Mont Des Arts Cultural Walk (Self Guided), Brussels

Mont des Arts, meaning "hill of the arts", is one of the most important cultural sites in Brussels. A classic among the city’s vantage points, it offers a fine city garden and restored showcase of architecture, in addition to several great museums.

Start your journey by traveling towards the old part of the city, where you’ll find the BOZAR Centre for Fine Arts, greatly admired for its interior detail. Major cultural events are held there; temporary exhibitions take place in the foyer, so something is always happening. By contrast, the nearby BELvue Museum’s interiors are modern, with nice exhibits that show the history of Brussels mostly from 1800 until present day.

Further along the way, you’ll see the bell tower of a grand neoclassical church, Saint-Jacques-sur-Coudenberg. This part of the city was significantly changed by Charles of Lorraine, governor of the Low Countries in the mid-18th century, who looked towards Vienna for inspiration to create a unified architectural ensemble.

Later, in 1880, King Leopold II, wishing to make the upper part of the city an artistic hub, commissioned the Palace for the Arts – now the Royal Museums of Fine Arts – to house various collections. An easy choice for an afternoon in Brussels, the combination of The Old Masters Museum, Modern Museum, and Magritte Museum is a veritable steal for the cost of admission and a required stop for anyone who loves painting and European art in particular.

Join us on this self-guided walking tour to better make your way through these and many other highlights Mont des Arts has to offer.