In a wonderful urban art project, namely a Comic Book Route, Brussels unites the best of its iconic arts, namely comic books and murals.
In this post, I’ll take you on a special scavenger hunt along the fantastic Parcours Bande Dessinée through the exciting capital of Belgium. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes as many of Brussels’ picturesque streets and alleyways are made of cobblestones. But most importantly, keep your eyes peeled so you don’t miss any of the works of art with which Brussels pays homage to its countless comic artists.
- The History of Bandes Dessinées in Belgium
- Brussels’ Comic Book Route
- The Best Murals
- Broussaille
- Victor Sackville
- Ric Hochet
- Kinky And Cosy
- Monsieur Jean
- Le Jeune Albert
- Olivier Rameau
- Tintin et Milou
- Le Passage
- Gaston Lagaffe
- Les Crocodiles
- Bob et Bobette
- Billy the Cat
- Cubitus
- Caroline Baldwin
- Les Rêves de Nic
- Cori le Moussaillon
- Lucky Luke
- Astérix & Obelix
- In My Area
- L’Archange – XXe Ciel
- Néron
- L’Elève Ducobu
- Le Petit Gilet
- Les Ancêtres Bienveillants
- Odilon Verjus
- Blondin et Cirage
- Léonard
- Boule and Bill
- La Patrouille des Castord
- Spirou
- Benoît Brisefer
- Blake and Mortimer
- Quick and Flupke
- Gil Jourdan
- Natacha
- Vandergoten
- Un Monde à l’Envers
- La Cabane
- Le Roi des Mouches
- Martine
- How To Get Around
- Where to Spend a Night in a Comic Dreamland
- Map
- Pinnable Pictures
The History of Bandes Dessinées in Belgium
The European Parliament, the Atomium, beer, and waffles: Brussels is famous for many things, including a rich comic history. The importance of comics to the city is deep-rooted and diverse. No wonder, since comics in Belgium, and especially in Brussels, have their roots at the turn of the 20th century. At that time, the small drawn stories appeared primarily in newspapers and magazines.
One of the most famous Brussels comic artists is undoubtedly Georges Remi, better known as Hergé. He is the creator of Tintin and Milou. This series debuted in 1929 and is known worldwide.
Belgian comics had their heyday in the 1940s and 1950s. These were the years in which many iconic series and characters such as Lucky Luke and the Smurfs were created.
It must be emphasized that Belgium has made it easy for the culture of comics to grow and spread. While in other countries people still turned up their noses at drawn storytelling,
In Belgium, comics were not only recognized as an art form, but actually celebrated. Brussels celebrates its comic culture with museums, exhibitions, and events.
A Center Dedicated to Comic Books
For example, the Center Belge de la Bande Dessinée, the Belgian Comics Center, is dedicated to the history and art of comics. It features original drawings, manuscripts, and interactive exhibitions. Regular comic festivals and trade fairs attract numerous visitors. Of course, this also has positive economic effects on the city. Speaking of cheap money: Brussels is home to many important comic publishers such as Dupuis and Lombard. These publishers have contributed significantly to the development and distribution of comics in Europe and beyond.
Many institutions offer workshops and courses that help young talents develop their comic drawing skills. As a matter of fact, there are special programs and courses at universities and art schools in Brussels that deal with the art of comics and visual narrative.
With its rich history, famous artists and characters, and active promotion of comic culture, Brussels remains a major center for comic art. Comics are deeply embedded in the cultural and economic life of the city and contribute significantly to the identity and attractiveness of the city.
Brussels’ Comic Book Route
The comic route was launched in the early 1990s after the facade advertising in the center of Brussels was removed and it became apparent that the building facades underneath were in need of significant renovation. This was the occasion for Frank Pé’s first comic wall on Rue du Marché au Charbon. The aim was to beautify the cityscape of Brussels and at the same time celebrate the cultural heritage of Belgian comics. The Comic Strip Route promotes awareness and appreciation of Belgian comic art. It attracts both comic fans and art lovers and offers a unique insight into the history and development of comics in Belgium. The city worked with various artists and publishers.
