About Activity
The meeting point is Brussels main square "La Grand Place." This is an excellent starting point as it was the main market of the city known in dutch as the "Nethermarkt." I will explain the geography of the Low Countries, the governors of these regions through history, and the economic development with the sheep whool, cereals (beer of course), metals, etc. The idea is to know why Brussels was (and is still today) an important economic centre.
Then we walk to most important landmarks of the city centre such as:
Statue of Manneken Pis a symbol of the city and its museum.
Statue of Jacques Brel the belgian GOAT (greastest of all times)
Visit the medieval fortified wall built in the 13th centuy
Aristocratic neighbourdhood SABLON with its antiques and diamond shops and the gothic church Notre Dame du Sablon, a french style garden Petit Sablon and Palace Egmont.
Tour ends in Mont des Arts, with Rue Royale (royal street) Palace of Justice, the museums, and the iconic Royal Square.
Includes
- taste of a small praline, traditional chocolate from Brussels
- guided walking tour
Departure Point
- Brussels Grand Place is the main square, it is 5 minutes walk from Brussels Central train and metro Station. we can meet at the centre of the square
Return
- The tour finishes in the royal area of Brussels, where most museum are located, it is know as the upper part of central Brussels, also near Brussels Central Station
Stop At: Grand Place This is be an excellent starting point to understand why Brussels exists and we will find out who ruled the medieval city by looking at the architecture.
Stop At: Manneken Pis Statue of Manneken Pis one of the most famous symbols of Brussels
Stop At: De Permanensje (Manneken Pis Museum) The wardrobe of Manneken pis is a new museum with all the clothes made for the statue
Stop At: Tour De Villers ruins of an ancient fortified wall from the 13th century
Stop At: Sablon Quarter Aristocratic neighbourhood SABLON with its antiques and diamond shops and the gothic church Notre Dame des Victoires au Sablon, the Great Synagogue and a french style garden Petit Sablon with the Palace Egmont and other government building.
Stop At: Place Royale Here we will see the largest Palace of Justice in the world, the most important museum in Belgium, the Brussels Royal Museum of Fine Arts. We will talk about the castle of the Duques located in the hill and then demolished to build the royal area.
Stop At: Mont Des Arts We finish the tour at the Mont des Arts next to the Brussels Central Train Station (Gare Central). Here we will have a panoramic view over the swampy valley of Brussels where we will see in the horizon the 5th largest church in the world and Brussels Chocolate Village. We will talk about two important legacies of the industrial revolution, the metalurgical industry (Atomium, Art Nouveau Arquitecture, Bronze scultures) and the chocolate expertise of the 20th century.
Public transportation options are available nearby Suitable for all physical fitness levels For this tour to take place we need to have at least 8 travelers Operated by City Explorer Brussels For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
Insightful and Enjoyable TouragnesmR7889HL
May 13, 2025, 12:11:14 AM We had a fantastic experience with François’ tour! He was incredibly nice and always more than happy to answer all sorts of questions. He was very informative, polite, and helpful throughout the entire experience. His background as an economic historian made a huge difference—his insights went far beyond the usual tourist information and added real depth to the tour. A real bargain! Highly recommended!
Francois did an excellent job of guiding us. He was very conscientious and extremely knowledgeable. This was the best of four tours we have been on!
We had a fantastic time on this tour and especially appreciated our guide François! It was a perfect balance between being informative and engaging, all while keeping us active with plenty of walking. Highly recommend!
Excellent tour! I learned a lot about the history and architecture
of Brussels. François is an extremely attentive, caring guide. Highly
recommend!!
A native of BrusselsKUKOCPAZ
Our tour with Francois was excellent. He has deep knowledge of Brussels history. He gave us extra tidbits of all the sites we visited which made our experience that much more enjoyable. Would highly recommend.
Highly recommend!19juanpablov
We took a 2hr Brussels walking tour with François and it was amazing! He studied history so he was very knowledgeable as well as entertaining. This was my 2nd time in Brussels yet I saw the city from a different perspective and saw places I didn't even know existed.
thanks to the guide.
Highly recommend!
Excellent tourH2669UUmarinad
The tour was excellent! I liked that François was happy to answer questions from the group. He was very clear and made the tour fun and also educational.
Unforgettable discovery of Brussels370alains
We were in Brussels for the first time and decided to take this tour. Our guide was François, who is very sympathetic, organized and clearly enjoys his job. We visited many monuments in the city center and learned very interesting facts. Without such a quality guiding, we would never have discovered the history linked to the Belgian capital. Thank you for this great tour!
Unforgettable experience in Brussels 💎doblin
Perfect introduction to the city ☀️ Walking around with a local guide helps everyone to see the hidden details of this European Capital
Guided tour of Brussels with Françoi :)J6572KAcamilop
François is an excellent quide, very friendly and willing to answer questions, he knows a lot about
history and explains very well. Totally recommended taking the tour with François. Beautiful and pleasant city, very complete guide.
Excellent walking tour of Brussels. From Grand Place all the way up to Capitol Building. Guide Francois was exceptional and we learned so much about Belgian history.
Rain came down hard at times, consider buying umbrella on way to meeting point. Tour will
reward your step count. Great chocolate tasting, thanks Francois
Great tour with a knowledgeable guide :)Pabloroman1
My fiance and I had a lovely tour of historical buildings and landmarks in Brussels conducted by Francois. He is really knowledgeable and has a unique perspective on the city's history. I enjoyed learning about many important factors leading to the development of Brussels. I highly recommend this tour. I enjoyed tasting the dark chocolate, and my fiance loved the sweeter chocolates.
François was clear, interested in the group, had a
lot of knowledge and asked several times if
everything was clear and if there were any
questions. A very pleasant guide, something I have
never experienced before. Compliments!
Best walking tour in BrusselsX4056SYcharlottee
Apr 21, 2025, 11:34:50 AM I thoroughly enjoyed François Schollaert's English tours in Brussels, and have come back every time to
take my friends or family when they are visiting. François' unique background, being of half Belgian,
half Bolivian descent, on top of his knowledge about history which he studied in London, gives him a
different and insightful outlook on this city which made him re-discover his Belgian roots. He adds
personal touch and passion to the tour which makes it relatable and a great learning experience. His
attention to detail will help you to see all the hidden symbols behind the Grande Place's dazzling
monuments and statues. He is a great explainer but also always takes time to get to know!
Nice experiencebernardopW2935FN
Francois was wonderful. He speaks good English and knows his history We met him at the Grand Place. It was a cold and rainy day but he made it a very pleasant outing. The tour took about two hours with a stop midway at a church. We had a chocolate tasting and were able to use the restrooms.
