[These are very thorough walking directions – you shouldn’t be getting lost in Brussels when following this guide. However, I definitely recommend that you follow the Google Streetview route of the entire Brussels DIY Walking Tour first, from the comfort of your own home before you head to Brussels, as this will allow you to better visualise the entire route before you arrive].

START. Grand-Place [MAP]:

With the steepled Musée de la ville de Bruxelles on your left, and the even more impressive steeple of the Hôtel de Ville de Bruxelles on your right, start walking towards the Maison des Ducs de Brabant building at the end of Grand-Place.

You’re aiming for the tiny Rue de la Colline ahead of you/to the left.

Rue de la Colline [MAP]:

At the end of Rue de la Colline, and on your right, you will see a Pedestrian Crossing which takes you directly to the entrance of the Galleries Royales St.Hubert.

Galleries Royales St.Hubert [MAP]

There are actually two separate galleries, and you’ll walk through both. The first gallery is the Gallerie de la Reine (the Queen’s Gallery); the second is the Gallerie du Roi (the King’s Gallery); and both are separated by a small road (Rue des Bouchers).  Rue des Bouchers is covered between the two galleries.

There are steps at the end of the Gallerie du Roi (leading up to the exit). However, there is also a ramp here if needed.

Rue d’Arenberg [MAP]:

As you exit the Gallerie du Roi, you will see a Pedestrian Crossing immediately in front of you. Cross here. Turn RIGHT at the end of the crossing, crossing the sidestreet (there is a small Pedestrian Crossing here too), and continue walking along the left hand side of Rue d’Arenberg.

Neither crossing is light-controlled, but there are dropped kerbs where needed.

Bvd de l’Impératrice [MAP]:

At the end of Rue d’Arenberg, you will see two pedestrain crossings (separated by an “island”), which take you across Bvd de l’Impératrice.

After the second crossing, turn immediately to your LEFT, then take the SECOND path through the park on your RIGHT. The first path may seem more popular, and a more direct route to your next destination (the Cathédrale des Saints Michel et Gudule). However, the SECOND path will take you past the Statue du Roi Baudouin. There are plenty of seats around the statue, should you want to sit down for a while.

Cathédrale des Saints Michel et Gudule [MAP]:

It is free to visit the main part of the cathedral. However, there are charges for visiting the Crypt and the Treasury.

There are also free guided tours of the Towers – these must be arranged at least two weeks before your visit. These guided tours last around 2 hours 30 mins.

Place Saint-Gudule [MAP]:

Walk around the RIGHT of the cathedral, until you almost reach the rear of the cathedral, through Place Saint-Gudule.

Cross the road here, and walk up the LEFT of Treurenberg. Continue until you see a Pedestrian Crossing  – which will take you across Treurenberg (although there are no “proper” dropped kerbs here, the kerbs have been lowered to make them easily passable).

At the end of the crossing, turn LEFT, and continue walking up Treurenberg (the buildings will now be on your right), until you reach the corner with Rue Royale.

Rue Royale [MAP]:

Turn RIGHT at the junction of Treurenberg and Rue Royale. You will IMMEDIATELY see a Pedestrian Crossing (light-controlled, with dropped kerbs on either side), which will take you across Rue Royale.

After crossing the road here, turn RIGHT, and continue along Rue Royale, towards Rue de la Loi. The buildings will now be on your immediate left, and the Rue Royale tram tracks will be in your right.

Rue de la Loi / Wetstraat [MAP]:

At the junction of Rue Royale and Rue de la Loi / Wetstraat, cross Rue de la Loi / Wetstraat in the same direction that you have been travelling in (you will now see the greenery of the Parc de Bruxelles ahead of you/to the left).

After crossing Rue de la Loi / Wetstraat here, turn IMMEDIATELY to your LEFT (the road of Rue de la Loi will now be on your left, and the Parc de Bruxelles will be on your right).

DO NOT ENTER THE PARC DE BRUXELLES HERE!

Instead, continue walking (for about 200 metres) until you see the central entrance to the park.

Parc de Bruxelles [MAP]:

Turn RIGHT and enter the Parc de Bruxelles here.

In general, you will be heading in a straight line, south-ish, through the centre of the park. Passing around a round pond, and later, around an octagonal pond.

