Where to catch the sunset in Brussels: our favourite rooftops
Brussels is mostly low-rise, so the good views take a little hunting — but when you find them, the city’s spires and rooftops in golden light are genuinely beautiful. Here are our favourite sunset spots, found over several trips.
The Mont des Arts
The classic. From the formal gardens of the Mont des Arts, the view frames down over the lower town toward the Town Hall spire — and it faces the right way for evening light. Free, central, and busy with people doing exactly the same thing for good reason (best museums nearby).
The MIM rooftop café
Our personal favourite. The Musical Instruments Museum’s rooftop terrace gives a sweeping panorama over the centre, and you can have a drink while the light goes (MIM guide). Underrated and rarely crowded — check the closing time so you don’t miss the actual sunset.
Place Poelaert
By the colossal Palais de Justice, this terrace looks out over the Marolles and the lower city, with a small glass lift connecting the upper and lower towns. A big, open western view (Marolles).
The Atomium
For something different, the top sphere of the Atomium at golden hour — the whole north of the city below, the chrome glowing (guide). Check closing times, as it’s out at Heysel.
Rooftop bars
Brussels has a growing crop of rooftop bars — atop hotels and the odd department store — that come into their own on a summer evening. Worth a search for whatever’s current near your base; a cocktail with the spires going pink is a lovely end to a day.
Tips
- Summer sunsets are late (after 9pm in June) — plan dinner around it (Brussels in summer).
- Check rooftop closing times — some museums/cafés close before the actual sunset.
- Mont des Arts faces west — reliably good evening light.
- A clear evening after rain gives the sharpest views (and Brussels gets plenty of rain to clear).
The city won’t hand you a dramatic skyline — it’s too low and modest for that. But find the right rooftop or terrace, catch the light on the Town Hall spire, and Brussels does sunset with a quiet charm all its own. The MIM rooftop is where we’d send you first.
