Brussels Park
Brussels Park, known for many years previously as the Royal Park, is the oldest park in the region which became a public park. Built on the ruins of the park of the Dukes of Burgundy and the Governors of the Spanish Netherlands, it stands proudly between the Federal Parliament and the Royal Palace, symbols of power and the monarchy. This spot, was once the site of fierce battles for the people of Brussels during the revolution in 1830.
Designed in a neo-classical style by architect Guimard and gardener Zinner, it opens onto the large pond and then offers you wide alleys, symmetrical alignments and stunning views. You'll find statues of Greco-Roman mythology, the Vauxhall, a bandstand, the Théâtre Royal du Parc, the Guinguette Royale and even Kiosk Radio, a bar where you can dance beneath the trees!
Brussels Park
The Bois de la Cambre
The Bois de la Cambre, one of the largest parks in the Brussels-Capital Region, owes its name to La Cambre Abbey. It's laid out in an English style and resembles a forest, with walks, pony rides, jogging and playgrounds.
Nestled in the heart of the Bois de la Cambre, Chalet Robinson welcomes you in its restaurant and offers boats and pedalos or a game of pétanque. Located on Robinson Island, the origin of the name is unknown but, according to legend, a group of walkers who were lost in the Bois de la Cambre saw a captain appear on the water in his boat, and he took them to this green island. The Le Flore bar offers tapas made with fresh seasonal produce, while the Woodpecker is ideal for a snack. The nearby Villa Lorraine, Villa in the Sky and Villa Emily are fine, gourmet restaurants. Looking to go out in a club? Head to Les Jeux d'Hiver, one of the most famous in Brussels.
Just a short distance away is the Villa Empain, an Art Deco jewel which today houses the Centre for Art and Dialogue between Eastern and Western Cultures. DROHME Park leisure park at the former Boitsfort hippodrome lies on the southernmost edge of the Bois de la Cambre.
The Bois de la Cambre
The Sonian Forest
Covering some 4,000 hectares, the Sonian Forest is the green lung of Brussels, despite being crossed by roads, motorways and railway lines. This peri-urban green space is home to nature, forest and archaeological reserves. The Bois de la Cambre is a gateway to this forest, which stretches over the Brussels-Capital Region, Flanders and Wallonia.
Make your way to the edge of the Sonian Forest to discover Rouge-Cloître, a former abbey that's now a wonderful place for walks and activities, which also hosts artists. Take a walk in the Tournay-Solvay, Ten Reuken, Seny and Bergoje parks and the Jean Massart Botanical Garden, one of the richest in the country.
The Sonian Forest
Cinquantenaire Park
Built in 1880 to mark the 50th anniversary of Belgium's independence, Cinquantenaire Park is both a collection of French-style gardens and a historical site that's home to monuments, sculptures and museums. It's dominated by a triumphal arch with three arches and a bronze quadriga at its summit, which offers a stunning panoramic view of the capital. The wide paths lead to the Pavilion of Human Passions designed by Victor Horta, the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History, the Art & History Museum and Autoworld, the car museum.
Take part in events here throughout the year: sporting events, festivals, concerts, fireworks... In the summer, you can enjoy a short break at the Guinguette Maurice pop-up bar.
Cinquantenaire Park
Josaphat Park
Josaphat Park is Schaerbeek's green lung and a favourite among the inhabitants of Brussels. According to legend, in the 16th century, a Brussels resident returning from the Holy Land was struck by the park's resemblance to the Valley of Jehoshaphat near Jerusalem, which gave the Park its biblical name.
Many activities are organised here: concerts, nature walks, discovery tours, etc. During your walk, admire busts of writers and artists and sculptures inspired by mythology or fairy tales. Discover the Love Fountain or the Trinkhall pavilion, a former castle and hotel-café-restaurant.
A stone’s throw from the park you’ll find Autrique House, the former private residence of Eugène Autrique, which was built in the Art Nouveau style by Victor Horta in the 19th century and is now a museum.
For a sweet break, head to Boentje Café, a zero-waste coffee house that prepares homemade dishes and desserts using local and seasonal products. Close by is Bar de la Mule, where you can enjoy typical German and organic beers made by Brasserie de la Mule.
