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Brussels, Belgium

Brussels – Student accommodation, hostels and coworking spaces in Brussels (Belgium). Maps of Brussels, photos and reviews for each place in Brussels.

Student accommodation - Hostels - Coworking in Brussels (Belgium)

Students, international students, interns, backpackers, roomates and digital nomads can book cheap dorms and safe private rooms in downtown Brussels, close to boarding schools, high schools, colleges, halls of residence and universities, close to buses or train stations, airports or major attractions in Brussels.

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Reviews for Backpackers

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Ganael
Very nice welcome from our son who has mental problems. Search for solutions to be able to welcome him with respect for other travellers.
9.9
Very warm welcome full of humanity.
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HOUSSINE
Courteous and available staff. Well heated and clean room.
10.0
Courteous and available staff. Well heated and clean room.
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Justine
The hostel is new, which is very nice However we had trouble finding the entrance Otherwise very good
8.6
Good hostel
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Brussels – Student accommodation, hostels and coworking spaces in Brussels (Belgium). Maps of Brussels, photos and reviews for each place in Brussels.

Welcome to Brussels

Steaming bowls of moules with crispy frites. Amazing beers. Grand squares and elegant parks. Once in Brussels, you’ll find scores of backpackers and students alike exploring this buzzing, well-connected city. There are countless affordable hostels and student accommodations to stay in around the city centre. With most major attractions within walking distance of each other, a downtown or city centre hostel makes exploring a stukje taart (that’s a piece of cake, btw). Throw in some exciting bars, great food and a lively youth culture into the mix and you can see why Brussels is a winner for both backpackers and students.   There are many cheap dorms and safe private rooms in downtown Brussels, close to boarding schools, high schools, colleges, halls of residence and universities.

Sundays at City Museum

The City Museum (Maison du Roi in French; Broodhuis in Flemish), on Grand Place, houses the costumes of the Manneken-Pis. Budget-conscious backpackers and students should aim for the first Sunday of the month, when entry is free. Visit the website to find out updated event times.

Comic Book Route

Follow a colourful path of large-scale murals depicting popular Belgian comics: Lucky Luke, Gaston, Marsupilami, Jourdan and of course The Adventures of Tintin. You can pick up a route guide at any tourist office.
Comic Book Route
Comic Book Route

Kick back in the parks

Don’t overthink it: Brussels has some wonderful parks to stroll, lounge and picnic in. There’s the expansive Woluwepark to the east of the centre and the grand, central Jubelpark – but we love Park van Laken, with its views of the city and the Royal Palace.
Kick back in the parks
Kick back in the parks

The Grand Place

A trip or school term spent in Brussels is not complete without exploring Brussels’ town square, the Grand Place. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the setting for regular festivals and events. Or you might just find yourself having a beer and admiring the architecture, such as the Town Hall, built in the 1400s.
The Grand Place
The Grand Place

Manneken-Pis

Brussels’ most photographed attraction is tiny Manneken-Pis, the naked little boy called Juliaanske. Some say he’s peeing on a bomb to save the city. He’s often dressed up in one of his 600 little costumes. Find him at1000 Brussels, Belgium.

Mini-Europe

Backpack around Europe in an hour at this miniature park in Bruparck. It features 350 iconic buildings from 80 cities, plus a wealth of information about the European Union at the Spirit of Europe exhibition.
Mini-Europe
Mini-Europe

Atomium

Someone should design a hostel like this. This science attraction is housed in a 102-metre-high chrome and steel model of an atom, with exhibits in 18-metre diameter steel spheres connected by tubes. At night it is illuminated by 3,000 lights and there’s also a restaurant with panoramic views of Brussels.
Atomium
Atomium

Parlamentarium

Impress your dorm buddies (or not) with your knowledge of European politics thanks to the Parlamentarium, the visitors’ centre of the European Parliament. It’s full of interactive exhibits and admission is free.Visits are self-directed, and last entry is 30 minutes before closing time. It is open Monday from 1pm - 6pm, Tuesday from 9am - 6pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 10am - 6pm.
Parlamentarium
Parlamentarium

Downtown area

The historical part of the city and the most touristy, this neighbourhood includes the Grand Place and Dansaert shopping areas, and is packed with cheap hostels. Rue du Marché au Charbon is the "gaybourhood" of the area, and features many gay bars as well as fashion boutiques.
Downtown area
Downtown area

