10 Quiet Places to Escape to in Brussels, Belgium
Brussels can be a hectic place. Rush hour, Saturday shopping, the European Quarter, the weekly queues. Yet, spots of tranquility can be found right in the busiest, liveliest parts of town. Here the best serene spots in which to unwind and relax.
1. The Royal Library of Belgium Café
Library, Building
2. Place des Martyrs / Martelaarsplein
Just off rue Neuve, on Brussels’ busiest pedestrian shopping street, lies an almost forgotten 18th-century square. Place des Martyrs is a peaceful spot to retreat from the shopping frenzy. Rectangular-shaped, it is dotted with wooden benches and surrounded by whitewashed neoclassical architecture; the buildings are now occupied by the Flemish government. In the center, a monument honors the 466 rebels who died in the revolution that led to Belgium’s independence.
Place des Martyrs, Brussels, Belgium
3. Park Pierre Paulus
Park
5. Park Egmont
Park
6. Ixelles Cemetery
Cemetery, University
7. Petite Rue Malibran
On the bustling rue Malibran, between Place Blyckaerts and Place Flagey, petite rue Malibran might catch your sight, but hardly your attention. Appearances can be deceiving: a slightly uphill street seemingly going nowhere. A cul-de-sac with no reason to venture further. But go beyond first impressions and the surprise begins just where the road seems to come to an end. The street bends down left, leading to a tiny playground with some stones and benches to sit on. Stay here for hours soaking up the sleepy village atmosphere.
Petite Rue Malibran, Brussels, Belgium
8. Tenbosch Park
Park
You’ll always find a peaceful green spot to retreat to in Tenbosch Park. Located in a busy district behind the Indian embassy in Ixelles, this relatively small park is surrounded by walls that conceal its real size. Trees, bushes, and sinuous paths create a natural separation between the different sections and levels; it will feel as though you have the park all to yourself. Formerly a privately owned dendrological garden, today it also has a playground, boules court, sandpit, football field and a turtle pond.
9. Gardens of La Cambre Abbey
Just a step away from the Ixelles ponds and the hubbub of Avenue Louise, time stands still inside the walled gardens surrounding a former Cistercian abbey. Dating back to the 18th century, the gardens consists of five successive terraces—green, neat and symmetric in rigorous French garden style. It’s a serene refuge for a walk or an improvised picnic in the sun.
Abbeye de la Cambre, Brussels, Belgium
10. The Canal District
Leave the fuss of shoppers and tourists in the city center and step away from the traffic of Brussels’ small ring to a more peaceful part of town. The Canal area is poised to become the new up-and-coming, trendy neighborhood in the years to come. For now, it makes for a relaxed, lazy walk along the Senne. Colored pinwheels and urban art discontinuously dot the canal. The route gets busy in some parts, but is worth exploring for the pockets of peace you’ll encounter.
Brussels canal, Brussels, Belgium
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