Josaphat Park
Leopold Park
Leopold Park is a slice of nature in the heart of Brussels’ European Quarter. Formerly a zoological, horticultural and leisure garden in the 19th century, it became a science park, and is now an English-style garden. Wander it’s paths and admire sculptures such as the Bust of Jean-Jules Linden, or the Tree of Peace.
Numerous Belgian and European institutions are located in and around this park: Solvay Library, the Louis Pasteur Institute, the Anatomy Institute, the Physiology Institute and the former Business School… Take the opportunity to step into the European Parliament Hemicycle and visit the Parlamentarium, the House of European History, the Museum of Natural Sciences and the Wiertz Museum.
Go for a stroll in Cinquantenaire Park, another imposing space in the capital.
Leopold Park
The Florist’s Gardens
The Florist’s Gardens are part of the Royal Estate of Laeken. Next to both Sobieski Park and Laeken Park, the gardens serve as an experimental breading ground and floral exhibition space for rare plants that you won’t always find in other Brussels parks. Admire, among other things, the locust trees with twisted trunks and holly trees that are over a hundred years old.
After your walk through the Gardens, head to the Heysel plateau and the Atomium via Osseghem Park. You can also visit the Design Museum Brussels, take a whistle-stop tour of the whole European continent at Mini-Europe and gaze up at the stars at the Planetarium. Brussels Expo even has temporary exhibitions. And don't forget to stop by the Japanese Tower, located not far from the Florist's Gardens.
The Florist’s Gardens
Forest Park
Forest Park, which also stretches over into neighbouring Saint Gilles, is spread over 13 hectares and criss-crossed by 18,000m² of paths and pavements. Admire its magnificent flower beds, groves and trees.
There are several shops around the park to satisfy your taste buds. My Tannour offers you a taste of Syrian-Lebanese cuisine while Fernand Obb Delicatessen lets you enjoy some of the best shrimp croquettes in the capital. For those with a sweet tooth, COCO Donuts invites you to rediscover the much-loved beignet and coffee-roaster and chocolatier, Jérôme Grimonpon, serves his marvellous chocolates and other divine chocolatey pastries. You even get the opportunity to observe him making his delicious sweet treats in his open workshop!
Last but not least, attend a concert or a show at Forest National, the famous concert hall located just around the corner from Forest Park.
Forest Park
Duden Park
Duden Park, the green lung of Forest, keeps the woodland history of this commune alive. In the Middle Ages, it was part of the Heegde woods, which belonged to the Benedictine abbey of Forest. In the 19th century, Guillaume Duden, a wealthy lace merchant, became the owner of the site. He built a neoclassical house and other infrastructure, such as bridges and staircases, which added a picturesque touch to the park.
Château Duden is now home to INRACI-NARAFI (the former Institute of Radio-electricity and Cinematography). The entrance is protected by a glass canopy in the form of a baldachin, and the rear is decorated with two towers. Discover the stables, which have the appearance of a small castle with their stair tower and dormer windows topped with bell towers; and pass by the Flemish neo-Renaissance conciergerie. In the park you’ll find a stone cross and an iron rainbow by renowned Italian sculptor Mauro Staccioli.
You can also take a walk in Forest Park, which is connected to Duden Park by Jupiter Park.
Duden Park
Elisabeth Park
Situated along a wide avenue that straddles Koekelberg and Ganshoren, Elisabeth Park opens up one of the longest and most beautiful vistas in the Brussels-Capital Region. It stretches from the National Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Koekelberg to the Botanique. Take a walk through the park along the winding paths and alleys that form the 'L' of Leopold, in reference to King Leopold II.
Visit the Basilica, a building commissioned by King Leopold II, which was started in the early 20th century and completed some 50 years later! Inspired by the neo-Byzantine style, this Art Deco masterpiece of reinforced concrete and brick is one of the largest churches in the world!
Just a stone's throw away, the Belgian Chocolate Village - with its chocolate workshops - lets you discover the history and secrets of the chocolate-making process. You can also visit chocolate roaster Frederic Blondeel: watch him at work in his open workshop and treat yourself in his bar and shop.