Ixelles

Backpacker favourite Ixelles is a big draw for young visitors, as it has a lively cultural, street scene and nightlife. Karl Marx and Alexandre Dumas are among famous writers and intellectuals who made Ixelles their home.
Ixelles
Ixelles

Quartier des Squares

The ‘squares district’, just north of the Europe Quarter, is a residential area characterized by art nouveau and early modernist buildings. If you’re interested in architecture, a walk around here is a must – the contrast with the glass and steel EU buildings nearby is stark.
Quartier des Squares
Quartier des Squares

Belgian National Day (July)

Brussels celebrates Belgian National Day on 21st July, with military parades, parties and festivals. Events take place at several venues, and usually include an evening of performances and dancing. Head to the Visit Brussels website to find out the dates, times and locations for the time you will be there.
Belgian National Day  (July)
Belgian National Day (July)

The Flower Carpet (August)

Every two years, a huge Flower Carpet covers the Grand Place for a few days and the city celebrates with a music and light performance and firework displays! The next time it's scheduled to happen in August 11-15, 2022. This is a great free event for both students and backpackers to experience.
The Flower Carpet  (August)
The Flower Carpet (August)

Brussels Food Truck Festival

Like your street food? Get yourself to Boulevard du Souverain 183, 1160 Brussels, Belgium to sample the wares of some of the best food truck businesses from Belgium and beyond. The Food Truck Festival is likely to return in September 2022.

Piknik Elektronik

Did you know there's a freemini festival every Sunday in Brussels? There is, and it is called Piknik Electronic! We recommend following their Instagram for the most updated events.

Brussels Summer Festival (August)

Every August, Brussels’ Royal Quarter (Place des Palais, La Madeleine and Mont des Arts) comes alive with reggae, hip-hop, folk, electro, rock and jazz performances plus cinema and theatre events for Brussels Summer Festival.
Brussels Summer Festival (August)
Brussels Summer Festival (August)

ProPulse Festival

The ProPulse Festival has concerts and performances at different locations, including music, dance and theatre acts. Look for downtown hostels and student accomomodation in the south of Basse-Ville to be based nearby. Check the website for updated events and times.

Midis-Minimes Festival

Young talents and experienced performers take part in the Midis-Minimes Festival. Each day there is a short, 35-minute concert of both well-known and less familiar works. Check their website for updated dates and times.

Frit' Flagey

For fast food and some of the tastiest fries in Brussels, go to Frit' Flagey, a food stand on Place Flageyplein, 1050 Ixelles. Prices are low, but you’ll head back to the dorm stuffed.
Frit' Flagey
Frit' Flagey

Exki

Chain eatery Exki serves healthy and wholesome soups, sandwiches, salads and desserts. You’ll find them dotted around town, but Exki Agora is handily located if you’re exploring the Royal Quarter.
Exki
Exki

Café Novo

Not far from Grand Place, Café Novo serves traditional Belgian food and lots more besides on a budget. Their fare will keep you going all day.
Café Novo
Café Novo

Arcadi Café

Also near Grand Place, Arcadi Café attracts locals, students and backpackers alike for tasty, inexpensive Belgian food – think mussels, steaks and the traditional gentse stoverj stew - all served super-quick.
Arcadi Café
Arcadi Café

Moeder Lambic

Moeder Lambic sells over 40 world-class draught and many bottled beer and specialises in Lambic beer. Knowledgeable staff will advise on what to sample. Some say it’s one of the best bars in the world. It's also located only a3-min walk from theManneken Pis.
Moeder Lambic
Moeder Lambic

Café Belga

Located in backpacker favourite Ixelles, Café Belga is one of Brussels’ best-known café/bars. It features nice old-style décor and is frequented by a nice mix of age groups. You can also expectand reasonable prices, so it's great for both students and backpackers.
Café Belga
Café Belga

Spirito

Spirito used to be a church, and now it is quite the opposite: a large nightclub with three bars and an extravagant, glammy look. Check the website fofr an updated list of events.

Fuse

The big one – this is the biggest techno club in Brussels, drawing some top acts and a happy crowd who know and love their music. There are some cheap hostels nearby, close to Brussels-Midi. This is a popular place for students and backpackers alike. Check their website for upcoming events.

