Hello 👋 and welcome to our June edition, packed with fresh inspirations. The heatwave may be gone, but we’re fully in summer mode now. You simply have to love Brussels with these loooong days, filled with buzzing terraces, rooftops and guinguettes.
First, some summer essentials: if you are wondering where to find the best artisan ice cream in Brussels, Tartine et Boterham – the trusted guide to artisanal bakers and chocolatiers, has published the annual selection of favourite ice cream spots in the capital.
Another summer tip, the Royal Palace in Brussels is reopening after two years of renovation works. Visitors will be able to view the building and its gardens under a new light. Grab your tickets (open daily from 3 July to 16 August, except on Mondays. Exceptionally closed on 15, 16, 21 & 22 July.
Now, have you heard about the Promenade Verte in Brussels? The Green Walk can be considered as the ‘third ring’ of Brussels. It offers over 60km of well-marked paths for walkers and cyclists. Discover our full guide here (photos were taken during the winter walks, but we definitely prefer the warmer months).
Also, if you missed our last edition, Brussels guinguettes have reopened throughout the city and this year they’re celebrating 10 years.
The Festival of the New European Bauhaus is back in Brussels! From 9 to 13 June, Cinquantenaire Park will be a hub for creativity and innovative ideas, centered around the theme Life, Spaces, Buildings.
Free and open to all, the festival invites you to join designers, creative thinkers and changemakers from all over Europe, to explore and reimagine spaces, design better living environments and drive sustainability and inclusivity. Several days of performances, lectures, workshops, concerts & more. Discover the full programme.
Top tips for the coming days:
The Rooms art fair is on, until 7 June at Mix Brussels in Watermael-Boitsfort. Second edition of this unique event brings over 40 galleries into individual hotel rooms, transforming each space into an intimate world where art and design meet interior. Public days run Friday to Sunday (Fri & Sat 14h–20h, Sun 14h–18h). Free access.
European Parliament Piano Festival is a perfect opportunity to take a cultural break in the busy European quarter and enjoy live music during the lunchtime. Concerts start at 13h, at the Info Hub. Full programme.
What’s Your Style? at MAD Brussels is a new exhibition that celebrates the work of 11 Belgian stylists, from internationally established names to emerging talents. This expo takes us behind the scenes of the fashion world, shining a spotlight on an often unseen but essential creative force: the stylist.
Just opened: Tutankhamun – The Immersive Exhibition at Brussels Expo. The award-winning, globe-trotting spectacle that has drawn over 2.5 million visitors worldwide, invites you to step inside the world of ancient Egypt and its mythical pharaoh.
City Vibe: What caught our eye this month
Around 99% of the content we publish is dedicated to celebrating and showcasing the very best of our city. Yet we also believe there is room for constructive criticism whenever things need to be better. In the latest edition of The Retail Edit, our contributor and retail consultant Elisa Servais reflects on the growing number of beloved independent and local shops disappearing from our streets. Her open letter is both a reflection and a call to action – an invitation to support the businesses that give our city its character before more of them are lost.
Attention coffee enthusiasts, World of Coffee, the ultimate annual event for the specialty coffee community, takes place at Brussels Expo from 25 to 27 June. This is the first time that a WoC show will be hosted in Belgium – expect hundreds of smaller events, workshops & tastings in various coffee bars across the city.
While speaking of coffee, a new Brussels spot has been creating a buzz on social media. At GAT, located at a stone’s throw from Place Flagey in Ixelles, customers only get to see a concrete wall with a hole and an anonymous hand serving their drinks… Very interesting concept, but we do wonder how long can trends like these last? 🙂
Now off to some gastronomy updates: with the release of the Michelin Guide Belux 2026, recently reopened La Villa Lorraine has been awarded “Opening of the Year” distinction, a great moment in the history of this culinary institution.
On 19 June, Comme chez Soi will mark a century of excellence, celebrating 100 years of a family-run Maison, Michelin-starred without interruption since 1953. Guests will discover signature dishes through a special anniversary menu that reflects both the heritage and evolution of the House.
