• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

The real local side of Brussels can be found around the vibrant canal area. Want to discover it? Come with me and experience the alternative and up and coming neighborhoods that are filling Brussels up with multicultural vibes and a hip atmosphere.

Destination

Bruxelles, Belgium

Category

Off The Beaten Track

Duration

3 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

Deutsch, English, Français, Nederlands

Included

• Private guide

What you can expect

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with Christophe.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at Place Saint-Géry 2 - Bruxelles to start your journey

   View on Maps

2. Itinerary

   This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. Meeting Point

   Meet me at Place Saint-Géry, in front of bar 'La Machine'

4. Old River Senne

   Discover the secret place where the river is still flowing like centuries ago

5. Dansaert Street

   See the hottest fashion boutiques

6. Old Grain Market

   Walk around the most beautiful terraces to the stunning Saint-Cathérine church

7. Ooievaarstraatje

   Discover the medieval Brussels

8. Canal Area

   Stand on the bridge to have a great view both ways

9. Magnificent Buildings

   Different buildings through the ages

10. Shared Space

    Experience the only 'shared space' in Brussels

11. Belle Vue Area

    Transformation from industrial over street art to new houses

12. Sunny Terrace with Trees

    Drink a beer or a tea at an iconic terrace

13. Make it yours

    Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

    Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

    Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

I can personalize this tour for you

• Tell me your preferred date and group size
• Tell me your preferences and wishes so I can customize the tour for you
• Wait for my personal offer in your inbox!

Contact me

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

john

3 March 2025

Christophe gaf ons een tour door Brussel die we niet snel zullen vergeten. Heel gemakkelijk maakte hij contact met iedereen en zorgde voor interessante insteekjes in de algemene route die we vooraf hadden afgesproken. Zo had iedereen de ervaring die het zo speciaal maakte en waardoor we he tlang nadien nog over onze eigen experience hadden. Zeer veel dank Christophe voor de mooie ervaring en de gezellige ochtend.A new Friend!

Sonja

21 January 2025

Christophe war einfach toll! Sehr fachkundig, hilfsbereit und nett. Wir können ihn gerne weiterempfehlen. Auch ist er auf unsere individuellen Wünsche und Fragen eingegangen. Danke für die perfekte Führung. Hervorragend

Danni

20 October 2024

Excellent trip. Tailored to us and our needs and preferences. was like seeing the city with a knowledgeable friend. Very knowledgeable and great information

SUSAN

20 June 2024

Christophe led a tour of four people. He was very knowledgeable about Brussel’s history and infused the tour with many details. We got to see many things the average tourist never sees. He was very considerate and thoughtful and brought us back to our hotel’s location. We would take a tour with him again! All the best, Susan,Steven, Joanne and FrankInteresting and in-depth tour

Beate

28 April 2024

Er bekommt von uns eine 10.Er war ein sympathischer, kompetenter engagierter Guide.Gerne wieder.B.MosnerUnser netter kompetenter Guide Christophe

phil🇺🇸 United States

23 April 2024

Christophe's off the beaten path tour of Brussels was a wonderful way for us to start our visit to town. He met us promptly at our hotel, and we started off on a four-hour tour, beginning at Grand Place and heading out of the tourist areas and walking through interesting villages, viewing beautiful old buildings, church, markets, canals, gardens and more. He provided very interesting information and history of Brussels. We had a beautiful day for our walking tour. We stopped a at pub for some Belgium beer tasting, sitting outside chatting, people watching, and taste testing various beers. Highly recommend Christophe for touring Brussels.Wonderful walking tour with Christophe

Rev. Thomas🇺🇸 United States

17 April 2024

We spent a very enjoyable couple of hours with Christophe as he showed us some corners of Brussels that are not always seen by visitors. He was friendly, responsive to questions, and very knowledgeable.Brussels with Christophe

Sonja

29 March 2024

Sehr netter Kontakt mit vielen interessanten Geschichten über Brüssels Geschichte und mit hervorragenden Empfehlungen für lokales Essen und lokal geführte Läden abseits der Menschenmassen. Vielen Dank lieber Christophe. 9

