2. Brussels: Highlights & Hidden Gems Private Walking Tour
Join an enthusiastic local guide on an off-the-beaten-track experience of Brussels with a personalized tour of the city center. Marvel at the city’s history, culture, and impressive architecture as you’re led down its most exciting streets. You'll be paired with guides that are passionate about the place they call home and who choose to spend their free time sharing it with like-minded travelers matched to them. Meet your guide in the heart of Brussels to see iconic attractions like the Grand Place, the Royal Palace of Brussels, and the opulent guildhalls that make this square one of the most beautiful in Europe. Explore the city’s urban art scene as you’re led down streets lined with mind-bending murals and quirky comic stores. Once you’ve sifted through piles of vintage comics, make your way to the famous Tintin Comic Mural, a larger-than-life mural of the iconic character decorating the side of an unassuming gift shop. Head to your next landmark in the city center, Mannekin Pis, a bronze fountain sculpture of a urinating boy designed by Jérôme Duquesnoy the Elder in the early 1600s. Grab some on-the-go Belgian Frites (twice-cooked, thick-cut fries) on your way to the European Quarter, home to the headquarters of one of the most powerful political institutions in the world – the European Union. Back in the city center, stroll through the stunning 19th-century shopping arcade, Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries, and window-shop to your heart’s content, and wind down with a Belgian beer and a light bite at a favorite local cafe. End your day sampling creative chocolate treats at the city’s chocolatiers and quirky chocolate boutiques and then exploring the African Quarter’s unique bars, Congolese restaurants, and cool jazz clubs.