The route includes more than 60 murals spread throughout the city. Each mural is a work of art in itself and depicts iconic figures and scenes. It offers a fun and educational way to explore all possible corners of the city while learning more about Belgian comic culture.
A few of the murals that can be seen on the course show protagonists from children’s books such as Martine. Others do not show comic book heroes, but are by comic artists. The vast majority, however, features all the charismatic comic book characters that Belgium and France produced in the 20th century.
How to Explore Brussels’ Comic Book Route
Today, the Comic Route is a unique attraction that celebrates the city’s rich comic culture. The murals can be found mainly in the city center of Brussels as well as in some surrounding neighborhoods. This allows visitors to discover the artworks while exploring the city easily.
You can join a guided tour where experienced guides lead participants to the various murals and provide interesting background information about the comics and their creators. Visitors can also explore the Comic Strip Route on their own. There are maps and apps to help find the different murals.
With the information in this post, you should be well-equipped for your comic mural hunt.
The Best Murals
Unlike their American counterparts such as Mickie Mouse and Donald Duck, not all Franco-Belgian comic characters became famous around the world. Tintin has solved cases around the globe, and even the ancient Gauls Asterix and Obelix got around quite a bit, at least in Europe. Nevertheless, many of the quirky personalities are frequently only known in Europe, and often hardly beyond Belgium’s borders.
Because of their complexity, they are probably not that easily transferable to other cultural backgrounds. It starts with the names: Many of the protagonists have different names in different languages. Tintin and Milou are called Tintin and Snowy in English, and Tim and Struppi in German-speaking countries. Depending on the region, Bob and Bobette also go by Spike and Suzy, Willy and Wanda, and Luke and Lucy. Also, sophisticated storytelling, which often refers to historical or political events, is not as easy to digest as speech bubbles filled with crash, boom, bang.
So that you have a little more background on your scavenger hunt for Brussels’ most beautiful comic murals, I have written a short description of the main characters and their fathers for all the works – yes, in this case, there are hardly any mothers. I furthermore mention the street where the work can be found. However, you’ll find it on the map at the end of this post. This way, meeting all your favorite heroes shouldn’t be much of a challenge.
Happy hunting!
Broussaille
The Artist
Frank Pé studied at the Saint-Luc Institute in Brussels. From 1973 he contributed to Spirou magazine and in 1978, his character Broussaille made his debut.
The Character
Jonas Valentin aka Broussaille is a student from Brussels. He makes fantastic discoveries in his everyday life and on his travels. He meets legendary animals, strange phenomena, and lovingly eccentric fellow human beings.
The Location
Rue du Marché au Charbon
Victor Sackville
The Artist
Francis Carin specializes in historical comics. The stories take place in his home region of Wallonia in the early 20th century. For example, his spy comic Victor Sackville, on which he worked from 1983 to 2010 with the authors Gabrielle Borile and François Rivière.
The Character
In the service of the King of England, Victor Sackville travels the world as a spy during the First World War to thwart the enemy’s plans.
The Location
Rue du Marché au Charbon
Ric Hochet
The Artist
Gilbert Gascard aka Tibet was a French cartoonist in the Franco-Belgian comic tradition until he died in 2010. He worked with the copywriter André-Paul Duchâteau on the long-running series Ric Hochet.
The Character
Ric Hochet is a reporter at the newspaper La Rafale in Paris.
He has a strong sense of justice and takes great risks to stop bad guys. His friend Commissaire Bourdon has his back.
The Location
Rue de Bon Secours 4
Kinky And Cosy
The Artist
Marnix Verduyn aka Nix is a versatile artist with an unusual career. As an electrical engineer, he left a secure job at a telecommunications company to draw comics.
The Character
The quirky little sisters Kinky and Cosy cause the greatest chaos with gratifying naivety and innocence. They maneuver their way through life fearlessly and full of heartwarming childish logic.
The Location
Rue des Bogards 19
Monsieur Jean
The Artists
The French author and illustrator team Philippe Dupuy and Charles Berbérian have been telling the story of the charming Monsieur Jean and his slightly chaotic environment for more than a decade.