Elisabeth Park
Osseghem Park
At the foot of the Atomium lies Osseghem Park. Created by landscape architect Jules Buyssens in the picturesque English style, it offers you beautiful views of the wooded surroundings and its vast lawns. Enjoy the peace and quiet of this green space and stroll along its wide paths and winding lanes. Take a walk around the pond and, from the Adolphe Max memorial, follow its avenue of purple beech trees.
Pass through the green theatre, a hemicycle with gravelled terraces and low stone walls decorated with golden privet hedges. With its excellent acoustics, it hosts festivals and can accommodate up to 3000 people.
Visit the neighbouring green spaces: Laeken Park and the Jean Sobieski, Colonial and Florist’s Gardens.
You can also visit the Atomium, Mini-Europe, the Planetarium and the Design Museum Brussels. Not far from the park, admire the Japanese tower and the Museums of the Far East.
Osseghem Park
Egmont Park
Egmont Park is an English-style public garden which, in the 16th century, together with the Egmont Palace, was the property of Princess Françoise de Luxembourg, the widow of Count Jean d'Egmont. The palace was first home to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before becoming a place for diplomatic receptions and conferences. This prestigious neo-classical building is richly furnished and decorated with tapestries, marble and a hall of mirrors…
To get to Egmont Park, take Passage Marguerite Yourcenar, where you'll be guided by quotes from one of the writer's novels, L'œuvre au Noir. Enter the Labyrinth and take the stairs leading to a rotunda, and you'll end up in the park. Admire the bronze statues and century-old trees. Round things off with a break at La Fabrique en Ville, where you can enjoy a beer brewed in Tour & Taxis and homemade desserts.
Egmont Park
The Ambiorix, Marie-Louise and Marguerite squares
The Ambiorix, Marie-Louise and Marguerite squares are located in the former valley of the Maelbeek river, near the European Quarter. They are located in the so-called "squares" district, which is architecturally rich thanks to its neo-renaissance, neo-gothic and Art Nouveau houses, which intermingle with the eclecticism. Water is the primary element of this cascade of parks and is integrated into each of them, reconstituting the old course of the Maelbeek.
Square Ambiorix is laid out in French terraces with geometric spaces, straight paths, flowerbeds, fountains, sculptures…
Square Marie-Louise is dominated by a pond, which is home to Florida tortoises. Its rock garden containing a fountain, a false grotto overgrown with vegetation and waterfalls and its English gardens give it a picturesque and romantic feel.
As for Square Marguerite, this "agora space" has a playground and a pergola and welcomes young people and athletes looking to let off steam.
Along the squares, admire the Hotel van Eetvelde and Saint-Cyr House, true masterpieces of Art Nouveau. Take a walk in Brussels Park, Leopold Park or Cinquantenaire Park and visit their museums and the Charlier Museum in nearby Saint-Josse-ten-Noode.
The Ambiorix, Marie-Louise and Marguerite squares
Faider Park
Faider Park was created in the 1980s in Ixelles, and is the result of the regrouping of four gardens. It was named after lawyer and 19th century Justice Minister Charles Faider.
This green space is located in a neighbourhood where most of the houses are 19th century bourgeois dwellings. They are built in the eclectic, neoclassical, Art Nouveau or Flemish neo-Renaissance styles.
There are many attractions around Faider Park, not least the neighbourhood's Art Nouveau houses: visit Solvay House, Hôtel Tassel and the Horta House. You can also visit the CIVA and the Constantin Meunier Museum. For a spot of fun, head for Escape Hunt. And if you're feeling peckish, take your pick from Cup 28°, Odette en Ville, Bistro Madame, Chou de Bruxelles, Hinterland, Pain Quotidien, COCO Donuts, Forcado Pastelaria or Old Boy. Finally, take a stroll through Tenbosch Park, which lies only a short walk from Faider Park.
Faider Park
The Gardens of La Cambre Abbey
La Cambre Abbey is a former Cistercian monastery that was founded in 1201 by a Benedictine woman. Marvel at the buildings that once made up the site, including the Gothic church, the cloister, and the chapel of Saint Boniface. The gardens are located near place Flagey, between the Ixelles ponds and the Bois de la Cambre. They were created in the French style at the beginning of the 18th century and have become the setting for La Cambre graduate and postgraduate school for the arts.