Bagels, anyone? Eight is the new project by Sasha Litvine and Kenya Hoet, the duo behind popular Seven (two locations: Cinquantenaire and Edith Cavell). Open on rue du Pépin, between Porte de Namur and Sablon, this 18-seat bagel shop brings a fresh approach to the everyday lunch, breakfast & coffee. Friends since childhood, the two Brussels entrepreneurs built Eight around a single product they missed in the Belgian capital: the bagel, a New York icon.
After more than a century of history and 22 years under the leadership of chef David Martin, the two-Michelin-starred restaurant La Paix is moving from Anderlecht to its new home at the prestigious Hotel Corinthia (Rue Royale) in September 2026. Bringing its contemporary, refined cuisine to one of Belgium’s most iconic landmarks, La Paix will continue its journey with the same passion, excellence, and soul that have defined it for generations. Current location remains open until 3 July.
If you are looking for special Father’s Day activities, Hotel Amigo and its Bocconi restaurant will host an exceptional Pranzo della Domenica on 14 June, in collaboration with Maison Degand, combining an Italian buffet, live cooking and masculine elegance.
On the occasion of the World Art Nouveau Day, you are invited to a roundtable discussion on 10 June entitled “Beauty That Connects”. The event will focus on the role of women in Art Nouveau, featuring guest speakers who are deeply connected to this style in their everyday life.
Additionally, there could be no more fitting venue for this event than the Hungarian House of Brussels with one of the most famous Art Nouveau stained glass windows in town! Entrance is free but spots are limited: Register here.
Back in time:
Have you seen how Brussels Midi (South station) looked in the 19th century? Designed in a neoclassical style, it featured a monumental triumphal-arch entrance, richly decorated façades, and statues crowning the roof. In front of the station stretched the elegant Constitution Square, a spacious plaza lined with hotels, cafés, and restaurants serving travelers arriving from Paris and other European cities. Pretty amazing – take a look at this instagram video.
More June tips:
Tectonics Festival takes over Flagey on 19 & 20 June. In collaboration with Ictus, the Brussels Philharmonic presents two days of concerts, performances, and installations in this festival dedicated to new and experimental music.
Tosca at La Monnaie. Giacomo Puccini’s hit opera is a thriller that has you by the throat from the first note to the last. See this electrifying La Monnaie production from 17 June to 1 July.
If you are looking for more activities at the opera, we suggest one of the upcoming Concertinis in June. And for those who love unique experiences – roll out your yoga mat at La Monnaie for the Summer Solstice.
Next Friday late night opening at Villa Empain is on 26 June. Discover the exhibition Diary of Happiness until 9 pm, with an electronic music set by Oulad Omar by the poolside.
Party near the city: Brussels-based non-profit organization Maatwerk will host the very first edition of Maatwerk Festival – a unique gathering where music, nature and social impact come together for a meaningful cause. The event takes place on Saturday, 13 June in Park Drie Fonteinen in Vilvoorde.
Fête de la Musique on 19 & 20 June transforms Brussels and cities across Wallonia into open-air stages for dozens of free concerts spanning rap, pop, rock, jazz and classical music. The centrepiece in Brussels is always the Parc du Cinquantenaire, but stages spring up across the city.
Couleur Café takes place on 26 to 28 June at Osseghem Park, in the shadow of the Atomium. Expect a mix of hip-hop, soul, reggae, afrobeat and everything in between during three days of music, food and dancing in the park.
For all those who love a good party, check our June music agenda with top tips for concerts, festivals and open-air parties around Brussels and Belgium.
EU Quarter tips:
Discover the House of European History’s most recent expo: Postcolonial? The exhibition features unique artworks, historical objects and personal stories, leading the visitors throughout the much-needed European reckoning with colonialism. Entrance is free.
Autoworld Brussels presents Aston Martin – Elegance in Motion, an exhibition dedicated to one of the most iconic brands in British automotive history. Through a remarkable selection of rare and prestigious models, explore nearly a century of history where timeless elegance, technical innovation, and outstanding performance come together. Until 21 June.
Histoire vivante: puppet-making workshop at the House of European History on 6 June. This workshop, aimed at children between 6 and 12 years old, combines a visit to the “Postcolonial?” exhibition with a creative workshop, led by Congolese artist Justice Kasongo Dibwe and the museum’s educators.
Love is Love Lunch Tour at the House of European History on 16 June. Take a closer look at some stories from the LGBTQIA+ community, the struggle to love who they want, their victories, and the waves they made in European history. Free access, 45 mins tour, no booking required. Starts at 12:15.
