CNN recommends Brussels as a place to visit in 2026

Brussels has been recommended to foreign visitors as being well worth a trip this year, according to American news site CNN, which has included the city in its list of up-and-coming travel highlights for 2026 - from Adelaide to East Timor.

The Belgian capital itself features alongside the exotic destinations of Bahrain and the Chilean fjords. But weather is not everything, with CNN proclaiming Brussels is an unmissable “artistic hub”.

The capital of Europe has long been celebrated for its historic buildings, imposing Grand-Place and delicious food. “Think velvety waffles, sweet Speculoos biscuits and warming stews,” CNN said.

“But there’s more to Brussels than its European Union credentials, gothic architecture and sweet treats. Scratch the surface and you’ll uncover an artistic hub set to come into its own in 2026.”

The American news channel’s must-sees include the future modern art museum Kanal Centre Pompidou. This site will host myriad contemporary art shows, as well as the Civa architecture museum, several eateries including a rooftop restaurant and play and meeting spaces, and is scheduled to open at the end of November.

CNN also recommends discovering Brussels’ artistic legacy at the Comics Art Museum, which highlights Belgium’s famous characters Tintin and the Smurfs, exploring the many examples of street art in the city or visiting the Art Brussels contemporary art fair.

“Wandering around the city, you’ll also stumble upon other Brussels highlights old and new, from the Galéries Royales Saint-Hubert, beautiful 19th-century covered shopping arcades, to the Atomium, the centrepiece of the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair and now a symbol of the city,” CNN added.

But culture is not everything. CNN also highlights the “two buzzy hotel chains that now have outposts in the oft-overlooked north of the city. The Standard and The Hoxton offer chic contemporary accommodation and great dining options”.

CNN’s accolade to the European capital is particularly striking as so few other cities in the continent make the grade. Finland’s capital of culture Oulu is one of the very few also present.

But Brussels is increasingly popular for American tourists. In 2024, 11% more US residents booked a trip to what The New York Times once described as "the new Berlin".