6 Must-See Spots in Brussels
Gilded guildhalls, Europe’s oldest glass arcade, a giant molecule, and 80-odd comic murals — Brussels is far more photogenic than it gets credit for. Here’s where to visit, and when.
At a glance
| Spot | Best light | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Grand-Place | Evening (lit) | Gilded guildhalls, Town Hall |
| Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert | Before 9am | Glass-roofed arcade |
| Atomium | Dusk → night | Iconic modernist spheres |
| Mont des Arts | Sunset | Town Hall spire panorama |
| Place du Petit Sablon | Golden hour | Quiet park, Gothic church |
| Comic murals | Daytime | Tintin & 80+ street murals |
The spots
1. Grand-Place
Best light: evening · Terrain: flat cobbled square The UNESCO square of gilded guildhalls and the asymmetrical Town Hall. Best in the evening when the facades are lit; for an elevated angle, head up the steps of the Maison du Roi or the Hard Rock Café’s first floor.
2. Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert
Best light: before 9am · Terrain: covered arcade Europe’s first glazed shopping arcade (1847) — a glass-roofed masterpiece of perspective. Come before 9am for crowd-free frames; light rain adds reflections.
3. The Atomium
Best light: dusk → night · Terrain: Heysel plateau A 1958 iron molecule enlarged 165 billion times. Shoot at dusk when the spheres light up, and get low to exaggerate its scale.
4. Mont des Arts
Best light: sunset · Terrain: hillside garden (free, 24/7) The best free viewpoint — geometric gardens framing the Town Hall spire and old-city rooftops, with the Atomium visible on clear days.
5. Place du Petit Sablon
Best light: golden hour · Terrain: small park A manicured park ringed by 48 guild statues, across from the Gothic Sablon church — a quiet, elegant frame.
6. Comic murals
Best light: daytime · Terrain: scattered walls Over 80 comic murals (Tintin, the Smurfs) across the city — the tourist board’s Comic Strip Route maps them.
💡 Local tip: The Grand-Place and the Saint-Hubert arcade both pack out mid-morning. Shoot the arcade before 9am and save the Grand-Place for the evening, when it’s lit and most tour groups have moved on.
Plan your shoot
👉 Book a Brussels photographer →
👉 See Brussels Photography Packages →
👉 See the Best Season to Visit Brussels→
FAQ
What’s the best photo spot in Brussels? The Grand-Place, best in the evening when the gilded guildhalls are lit. The glass-roofed Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert is a close second — shoot it before 9am.
Where’s the best view over Brussels? Mont des Arts — a free, 24/7 hillside garden framing the Town Hall spire, with the Atomium visible on clear days. Sunset is best.
