss the beautiful Grande Place
    Just loved my visit to La Grand Place and surrounding area. It is the center of Brussels and iconic, so pretty much a required stop if you visit Brussels. I was fortunate to be here in the holidays and saw the fantastic light show. The buildings are ancient and the history of the Grande Place is interesting. The restaurants in the Place afford an opportunity for people watching, especially in more temperate weather.
    Visited December 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written December 12, 2023
  • Deborah F
    12 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A very grand experience!
    Absolutely wonderful precursor to Christmas. Full of history, colour, life and fun! The buildings are amazing and so well maintained. The square had a free light show on the hour, in the evening, which was glorious to experience. Fabulous place.
    Visited December 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written December 25, 2023
  • livinglavidaloca
    155 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Stunning square
    Truly a beautiful square. All the buildings were stunning and lavished with gold decals. Personally, I believe this to be a must-see in Brussels as the architecture is the crème de la crème of Belgian architecture in my humble inexperienced opinion.
    Visited January 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written January 16, 2024
  • Panagiotis Lymperopoulos Photography
    Athens, Greece280 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A Majestic Gem in the Heart of Brussels
    The Grand Place is an amazing place to create lovely private photo sessions to have and remember for years to come. The Grand Place it was very near to my hotel where i stayed, the Bedford Hotel Every time of the year, The Grand Place is a place to be and many things to do.They have several very nice shops where you can get almost anything you might need at very good prices as well.Soaps, home care, and the best chocolates ever. I will visit again on my next trip around for sure.
    Visited February 2023
    Traveled on business
    Written January 30, 2024
  • William M
    Edinburgh, United Kingdom672 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Stunning
    An absolutely beautiful square, equally stunning day or night. A great place for amazing photos. The various streets leading off the square are packed with restaurants, shops, takeaways, etc. A must see when in Brussels.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written February 16, 2024
  • anthony r
    Aurora, Colorado228 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very cool
    Finally took our long awaited trip to Belgium. Visited the Grand Place. Center of Brussels, really cool architecture and plenty of shops (chocolate/waffle/fries) around. Was a really cool place to visit and has plenty of nice places around to eat and shop.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written February 29, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles35,172 reviews
Excellent
25,902
Very good
7,969
Average
1,097
Poor
127
Terrible
77

The Weak Knee Traveler
Singapore, Singapore12,820 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019 • Solo
This square is a UNESCO heritage site and the main square in Brussels. It is beautiful and a must visit when in Brussels, esp. during the X'mas season. There was a light show at the square in the evening and it was crowded. It was so much quieter when visited early in the morning just before sunrise. But no less beautiful.
Written November 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

June A
Surrey, UK2,754 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020
I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to visit Brussels during the brief period last summer when things returned to at least some semblance of normality. I stayed just a few minutes from the Square and so walked past or through it almost every day in some capacity. It's a huge open space filled with the most glorious and majestic buildings - the best known of which are of course the famous Guild Houses. These are every bit as beautiful as they look in the pictures and house a variety of different institutions some of which are open to the public. The restaurants and bars were open for business when I visited and were doing a brisk trade with people no doubt wishing to make up for the many months of confinement. On the day I arrived in Brussels the square had a team of acrobats entertaining the crowd, which I must admit threw me a little. It was though all very organised and although crowded I felt perfectly safe as everyone was masked up and enjoying themselves. The atmosphere at night is very different - the buildings are lit up with groups of friends sitting on the cobbles in the square drinking, smoking and catching up with each other as the sun gradually does down and the light fades. The buildings look even better at this time than they do during the day and for a woman alone it is of course perfectly safe.
Written April 10, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