The Character
Monsieur Jean is a young novelist living in Paris, navigating the complexities of modern urban life. The series delves into his relationships, friendships, and everyday struggles, capturing the essence of contemporary life with a blend of humor, melancholy, and realism.
The Location
Rue des Bogards
Le Jeune Albert
The Artist
Yves Chaland was barely 33 when he died in a traffic accident. Today, while cartoonists refer to him as their great role model, comic book collectors fight over the body of work that he left behind.
The Character
Le Jeune Albert, hence, Young Albert, is a mischievous and somewhat cynical boy with a rebellious attitude and a tendency to cause trouble, often getting into humorous or absurd situations.
The stories often criticize bourgeois society and explore themes of childhood innocence lost in the complexities of urban life.
The Location
Rue des Alexiens 49
Olivier Rameau
The Artist
Daniel Henrotin aka Dany and Michel Regnier aka Greg, who sadly died in 1999, created Olivier Rameau in 1968. The series is celebrated for its playfully surreal nature, offering an escape into a fantasy land.
The Character
Olivier Rameau and his colleague Monsieur Pertinent venture on a crazy tram into a forest and discover the magical world of Rêverose where Olivier falls in love with Colombe Tiredaile.
The Location
Rue du Chêne 9
Tintin et Milou
The Artist
Georges Prosper Remi aka Hergé, who sadly died in 1983, was one of the most famous cartoonists. Hergé’s works have been widely acclaimed for their clear draughtsmanship and well-researched plots.
The Character
Tintin, a young reporter and his dog Milou always get into new adventures around the world. First published in 1929, the series was translated in over 70 languages!
The Location
Rue de l’Etuve 37
Le Passage
The Artist
The Belgian comic artist and scenarist François Schuiten, who was awarded the Angoulème Grand Comic Art Prize, has a great passion for architecture, hence, a city is the main character of his work.
The Character
In the comic book Brüsel, real estate sharks in the city of the same name want to replace working-class neighborhoods with large-scale projects.
The Location
Rue du Marché au Charbon 19
Gaston Lagaffe
The Artist
André Franquin, who sadly died in 1997, is one of Europe’s most important Franco-Belgian cartoonist, alongside Hergé and René Goscinny.
The Character
Gaston is an office boy in the – real! – publishing house Dupuis. He’s supposed to be dealing with readers’ mail, but instead, he’s mostly just noticeable because of his unsuccessful experiments and tinkering, and because of his laziness and sleepiness.
The Location
Rue de l’Ecuyer 15
Les Crocodiles
The Artist
Juliette Boutant was born in 1991 in Bordeaux and studied at the École européenne supérieure de l’image in Angoulême. She was joined by Thomas Mathieu after he had seen her Crocodiles Project on her blog.
The Character
From the comic strip of the same name, the Crocodiles fresco raises awareness of street harassment and ordinary sexism. Through a panel of six scenes, the work highlights everyday behaviors.
The Location
Rue du Canon 1
Bob et Bobette
The Artist
During his career of 50 years, Willy Vandersteen published more than 1000 albums of 25 series, selling more than 200 million copies worldwide. He passed in 1990. Paul Geerts continues his legacy.
The Characters
The comical and ingenious stories revolve around Bob et Bobette as well as their friends and family. Vandersteen created the characters which are also known under other names such as Spike and Suzy in 1945.
The Location
Rue de Laeken
Billy the Cat
The Artist
Stéphan Colman began drawing at a very early age and, at just 17, was the youngest illustrator for the renowned Spirou magazine. The texts are by Stephen Desberg.
The Character
Because of his spite towards animals, Billy was turned into a cat in order to experience for himself the torment that animals experience. He had to adapt to his changed situation in order to find friends again.
The Location
Rue d’Ophem 24
Cubitus
The Artist
Luc Dupanloup aka Dupa sadly died in 2000. His creation Cubitus was later turned into an animated series called Wowser.
The Character
Cubitus is a huge yet good-natured dog who enjoyes good food, captivating novels and inspiring conversations. Together with his master Sémaphore, a retired sailor, he made an appearance in a Japanese cartoon series in the 1980.
