Things to do in

Brussels

Book your admission ticket to Autoworld, the National Automobile Museum located in the heart of Brussels, the capital of Europe. The museum is housed in a historic building that was built in 1880 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Kingdom of Belgium. From 1902 to 1936 the building hosted motorcar and motorbike exhibitions, and since 1986 it has featured a major part of Ghislain Mahy’s renowned collection. On permanent display are more than 250 vehicles, ranging from cars and trucks to motorcycles. From the early models of the distant past to contemporary cars, visitors are guided through the motorcar’s fabulous history beginning in the late 19th century. Autoworld is a museum on the move, featuring temporary exhibitions throughout the year that take on various automotive themes. Every 2 years Autoworld organizes a major exhibition within a specific aspect of performance design. Past themes have included Bugatti 100 Years, Belgian Racing Legends, Ferdinand Porsche, Heritage and more recently Italian Car Passion. From 13th of December 2019 till 26th of January 2020 Autoworld Brussel will be the home of the "So British" exposition. This major expo will showcase historic and modern British cars in a typical London atmosphere. Choose the option to see this specific exhibition when booking.

Visit the world's largest collection of works by René Magritte. Enjoy access to more than 230 works and archives of the famous surrealist artist. View oil paintings, sketches, and sculptures, as well as posters, photographs and films made by Magritte himself. After viewing the surrealist masterpieces, take a relaxing break at the on site café and restaurant. Stop by the shop for an impressive selection of posters, postcards, gifts and books.

Journey through the story of chocolate at Choco-Story Brussels, and learn the origins of the precious commodity and its transformation to the finished product. Delve deep in the history of the Aztecs, and discover how cocoa arrived in Europe.  Admire the exhibits of the museum, including illustrations, informative panels and videos that explain the culture of cocoa and how it is turned into chocolate. Watch a demonstration by a master chocolatier on how to make artisanal pralines.  Enjoy several tastings throughout your visit, and benefit from the chance to purchase some chocolates in the gift shop.

The experience begins with a warm welcome from your guides and a delicious cup of hot chocolate. While you drink, listen to a short but fascinating introduction into the world of Belgian chocolate and learn an array of chocolate making secrets. After the intro, the real fun begins with a demonstration of chocolate tempering on a marble table. It’s then time to have a go yourself and make your own chocolate treats with the help of expert chocolatiers. Spend the hour making your very own personalized and tasty mendiants, truffles, lollipops and more. You’ll also get to work with ruby chocolate, a newly discovered cocoa bean that is 100% natural but which creates incredibly pink chocolate treats! At the end of the experience, package up your chocolates and take them home with you to share with friends, or enjoy alone!

Meet your guide at 8:30 AM in the center of Brussels and relax on the 100-kilometer journey to Bruges. Upon arrival, discover the charms of “the Venice of the North” and see why the entire historic center was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Marvel at highlights such as the Lake of Love (Minnewater Lake) and the 13th-century Begijnhof complex, founded in 1245 to house lay religious women. Go to Walplein Square, where the shady trees and cafes provide a perfect place to relax. Visit Stoofstraat on the site of the city's former Red Light District, and see medieval monuments such as the 11th-century Old St. John’s Hospital. Look at the world's second tallest brickwork tower at the Church of Our Lady, and see other historic monuments such as Gruuthuse Palace, the Dijver Canal and the tiny piazza of Tanners Square (Huidenvettersplein). Go to one of the city's most photographed spots at Rozenhoedkaai, and admire the Belfry on Castle Square. Admire the facades of the Gothic-style Town Hall and the 12th-century Basilica of the Holy Blood. Visit Market Square (Grote Markt) to see the Bell Tower (Belfort) and Sint-Salvator’s Cathedral. Then enjoy 1-hour's free time for lunch (at your own expense) and the chance to sample some of the city's delicious chocolates.  Next, drive to Ghent, where the inhabitants have been popularly known as "noose-bearers“ since the days of Charles V. Take a guided tour of the city's historic buildings, such as the Castle of Gerald the Devil and Saint Bavo Cathedral, where you can look at the painting of “The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb” by the Van Eyck brothers. Admire the Belfort (Bell Tower) and peculiar Gothic and Renaissance-style Town Hall. See one of the city's oldest monuments at St. Nicholas’ Church opposite the unusual facade of the Masons’ Guild House. Journey along the embankments of the medieval port of Graslei, and discover other highlights such as the majestic Castle of the Counts of Flanders, the charming Patershol neighborhood, the Great Butchers’ Hall, the Old Fish Market and Friday Market Square.