After passing around the first, round, pond, ignore the main paths that diverge slightly on either side, but continue STRAIGHT AHEAD (this central path will eventually bring you to the octagonal pond.

Eventually, you will see the gates at the end of the central path through the Parc de Bruxelles ahead of you. You will also now be able to see the magnificent Palais de Bruxelles (the Royal Palace of Brussels) on the other side of the Place des Palais.

Place des Palais [MAP]:

There is NO Pedestrain Crossing of Place des Palais here (neither are there dropped/lowered kerbs).

So instead of trying to cross the road here, turn LEFT and walk along to the corner exit of the park (the park will now be on your LEFT). Just beyond the corner exit, you will see a Pedestrian Crossing which crosses Rue Ducale / Hertogstraat. There is a slightly lowered kerb here.

As you cross the road here, you will see the splendid Palais des Académies building in front to you.

At the end of the crossing, turn RIGHT (so that the Palais des Académies is now on your left), and continue ahead until you see the next Pedestrian Crossing on your right (just after the Palais des Académies building ends).

There is no dropped kerb here, but the kerb is fairly shallow/passable (if the height of the kerb is too much for you though, there IS a lowered kerb on the adjacent road leading into the Palais des Académies).

Palais de Bruxelles (the Royal Palace of Brussels) [MAP]:

At the end of the crossing, turn RIGHT, and walk around the front of the Palais de Bruxelles.

Musée BELvue [MAP]:

Continue walking by the front of the Palais de Bruxelles and you will see the entrance to the Musée BELvue on your left.

Pedestrian Crossing 1 – Place Royale [MAP]:

After Musée BELvue turn LEFT into Place Royale (heading towards the Statue de Godefroy de Bouillon in the centre of the square). After a few metres though, you will see the first of two Pedestrian Crossings around Place Royale which you will use.

After crossing Rue Royale here, turn LEFT, and follow Place Royale around until you reach the second Pedestrian Crossing (by the Musée des Instruments de Musique).

If you want to actually visit the Musée des Instruments de Musique, turn RIGHT and walk down Rue Montagne de la Cour – the entrance to the museum will be on your right.

Otherwise, walk straight ahead.

Pedestrian Crossing 2 – Place Royale [MAP]:

This crossing is light-controlled, and there are dropped kerbs on either side if needed.

After crossing Rue Montagne de la Cour here, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD – the Musée Magritte (Magritte Museum) is directly on your right.

Musée Magritte (Magritte Museum) [MAP]:

If you want to visit the Musée Magritte, simply follow the arrows on the building. These arrows will direct you to the visitors’ entrance.

Otherwise, continue to pass around the edge of Place Royale, until you see a third Pedestrian Crossing. However, do NOT cross the road again. Instead, turn RIGHT, and walk along Rue de la Régence (the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium will be on you right).

Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium [MAP]:

After you pass (or visit?) the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, continue in the same direction until you reach another two small Pedestrian Crossings ahead of you.

After crossing both, continue in the same direction, with the side of the rather impressive Église Notre-Dame des Victoires au Sablon on your right.

At the next junction, turn RIGHT, and you will see the entrance to the Église Notre-Dame des Victoires au Sablon also on your right.

Rue des Sablons [MAP]:

After passing the entrance to the Église Notre-Dame des Victoires au Sablon, continue walking down Rue des Sablons for a few metres, until you see a Pedestrian Crossing on your left.

After crossing Rue des Sablons here, turn immediately to your RIGHT, and you will see another Pedestrian Crossing directly ahead of you.

Cross the sidestreet of Rue Ernest Allard here, and at the end of this second crossing, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD (continuing down Rue des Sablons) until you see yet another Pedestrian Crossing (on your right). Cross Rue des Sablons here, and you will arrive at the Place du Grand Sablon (and the Fountain of Minerva statue).

Place du Grand Sablon [MAP]:

After seeing the Fountain of Minerva statue, continue down the Place du Grand Sablon until you see the Pedestrian Crossings at the bottom of the triangular “square”. Take the crossing on the right, turning LEFT at the end of the crossing.

After rounding the corner on you right, immediately cross the sidestreet (Rue de la Paille) and continue down Rue Lebeau until you see the flags of the Place de la Justice. Where you have a choice: steps, or a step-free diversion (which misses out the Mont des Arts):