The Location
Rue de Flandre 119
Caroline Baldwin
The Artist
André Taymans began his career as a comic artist in the 1980s, initially working as an assistant for well-known comic artists such as Tibet and Cosey. He is appreciated for his clear and precise drawing style and the complex, realistic plots of his stories.
The Character
Caroline Baldwin works as an investigator for the New York detective agency Wilson. After she is injured by an HIV-infected attacker during a mission, she receives the diagnosis that she herself is HIV-positive. After a phase of despair, she tries to continue living a normal life. She is supported by FBI agent Gary Scott
The Location
Rue de la Poudrière 31
Les Rêves de Nic
The Artists
While Hermann Huppen draws Nic’s adventures under his stage name Hermann, his brother-in-law Philippe Vandooren aka Morphée wrote the texts until his death in 2000.
The Character
Nic is a nine-year-old boy who is always dressed in red pajamas. He ventures into the imaginary world of dreams. Strongly inspired by Little Nemo in Slumberland, each chapter tells one of his dreams. Although the editions follow one another, each part is yet an independent story.
The Location
Rue des Fabriques 39
Cori le Moussaillon
The Artist
Until his death in 1992, Robert Frans Marie De Moor published numerous comic books under his pen name Bob de Moor.
The Character
Cori le Moussaillon is a cabin boy who joins a Dutch merchant ship in the 16th century and experiences numerous adventures on the high seas. Its historical accuracy and detailed drawings characterize the comic.
The Location
Rue des Fabriques 21
Lucky Luke
The Artist
Maurice De Bevere aka Morris created Lucky Luke in 1946. From 1955 he worked with the French comic superstar René Goscinny. This partnership lasted until Goscinny died in 1977. Morris worked with various other lyricists until his own death in 2001.
The Character
Lucky Luke is a clever gunslinger known as the man who shoots faster than his shadow. Together with his clever horse Jolly Jumper, he faces off against various villains, some of whom are inspired by American history and folklore.
Although the series is set in the Old West of the United States, Lucky Luke is one of the best-known and best-selling comic series in Europe. It has been translated into 23 languages.
The Location
Rue de la Buanderie
Astérix & Obelix
The Artists
René Goscinny was a French comic editor and writer. He created the Astérix & Obelix series together with Alberto Aleandro Uderzo aka Albert Uderzo. As both artists died in 1977 and 2000 respectively, volumes 35 to 39 were created by Jean-Yves Ferri and Didier Conrad.
Having been translated into over 100 languages and dialects, the series transcends cultural barriers. Nevertheless, the translators have always played a crucial role in preserving the series’ humor across languages.
The Character
Astérix & Obelix are two Gallic heroes living in 50 B.C. As residents of a small village in Gaul, they resisted the Roman occupiers in the 4th century BC. With the help of a magic potion that grants superhuman strength, they fight against the Romans and experience numerous humorous adventures that contain historical events and numerous cultural parodies.
The Location
Rue de la Buanderie 33
In My Area
The Artist
Lucy McKenzie is a recognized visual artist. She is British but lives in Brussels.
The Characters
This mural does not depict a comic book, but is a tribute to the numerous comic murals that adorn the city’s walls. Since moving to Brussels, Lucy McKenzie has been curious about the murals and their function in public spaces. She uses the graphic style ligne claire to create exclusively female figures.
The Location
Rue des Chartreux 39
L’Archange – XXe Ciel
The Artist
Bernard Hislaire is also known as Sylaire and as Yslaire. He joined the drawing team of Spirou magazine when he was only 18 years old
The Character
This desolate angel is an excerpt from the XXciel.com series published between 1997 and 2004. In these stories, he takes a bitter look at the 20th century through the eyes of a 98-year-old man. The angel appears in the midst of the death and suffering of WWI.
The Location
Rue des Chartreux 21
Néron
The Artist
Marc Sleen, who died in 2016 at the age of 93, was one of the most celebrated comics artists in Belgium. Together with Bob et Bobette and Jommeke, Néron is considered one of the Big Three of Flemish comics.
