WHAT TO SEE IN BRUSSELS WITH A DOG IN 1 DAY 

BrusselsBrussels, being the capital of the country, is always going to be the city with the most museums, the most places of interest to see, etc. And when we travel with a dog we have to take into account that they will not be able to keep up with the same pace as us, they need more rest, more sleep... those kinds of things that sometimes we are not aware of.

It also depends on the dog you have, but in our case, we DON'T consider Snow as a dog that is made for walking all day. He gets tired (of course) and doesn't have the same stamina as we do, so this is something you should be VERY aware of when organising a trip.

We only had one day to explore Brussels, and although we did a lot of sightseeing, we didn't have time to explore it. So no, we recommend a minimum of 2 days to tour Brussels and get to know a large part of the city.

Before visiting any city, and even more so now that we are travelling with Snow, we always look for information about it to choose what to see, where to sleep, where to eat, what excursions we are going to do and if dogs are allowed or not. The truth is that we DON'T noticed that it was not pet friendly. In fact, we saw a lot of dogs, which we were very happy about, because if they are on the street it is because people live with them.

But it is true that there are places where pets are not allowed, but it is very easy to distinguish which places allow dogs and which do not, you just have to look at the entrance of the place.

If the local has a sticker with the forbbiden symbol and a dog, you'll know that they DON'T allow dogs, but if it doesn't say so, you should be able to enter without any problem. As for excursions, in the free tours they are usually allowed, although in bus excursions they DON'T, as bus drives are not allowed to carry dogs. However, they are allowed on public transport, so yes, we consider that Brussels is a quite dog friendly city.

We have prepared this optimised itinerary of what to see in Brussels with a dog in 1 day with which you will be able to see the essentials without wasting too much time. This is just a suggestion, you can add and subtract what you want. We have added to the itinerary the possibility of entering the main attractions, but you also have to take into account that in most dogs are not allowed. The itinerary is designed to see everything in a more panoramic way, so you can adapt what you want.

If you want to organise a trip to Belgium like this one and you don't know how to adapt it to you, or simply don't have the time to organise it, remember that we have the consultancy services that are available at a very cheap price. where we will be in charge of everything.

As it was going to be quite a long day, we didn't get up very early either, so Snow had time to have breakfast at his normal time and rest his food. Every time we travelled to a new city, we ALWAYS book a Free Tour. As you already know, we work with Civitatis, so we took their Free Tour, , because a free tour is the best way to know a city as they teach you how to move around. In addition, if you have a good guide, they will recommend you local restaurants and will solve all your doubts.

You need to know something about the Free Tourand is that in Civitatis it says that they DON'T allow dogs, but it's a mistake because we spoke with the company, and they DO allow dogs. In fact, our guide, Nelson, told us that they would never refuse a tour to someone with a dog, that all the guides love dogs and are happy to have them on the tour.

So you can safely book using this Civitatis , because they are allowed. The route we took on the free tour was as follows:

• Grand Placethe centre of the city, it is simply beautiful. The Grand Place of Brussels is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful squares in Europe and the geographical, historical and commercial heart of the city. In addition to the imposing square itself, the Grand Place is also home to numerous historic buildings worth visiting:
  • Hotel de Ville
  • Maison du Roi
  • Maison des Ducs de Brabant
  • Le Pigeon
  • Le Roy d’Espagne

While were at the Grand Place, the guide explained to us how Belgium was built, we analysed the buildings, their symbols, etc. Things you probably wouldn't know on your own.

• Manneken Pisalso known as the Pissing Boy, this is a tiny statue of a boy peeing, and is one of the attractions of Brussels. It is a curious sight. It is located a few steps from the Grand Place and is an icon not only of Brussels, but also of Belgium. Depending on the time of year, they dress him up in different costumes. We caught him naked, but the guide told us that this is not usual. He has about 1000 costumes, and they are in a museum where you can see them all. But this is not the only figure like this, but I will tell you more about it in the guide of what to see in Brussels with your dog.

