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What are the best Brussels Instagram spots? This post is here to help!
The humble camera has been a part of vacations worldwide for many decades now. As a species, we love nothing more than committing trip memories to film–or digital memory, these days–so that we can share our experiences with friends and loved ones. And we want those memories to be as perfect as possible.
Of course, a key component in your picture-perfect getaway is location, location, location! And the city of Brussels, fortunately, has no shortage of beautiful places for travelers to capture that absolutely killer shot for the ‘Gram.
We’ve got a fantastic list for you, so get your Notes app ready to jot down your favorite Brussels Instagram spots.
Brussels Instagram Spots
Meise Botanic Garden
At any time of year, the Meise Botanic Garden is a picturesque treat. Whether you’re looking for moody, gray late-autumn landscapes or the most impeccable springtime cherry blossoms moment, you’ll find ample scope for capturing memories here.
Meise is home to more than 18,000 plants scattered throughout their multiple gardens, from the beautifully aromatic Fragrance and Colour Garden to their Orangerie and Medicinal Plants gardens.
Beyond being one of the most Instagrammable spots in Brussels, the Meise Botanic Garden is a valuable conservation resource and a fascinating place to learn more about a gratifyingly wide variety of plants and other aspects of the natural world.
Royal Saint Hubert Galleries
![A bustling indoor shopping arcade with a glass ceiling, filled with people walking and exploring the shops lining both sides of the corridor.](https://chanokstudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/13-Best-Brussels-Instagram-Spots-for-an-Unforgettable-Photo.jpg)
Some of the best natural light photography can take place at the Royal Saint Hubert Galleries, Europe’s first glass-topped shopping arcade.
An absolutely stunning feat of 19th-century architecture and design, the Galleries are absolutely one of the most beautiful photography spots in Brussels.
Aesthetics are a key word here, with shops making sure that under the antique glass ceiling, their window displays are impeccably turned out–any photo taken here will be beautiful.
Mini-Europe
For the ultimate in charming miniature installations, look no further than Mini-Europe. Tucked near the feet of the space-age Atomium sculpture, Mini-Europe is exactly what it sounds like: a collection of important European structures and monuments, at 1:25 scale.
You can take your photograph next to a reproduction of the Leaning Tower of Pisa that’s no taller than yourself, pretend you’re Godzilla by the Arc de Triomphe, and get eye-level with Brussels’ own Grote Markt. It’s a completely delightful place to visit, and definitely one of the best Instagram spots in Brussels.
St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral
![A close-up view of a detailed, ornate facade of a grand cathedral, showcasing its Gothic architecture with tall, intricate spires and large arched windows.](https://chanokstudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1716933839_694_13-Best-Brussels-Instagram-Spots-for-an-Unforgettable-Photo.jpg)
Not only a dream location for lovers of church history and architecture, the Gothic cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula is a stunning stop on anyone’s Brussels photography itinerary. On the outside, it’s an imposing stone edifice, fantastically carved and with a beautiful ogival window as the centerpiece.
Inside, the 17th-century Brabantine Gothic nave arches gracefully overhead, grabbing your attention for a long moment of awed silence as you realize just how enormous it is, how significant an undertaking it must have been for the builders.
Stunning stained glass windows line the walls, while exquisitely detailed stone and wood carvings stand sentry at intervals throughout the nave. And then there are the organs–while of modern provenance, both were designed to fit harmoniously into their surroundings, capping off the interior design of the cathedral perfectly.
Your only trouble with photographing the cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula is going to be deciding where to point your lens first.
Royal Palace of Brussels
![A panoramic view of a grand palace, with a large dome in the center and a flag flying atop, surrounded by well-manicured grounds and people walking in front.](https://chanokstudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1716933841_537_13-Best-Brussels-Instagram-Spots-for-an-Unforgettable-Photo.jpg)
While not a royal residence–the King and Queen of the Belgians officially reside in the Royal Palace of Laeken–the Royal Palace of Brussels is still an important location for the monarchy’s work, being where state visits and audiences are held, among other uses.