Sarah🇦🇺 Australia

23 August 2023

Our tour with Christophe was the highlight of our 4 nights in Brussels. We visited all the spots Christophe describes in the tour info and it was such a unique and interesting experience. The canal area and Molenbeck were fabulous to walk around and hear the history that Christophe showed us. He way he explained the history to the present of these areas was great and he really took the time to make the tour very memorable indeed. We wished we had booked him for the whole day instead of just 3 hours. I would highly recommend this tour with Christophe to get away from the touristic crowds and noise of the old city....especially for visitors staying more than a day or 2 in Brussels. Christophe told us the best places to eat and shop and the other areas that would be worth a visit over our 4 days. We have taken his recommendations on board and explored all these areas as well. He recommended where to eat for the best (and more affordable), local Belgian cuisine and also gave us some advice on the various areas for day trips from Brussels. Well worth every minute with Christophe. Sarah and David (from Sydney, Australia)The real side of Brussels with Christophe

Arne🇩🇪 Germany

19 June 2023

Es war eine sehr schöne und angenehme Tour mit Christophe durch Brüssel. Wir waren zu fünft mit ihm unterwegs und haben schöne Ecken abseits der allgemein bekannten Stellen erkundet. Wir hatten erstaunlich viele Fragen, welche er unermüdlich beantwortet. Jederzeit zu empfehlen.Schöne alternative Tour durch Brüssel

Shannonguernsey🇨🇦 Canada

29 May 2023

My husband and I, along with our 3 adult children had an absolutely awesome couple of hours with Christophe exploring “behind the scenes”. His knowledge on history, fun sense of humour and taking time with each of us throughout our tour was top notch. He took the time to also provide us with recommendations on where to eat or what to do in our remaining time in Belgium. We had an absolutely fantastic day with him and highly recommend! Fantastic local guide, highly recommend!

Florian 🇩🇪 Germany

17 May 2023

Wir hatten zu zweit Christophe gebucht mit zwei Führungen. Christophe hat die Führungen so zusammen gelegt, daß wir den Tag zusammen verbrachten und Mittags zusammen essen gegangen sind. Dabei haben wir bei ca 8 km Lauferei sehr viel zu sehen bekommen. Christophe hat sich sehr viel Mühe gegeben und ist auf alle Fragen eingegangen. Wünsche wurden berücksichtigt. Zusammenfassend kann man sagen, das es mit Christophe sehr angenehm war, wir viel gesehen und gelernt haben und es nie langweilig wurde. Uneingeschränkt zu empfehlen! Rundum gelungener Tag

Anette🇩🇪 Germany

13 March 2023

Wir waren sehr zufrieden mit der Führung von Christophe. Sehr kompetent, sehr flexibel, gute Laune und pünktlich. Wochenende in Brüssel

David🇫🇷 France

24 February 2023

We’ve had a great time with Christophe. He knows his stuff and when our kids got a little bit tired he kindly adapted the trip to our needs. Thank you.Really nice visit

Sara🇳🇱 Netherlands

11 December 2022

Absolutely loved the tour with Christopher and we are for sure going to book him again when we come to Brussels. The tour was really cool and he took us to all the non touristic places of brussels. 10/10 experience. Loved it!

Peter🇧🇪 Belgium

24 October 2022

Hajo🇩🇪 Germany

5 September 2022

Christophe hat uns Orte, Plätze, Gassen und streetart gezeigt, die wir so nicht gefunden hätten. darüber hinaus hat er uns viele Details zur Geschichte Brüssels und seiner Einwohner erzählt.Toll gelaufen!

Stephanie🇩🇪 Germany

26 August 2022

Wir haben auf tolle Weise das alte Brüssel mit dem früheren Hafenviertel kennengelernt. Danke!Behind the scenes

