What To Do In Brussels When You Are On A Budget

Most people think that it is going to be expensive when they are planning to visit Brussels. While Brussels can be expensive, there are many Brussels attractions that are free or cheap to see. Here are some ideas of what to do in Brussels when you are on a budget.

1. A Free City Tour

Brussels offers the Greeters program, where locals volunteer their time to show visitors around the town for a few hours. There are guides who specialize in subjects like history and food. You will need to email the Greeter program about 2 weeks before your trip, and you can meet up with them anywhere in Brussels.

2. Enjoy Street Food

Most travelers avoid street food, but locals know the value of good street food. Belgium is well-known forits fries (frites), so you can find them just about everywhere. Next to fries, Brussels is home to a lot of street snacks and meals. You can find vendors who are selling snails, bangers’n mash, and steak baguette with chips. Street food is most times cheaper than restaurants, but be careful of street food vendors around tourist areas because they could have marked the prices up.

3. Work on Your Barter Skills

Brussels was once a very important trading center, and the tradition of trading is still alive today. There are many local markets around the city, and they are mostly unknown by travelers. Locals know about these markets, so this is going to be where they are going to be. Most of the markets are on the weekends, but you can find a few during the week. They also take place mostly in the working class neighborhoods. If you are planning to visit these markets, you should think about bringing items from home to barter with or sell. You may be surprised on what you can get for an item that you bring with you.

4. The Underground Art

There are many art museums in Brussels, but you never have to step inside of one to view local art. You just need to head underground into the metro stations to find amazing artworks. Some of the artworks that line the metro stations include murals by Paul Delvaux. If you want to know more about the artworks, you can pick up a pamphlet at the tourist office located on Rue Royale.

5. Museums

If you want to visit the museums in Brussels, the entry fees will quickly add up. However, there is a way of keeping your costs down. A Brussels Card is €22 to €35 and allows you free access to all the permanent collections in the city within the time period you bought.

To visit Brussels, you do not need to have a huge amount of money in your bank account. It is easy to see many of the Brussels attractions without having to spend a lot of money. Staying within your budget does not have to be a challenge because there are many things that you can do in Brussels without spending a fortune.