Day Trip to Brussels from Paris: Itinerary, Costs & Travel Tips
Brussels is a fantastic day trip from Paris, offering delicious food, beautiful architecture, and a fun change of pace—all just a short train ride away. If you’re thinking about making the trip, here’s exactly how our day unfolded, including itinerary details, costs, and travel tips.
Getting to Brussels from Paris
We started our adventure at Paris Nord train station, catching the 8:25 AM Thalys train to Bruxelles-Midi/Brussel-Zuid. The journey was incredibly quick, taking only 1 hour and 22 minutes, and we arrived in Brussels at 9:47 AM. Tickets were booked through Thalys, and while prices vary, booking in advance can save you a decent amount.
First Stop: A Quick Waffle Fix
No trip to Belgium is complete without a waffle! As soon as we arrived, we grabbed a quick waffle to kickstart our day. It was warm, crispy, and just what we needed before our next stop.
Killing Time: Museum of Illusions
We had some time to spare before our scheduled food tour, so we decided to check out the Museum of Illusions—mainly because it was the only thing open. Would we recommend it? Not really. It was a bit underwhelming, though kids might find it entertaining. If you’re looking for something more engaging, you might want to skip this stop.
That said, we couldn’t resist making the most of one of the illusion rooms—so we recreated a Harry’s House album cover moment in one of the tilted rooms. If you’re a fan of creative photo ops, this might be one redeeming factor of the museum!
Exploring Grand-Place
From there, we took a stroll through Grand-Place, the heart of Brussels and an absolute must-see. The stunning architecture of the Town Hall and guild houses make this one of the most beautiful squares in Europe. Heads up: This area is known for pickpockets, so keep an eye on your belongings!
The Highlight: Hungry Mary’s Food Tour
We aren’t usually big on guided tours, but this food tour with Hungry Mary’s was absolutely worth it, and 90 euro! Our guide was not only fun and knowledgeable but also the voice actor for the new Smurfs show—how random and cool is that?!
This walking tour took us to local, non-touristy spots for some of the best food and drinks Brussels has to offer, including:
- Authentic Belgian beer (trust me, the selection was top-tier!)
- Perfectly crispy fries
- Delicious charcuterie
- Heavenly Belgian chocolate
Every stop felt like a hidden gem, making this tour a must-do for any food lover.
Dinner: Noordzee & Café Georgette
To wrap up our foodie adventure, we stopped at Noordzee for their famous fish soup, which was absolutely incredible. Then, because you can never have too many fries in Belgium, we grabbed some from Café Georgette. The fries were served in an adorable newspaper cup, and the sauce was the real star. Honestly, fries all around the area are solid, so you really can’t go wrong.
Heading Back to Paris
We took the 7:41 PM train from Brussels back to Paris, arriving home by 9:05 PM—just in time to collapse after a full day of eating and exploring.
Final Thoughts & Tips for Your Trip
- Book Thalys train tickets in advance for the best prices.
- Skip the Museum of Illusions unless you have kids.
- Watch out for pickpockets in Grand-Place.
- Definitely book Hungry Mary’s Food Tour if you love food and want to avoid tourist traps.
- Don’t stress over which fries place to visit—they’re all pretty great!
Brussels in a day? Totally doable—and totally worth it. If you’re looking for an easy yet fulfilling day trip from Paris, this one’s a winner!