The Character
Néron is a somewhat eccentric man who often finds himself in absurd adventures. The stories feature a wide array of quirky characters and often comment on contemporary social and political issues.
The Location
Place Saint-Géry 20
L’Elève Ducobu
The Artists
Benoît Drousie aka Zidrou used to be a teacher before he began writing books and songs for children in the early 1990s. In 1991, he met the illustrator Bernard Godisiabois aka Godi with whom he created L’Elève Ducobu
The Character
Ducobu is a fool, but very resourceful in finding new ways to cheat or defy the teacher’s authority. He spends a lot of time in the corner of the classroom wearing a dunce cap.
The Location
Rue des Six Jetons 25
Le Petit Gilet
The Artist
Aurélie William Levaux is a Belgian artist who used to draw comics but then turned to working with fabrics and embroidery.
The Character
Le Petit Gilet, hence, the little vest, is one of the three works of the BD Parcours, which were intended to beautify the tunnels under the railway lines running from north to south as part of the Jonction Sustainable Neighborhood Contract. Aurélie William Levaux, who regularly works with oppressed populations, plays with the structure of the tunnel and presents six different everyday scenes.
The Location
Tunnel off Rue Frédéric Basse
Les Ancêtres Bienveillants
The Artist
Fabienne Loodts is the author of children’s and youth literature and graphic novels.
The Characters
This mural is also part of the above-mentioned beautification project of the tunnels between the districts of Marolles and Anneessens.
Fabienne Loodts’ mural of benevolent ancestors depicts those who watch over this district, which is home to a population of very different origins. She paid particular attention to the portraits’ profiles, which reflect the desire for inclusion. According to the artist, the people portrayed come from Belgium, Congo, Guinea, Senegal, Spain, France and Poland.
The Location
Tunnel off Rue de la Fontaine
Odilon Verjus
The Artists
Yann le Pennetier aka Yann is a French comic book author. After studying architecture and communication, he began to devote himself to comics.
The Character
Father Odilon is a missionary of Notre-Dame du Sacré-Coeur. He is accompanied by the slight Laurent de Boismenu in Papua New Guinea between the two world wars. A spiritual search in the truest sense of the word
The Location
Rue des Capucins 11
Blondin et Cirage
The Artist
Born in 1914, Joseph Gillain aka Jijé worked as an illustrator for various publishers and projects until he began drawing for the magazine Le Croisé in 1935. He died in 1980
The Characters
The main characters are the light-skinned Blonde and the dark-skinned Cirage. Blondin solves problems in various parts of the world with intelligence, but the real popular figure in the series is Cirage.
The Location
Rue des Capucins
Léonard
The Artist
Philippe Liégeois aka Turk worked with Bob de Groot on several comic series. Bob de Groot was often responsible for the content and Turk for the drawings.
The Character
Léonard is a comic series that revolves around the narcissistically portrayed Leonardo da Vinci and his inventions. He is supported by his lazy but adaptable apprentice. So far 53 volumes have been published in Belgium.
The Location
Rue des Capucins 23 a
Boule and Bill
The Artist
After graduating from school, Jean Roba began training as an advertising graphic artist. He was a comic artist until his death in 2006.
The Character
Boule is a seven-year-old boy. Boule’s parents and friends often take part in the cute stories. Apart from his dog Bill, the family has also the pet turtle Caroline. All stories take place in the context of an ordinary family in a average town.
The Location
Rue du Chevreuil
La Patrouille des Castord
The Artists
MiTacq developed the series. He worked together with the proven author Jean-Michel Charlier. Yet, the texts for some volumes come from Marc Wasterlain.
The Characters
A group of scouts experiences exciting adventures. Initially set in Belgium and France, the later make it also to distant lands in Africa and Asia. The patrol consists of five brave boys whose names are associated with certain character traits.
The Location
Rue Blaes 200
Spirou
The Artists
Robert Velter aka Rob-Vel, who died in 1991, began his professional career at 16 as a bellboy at the Ritz-Carlton in London.
