Visitor Info

Visitor Info

Tourist Information Brussels (TIB, Hôtel de Ville, Grand' Place, Lower Town. 02/513-8940. www.brusselsinternational.be. Weekdays 9-6). Waterloo Office de Tourisme (chaussée de Bruxelles 149. 02/352-0910. www.waterloo-tourisme.be. Weekdays 9:30-5:30).

Touring Brussels

Brussels is small enough so you can easily visit many of the major sights in a day—just bring a sturdy pair of shoes. Or, you could jump on and off one of the city tour buses, which leave from the central station. All of the major train stations have good connections with other sightseeing hot spots in Belgium and major cities in neighboring countries.

Walking Tours

ARAU (02/219-3345. www.arau.org) organizes thematic city bus and walking tours March-November, including "Brussels 1900: Art Nouveau" (every Saturday) and "Brussels 1930: Art Deco" (every third Saturday of the month). Tours with English-speaking guides include visits to some building interiors that are otherwise not open to the public. A half-day bus tour costs EUR 15; a half-day walking tour runs EUR 10. Reservations are recommended.

The tours run by Chatterbus (02/673-1835. www.busbavard.be) either visit the main sights on foot or by minibus (from EUR 15) or follow a walking route that includes a visit to a bistro (EUR 10). The tours run from early June through September and can be given in English. Those with the right language skills can join in the French weekend theme tours between March and December.

Bike Tours

Pro Velo (02/502-7355. www.provelo.org) takes visitors on cycling tours in and around Brussels. Tours, on themes such as "Comic Strips and Cafés," are available April-August. Tours in English operate in July and August. The cost is EUR 8, plus EUR 6 for bike rental. Group tours can also be arranged throughout the year at a cost of EUR 124 for up to 20 people for a half-day tour, plus EUR 4.95 per person for bike rental. Bikes may also be rented for independent use at prices ranging from EUR 2.50 for one hour to EUR 49.50 for a full week

Individual Tours

Qualified English-speaking guides are available for individual tours from Tourist Information Brussels (TIB. 02/513-8940. www.brusselsinternational.be) in the town hall. Three hours costs EUR 106, and up to 20 people can share the same guide for a walking tour and up to 50 people for a bus tour.

Tours Outside of Brussels

In Waterloo, the expert guides at Les Guides 1815 (rte. du Lion 250. 02/385-0625. www.guides1815.org) can be hired to take you around the battlefield for one hour (EUR 46), two hours (EUR 56), or three hours (EUR 75). Group tours in English (EUR 3.65 per person) are weekends at 4 in July and August.

De Boeck Sightseeing (rue de la Colline 8, Grand'Place, Lower Town. 02/513-7744. www.deboeck-incoming.com) operates city tours (EUR 25.50) with multilingual commentary; they also visit Antwerp, the Ardennes, Brugge, Gent, Ieper, and Waterloo by bus. Passengers are picked up at major hotels or at the tourist office in the Hôtel de Ville on the Grand'Place.