Mark🇮🇪 Ireland

17 August 2022

Christophe arrived early wearing a big smile and immediately put us (parents with teenagers) at ease. He took us on a wonderful tour, sharing his obvious love of his home city and his insights as a local. He was very alive to our needs and interests, adapting the focus of the tour so that we had the most memorable and interesting experience. Throughout the day, his warmth shone through, as did his great knowledge of Brussels - including the city's history, architecture and culture. He gave us insights no guide book provided, as well as recommendations for where locals like him enjoy the best and most authentic of what Brussels offers (including chocolate, waffles, beer and music). I'd recommend Christophe to anyone visiting Brussels for the first time or for any return-visitor who wants a real insight into Brussels life, past and present. A wonderful day with Christpohe

vern🇨🇦 Canada

29 July 2022

My fiancée and I booked Christophe for our first visit to Brussels. It was the best decision of our vacation. We did the history tour first, christophe showed us a number of historically relevant areas away from the tourist areas and had a wide knowledge of the history. A great experience if your interested in the city’s past. After the tour we sat down and drank some Belgian beer and talked about beer and music. It was such a nice time that we booked a second tour related to night life and live music with him, and after he showed us the best place to drink Trappists, we ended up seeing a live classic rock band in the heart of the city. Christophe’s tours were Definitely the best part of our Brussels trip. If you like history, music, or beer, you will greatly benefit from a personalized tour with Christophe. Thanks, Christophe! Best wat to see Brussels

Siobhan🇦🇺 Australia

24 May 2022

Christophe was fantastic. Friendly knowledgeable and showed us a Brussels we never would have seen without this tour. He went above and beyond to show me a bar to get Gluten Free beer- delicious on a hot day and well earned after this tour. Will definitely recommend to friends travelling here. Thanks so much. Fascinating and gluten free

Falguni 🇺🇸 United States

17 March 2022

My daughter and I took the behind the scenes tour of Brussels with Christophe yesterday. We had a fabulous time and learned a lot about the origins of this beautiful city. As it was our first day in Brussels, Christophe tailored the tour to include hidden gems as well as the popular tourist attractions. We even had an opportunity to try chocolate and taste some local beers at couple of places only the locals know about. We had a wonderful time. Christophe is very engaging and entertaining. I would highly recommend this tour!!Mother daughter trip

Bart🇳🇱 Netherlands

27 September 2021

Gister gezellig met Christophe door Brussel gewandeld. Veel gehoord over de geschiedenis van Brussel! Leuk dat Christophe een brede kennis heeft, dus zowel feiten over de stad maar ook over het ontstaan en politiek. Brussel

Stéphane🇧🇪 Belgium

21 August 2021

Hey Christophe, We hebben genoten van ons dagje Brussel en jij had daar een zeer groot aandeel in. Professioneel, maar je gaf ons het gevoel dat je gewoon tot onze vriendengroep behoort. Je bent een topkerel! We hebben heel wat opgestoken over de geschiedenis van Brussel en je hebt onze curiositeit aangewakkerd om hier nog dieper op in te gaan. Je zal ons dus zeer binnenkort terugzien. Ook het restaurantje op de Vismet dat je ons aangeraden hebt, is ons zeer goed bevallen. En over Brussel zelf: het lijkt ons dat onze hoofdstad een positieve evolutie aan het doormaken is. Er heerst een gezellige en positieve sfeer en we werden op elke plaats steevast in onze eigen taal aangesproken en bediend. We zijn nog aan het nagenieten. S & L We had a very good time!

Ngahuro

6 January 2020

Christophe was an amazing tour guide. From the get go, he made as feel welcome at ease and got to know a little about us and also introduced himself. In terms of the tour, he was able to tailor this to our liking and based on questions he asked along the way. It was great to learn more about the city, take the side streets and have a walk in Moleenbeek. In addition it was great fun to stop for a couple of beers and get to talk about everything and anything! Couldn't recommend this tour enough and thanks again Christophe.Brussels tour

Anne🇩🇪 Germany

2 December 2019

Die Tour mit Christophe war super und informativ. Er war sehr gut vorbereitet und die Beschreibung Rock n Roll Historiker passt perfekt. Er konnte uns die alte Geschichte Brüssels näher bringen und alle unsere Fragen beantworten. Aber er hatte auch gute kulinarische Tipps parat (abseits der üblichen Touristen-Pfade) und hat uns die beste Schokolade Brüssels gezeigt. Mit seiner offenen, lockeren Art und der kleinen Gruppengröße, hat man das Gefühl ein alter Freund würde einem die Stadt zeigen. Ich kann Ihn auf jeden Fall weiterempfehlen!!