The Character
Spirou is a bellhop who turns things at the Hotel Moustic upside down. Rob-Vel appears in the work as an artist who creates Spirou and sprinkles him with the water of life so that he emerges from the canvas. Spirou is among the most successful comics in Europe, comparable to Tintin and Asterix.
The Location
Rue Notre-Dame de Grâces
Benoît Brisefer
The Artist
Pierre Culliford aka Peyo was a Belgian comic artist whose most successful creation is the Smurfs. He died in 1992.
The Character
Benoît Brisefer is an exceptionally strong boy who can jump incredibly high. However, he loses his powers when he gets a cold. Benoît is inquisitive, curious, hardworking, polite, extraordinary and good-natured.
The Location
Rue Haute 119
Blake and Mortimer
The Artist
Edgar P. Jacobs was a commercial artist, portrait painter, and opera baritone before entering the comics business as a colorist.
The Characters
Captain Francis Blake, a British MI5 officer, and Professor Philip Mortimer, a brilliant scientist experience adventures of espionage, science fiction, and historical mysteries. The stories are known for detailed artwork and complex plots.
The Location
Rue du Temple 6
Quick and Flupke
The Artists
Tintin’s father Hergé was a copywriter and illustrator for the humorous comic series. Fun fact: Quick and Flupke appear briefly in the stories Tintin in the Congo and The Mysterious Star.
The Characters
Quick and Flupke are two boys from Marolles, Brussels’ old town. They play funny pranks and keep getting into trouble with the adults around them. Fittingly, the mural is in the Marolles district.
The Location
Rue Blaes 26
Gil Jourdan
The Artists
Maurice Tillieux, who died in 1978, published his first comic drawings at the age of 14! A professional career followed, which began in 1936 with drawings and illustrations for the Dupuis magazine Le Moustique.
The Character
Gil Jourdan is a private detective who and his team solve extremely complicated criminal cases that the police cannot solve.
The Location
Rue Thys-Vanham 35
Natacha
The Artist
François Walthéry published his first comic series at the age of 16. Later he was responsible for the decor for the Smurfs in the studio of the illustrator Peyo.
The Character
Although she is only a stewardess, she usually secretly commands the planes. She is also a passionate hobby detective and adventurer. Its appearance was inspired by a childhood friend of its inventor, Walthéry. She has all the characteristics of an open-minded, self-confident girl who doesn’t let anyone or anything put her down.
The Location
Rue Jan Bollen 76
Vandergoten
The Artists
Emilie Plateau studied fine arts in Montpellier. Eventually, she moved to Brussels, where she started her career as a comics author and illustrator.
The Motif
This mural depicts the neighborhood and the inhabitants of the Vandergoten residential complex. After the furniture store Vandergoten et Fils filed for bankruptcy, the land was abandoned for several years before being put up for sale. Old bricks from the old building were reused for the construction of the new building.
The Location
Boulevard Emile Bockstael 304
Un Monde à l’Envers
The Artists
Georg Barber aka ATAK is an artist, graphic designer, and illustrator living and working in Berlin.
The Character
In Un Monde à l’Envers, the multicolored and fantastic illustrations follow one another in the tradition of the illustrated children’s book. A caged zookeeper is watched by a lion, mice chase the cat, and a baby feeds its mother.
Created in a space formerly suitable for dumping, this fresco completes the rehabilitation of a green channel converted into a play area for children.
The Location
Boulevard Emile Bockstael 209 a
La Cabane
The Artist
Léonie Bischoff is a comic strip artist from Switzerland. Today, she lives in Brussels.
The Character
La Cabane, the latest mural in the Comic Book Trail of Brussels, depicts seven women of different physiques and origins in an environment of trees and water. It highlights the significance of working together.
The Location
Rue Champ de l’Église 4
Le Roi des Mouches
The Artist
Pascal Mesenburg aka Mezzo is a multidisciplinary artist who gets his inspiration from various sources.
The Character
Le Roi des Mouches, hence, The King of the Flies, is a dark, surreal comic book series. Set in an eerie suburban town, the narrative follows various characters whose lives intertwine in strange and unsettling ways. The series is noted for its exploration of themes like power, control, and the disintegration of social and personal boundaries.