It’s also an incredible historic monument in the city, with the origin of the current structure dating back to the early 19th-century.
With such importance and history behind it, the palace is of course an impressive and often-photographed structure, stretching across a full two city blocks in Brussels.
However, it’s the beautifully restored and curated interior that is truly Instagram-worthy; the vast marble Grand Staircase alone will get your shooting fingers moving as soon as you walk through the palace doors. But time your visit carefully, as the palace is only open to the public during the summer.
Parc du Cinquantenaire
![A majestic triumphal arch with detailed sculptures and statues atop, set against a bright, partly cloudy sky.](https://chanokstudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1716933844_468_13-Best-Brussels-Instagram-Spots-for-an-Unforgettable-Photo.jpg)
To celebrate 50 years of independence, Belgium created the Parc du Cinquantenaire, a long oasis of tranquility in the middle of the capital city.
Anchored at the south end by the massive Arcade du Cinquantenaire–in itself an incredible Brussels Instagram spot–the park is a spare, pleasingly minimalist greenspace, with neatly manicured lawns and hedges.
The Arcade is also home to several museums, including an army museum; from this museum, brave visitors can ascend to the top of the Arcade and marvel at the unbelievable views of the European Quarter spread out below.
Atomium
![A joyful selfie of two women wearing sunglasses, with one in a red hat that says "I ♥ BACON," against the backdrop of the Atomium structure in Brussels.](https://chanokstudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1716933857_896_13-Best-Brussels-Instagram-Spots-for-an-Unforgettable-Photo.jpg)
Built for the 1958 World’s Fair in Brussels, the Atomium is a supremely cool Space Age era monument to science and progress.
Originally, it wasn’t meant to last past the Fair, but it was so popular and affectionately regarded that eventually, demolition plans were shelved and today the Atomium still stands in all its gleaming majesty (102 meters, to be precise), an enduring icon and one of the most Instagrammable spots in all of Brussels.
Like the Arcade at the Parc du Cinquantenaire, the Atomium can offer absolutely spectacular views of the city if you ascend to its highest point, the sphere at the very top of the structure. It’s said that on the clearest days, you can see up to 40 kilometers north, where the port city of Antwerp lies.
The Atomium is even fantastic at night, when thousands of LEDs illuminate all nine spheres and turn it into a massive twinkling star.
Manneken Pis
![A statue of the Manneken Pis in Brussels, dressed in a cute outfit, standing in a small niche of a decorative fountain.](https://chanokstudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1716933859_312_13-Best-Brussels-Instagram-Spots-for-an-Unforgettable-Photo.jpg)
Another enduring icon of Brussels is Manneken Pis, the fountain statue of the little fellow having a cheeky al fresco wee.
While the original Mannekin Pis is ensconced in the Brussels City Museum after centuries of kidnappings, its replica at the corner of Stoofstraat and Eikstraat (Rue de L’Etuve and Rue de Chêne) still stands and may be the most photographed object in Brussels, if not in Belgium as a whole.
Seen as a symbol of Belgian joy and self-deprecation, Mannekin Pis is often decked out in one of his thousand and more fancy dress outfits, with styles from sports kits and vocational uniforms to elaborate period clothing and holiday-specific garb.
There’s even a Garderobe Mannekin Pis, where visitors can view a selection of the statue’s vast wardrobe.
Brussels Park
Across from the Royal Palace, Brussels Park (Parc de Bruxelles) was once home to a magnificent palace and a beautiful park.
While the palace and grounds were destroyed in a fire in 1731, it wasn’t until 1775 that plans to build a large park for the public got underway. The new park was laid out in a neoclassical style, with angular pathways, a pair of lovely water features, and elaborate railings.
Today, these storied grounds–so much has happened here!–are dotted with whimsical sculptures and elegant benches.
And live entertainment is very popular here: there’s a lovely cast-iron bandstand where outdoor concerts are often held, a large theater and concert venue in the Royal Park Theater, and the Radio Kiosk Bar, where visitors can enjoy a cocktail and perhaps spin about to a few tunes on a warm summer evening. With all the possibilities, this is a great photo spot in Brussels.
