Between the cobbles of the old town and the skyscrapers of the European institutions, green space might not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Brussels. In reality, Brussels is filled with beautiful parks and gardens. In this list of the best parks in Brussels, I’ll take you through all my top recommendations across the city. There are huge parks with over 50 acres to explore, perfect for a Brussels day trip, as well as little spots in the heart of the city where you can still experience a little bit of escapism from the hustle and bustle.
Each park has its own unique attractions and whether you plan to visit a couple during your trip, or work your way through the whole list, you’re sure to love what you experience.
At the end of this post you’ll find a map with the locations of all the parks and gardens mentioned in this post, so make sure you check that out at the end.
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The Best Parks in Brussels
Parc du Cinquantenaire (Cinquantenaire Park)
Cinquantenaire Park really has everything. Most importantly, gorgeous green space, but also museums and an impressive arch. 30 acres in size, there is plenty of room for exploring or relaxing, whatever you are in the mood for.
Cinquantenaire Park is just a few minutes walk from either Schuman or Merode metro stations on lines 1 and 5.
Parc de Bruxelles (Brussels Park)
This is probably the most central park in Brussels and one of the easiest to reach. It’s very spacious and beautiful, and it has a little café called Woodpecker, with fairy lights. It’s very cute, and great to grab a drink and relax during your visit to the park.
Just outside the park, on the south side, you’ll see Brussels Palace, and on the north side, there’s a beautiful theatre. There are some great hidden gems in Brussels Park that you’ll love exploring.
To reach Brussels Park, you can get off at the metro stop Parc, on lines 1 and 5. If you’re in the centre of Brussels it’s really easy to walk, and I recommend it.
Parc de Laeken (Laeken Park)
Laeken is high on the list of the best parks in Brussels. Due to its huge size (over 70 acres), there is so much to discover, and this park is incredibly diverse.
In the biggest park, you’ll find Laeken Castle, a royal residence, as well as loads of green space. There are Japanese Gardens on the east side of the park, and a beautiful, quiet Florist’s Garden to the west. In the North, there’s Ossegempark, where you can see great views of the Atomium nearby.
Laeken Park is found in the north of Brussels and is easily reached by metro or tram. On the metro, take line 6 and get off at Stuyvenbergh or Bockstael. You can take tram 19 right to the north of the park, getting off at Eeuwfeest.
Bois de la Cambre
Another huge park in Brussels, Bois de la Cambre is great for a weekend stroll in nature. This park has over 300 acres, with forest areas and more open, grassy land. There’s even a restaurant on an island in the middle of a lake if you didn’t think it could get any more perfect!
There is so much to do at Bois de la Cambre it’s worth spending a day here. There are several places to eat or you could bring a picnic. I recommend exploring the woods, relaxing in the main park and wandering around the lakes. If the weather is nice, you might want to rent a rowboat to explore the lake on the water.
Bois de la Cambre is in the south of Brussels so there is no metro link, but you can take tram line 7 and get off right outside the north entrance to the park, at Legrand. If you want to be closer to the lake you could take trams 8 or 25 and get off at Marie-José.
Wolvendael Park
This relatively small but very charming park is found in Uccle. There is not much in this park but it makes for a lovely walk, especially on a winter’s day. If you can catch this park on a foggy day, it looks absolutely magical.
When visiting Wolvendael Park, you might also want to see Dieweg cemetery, a gorgeous overgrown cemetery, and the resting place of the famous comic artists Hergé.
The closest tram stops of Wolvendael Park are Dieweg (south side) on lines 92 and 97, and Héros (north side) on lines 4, 51, and 92.
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Park van Tervuren
This park is technically not in Brussels as it’s just past the Flanders border, but it’s so impressive that I decided to include it anyway. Part of the experience is getting to Tervuren, so it’s the perfect weekend day trip.
There are some beautiful views in Park van Tervuren, from the Royal Museum for Central Africa and the manicured garden area to the forest and the ponds.
To get to Park van Tervuren, take tram 44 from Montgomery, all the way to Tervuren station. The tram route goes through Auderghem Forest, and it’s one of the most beautiful tram rides in the world, especially in the autumn.
Elisabeth Park
This small park in the northeast of Brussels is special for the impressive Koekelberg Basilica that sits proudly on the end. Elisabeth Park is perfect if you’re looking for a nice peaceful walk, without having to head too far out of the city.
You can get to Elisabeth Park by taking metro line 2 or 6 and getting off at Simons or Elisabeth (lines 2 and 6 are both circle lines running in opposite directions).
Parc Léopold (Léopold Park)
I like to think of Léopold Park as the little sister of Cinquantenaire Park. It’s just a few minutes away and shares a lot of the same charm. The main area of Léopold Park sits around a small pond which makes for a lovely walk.