A stone’s throw away, the Bois de la Cambre, one of the Brussels-Capital Region’s biggest parcs is a gateway to the Sonian Forest. Nearby you’ll find gastronomic restaurants like the Villas in the Sky, Emily and Lorraine.
For a spot of culture, visit Villa Empain, the Art Deco former residence of Baron Louis Empain, designed in the early 1930s by Michel Polak. Today, it houses the Boghossian Foundation, a centre of art and dialogue between the cultures of East and West. The Foundation offers temporary exhibitions and visits of its interior and gardens.
The Gardens of La Cambre Abbey
Étangs d'Ixelles
An extension of the gardens of La Cambre Abbey, the Ixelles ponds are a pleasant place to stroll in an architecturally rich neighbourhood. It has mansions of varying styles: Art Nouveau and Art Deco, neo-classical, Flemish Renaissance and Gothic.
Continue your walk in the other green spaces close to the ponds: the gardens of La Cambre Abbey, the Bois de la Cambre and Tenbosch Park.
There's so much to see and do around the ponds, starting with the magnificent Solvay House, a former mansion that is now a museum. You can also visit the CIVA, the Meunier Museum and the Children's Museum. If you love a good game, head to Escape Hunt and Escape Rush.
For a gourmet break, you can stop at Café Belga, Racines, humus x hortense and My Tannour.
Étangs d'Ixelles
Rouge Cloître Abbey
A renowned abbey until the end of the 19th century, Rouge-Cloître is a place for walks, activities and exploring its heritage. It was one of the largest priories of Augustinian canons in Brabant from the 14th to the 18th centuries and a veritable paradise for artists, whom it still welcomes today.
Its name is said to come from the red colour of the mortar that covered its walls or from its construction on a cleared part of the Sonian Forest. The roo de Roodclooster referring to the Dutch word rooien which means to dig up or pull out.
Rouge-Cloître Abbey is home to artistic and cultural centres offering guided walks, exhibitions, shows, a demonstration of horse shoeing... Watch lace makers, glass blowers or fabric toy makers at work.
You can also admire the priory, the miller's house and the gatehouse. Take a break at the tavern Le Relais Forestier to enjoy local, organic and fair-trade dishes, but also to take part in cooking workshops and the picking of wild plants, flowers and heirloom vegetables.
Rouge Cloître Abbey
Meudon Park
Named after a Parisian neighbourhood, Meudon Park is in Neder-Over-Heembeek, a quiet and pleasant commune geographically close to, and yet far from, the hustle and bustle of the city centre. In the 18th century, this green space was a stately estate with an Italian-style castle, a terraced garden and a manor house. In the 19th century, it was redesigned in the French style, with the addition of an orangery, a greenhouse, ponds and waterfalls. Discover the remains of the castle, which once hosted Napoleon and Pope Leo XIII: its two Louis XV style entrance pavilions, the Romanesque towers and the thermal baths, among others.
Admire also the tower of the former church of Saints Peter and Paul, dating from the 12th century, and the Kluys, a former 15th century hospice.
Take advantage of your visit to the district to continue your journey along the Promenade Verte, which offers a wealth of rural landscapes as you travel around the capital: fields, woods, duckboards... Take a tour of the Ferme Nos Pilifs, where animals, a nursery and a grocery shop await you. If you're keen on adventure, then Sortilège offers you a medieval and fantastic adventure in nature.
Meudon Park
Van Buuren Museum and Gardens
Nestled in the heart of a listed Art Deco architectural and furnishing estate, the van Buuren Museum & Gardens unveils a cultural treasure of rare beauty. Erected in Uccle in 1928 by architects Léon Govaerts and Alexis Van Vaerenbergh, the villa embodies the very essence of Art Deco, preserving its international character influenced by Dutch and French schools.
Inside, an invaluable collection of rare furniture, signed carpets, stained glass windows, sculptures, and masterpieces offers a fascinating dive into art history. This residence, a true architectural gem, has remained intact over the years, thus preserving the integrity of the Art Deco ensemble.