Grand Place
![A lively square surrounded by historical buildings with ornate facades, filled with people walking and enjoying the atmosphere.](https://chanokstudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1716933861_296_13-Best-Brussels-Instagram-Spots-for-an-Unforgettable-Photo.jpg)
At the heart of Brussels is the Grand Place, or Grote Markt. This UNESCO World Heritage site is renowned as one of the most beautiful market squares in Europe. It is an area with great history in every stone, brick, and cobble.
It’s also well-known as possibly the most photographed region of the city, and with good reason. Here, you’ll find the fabulously ornate Maison des Ducs de Brabant, once a collection of guild houses behind one grand façade.
The picturesque and very Gothic Maison de Roi is here as well, home to the Brussels City Museum where the original Mannekin Pis statue resides. The square is genuinely one of the great photography spots of Brussels.
The anchor of the square of course is the 15th-century Town Hall, with its elegant spire piercing the Brussels skyline.
Adorned with numerous carvings of Belgian nobility, beautiful ancient windows, and truly fantastic gargoyles, the Town Hall is the oldest building on the square, the only remaining medieval structure, and it’s absolutely worth your photography time.
Waffle Factory and VeganWaf
![A display case filled with various types of Belgian waffles, topped with an assortment of fruits, whipped cream, chocolate, and other delicious toppings.](https://chanokstudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1716933863_133_13-Best-Brussels-Instagram-Spots-for-an-Unforgettable-Photo.jpg)
You’re in Brussels, of course you’re going to get a Brussels waffle. How could you not? The trick is to find the perfect one–it’s beautiful and delicious. It’s got to make your ‘Gram grid, right? But also be a mouthwatering delight.
A popular waffle restaurant in Brussels that serves up some seriously good waffles is Maison Dandoy; you will often find them recommended on social media, next to drool-worthy photographs of delectable waffles and another Belgian delicacy, the wonderful speculoos spice biscuit.
With several locations around Brussels, you won’t have any problem laying your hands on the city’s most picture-perfect and yummy waffles.
For our plant-based or celiac friends, no fear of getting left out: VeganWaf’s waffles are just as delicious and photogenic while also being vegan and gluten-free! They come highly rated on HappyCow.
Mont Des Arts
The Mont des Arts, or Kunstberg, literally translates to “Art Mountain,” and if that doesn’t just capture your imagination and delight your soul, nothing will.
A vast and important cultural complex in the Belgian capital, the Mont des Arts is not only full of the city’s best museums and accented with a beautiful golden carillon clock, it has some of the best and most worthy Instagrammable spots in Brussels.
While the elevation isn’t as lofty as the Arcade du Cinquantenaire or the Atomium, the views of Brussels from the topmost point of Mont des Arts are still absolutely stunning, especially at night when the area is illuminated.
You’ll be gazing across one of the most impeccably, intricately manicured and beautiful gardens in Brussels, with a clear view all the way to the Grand Place–it doesn’t get more breathtaking than that.
Halle Gate
In the 14th century, Brussels was one of Europe’s many walled cities. Halle Gate was one of the seven access points into the city, and today, it is the only one that remains.
Remodeled in the 19th century to resemble a small castle, it does look more like the idea of something that existed in the Middle Ages than something that actually did, but it’s still a great spot for Instagram photos in Brussels.
Halle Gate retains a portcullis and drawbridge over what remains of its moat, and is surrounded by a beautiful little park, perfect for that fluffy-dress Instagram shot. For high-flyers who love aerial photos, visitors are able to climb to the top of the ramparts to admire the surrounding view.
Final Thoughts: Brussels Photography Spots
Brussels is often thought of as a staid city that is nothing more than a seat for Belgian and European politics, but it’s clear to see that there’s no shortage of beauty to be seen here.
From the ground to the sky, Brussels is full of Instagram spots for you to capture the perfect memory of your travels.