Access one of the most enchanting museums in Brussels with an entrance ticket to Train World. Located in the old Schaerbeek rail station building, the museum opened in September 2015 and boasts over 8,000 square meters of space. Benefit from a free downloadable Train World app to help you make the most of your visit. Audio guides are also available for rent, or you can book a live guide in your chosen language for an additional fee. Once inside the museum, explore independently and see highlights such as the 19th-century "Pays de Waes" locomotive, the oldest preserved locomotive in continental Europe. Head to the on-site restaurant when you need a break or to enjoy lunch before or after your visit. Experience the warm hospitality of the restaurant and brewery "RN Express" and dine in a unique environment. Included in your admission ticket is access to the temporary exhibitions as follows: • Until April 18 2021: Choco Loco. Explore the tasty world of chocolate at the heart of Train World • From 7 May to 27 June 2021: Peking to Hankow. A Belgian adventure in China • From 26 October 2021 to 18 April 2022: Orient Express

Begin your chocolate experience by touring the museum for approximately one and a half hours. Peruse with your audio guide and discover the history of cocoa and chocolate in an interactive and fun way. Enjoy chocolate tastings and watch a demonstration on Belgian's famous artisanal pralines. Afterward, learn to make your own chocolates with the help of a professional chocolate maker. Create mendiant chocolates, personalized chocolate bars, and lollies to take home with you. The chocolate making workshop takes about one hour.  

Get an overview of the fascinating city of Brussels, with a tour through the medieval and Baroque city, the industrial city, the bourgeois city, and on to modern Brussels. This tour ensures you get to see all the parts of this multi-faceted city. With your informative tour guide, learn about the city’s museums, where the best bars and local beers are, and where to buy the best chocolate at a reasonable price. Your guide will also answer any practical questions you might have about restaurants, attractions, nightlife, or even just getting around on public transport. During your walking tour of the city, the tour will be split into two different areas: the Upper City and Lower City. The tour is structured this way to help you better understand the origins and historic development of Brussels.  During your tour of the Lower City, you will see highlights such as The Grand Palace, The Everard t'Serclaes monument on Charles Buls street, The Manneken Pis and Grands Carmes street, Marché au Charbon street, Anspach Boulevard, The covering of the Senne, Riches Claires street and Grande Île street and The Saint-Géry island amongst many others.  Whilst perusing through the Upper city, you'll notice a very different style. During this portion of the tour you will see landmarks such as The Grand Place, the power of merchants, The Galeries Royales St Hubert, The Mort Subite, The Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula (visit inside: stained glass windows, the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, the pulpit), The Royal Park, the Royal Palace, the Royal Square and The Palace of Coudenberg amongst many others.

Easily accessible by public transportation from Brussels, AfricaMuseum tells the story of human and natural history with a collection of artifacts from the colonial era in central Africa.  Aiming to objectively frame the art and cultural objects acquired during Belgium's rule in Rwanda and Congo, the museum has undergone extensive renovations and is now open to the public. Topics of colonial history, sustainable development and biodiversity are now addressed head-on following the museum's redesign. A curated collection of contemporary art has also been added to paint a fuller picture of Central Africa, past and present. Visit the new temporary exhibition Human Zoo. The age of colonial exhibitions recounts the now-forgotten history of persons put on display as ‘living exhibits’, illustrated by exceptional images and documents that in some cases are on public view for the first time. While the exhibition focuses on the ‘Congolese villages’ of Tervuren, Antwerp (1885 and 1894) and Brussels (1958), it also zooms out to show the phenomenon’s truly global context. Persons from all over the world were exhibited in ‘human zoos’, and some lost their lives in the West. Your entry ticket will give you access to walk the French gardens, browse collections of artifacts that bring the past to life in the remodeled, and see the contemporary African art.

Learn how to make authentic Belgian chocolates at a 2.5-hour chocolate workshop. Work in small teams to discover how to temper chocolate the proper way to get it crisp and shiny. Prepare your own praline and mendiant chocolates from scratch, including the fillings, and then get some time to socialize with the other participants. Enjoy a complimentary coffee, orange juice, beer or other beverage, and taste the chocolates that you have just made. Take home your very own box of chocolates as a keepsake souvenir of the amazing experience.