Jose🇺🇸 United States

29 November 2019

Chris was very professional, friendly, very knowledgeable about the history, geography,culture and people of Brussels. He went over and beyond to accommodate us in every way. He is an excellent guide. My wife, daughter and myself highly recommend him. If you go to Brussels ask for Christopher for your guide. We have no words to express our thanks to this wonderful man. We appreciate you a lot. Regards from Aida, Jose and Melissa. Wonderful Christopher

Marjo🇳🇱 Netherlands

16 November 2019

Christophe is an easy going guy and told us a lot of (historical) background information of Brussels and could answer all our questions. He also had great tips for eating, drinking, music and chocolate. He was well prepared and had historical maps and pictures of Brussels in the past. We had booked only with the two of us, so it was really a great private tour. We will book him for sure for another visit to Brussel.Great experienced guide. Reccomended!

JJ🇺🇸 United States

7 September 2019

Christophe was extremely engaging. Further, he knows great detail about the city (surrounding area) and provided insights the were insightful and interesting. He was very patient with our questions and didn’t let our inquisitiveness trump the flow of the day. Great guide!Patient and knowledgable.

James🇺🇸 United States

23 August 2019

Christoph was a very good guide of Brussels showing us both touristy and non- touristy areas. Some great restaurant recommendations also. Can’t go wrong with Christopher.Great guide.

Kristin🇩🇪 Germany

28 June 2019

If you are visiting Brussels, your first priority should be booking this tour with Christophe. You will have a great time; learning history of Brussels, interesting stories and wandering down a few streets you would have missed on your own. Merci pour un excellent après-midi.Best way to see Brussels

Caroline🇸🇪 Sweden

20 June 2019

The Alternative Brussels tour with Christophe was a treat. We - 19, 47 and 69 years old! - all really learned a lot we never would have found out otherwise, and that with a very friendly, entertaining and knowledgeable guide. I strongly recommend this tour to any curious Brussels visitor!Outstanding

Caroline🇧🇪 Belgium

19 June 2019

Christophe was a wonderful host: informative, warm and patient with our interuptions and interventions. He also adapted our tour to our interests. I'd totally recommend him :-) !Fab!

Dylan🇺🇸 United States

21 May 2019

Our tour with Christophe was our favorite part of Brussels! Its obvious he's passionate about the City it was interesting to see the evolution of Brussels from the Medieval canals to the up and coming neighborhood if Molenbeek! He was funny and chill and it was great to try some the Belgian beers while exploring the alternative side of Brussels. Awesome Alternative Tour!

Ron🇮🇱 Israel

25 April 2019

We started at the heart of Brussels and slowly moved toward Molenbeek, while learning about the history of Brussels, the harbor area and many interesting stories concerning the development along the centuries. Christophe knows the history in depth and loves the area he lives in. His style is very friendly and welcoming. Thorough tour of Molenbeek

Ineke🇳🇱 Netherlands

14 April 2019

Christophe heeft ons veel nieuwe weetjes over Brussel en Molenbeek verteld. Het was erg leuk om deze wandeling met hem te maken. Hij is een uitstekende ambassadeur voor Molenbeek. Top wandeling!

Josh🇺🇸 United States

12 February 2019

Christophe was fun, personable, and very knowledgeable. I proposed a somewhat unusual tour and Christophe was able to give me the experience I was looking for. Our time together felt more like two friends exploring a city (where one person was an expert and the other, not so much) as opposed to a formal tour. I've already recommended him to some friends and I'd absolutely recommend him to you as well.Just the guide you're looking for

Lenney🇺🇸 United States

7 December 2018

Fantastic unique tour out of the busy tourist sites and hidden Brussels gem streets. Great superb tour guide Christophe with excellent explanations and history information. Highly recommended.Excellent Hidden Brussels Tour

Hazel🇺🇸 United States

26 November 2018

Great tour of Brussels with a bit of history, culture and and some time away from the tourist locations. Very personable and friendly with a welcoming introduction to life in Brussels. Christophe is enthusiastic and we enjoyed our tour with him.Charming local experience

Marc🇺🇸 United States

15 November 2018

My wife and I really enjoyed getting away from the touristy part of Brussels and spending a couple of hours with Christophe. It was fun to explore the history and culture of the city with a local who knows his way around, and also sit down and share a beer with him at an old historic bar, and hear what he has to say.Great time with Christophe

Natalie🇬🇧 United Kingdom

5 November 2018

Christophe was really friendly and engaging with our larger group of 12 colleagues. He adapted the alternative side of Brussels Tour to fit our schedule and interests. He was really patient with everyone and let us enjoy the tour in our individual ways. He knows a lot about the city and recommended great places to visit while we were there. Great tour guide! :)Friendly and adaptable.

