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Place des Martyrs
The sombre Place des Martyrs has a monument to the 467 who died in the 1830 revolution.
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Place du Petit Sablon
About 200m uphill from Place du Grand Sablon, this charming little garden, Place du Petit Sablon, framed by 48 bronze statuettes depicting the medieval guilds. At its heart is a monument to Counts Egmont and Hoorn, who were beheaded on the Grand Place in 1568 for defying Spanish rule.
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Place Royale
Brussels' Royal precinct is based around the busy Place Royale, immediately above Gare Centrale in the Upper Town. Use Mont des Arts's open-air stairway, to reach here from Gare Centrale. At the centre of it stands a statue of Godefroid de Bouillon, an 11th-century crusader considered one of Belgium's ancient heroes.
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Rouge Cloître
The Rouge Cloître in the Forêt de Soignes offers a playground suitable for kids up to about 12.
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Royal Museums of Fine Arts
The Royal Museums of Fine Arts combines the Musée d'Art Ancien, the adjoining Musée d'Art Moderne and the brand new Magritte Museum. All in all it's Belgium's premier collection of ancient and modern art, and is not to be missed. It's particularly well endowed with works by Pieter Breugel the Elder and Rubens, though Belgian surrealist René Magritte currently holds pride of place.
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Royal Palace
Overlooking the southern end of Parc de Bruxelles is the Royal Palace. This 19th-century palace is a low, cream-toned building that commands little attention these days as it's no longer the royal residence. Since the death of Queen Astrid, wife of Léopold III, Belgium's monarchs have lived at Laeken, although this palace is still their 'official' abode.
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Rue Charles Buls
Leading off the southern side of Grand Place is Rue Charles Buls. It paves the way to Manneken Pis and, not surprisingly, is lined with lace and trinket shops. At the start of the street, in a small arcaded gallery, you'll find an 1899 gilded Art Nouveau plaque dedicated to the city from its appreciative artists. Next to it is a reclining statue of Everard 't Serclaes, a 14th-century hero who defended the city - rub his gleaming torso for good luck.
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Rue des Bouchers
Leading off Galeries St Hubert in a lively little quarter known as Ilôt Sacré is the famous Rue des Bouchers. Whether you decide to eat at one of the many seafood restaurants here or not, this pedestrianised cobbled street is a spectacle not to be missed. Both sides of the street are packed with tables for dining throughout the year - overhead heaters keep frostbite at bay in winter. Waiters entice diners with iced displays of marine delicacies and the odd novelty (expect dancing plastic fish). Many of the restaurants are not recommended but there are exceptions, including Chez Léon.
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Rue Neuve area
The Église Notre Dame du Finistère is an 18th-century church that sits in vivid contrast to the modern mania around it.
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Scientastic Museum
Kids aged six and over may yet think science is fun after a couple of hours at this interactive museum, where they can make their voice mimic a duck, 'fly' using mirrors and enjoy other sensory pursuits. A winner for rainy days.
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Serres Royales
The enormous Serres Royales were built by Alphonse Balat during Léopold II's reign. Fuchsias and all sorts of tropical species thrive inside, and Belgians queue en masse during the two weeks each year when the greenhouses are open to the public. Exact opening dates are available annually from January - check with Brussels International.
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Square Marie-Louise
You can feed the ducks in this pretty tree-lined pond surrounded by greenery and a smattering of Art Nouveau architecture.
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Stained-Glass Windows
An Art Nouveau gem is concealed on Rue du Vieux Marché aux Grains. Go through the black doors at number 36-40 to a small courtyard (this is private property but the owners do not mind if visitors peek inside - the doors are open to weekdays) where two old stained-glass windows are visible. One features a young woman in a white gown standing before a pond, the other a Chinese lady.
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Tour & Taxis complex
The newly revamped Tour & Taxis complex is the first stage of a massive transformation of Brussels' unloved canal quarter. These old warehouses and customs depots, now prime examples of the city's industrial heritage, were built at the start of last century by the Tour et Taxis family, founders of Belgium's postal service. Abandoned in the 1980s, the complex is now being developed into a new waterfront neighbourhood.
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Tour Japonaise
On the edge of the Domaine Royal, Tour Japonaise is used for temporary Japanese art exhibitions.
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Walibi & Aqualibi
Walibi & Aqualibi combines a theme park and water park, located about 20km southeast of Brussels off the E411 to Namur. Roller coasters, wave makers and pools make this a big day out. Closing hours vary depending on the month, so phone for details.
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Wiels
Brussels' old Art Deco Wielemans-Ceuppens brewery, just southeast of the Marolles, has been converted into a chilled new contemporary art space mounting six temporary exhibitions each year. You can leaf through art magazines at the café-restaurant and occasionally catch live music here.
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Zinneke
In the old Bruxellois dialect, T zinnekeT means 'a person of mixed origins', which sums up the city's inhabitants to this day. Hence Flemish sculptor Tom Frantzen's statue of a dog with its leg cocked is a proud mongrel, and has inspired the city's most exuberant celebration of Brussels' multifaceted make-up, the Zinneke parade. For the full set of family snaps, stop by to see Manneken Pis and Jeanneke Pis.
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