The art collection of the van Buuren Museum & Gardens, reflecting the taste of the owners, offers a captivating overview of art from the 15th to the 20th century. It presents Belgian and international masterpieces, allowing visitors to discover the unique aesthetics of the van Buurens.
The van Buuren Gardens, designed by two of the most prominent Belgian landscape architects, Jules Buyssens and René Pechère, span 1.2 hectares, harmoniously combining picturesque elements and Art Deco. As witnesses of the evolution of the Nouveau Jardin Pittoresque, these gardens offer a unique, immersive experience through six distinct spaces. The recognition of the gardens by the European Route of Historic Gardens attests to their exceptional cultural, historical, and artistic value.
Since its establishment in 1970 by Alice van Buuren, the van Buuren Museum & Gardens Foundation has been committed to preserving and disseminating this cultural treasure. Open to the public since 1975, the museum offers a varied artistic program, enriching the cultural landscape of the region.
Van Buuren Museum and Gardens
Citizens' garden
Add the Citizens’ Garden to your trip and take a moment to relax in a serene, green oasis amid the busy European Quarter. Just 100 metres from the European Parliament’s official entrance, the garden is in the grounds of the former residence and studio of the 19th century artist Antoine Wiertz.
Trees, benches and lawns invite you to stroll or rest. The garden has some original features, such as an imitation-ruin column of Italy’s Paestum temple. Sculptures of historic European philosophers and artists emphasise the historic nature of the grounds. The garden also has a music pavilion and sometimes hosts events.
The artist’s enormous studio is now the Wiertz Museum and is free to visit. It belongs to the Royal Fine Arts Museum and houses more than 200 of the artist’s works.
Citizens' garden
Jean Massart Botanical Garden (ULB)
Named after its founder, the Jean Massart Botanical Garden was created in 1922 by this great defender of nature and professor of botany at the ULB (Free University of Brussels). It's located in Auderghem, a stone's throw from Rouge-Cloître, the Sonian Forest and the Seny, Ten Reuken and Bergoje parks.
This botanical garden was designed by landscape architect Jules Buyssens. With some 2,000 plant species, it's one of the richest botanical gardens in Belgium and a real living museum. Admire the thousands of native and exotic plants that the gardeners, researchers and students take care of every day. The garden is an open-air laboratory for studying how plants can make cities healthier and more sustainable. It's also a museum of ULB and is part of the science trail, together with the Museum of Zoology.
Jean Massart Botanical Garden (ULB)
Jean-Felix Hap Park
Jean-Félix Hap Park is probably the most beautiful park in Etterbeek, with its majestic trees, large lawns and winding paths. It bears the name of the last owner of this family estate, which was passed down from generation to generation.
Go for a walk around the Orangery, discover the ruins of the Flemish Renaissance castle and admire the neo-classical house of François-Louis Hap. The park also has an educational ecological area, which promotes biodiversity.
Not far from the park lies Cauchie House, a must-visit Art Nouveau gem. Just a stone's throw away, head to Leopold Park or Cinquantenaire Park, where you can go for a stroll or visit Autoworld, the Art & History Museum or the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History.
For a sweet treat, head to Le Pain Quotidien.
Jean-Felix Hap Park
Astrid Park
Created in 1911 as Anderlecht Park, Astrid Park has paid tribute to Queen Astrid by bearing her name since 1935, the year of her death. This green space was designed in 1926 by landscape architect Jules Buyssens.
The hilly terrain offers breathtaking views of the park's various areas. It's home to the Queen Fabiola Pavilion, the Aubette des Pêcheurs and Anderlecht football club (RSCA).
Visit Erasmus House and the Beguinage near Astrid Park. The former is one of Brussels' oldest Gothic houses, where the humanist Erasmus lived in the 16th century. Discover Gothic and Renaissance furniture and the intellectual world of that period. The Beguinage presents the history of Anderlecht and the former life of the beguines. Admire the collegiate church of Saints-Peter-and-Guy from its garden.
For a gourmet break, head to Friture René and the C'est si bon bakery.