Various community & neighbourhood updates:
- Summer Market on 28 June at Fosbury & Sons from 11am to 6pm. A revisited Sunday market in the garden, celebrating Belgian craftsmanship with a curated mix of food, drinks, decor, accessories, skincare and much more. Four-legged friends are very much part of the party too, with a few surprises planned and activities for the little ones.
- Full Circle community has their Open Day & drinks on 27 June. Check also their June calendar.
- The Nine club in the EU quarter has several upcoming events (open to guests) – check their June calendar. Also: Friday Happy Hours at the club is open to non-members, from 18h to 20h, book a table here.
- Brussels Imagination club invites you to their new workshop on 10 June. Topic: Daily Self-Care with Chinese Medicine: Wellness, Acupressure, Scraping and Qigong.
- The conference’Fear of flying?’ at FlyLounge on 26 June.
Also happening:
- New edition of the BXL Tour, one of the city’s major sporting events, takes place on 14 June. Thousands of cyclists will ride through some of the capital’s most iconic streets on a circuit completely closed to traffic. It’s the perfect opportunity to discover Brussels from a different perspective and enjoy the festive atmosphere.
- From 12 June, the Fashion and Lace Museum brings Simplicities, a fascinating exhibition that explores how fashion, long before contemporary minimalism, already sought purity of lines, freedom of the body and a certain idea of simplicity.
- Bozar:Bellezza e Bruttezza (Beauty and Ugliness) ends on 14 June – 90 masterworks from the Italian Renaissance, including pieces by Botticelli, da Vinci, Titian and Tintoretto, several on display in Belgium for the first time. The exhibition is at its best in quieter midweek hours.
- Back to Pompeii exhibition at Tour & Taxis – Plunge back in time to Pompeii, the ancient city that was frozen in time by the Vesuvius. Experience the daily life of a Pompeian family in immersive settings of exceptional quality and explore reconstructed Roman homes, artisan workshops and entertainment venues.
- Concerts “Bach ad Meridiem” on 13, 20 & 27 June in the St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral. More info
- Jeppe Hein: Reflections on Breathing at Vanhaerents Art Collection. The Danish artist’s first major Brussels exhibition brings together three iconic works: Breathe With Me, Modified Social Benches and Rotating Mirrors – an immersive encounter with mindfulness, connection and collective presence. The Vanhaerents warehouse in the city centre is one of Brussels’ finest private collection spaces. Until 31 Dec.
- Territoires intérieurs at Musée & Jardins van Buuren, until 27 September. A poetic dialogue between two major figures of 20th-century Belgian art, Gustave van de Woestyne and Anto Carte – both sharing a deeply interiorised vision of the human condition, spirituality and the rural world.
- New expo: Designing Childhood – a history of design for children, at the Design Museum Brussels.
- Val Saint-Lambert & Design at Design Museum Brussels. The rich creative history of Belgium’s legendary crystal glassworks, with particular focus on the dialogue between craft and design from Expo 58 through the early 2000s.
- BELDAVIA – Votre nouvelle terre d’acceuil (your new host country) is an interactive and committed exhibition-action at La Fonderie – Brussels Museum of Industry and Labour. Learn more about this place in our article Small Museums, Big Stories. Until 28 June.
- Burning the Days at WIELS Museum. An exhibition dedicated to the incisive and enigmatic work of Lutz Bacher, a key figure in American conceptual art. Through photographs, appropriations, and plays on identity, the show questions the mechanisms of power, gender, and representation that permeate contemporary visual culture, engaging in dialogue with the museum’s industrial space. Until August.
- The Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences invites you to take flight and discover how animals and humans are able to soar through the skies. An exhibition that explores both nature and technology, FLIGHT presents a magnificent array of fossils, stuffed birds and model aeroplanes. Recommended for visitors aged 10 and above. Until 9 August.
- The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium presents Spilliaert Room, a new room dedicated to the poetic and mysterious world of the Belgian painter, illustrator and draughtsman Léon Spilliaert.
We hope you are enjoying our free newsletter! We pull together the most interesting local events, mixed with inspiring stories & tips so you can make the most of Brussels.