But... Did you know it has is feminine version? Yes, it is called Jeanneke Pis, and it is near the Grand Place, but in the opposite direction to Manneken Pis. It is much more modern than its brother and much less well known. Right next to the girl you will find Delirium Tremensthe most famous brewery in Brussels for the great variety of beers it has, more than 2,000 kinds. But what if now I tell you that... the dogs also have a statue? Yes, it's called Zinneke Pis and it's near the stock exchange of Brussels.

• Comic WallsBelgium is known for its comic book culture: Tintin, Lucky Luke, the Smurfs, Blake and Mortimer… they're Belgian, and in Brussels there are murals painted in honour of those comics. They are amazing. On the tour we saw the Tintin mural, but the funny thing is that underneath the mural there is a QR that you can scan, and it tells you interesting facts about the mural, but it also shows you where the others are. The website is in French, so if you don't want to make things difficult for yourself, you can book the comic tour, which is pet friendly!

Right next to the Tintin mural you have an impressive comic book shop, with merchandising of all the main characters of the comics. It's called Moule à Gaufres and we wanted to visit it so bad, but we were on the tour, and we had to stay with the group.

• Sablon District: where we contemplated the architecture of Notre Dame Du SablonThe church is a real jewel of Gothic architecture. We went in to see it from the inside, but remember that dogs are not allowed inside the religious buildings. But I always tell you the same thing, if you are travelling with two people, take it in turns and that's it. I would like you to take a look at the churches in Belgium and you will see that instead of benches there are chairs, a curious thing, isn't it? I don't want to tell you why, so ask the guide if he doesn't say anything. The opening hours are as follows:- Monday to Friday: from 9:00 to 18:30.
  – Sábados y domingos: de 10:00 a 19:00 horas.
• GardeRobe MannekenPis: If we analyse the first word, we see that in English it is very similar to ‘guardarropa’. Can you imagine what it is? The museum where ALL the costumes of the Manneken Pis are kept. You can visit it and the entrance fee is €5 per person (under 18 free) or free if you have the Brussels Card. Dogs are not allowed, only assistance dogs are.
• Estatua de Jacques Brel: Belgium is also known today for its music and hosts one of the most famous music festivals in the world: Tomorrowland. Jacques Brel is still Belgium's most famous singer-songwriter, so he had to have his statue in Brussels.

• Justice Palace: its dome is visible over much of the city. When its construction was completed in 1883, the Palais de Justice in Brussels was the largest building in the world, with a surface area of 26,000 square metres and a height of 104 metres. Today, it no longer holds this title, but it is still impressive and still houses the seat of the Belgian Courts of Justice. Admission to this building is free and the opening hours are as follows:

  - From Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 17:00.
  - Closed: weekends and bank holidays.
  But obviously, as in all important buildings, dogs are not allowed.

• Real Square: we stopped here to see the façade of the Royal Palace of Brussels, located next to one of the most beautiful parks in the Belgian capital. Since 1965, the Royal Palace of Brussels has been open to the public from 21 July (Belgian National Day) until the beginning of September. Visiting hours are Tuesday to Sunday from 10.30am to 5pm. But then again, pets are not allowed.
• Mont des Arts: final point of the tour, a spectacular site that reminded me personally of the Trocadero in Paris, with the stairs, the gardens and the incredible views. Also, with so many trees and gardens, it's a great place for your dog to relax, sniff, relieve himself and be happy. Snow loved the area.

• Atomium: probably the best-known symbol of Brussels and of Belgium. Designed as the symbol and main pavilion of the 1958 Brussels Universal Exhibition, this enormous atom, 102 metres high, has become the image of the Belgian capital. Of course, you should know that it is quite far from the capital, about 6–7 kilometres, which, in terms of time, is half an hour by metro. The station to get there is called Heysel (metro line 6).

You need to know that dogs are not allowed inside, but you won't miss anything, either. That's why we are here, to tell you that we were very disappointed with the viewpoint. It overlooks a car park, the Mini Europe and a forest. And if it's foggy, you can't see anything. Our recommendation is to go outside with your dog, take a photo and leave, at least to say that you have seen it. And if you go without your dog, we don't recommend visiting it from the inside either.