Astrid Park
Seny Park
Seny Park, which was inaugurated in 1963, is located in both Auderghem and Watermael-Boitsfort and bears the name of one of its last owners. With a surface area of 3 ha, it is one of the green spaces that were developed in the valley of the little Woluwe river, which runs through the park. Take a walk through the park and discover its winding paths, its beautiful views, its geometrically shaped beds and its pond. Follow the trail of plants classified according to their scent, which is particularly enchanting for the visually impaired, and find an educational area dedicated to indigenous plant species.
Make the most of your walk in Seny Park to explore other nearby sites and green spaces: Ten Reuken Park, the Jean Massart botanical garden and the Rouge-Cloître. A little further away you'll find the rolling hills of Woluwe Park and Tournay-Solvay Park.
Seny Park
Sauvagère Park
This beautiful English-style park dates back to the end of the 19th century. Originally, it consisted of a castle, surrounded by a large driveway, a garden and a few shrubberies. The property was then gradually extended.
Many the trees were felled and used during the Second World War, and in 1964 the commune of Uccle acquired the park, which by then had seen its castle demolished.
Today, in addition to its pond and areas dedicated to young children and sportsmen, this hilly park is a beech forest dotted with remarkable maple, oak, hazel and chestnut trees. The park’s star is a giant sequoia, the largest in the commune and one of the 10 most beautiful in the Brussels-Capital Region.
Sauvagère Park
Wolvendael Park
Wolvendael Park in Uccle is one of the most beautiful in the Brussels region. Formerly known as 'woluesdal', which means 'turning valley', it is laid out in the style of English gardens and offers plunging views thanks to its steep incline. Pass through its beech groves to admire its magnificent trees, some of which are even blue or red: chestnuts, beeches, walnuts, cypresses, weeping silver limes…
Discover the classical castle and the Louis XV pavilion, which houses a restaurant. Dating back to the 18th century, it used to be in Amsterdam before being deconstructed and rebuilt in the park at the beginning of the 20th century. Built in the refined style of Versailles, it was fitted with a dome and decorated with numerous features: sculpted frieze, mascaron, medallion, stucco, etc…
Visit the green theatre and admire the bas-relief dedicated to Belgian writer Charles de Coster.
Take advantage of your visit to Uccle to go for a stroll through the nearby Dieweg cemetery.
Wolvendael Park
Tournay-Solvay Park
Named after Thérèse Tournay-Solvay, daughter of Alfred Solvay and widow of Émile Tournay, this park, located in Watermael-Boitsfort, is one of the most beautiful in Brussels. There are a variety of spaces and slopes, two ponds in its valley, a natural forest on its slopes and an English garden at the top.
As for heritage, discover the ruins of Solvay castle, which was destroyed in a fire in 1982 and has now been overrun by vegetation. Built in the Flemish neo-Renaissance style, it was the property of Alfred Solvay, brother of the famous industrialist Ernest Solvay, and his family. The castle's stables are now occupied by a centre for environmental and ecological education. Admire the rose garden designed by Jules Buyssens and the sculptures, including the replica of the Olmec Head no 8, a work by Ignacio Pérez Solorzano which was discovered in the Mexican village of San Lorenzo.
Tournay-Solvay Park
Bergoje Park
Bergoje Park is a pleasant place to walk in Auderghem. With its steep, wooded slope, the Rouge-Cloître stream (Roodkloosterbeek) running below and its paths running down the hillside, this small park has retained all its character from the time when it was still connected to the Sonian Forest.
On the site of Bergoje (which comes from the Dutch "berg", meaning mountain, and "oje", meaning house), used to stand the Villa de la Bruyère, which has now been demolished and replaced by the Clos du Bergoje neighbourhood.
Close to the park lies Rouge-Cloître, a nature reserve that has been home to artists since the 15th century, including famous Belgian painter Hugo Van der Goes. This former abbey was a renowned site until the end of the 19th century, and has since become a genuine artists’ paradise.
Bergoje Park
Georges Henri Park
Named after the avenue that runs alongside it, Georges Henri Park was once the Jewish cemetery of Etterbeek, from the end of the 19th to the end of the 20th century. You can still see some traces of this history: two obelisks, a Jewish memorial and a sculpture of a woman and her child, in homage to the women and children who disappeared in the German camps during the Second World War. Next to the sculpture, engraved on a lectern, you'll find a poem by Marguerite Bergers, who was beheaded in Wolfenbuttel in 1944. You can also admire Lucia Bru's sculpture of a boat made of wood, steel and metal. This piece won the Brussels-Capital Region's inaugural sculpture competition.
