I was lucky enough to spend a few days in Brussels and I highly recommend it. It seems like a significant portion of their tourists are spillover from Amsterdam, but it’s worth a trip on its own.

The following is a roughly three day itinerary in Brussels. Your mileage may vary. It’s in no way meant to be exhaustive. As a backpacker, I had to be a little judicious with my admission fees, so I skipped the Atomium and Mini-Europe.

SANDEMANs Free Walking Tour

This advice applies to most cities in Europe, where you can inevitably find free (tips-based) walking tours. I have a theory that these aren’t found as often in the United States because our cities were largely developed after the advent of the car and just aren’t very walkable.

My guide here was excellent, and didn’t shy away from the darker side of Belgium’s history, although that could be its own walking tour.

The SANDEMANs free walking tour starts at The Grand Place. You’ll see the groups start to form by language. I did a 4pm tour, which was a really nice time of the day, especially as it cooled off at the end. You can make a reservation online or just show up.

Try the local delicacies

[NOT FRENCH] fries, chocolate, waffles, and beer.

As at least one account goes, American service members in Belgium coined the fried potatoes as “French fries” when they tried them for the first time during WWI. People have different accounts as to their favorite friterie (fry shop), but Fritland and Friterie Tabora are two that come up often.

Locals swear by the vans you’ll see around Brussels compared to the more expensive and decadent waffles you’ll see offered in heavily-trafficked parts of the city. These have been exported so successfully around the world that they might not be as novel as they once were.

Have a graphic experience at the Belgian Comic Strip Museum

After the US and Japan, Belgium is the 3rd-largest producer of comics in the world. This museum dedicated to Belgium’s contributions to the comics offers some surprises. Did you know the Smurfs are originally from Belgium? Don’t forget to take notes so you can read some comics later.

There are some life-sized statues of characters like Tintin that make for good photo-ops. it covers the history and breadth of the medium in extensive detail.

My new favorite Belgian comic character is Boerke. It’s amazing how funny the strips can be without any words.

The gift shop is full of great tchotchkes to buy for your loved ones.

Go inside the Royal Palace of Brussels

This might be the highest concentration of chandeliers you’ll ever see. It’s an ornate, still-functioning palace. There are themed exhibitions as well.

Pro-tip: Do not come to the palace with a bag. Security will take so much longer and you’ll be forced to get in an additional line to check your bag.

Take a Mannekin Pis

This recommendation comes with the caveat that you should be prepared to be underwhelmed. Brussel’s most famous juvenile delinquent is tiny, so people are disappointed when they see him in person. If you happen to be in Brussels during the unveiling of a new costume, it’s a big celebration where crowds gather in anticipation of the curtain to be drawn to reveal his new outfit.

Go clubbing with Tintin

Ok, so you won’t actually be able to go clubbing with the intrepid boy reporter, but he will greet you by the entrance to C12, a nightclub inside of an abandoned station. The separate rooms appear to have been shops at one point in time. It’s connected to the MOOF (Museum of Original Figurines). When I went out there, I was struck by how relatively cheap the drinks were. For a few euros you could get a beer or wine. This is in stark contrast to NYC, where a place like this would charge a premium for drinks.

Have a surreal good time at Magritte Museum

Get lost in the dream-like paintings of surrealist painter Henri Magritte. There are some Magritte sculptures that I had never seen before at the museum. It takes you through Magritte’s career in chronological order.

The Magritte museum is part of a larger complex of museums called The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. Get a pass to see all four museums if you have the time.

Get an overview at Brussels City Museum

This museum is full of artifacts that explain the history of Brussels, including the original Mannekin Pis. After getting stolen and broken into multiple pieces, he was restored and placed in the museum for safekeeping. The one outside is a replica. Some of his costumes can also be viewed at the museum.

Bonus: Take a trip to Bruge or Gent

Brussels is a comparatively small city and you can get to nearby cities like Bruge or Gent in the time it would take to get from one side to the other of a London or New York. Belgians have varying opinions about Bruge, with some calling it “Disneyland” derisively. Nonetheless it’s a beautiful place to spend a day walking around. Don’t miss the chance to say a prayer to a piece of cloth believed to have Jesus’s blood on it.