However, this larger-than-life mural is Mezzo’s homage to Hergé as the yeti is similar to the one in Hergé’s Tintin in Tibet.
The Location
Rue Hubert Stiernet 23
Martine
The Artist
Marcel Marlier illustrated the children’s series Martine from 1954. The stories were written by Gilbert Delahaye. This series spans over 50 issues and has been translated into numerous languages.
The Character
Martine is an adventurous girl. Her tales are popular worldwide because they include something for everyone. Children are particularly drawn to Martine because she is surrounded by good friends, a loving family, and cute animals.
The first album was published in 1954, followed by 59 other books, which have been translated into many languages. The book series has sold about 100 million copies which makes it one of the best-selling book series. Although Martine is not a comic character, her larger-than-life portrait is an important part of Brussels’ Comic Book Route.
The Location
Avenue de la Reine 325
How To Get Around
Most of the murals I’m introducing in this post are located in the city center. This area is so small that you can cross it from one end to the other in about half an hour. I’d say that you can see all the street art in one day, and that includes some stops for refreshments or shopping.
Of course, you can also easily explore urban art in Brussels by bike. Several companies are renting out regular bicycles as well as e-bikes. However, I would only recommend this for tours outside the city center, as many streets and alleys are packed with people. Also keep in mind that Brussels can be quite hilly in places, which can also make cycling challenging. However, to get to the murals outside the very center for instance in the neighborhood of Laeken, a bike is the perfect means of transportation.
Going Public
This being said, I’d like to point out that public transport in Brussels is just great. I would argue that the city has the best public transport network in all of Europe! There is a subway, there are trams, and buses and everything is clean and reliable. It is also easy for foreigners and first-time visitors to find their way around. Timetables and maps are posted at all stops. Google Maps also shows you the best connection between two spots.
Basically, contactless payment is the most convenient way of buying a ticket. Simply hold your bank card, smartphone, or smartwatch to the reader in the vehicles. A one-way trip costs €uro 2.10, the maximum daily price is €uro 7.50.
Remember that you still need to check in even if you have a physical ticket, whether for a single trip or a multiple ticket. In this case, you have to hold the ticket to another reader on the bus or tram. The turnstiles at the metro stations work for both ticket types. Don’t forget that at many metro stations you have to tap your ticket again to leave the station.
If you have a ticket for the Société des Transports Intercommunaux de Bruxelles network, STIB for short – this includes all metro lines, trams, and most bus lines, you cannot use it on buses operated by the company DeLijn! Within Brussels, these buses usually have an R in front of the number.
Where to Spend a Night in a Comic Dreamland
If you want the full roar of the comic book experience, then you can rent a room in the Yooma Urban Lodge*. Here, spending a night in your favorite comic book is not just a dream as the hotel is decorated entirely in the style of a Belgian comic. From the hallways and, of course, the rooms to the restaurant and bar, you are immersed in fascinating decor. Choose from 60 suites based on no less than 31 comic series. And that’s by far not all since there are arcades, reading rooms, cinemas, and even a shop, where everything revolves around comics and your favorite heroes.
Also, not far from the Grand Place, the Rocco Forte Hotel Amigo* has an official Tintin suite whose decoration immerses you in Hergé’s work. This is truly a unique opportunity to have an unforgettable stay in the comic capital!
However, if your enthusiasm for comics doesn’t go so far that you can’t refrain from it even at night, then you’ll definitely find accommodation that suits your needs and budget on this map*:
Map
This map should help you to find the murals I’m introducing in this post. Clicking on the slider symbol at the top left or the full-screen icon at the top right will display the whole map including the legend.
Searching for Comic Murals as well as for the Best Street Art in Brussels were only two of many fun activities on my visits to Belgium’s capital. To read about what not to miss during your visit, go to my comprehensive guide Best Things to Do in BRUSSELS, the Capital of Europe. There you’ll find lots of valuable information that will make your own trip much smoother and more enjoyable. And if you have only a short layover in the city, my post 24 hours in Brussels has you covered.
Pinnable Pictures
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