Nina

23 September 2018

The tour was great! Christophe has an in-depth knowledge of Molenbeek and it was amazing to hear about the history, see the historical buildings, and see the cultural diversity that Molenbeek has to offer and hear about Brussels and its past and what it is like in the present day. Christophe is lots of fun & easy going and very knowledgeable. Seeing the Foundry museum at the end and tasting the different Belgium Craft beers and getting to chat and get to know each other at the Foundrys bar was a great way to finish the Tour. If you like History and culture it's worth doing the Tour.He is so much fun!

Alex

16 September 2018

A completely new image of Molenbeek. Very very positive experience!Tthank you! We know where to find you in the future;)Essencial Molenbeek

Katja🇧🇪 Belgium

28 February 2025

Mijn mama en ik deden onlangs een stadswandeling met Christophe en zijne maat Roel en we waren onder de indruk van de gidsen! Hun aangename en vriendelijke manier van vertellen maakte de wandeling echt bijzonder. Ze deelden talloze interessante verhalen en leuke weetjes over de stad, vaak met grappige kwinkslagen die ons aan het lachen maakten. Bovendien was een groot deel van de wandeling in het Brussels, wat voor een authentieke en unieke ervaring zorgde. Kortom, een absolute aanrader voor iedereen die Brussel op een andere manier wil ontdekken!

Ernst🇦🇹 Austria

12 February 2025

Trotz des kalten und regnerischen Wetters war die Stadtführung mit Christophe ein tolles Erlebnis! Wir haben viel gesehen, entdeckt und über Brüssel erfahren! Es war echt spannend und informativ! Christopher ist ein echt toller Stadtführer!Regen, Wind wir lachen drüber

Patrick🇩🇪 Germany

20 January 2025

Wir hatten das große Vergnügen, eine 3-stündige Tour durch Brüssel mit Christophe zu erleben, und es war einfach fantastisch! Christophe ist ein äußerst sympathischer und freundlicher Guide, der uns mit viel Leidenschaft und Fachwissen die Stadt nähergebracht hat. Er hat uns nicht nur die wichtigsten Sehenswürdigkeiten gezeigt, sondern auch einige versteckte Ecken, die wir alleine sicher nie gefunden hätten. Wir waren begeistert von Christophes umfassendem Wissen – keine unserer Fragen blieb unbeantwortet, und seine Erklärungen waren immer spannend und leicht verständlich. Die Tour hat super viel Spaß gemacht, und wir haben Brüssel von einer neuen Seite kennengelernt. Wer einen Guide sucht, der professionell, herzlich und kenntnisreich ist, sollte unbedingt eine Tour mit Christophe buchen. Absolute Empfehlung!Perfekte Tour durch Brüssel

Sharon🇺🇸 United States

17 January 2025

We had a 6 hour layover in Brussels. It was very easy taking the train from the airport 2 stops to Brussels Central Station where we met Christophe. He took us around the city for 3 hours giving us an overview of the history of the city, the neighborhoods of past and present, the thriving chocolate & food scenes, and entertainment scenes, and street art.Make tje most of a layover

Ricardo🇬🇹 Guatemala

12 January 2025

Christophe was a great tour guide. We really enjoyed out time with him. He is very knowledgeable about the area and took us on a wonderful tour. Great Tour

Mark🇨🇦 Canada

9 January 2025

Christophe was an engaging and knowledgeable guide for all the highlights and a few hidden gems around Brussels city center. A lot of walking on a chilly day, a lot of information, and a great overview for further explorations over several days. Excellent overview of Brussels' highlights

Anja

3 January 2025

Christophe hat es verstanden, uns mit Wissen und Humor durch die Altstadt von Brüssel zu begleiten. Dabei haben wir nicht nur historische Fakten erfahren, sondern erlebten belgische Herzlichkeit und erhielten viele spezielle Tipps für unsere weiteren Tage in Brüssel.Tolle Tour durch Brüssel mit Christophe