At Léopold Park, you’re in the heart of the European quarter, so of course, a little bit of that rubs off in the green spaces. In the east of the park, you can see the European Parliament, and the house is also home to the House of European History, a great museum celebrating Europe and its past. They often have fun temporary exhibitions as well, and it’s completely free to visit.
Léopold Park is just a couple of minutes from either Schuman or Maelbeek metro stations, both on lines 1 and 5.
Best Gardens in Brussels
Brussels has an amazing collection of smaller gardens, and they are dotted around the city. These gardens definitely deserve to be on the list of the best parks in Brussels – they may be smaller, but they’re still great to experience a bit of green space and have a nice walk.
Square Ambiorix
If there were awards for the most interesting shaped park or garden, Square Ambiorix would win. The east side is a well-kept garden with lots of statues/sculptures. It’s joined to the west side by a thin strip of grass, and on the east side, you’ll find a large pond to wander around.
The best part of Square Ambiorix is the beautiful houses that surround it. There are a lot of traditional townhouses and some quirky Art Nouveau pieces dotted in there.
Square Ambiorix is best reached from Maelbeek metro station, on lines 1 and 5.
Jean-Félix Hap Park
Jean-Félix Hap park might be the best hidden gem I’ve come across in Brussels. Somewhere between a park and a garden, this little green space is like stepping right out of the city. There are walls all around the garden which make it really secret and peaceful.
Although very small, it would be a lovely place to take a book and relax on a nice day.
The closest bus stop to Jean-Félix Hap Park (just south of Cinquantenaire Park and Léopold Park) is Fétis, on line 34.
Brussels Botanical Gardens (Botanique)
The Botanical Gardens are one of the best places in Brussels to see green space and city life come together, as you can see loads of skyscrapers surrounding the garden. I recommend the west side of the garden if you’re looking for interesting things to explore, and the east if you want to sit back and watch the world go by.
The Brussels Botanic Gardens, also known as Botanique, has a glasshouse that has been converted into a cultural centre, that hosts concerts and other events.
Botanique is served by its own metro and tram stops. Botanique metro station is on lines 2 and 6, and Botanique tram stop is on lines 92 and 93.
Abbaye de la Cambre
Why visit one of the best parks in Brussels when you can visit two? Abbaye de la Cambre is just north of Bois de la Cambre and makes for the perfect stop on the way.
You can see the historic abbey and the gorgeous surrounding gardens. This is a very popular spot to relax on a sunny day.
You can reach Abbaye de la Cambre on tram lines 8 and 93, getting off at Abbaye.
Mont des Arts
Right in the heart of Brussels and surrounded by culture, Mont des Arts has a beautiful garden. It’s very small but is still a must-see and the views over Brussels are amazing.
Mont des Arts is surrounded by some of the best museums in Brussels, like the Musical Instruments Museum and the Royal Museum of Fine Arts. It’s the perfect gateway to start exploring the centre of Brussels.
Mont des Arts is just south of Gare Central, served by metro lines 1 and 5.
Porte de Hal (Halle Gate)
On the borders of the Saint Gilles neighbourhood, Porte de Hal has the unique feature of an old city gate, that stands tall and proud in the middle of the park.
This is a very small park that won’t take long to explore, but it’s worth visiting for the city gate. Porte de Hal is also a great addition to a trip to the Palais de Justice and Louise area, as it’s just a short walk away.
Porte de Hal is in the south of the city and is served by its own metro stop, on metro lines 2 and 6.
Jardins du Fleuriste (The Florist’s Garden)
This gorgeous spot of land is found within Laeken Park but it definitely deserves a mention of its own. It’s a peaceful, manicured garden with lots of places to relax. You’ll find a pond in the middle that has boardwalks to cross, as well as a cool watchtower to look down on the garden from above.
You’ll find the Jardins du Fleuriste in the north of Brussels, to the left of Laeken Park. It’s right next to the Stuyvenbergh metro station on metro line 6.
Map of the Best Parks in Brussels
Here you’ll find all of the parks mentioned in this post in a handy interactive map so you can see just how to get to each one!
And that’s our list of the best parks in Brussels done. Remember, this list doesn’t cover all the parks and gardens in the city, so I encourage you to keep exploring and find your own favourite spaces. I know I still have loads of places on my list to discover.
Let me know in the comments if you have any recommendations of other parks in Brussels – I’ll be sure to check them out and add them to this post.
Make sure you check out some of my other Brussels content, like How to Visit the Atomium in Brussels, and Where to Get the Best Belgian Fries in Brussels
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