As you enter the park, you come across a large round fountain with a powerful jet of water flowing from it. Take a walk through the scented garden, stroll through the classical gardens or visit the garden of remembrance and its Jewish memorial.
Georges Henri Park
Woluwe Park
Woluwe Park, one of the largest parks in Brussels, is one of several green spaces along the Woluwe valley. At the request of King Leopold II, it was created for the Universal Exhibition of 1897 to link the two exhibition's two sites: one in Cinquantenaire Park and one in the Royal Estate in Tervuren, which now houses the AfricaMuseum.
Designed by French landscape architect Emile Lainé, this hilly English-style park has long winding paths. It offers a wide variety of landscapes: lawns that invite you to picnic, ponds and wet meadows with their reeds. Migratory birds frequently stop here. On the other side of the boulevard, you'll find the Mellaerts ponds with their multitude of activities and Brussels' Tram Museum.
A stone’s throw away, Bibliotheca Wittockiana - Brussels’ book arts and bookbinding museum - is a museum and library housing the collections of its founder, bibliophile Michel Wittock.
Woluwe Park
Malou Park
Located in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, Malou Park is the oldest public park in the commune. It’s one of the sequence of green spaces that line the Woluwe stream, which cuts beautifully across the park.
You may see a rare insect: the brightly coloured calopteryx damselfly, which lives near bodies of water. You’ll recognise it by the metallic blue-green or green-brown colour of its abdomen. Its presence is a sign of good water quality.
You can also discover Château Malou, built in 1776 in the style of the aristocracy’s country houses at the time. It’s used for cultural events, seminars and receptions. A little further along, you’ll pass by the Lindekemale mill, one of the oldest in the Brussels-Capital Region. It used to be a water and paper mill, before becoming a snuff and chicory factory. Today it’s a restaurant and a café-dairy, but it was already providing refreshment to walkers back in the beginning of the 20th century.
Malou Park
Halle Gate Park
Halle Gate Park surrounds the medieval tower of the same name in Saint Gilles. Located in the middle of a major road, it's a genuine slice of nature in the heart of the city. It is laid out in various natural areas: bodies of water, one of which is on the site of an old pond; lawns crossed by paths lined with benches; an esplanade bordered by plane trees; a playground; a sports field, etc. You'll also find cannons, which recall the Halle Gate's military past.
Take advantage of your walk in the park to visit this tower, which was once part of Brussels' second city wall. It has had various functions (granary, Lutheran temple, prison, archive, arms and armour museum) and was even a neo-Gothic castle. It's now part of the Royal Museums of Art and History and is dedicated to medieval Brussels. In this museum, discover the history and traditions of the capital, the history of its ramparts and numerous temporary exhibitions.
Halle Gate Park
Ten Reuken Park
Ten Reuken Park, which lies both in Auderghem and Watermael-Boitsfort and is crossed by the Woluwe stream, is close to the Sonian Forest. Go for a stroll around its pond or meander through its meadow, where the rare and delicate saxifrage blooms. As night falls, you may be lucky enough to spot one of the sixteen species of bats found in the park.
The park also houses sculptures, rockeries and rustic architectural elements that perfectly imitate plants or minerals. Sit in the gazebo overlooking the pond, walk across the wooden bridge to the waterfall or take the bridge with the tree branch railings. Admire the Padouk Arch installed on the pond, a sculpture by Jean-François Diord. It refers to the water mill that once fed the L'Espérance distillery, where the artificial waterfall is now located.
Ten Reuken Park
Tour & Taxis park
With its nine hectares, Tour & Taxis Park is the largest park in the center of Brussels. Until 2014, it was an abandoned railway site. Now, urban farming is even practiced there, and sustainable food is promoted thanks to Parckfarm. This initiative involves many people in this green space.