Brussels Vintage Market

This colourful, eclectic market is right in hostel-packed Basse-Ville. It takes over Halles Saint Géry on the first Sunday of every month, selling clothing, vinyl, ornaments and other collectables.
Brussels Vintage Market
Brussels Vintage Market

Veals and Geeks

Music-mad backpackers and students alike will love rummaging through the crates at this indie record store, handily located for city centre hostels. It stocks a huge range of genres and a few collectibles too. It also organises vinyl street fairs.
Veals and Geeks
Veals and Geeks

Jeu de Balle Flea Market

Hunt for bargains at this atmospheric flea market on pretty, cobbled Place du Jeu de Balle. Vintage electrics, old photos and paintings, clothing – it’s all here!
Jeu de Balle Flea Market
Jeu de Balle Flea Market

Brussels card

For backpackers and students keen to tick off all the sights, a Brussels Card (valid for 24; 48 or 72 hours) gives free access to 30 museums and discounts on attractions, tours, food, drink and shopping. Brussels Card + Sightseeing option gives all the above plus free hop-on, hop-off bus travel.

Rent a bike with Villo!

Villo! is Brussels’ bike hire system. It's open 24/7. Just log in, find a bike, and hop on! It can be a super-cheap way to get from your hostel or student accommodation to uni or wherever you are headed.

Airports Brussels Airport is the city’s main airport. To reach the city centre and its hostels, take the Airport Line train on Level 1, which stops at the three main railway stations in Brussels. Alternatively, the Airport Express bus and a number of other buses depart and arrive at the bus station at Level 0. Charleroi Airport is 50km away, known as Brussels South. A shuttle bus operates to Gare du Midi/Zuidstation, otherwise known as the Brussels-South railway station. You can also take a bus to Charleroi-Sud station in Charleroi, Belgium, and then take the train to Brussels. Rail Many backpackers and students arrive at Brussels-Midi (also known as Brussels-South), which is served by international high-speed trains operated by Eurostar and Thalys, as well as national Belgian services. It’s one of three main railway stations in the city. The others are Brussels-North and Brussels-Central. All three connect with metro lines, buses and trams. Bus Eurolines services stop at Brussels-North, which has good local transport connections – six rail lines, two tram lines and around 20 local bus lines. The Airport Line is a public bus operating between Brussels Airport and Luxembourg. Airport Express operates between Antwerp and Brussels Airport; Brussels Airport Express operates between Breda, Rotterdam and Utrecht in the Netherlands and Brussels Airport. Getting around A ‘jump’ ticket is valid for one hour from time of validation. Jump tickets are valid for all travel within Brussels. You can purchase tickets in sets of five or 10 or buy a ticket for just one day. Tickets can be bought at GO machines in the metro stations. Validate tickets before travelling. Doors to metro trains and trams do not open automatically on arrival at stations/stops. Language: Most people speak French, but Flemish (Dutch) is also spoken. Signs are in both languages. Currency: Euro Voltage: AV220 Timezone: Central European Time zone (CET) Dialing code: +32 for Belgium, 02 for Brussels Post Office: Brussels’ main Post Office is open 24 hours every day, including Sundays.It is located atAvenue Fonsny 47B/PACK247, 1060 Saint-Gilles, Belgium. You can reach them by calling +32 2 201 23 45. Hospital: The main A & E hospital in central Brussels is Saint-Pierre University Hospital, which can be found on Rue Haute, 322 - B1000 Brussels 02 535 31 11. For non-urgent cases, go to Louise Medical Centre, Avenue Louise 284, 1050 Ville de Bruxelles. It can be reached at +32 2 534 29 99.It is open until 9pm at night. Both have English-speaking doctors. Tourist information: For tourist information, head to Visit Brussels, located atKoningsplein 2/4, 1000 Brussel, Belgium. It's closed on Sundays, but open every other day between 9:30am and 5:30pm. On Saturday, it's open from 10am to 6pm. You can reach it at +32 02 513 89 40. Typical opening hours: Most shops are open from Monday-Saturday 10am - 6pm. Most shops close on Sundays although bakeries and patisseries open on Sunday mornings. Emergency numbers:Dial 112for the fire brigade, an ambulance or the police.You can also dial 101 for urgent police assistance.