Best Places to Visit in Brussels in Spring 2018

Flanders is one of the best places to visit in Europe and the spring season brings out the finest in its capital, Brussels.

Sunbeams pierce the sky while birds chirp – spring has arrived in Flanders. The capital in particular comes alive with floral beauty. (ALSO SEE 18 stupendous pictures of Belgium that will make it your dream destination) Here are six of the best locations to discover Brussels.

1. Meise Botanical Garden

Just outside of the capital, you can find a green patchwork of plants 18,000 of them to be precise. In the spring, the budding flowers in Brussels’ Meise Botanical Garden provide a colourful spectacle. Stroll through this ‘green lung’ with the family, or hand in hand with your partner for a romantic escape. Walk through rainforests, stroll past desert flora or marvel at Mediterranean plants. Giant water lilies, banana trees and Venus flytraps are just some of the things in store.

The Meise Botanical Garden is 7.5 miles (12 km) from Brussels. Top tip: combine your trip with a visit to the nearby Atomium.

2. Royal Greenhouses of Laeken

Want to visit one of the most beautiful gardens in Brussels? You can find it hidden behind the Royal Palace. Every spring, the Royal Family opens its greenhouses to the public. Commissioned by King Leopold II, the glass complex is an architectural gem designed by Alphonse Balat, whose apprentice was Art Nouveau pioneer Victor Horta. The shiny domes, monumental pavilions, and long galleries of this enormous greenhouse contain some of the rarest plants and trees in the world. Prepare your senses for an enchanting feast of fragrances and colours. The greenhouse can be visited from 21 April – 11 May 2018. CHECK OUT When in Bruges: 3 Places in the Belgian City for Romantics

3. Tervuren Park

A stately avenue dotted with ponds, flower beds and artworks forms the green carpet to Tervuren Park – also known as Warande. Take a nap near the pretty ponds or spread out your picnic blanket on lush, well-tended lawns. Make sure you pay a visit to the Royal Museum for Central Africa. This beautiful Neoclassical building houses many fascinating exhibits and looks out over the park. Renovation is currently taking place to give the ethnographic collection from Central Africa a new look, the museum reopens at the end of 2018.

4. Hallerbos

Something magical happens here every spring: thousands of bluebells (hyacinths) come into bloom displaying their deep purple and blue flowers and forming a beautiful, colourful carpet. The blue forest has become a genuine crowd favourite and attracts tourists from near and far every year. DO SEE This 27-year-old globetrotter assures his mom he’s fine in this hilarious Instagram account

5. Floralia Brussels

Imagine, a 12th century castle surrounded by one million budding flowers. That’s what happens each year at Groot-Bijgaarden Castle’s colourful flower show, Floralia. Immerse yourself in the colourful tulips, daffodils and grape hyacinths. You can climb up to the roof terrace of the castle tower and if you look closely, you can count the nine globes of the Atomium in the distance.The fifteenth edition of the Floralia runs from 6 April to 6 May 2018.

6. Flower Carpet Brussels

What to do in Brussels? Admire the flower carpet on the Grand Pace! It is on display for an entire weekend, every two years. Expect 600,000 beautiful begonias covering the entire square. The floral wonder really comes into its own in this delightful Gothic setting. Did you know that you can admire this unique view from the terrace of the Town Hall? It’s the ideal place to get the perfect photo of this magical event. End your day by enjoying a spectacular light and sound concert in the Grand Place each evening.The Flower Carpet takes place on 16 – 19 August 2018.

From flower shows to royal greenhouses; Brussels and its surrounds are especially beautiful in spring.