Cheap Flights to Brussels in May

Staying within walking distance of the Grand-Place puts you at the center of everything — Manneken Pis, the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert (beautiful 1847 arcade), and the best frites stands. Hotel Amigo is the luxury anchor here, but mid-range boutique options like Hôtel Le Dixseptième offer period rooms in a 17th-century building. The immediate Grand-Place surroundings can feel touristy, but walk 5 minutes in any direction and you're in the real city.

The neighborhood of choice for expats, students, and anyone who wants to actually live in Brussels rather than just visit it. The Chaussée d'Ixelles and Place Flagey are lined with excellent restaurants, wine bars, and the famous Café Belga on Flagey Square. Airbnb and mid-range hotels here run €90-160/night, and you're a 20-minute walk or quick tram ride to the city center. This is where you'll find Moeder Lambic Fontainas, one of the world's great beer bars.

Brussels' most artsy and multicultural neighborhood, immediately south of the city center, where Art Nouveau buildings sit alongside Turkish restaurants, independent coffee shops, and cheap Moroccan grocery stores. The Victor Horta Museum (the architect's own former home) is here and worth every cent of the €10 entry. Accommodation runs €60-100/night for clean guesthouses and small hotels, and the tram lines on Chaussée de Waterloo get you downtown in 10 minutes.

The upscale residential pocket within Ixelles where Brussels' diplomatic and professional class lives — think quiet streets, exceptional restaurants like La Buvette and Bouchéry, and a Wednesday farmers market on Place du Châtelain that is genuinely wonderful. Hotels here are fewer but serviced apartments are plentiful; expect €120-180/night. Perfect for travelers who prioritize food and a local neighborhood feel over proximity to major sights.

Home to the EU Commission, Parliament, and NATO-adjacent offices, this area is dominated by business hotels that drop dramatically in price on weekends — the Sofitel, Stanhope, and NH Collection Brussels Centre all cut rates 30-50% Friday through Sunday. If you're visiting on a weekend, booking here gets you a luxury hotel at mid-range prices. The Parc du Cinquantenaire with its triumphal arch and excellent Art & History Museum is the neighborhood's main tourist draw.

Unfairly stigmatized after 2015 but actively gentrifying — the canal district along Quai des Charbonnages now has some of Brussels' best new restaurants and the Tour & Taxis creative campus hosts markets and events. Budget accommodation and Airbnbs run €50-80/night. Walk the canal at dusk and eat dinner at La Brasserie du Canal. This is not a neighborhood for the anxious traveler but rewards those who venture off the tourist circuit.