Worth the Walk Rue d'Arenberg, Brussels

Bienvenue. Welkom. Welcome.

You're in the very middle of Brussels. The royal galleries are two minutes away, the Grand-Place five, and one of the city's most famous beer cafés is practically on your doorstep.

Drink

You're in the beer capital of the world. Pace yourself: plenty of these are stronger than wine.

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Eat

Belgian classics done properly. One warning: skip the restaurants on Rue des Bouchers with staff outside waving menus at you.

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Coffee & sweet things

Proper coffee, and the waffles and biscuits Brussels does better than anywhere.

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See

The biggest sights in Brussels are all within a 10-minute walk. Lucky you.

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The map

Tap a pin to see what it is and how far it is from the front door.

You're here

The dark pin is the apartment on Rue d'Arenberg. The glass-roofed galleries run just to the west, the Grand-Place is beyond them, and Brussels-Central station is a few minutes south.

A simplified map. Walking times are from the apartment and rounded to the nearest minute. The old centre is all cobbles and hills.

Getting here & about

Brussels-Central station is about three minutes from the door, which makes arriving very easy.

From the Eurostar

Eurostar arrives at Brussels-Midi. Local trains to Brussels-Central leave every few minutes and take about five minutes. If you booked Eurostar's "Any Belgian Station" ticket, this short hop is already included.

  1. Brussels-MidiFollow signs to the domestic platforms
  2. Brussels-ChapelleSome trains stop here
  3. Brussels-CentralGet off here and take the upper exit
  4. Rue d'ArenbergAbout three minutes' walk north

From Brussels Airport

Direct trains run from the airport to Brussels-Central in around 20 minutes. Tickets from the airport include a small station supplement, so buy one before you board.

From Charleroi airport

Budget flights often land at Charleroi, about an hour away. Shuttle buses run to Brussels-Midi; from there, it's the train above.

Metro, trams and buses

STIB runs the city network. The nearest metro stations are Gare Centrale and De Brouckère. Tap in with a contactless card at the gates or on board.

Taxis

There's a rank outside Brussels-Central. Uber also works in Brussels.

Walking

Everything in the old centre is walkable, but the city is split between the lower town, where you are, and the upper town with the royal palace and museums. Expect some steep climbs.

Two languages

Brussels is officially French and Dutch, so every street and station has two names. Rue d'Arenberg is also Arenbergstraat. Don't panic when the signs change.

Further afield

Beyond the centre, and a few of Belgium's best day trips.

Speak a little Brussels

Most people here switch to English happily, but try these first.

Bonjour / DagHello in French and Dutch. Brussels is mostly French-speaking, so start with bonjour.
MerciThanks, and Dutch speakers use it too.
S'il vous plaîtPlease. Belgians also say it when handing you something, like "here you go".
SantéCheers. In a Flemish crowd it's "schol".
Septante, nonanteSeventy and ninety. Belgian French skips the complicated French maths.
ZwanzeThe dry, self-mocking Brussels sense of humour. See also: the Manneken Pis.