There is a community orchard, a vegetable garden, a neighborhood compost, a chicken coop, beehives, and a bread oven. The bees promote the park’s biodiversity. Be sure to get a jar of honey. At the Farmhouse, a greenhouse with a cafeteria, you can enjoy vegetarian dishes made from local products. There’s a reading corner and you can play various games there.
Join one of the guided tours, activities, or workshops. You can even garden or bake bread. There is also an obelisk in the park. If you look closely, you will see that all the articles from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are inscribed on it. The playground in the park was built with materials recovered from the former railway line that used to run there.
What you absolutely must not miss is the Gare Maritime, a beautiful hall with a food market. If you love beer, be sure to visit one of the many breweries in the neighborhood.
Tour & Taxis park
Tenbosch Park
In Ixelles, Tenbosch Park is a little slice of nature in the heart of a densely built-up area. It was created by dendrologist (tree botanist) Jean-Louis Semet, with the help of gardener Hector Noyer. Together, they transformed this green space into a botanical garden and arboretum of rare plants. Today, the park still has specimens that are unique in Belgium. It's also a refuge for city birds.
Take advantage of your walk through this park to go for a stroll in the nearby green spaces, like the Ixelles ponds, the gardens of La Cambre Abbey and the Bois de la Cambre.
For a gourmet break near Tenbosch Park, head to Old Boy or Lil Boy, Asian food bistros that also offer takeaway food.
Tenbosch Park
Square du Petit Sablon
Designed in a Flemish neo-renaissance style, the flower garden of square du Petit Sablon is an architectural gem right opposite the Church of Our Lady of the Sablon. In Flemish neo-renaissance style, the flower garden of square du Petit Sablon is an architectural gem right opposite the Church of Our Lady of the Sablon. In this open-air museum, the various Brussels guilds of the day are personified by 48 statues and ten others represent the great humanists of the 16th century: Mercator, Ortélius... The flora reveals yet more symbolism: nine clumps of carved boxwood representing the nine Belgian provinces of the era and a crown for the kingdom as a whole.
At the bottom of the garden stands a fountain-statue in honour of the Counts of Egmont and Hornes, resistance fighters who were beheaded in the 16th century during the tyrannical Spanish regime. Last but not least, two flights of stairs lead you to Rue aux Laines and on to Egmont Park.
Square du Petit Sablon
Etangs Mellaerts
Mellaerts Ponds Park, named after the former owner of the site, was created at the beginning of the 20th century following the example of Woluwe Park. This must-visit spot for walks and leisure has delighted lovers of bodies of water for over a century.
Etangs Mellaerts
Etangs du Leybeek
Etangs du Leybeek
Sobieski Park
Formerly the orchard of King Leopold II, Sobieski Park covers just over 3 hectares and owes its name to one of the avenues that border it, Avenue Jean Sobieski, named after the 17th century Polish sovereign. Together with the Colonial Garden and the Florist's Garden, its two neighbours, this park forms a green space three times larger, which is the property of the Royal Donation, a stone's throw from the Royal Residence of Laeken. It was created at the beginning of the 20th century as Leopold II sought to embellish his estate with numerous fruit trees and greenhouses where vines, orange trees, peach trees, apricot trees, etc. were grown.
Enjoy a walk in the nearby Laeken Park and Osseghem Park, the latter of which leads you to the Atomium. There you can visit Mini-Europe, the Planetarium and the Design Museum Brussels. Temporary exhibitions are regularly held at Brussels Expo. Last but not least, marvel at the Japanese Tower and the Museum of the Far East.
Sobieski Park
Scheutbos park
The development of the Scheutbos park in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean reflects a new art of gardening: meeting the social needs of city dwellers while preserving and developing the landscape and ecological potential of the area: meadows and fallow land typical of the Brabant countryside.
Scheutbos park
Laerbeek Forest
The Laerbeek Forest is an exceptional island of biodiversity. It is part of the Natura 2000 special conservation areas. Its restoration aims to preserve its ecological quality and provide an important recreational function.
The past of the Laerbeek Forest is linked to the history of Dieleghem Abbey, founded in the 11th century.
Like the Forêt de Soignes, the wood is home to a large beech forest. A forest pond, from which flows one of the wood's three streams, stretches for around thirty metres.
Laerbeek Forest