BPMKMT
Toronto, Canada25 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2019
This review is a year later, we visited last summer. Been lucky enough to visit a few beautiful squares in Europe in our time, The Grand Place is my favourite. The old town streets all will funnel naturally towards the middle of this beautiful square with 2 beautiful tall buildings that stand across each other. Interesting note, neither are places of worship one is a Government building. I would recommend joining a tour with one of the locals with a yellow umbrella. It is free, but do expect to tip the tour guide, it is how they make a living and it is well worth it. From there you make your way anywhere, Brussels is very walkable, I suggest a walk by the Gallery where they sell tasty chocolate. Sit and have a Belgium waffle and expresso. I would recommend Neuhaus and Mary's chocolate if you are like fine chocolate. From there make your way to the Royal Palace. You can't get lost, you can always make your way back to the square with the arches of the tall buildings visible.
Written August 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Tony G
Milton Keynes, UK564 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
Deservedly a UNESCO World Heritage Site the Grand Place was awe inspiring. Imposing architecture on all sides includes the Maison du Roi, in French meaning the king’s house, the Town Hall and various guildhalls. The square is the heart of Brussels and was full of locals and visitors, as well as a huge Christmas tree when we were there. It’s surrounded by streets and alleys and was a short walk from Brussel-Centraal station. The square is surrounded by restaurants, coffee shops and other Belgian shops. We walked to the Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert which was delightful and where some of the best chocolatiers can be found.
Written January 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

gwenkay
Sacramento, CA74 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
A must see for Brussels. Many cafes, waffle places, and chocolate shops nearby. Beautiful architecture including the 15th Century Gothic town hall with tower. A must see is the City Museum. You can also join a free tour of the city almost every day here at 1:30pm.
Written February 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bob K
Fairfax, VA2,212 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
The Grand Place is the central square in Brussels. It is surrounded by opulent guildhalls and two larger edifices, the city's Town Hall, and the King's House or Breadhouse building containing the Brussels City Museum. The square measures 223 x 361 ft. The Grand Place is the most important tourist destination and most memorable landmark in Brussels. It is also considered as one of the most beautiful squares in Europe, and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998. To counter the Town Hall’s symbol of municipal power, from 1504 to 1536, the Duke of Brabant ordered a large building to be constructed across from the Town Hall as a symbol of ducal power. It was erected on the site of the first cloth and bread markets, which were no longer in use, and it became known as the King's House although no king has ever lived there. Over time, wealthy merchants and the increasingly powerful guilds of Brussels built houses around the square. A number of guild houses have been converted into shops, terraced restaurants and brasseries. Notable institutions include Godiva Chocolatier and the Maison Dandoy speculoos confectionery. One of the houses owned by the brewers' guild is home to a brewers' museum. This square has lots to offer. Allow ~1 + hrs for your visit.
Written February 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Madame Toutlemonde
Timbuktu, Mali262 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022 • Friends
As they say, one of the most beautiful medieval squares in the world! Having visited several times with various friends, it is a phenomenal location to have a beer during sunset.

Caution: Eat elsewhere. The restaurants are even more expensive than the already bank account draining prices in Brussels. Beer is +/- €7 for a large but chips and salsa (only one round of each) is €15.

Shop the various chocolatiers, buy trinkets for people back home, get your Starbucks fix.
Nearby shopping is fun.

STRONG CAUTION: Do NOT pay cash for a taxi. They will try to tell you they only take cash (a lie) and try to settle on a price beforehand so they don’t have to use the meter. This is a ripoff. One driver told me €10 and i chose another who used the meter. It was €7.

Great place to spend an evening.
Written June 27, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Louisa H
Widnes, UK14 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2023 • Couples
The square and surrounding are beautiful and have a variety of shops, restaurants, bars etc. plenty of guides around in various languages (unsure if they were free or not but many people where listening to the history being told) the art of the brick museum was fantastic even as an adult it was so fascinating and right inside of the square only €11 for adults. Also very close to the location of the famous ‘weeing statue’ and many beautiful places around, definitely recommend if you’re coming to Belgium to heading by
Written April 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Susanne L
44 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019
The Grand Place with its outstanding buildings is a must see in Brussels. Beside the wonderful architecture of the building ensemble there are lots of restaurants, shops and museums nearby. Lots of tourists, but this can be a chance also. We had the luck the meet a womens choir group doing some sightseeing and starting to sing and perform in this inspiring ambiance.
Written January 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

jbg74
Saint Paul, MN1,162 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2022
This square definitely has some incredible architecture. There is also the city museum as well as tours of the old town hall on certain days. You have to pre-book the tours. The square is definitely worth a visit for anyone travelling through Brussels. Architecturally, it is one of the most beautiful squares I have seen. The cafes may be overpriced but it is a beautiful place to stop for a coffee or meal too.
Written May 27, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Grand Place, Brussels

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