If you are interested in going up and visiting the inside, the opening hours are as follows: open every day from 10:00 to 18:00 and the price is €16 per person.

• Saint Hubert Galleries: located very close to the Grand-Place and the Manneken Pis, they were the first shopping arcades in Europe. They can be accessed from three different streets: Rue du Marché aux Herbes, Rue des Bouchers or Rue de l'Ecuyer. They are about 200 metres long and are covered by a huge glass dome that lets in light, but not rain. Inside there are several luxury shops, typical chocolate shops, the occasional jeweller's shop and terraces where you can enjoy a good coffee, albeit expensive (like everything else in Belgium). Another must-see in Brussels. We recommend seeing them at night, especially if you come at Christmastime, because everything is illuminated and they look beautiful.

This guide is focused on what to see in Brussels with a dog, but if you want an itinerary through Belgium, we invite you to read our big post about what to see in Belgium with a dog.

As we mentioned at the beginning of the post, one day is not enough to see Brussels, especially with a dog. We did quite a lot in 1 day, but it's also true that we take Snow in our backpack now and then to let him rest a bit. So here are some of the things we still have to see and do:

• Comic Tour: we think it is a great plan, and we couldn't do it due to lack of time. Also, go with an expert who will explain the stories of the mural, and take you without wasting time looking for where they are. The tour lasts 2 hours and a half, so it's a pleasant walk.
• European district: this modern neighbourhood is known for housing the headquarters buildings of the main European institutions, including the Parliament, the Commission and the Council. It's a bit out of the way, so we didn't do it on the same day. What we like about this area is that there are plenty of green spaces for dogs: the Parc de Bruxelles, the Cinquantenaire Palace and Leopold Park. Be sure to visit the Belayrmont building, the current seat of the European Commission.
• Sacré Coeur Basilica: the Basilica of the Sacré Coeur is also a little far ¡away. Built in Art Deco style, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart is 89 metres high and 167 metres long, impressive measurements that make it the fifth-largest church in the world. Dogs are not allowed, but it is enough to see it from the outside. Entrance to the Basilica is free (although going up to the dome costs 4 euros) and the opening hours are as follows:

  Summer schedule: from 9:00 to 17:00.
  Winter schedule: from 10:00 to 16:00.

You can visit other cities of interest from Brussels. You can do it on an excursion or on your own, but you should know that if the excursion is by bus, pets are not allowed, so we recommend that you go by train to the destination and, once there, take a free tour. We will be uploading all the content on our Instagram. Here are some other important cities you can visit:

• Amsterdam: the capital of the Netherlands, and a day trip option from Brussels. Obviously, it's not the same as travelling directly to the city and staying there for 2–3 days, but if you're planning a longer trip, you can still make the most of it.
• Mechelen and Leuven: the two cities of Flanders, full of history, art, and culture. The tour is done by train, so it is quicker and more comfortable than by bus. The guides in Antwerp and Ghent told us that this was a very good option as well. As it is by train, ask if pets are allowed, because you might be able to take them with you for a supplement.
• Luxembourg: one of the most expensive countries in the world. We are looking forward to visiting it, as they say it is a beautiful country. Besides, we know a girl who went with her dog, and she only speaks wonders about the country. Dogs are not allowed in Civitatis, but they are allowed on the trains, so ask if you can do something to make sure they are allowed.
• Leuven: one of the university towns in all of Flanders, so it's well worth a visit. It is done by train, so in principle you shouldn't have any problem to go there with a dog.

Even if it is a short trip, think that many things can happen, such as your dog getting sick, getting cut by a bottle (in Brussels there was a lot of glass on the ground), or simply getting sick because of the change in temperature or for any other reason. For this very reason, it is VERY IMPORTANT that you hire travel insurance. We recommend you IATI, as it is one of the few insurances that not only offers a very competitive price, but also covers practically everything, including your pet. Remember, you have a 5% of discount if you book using our link