Why Ixelles Brussels Is The Best Neighbourhood To Stay In?

Planning a trip to Belgium but don’t know where to stay in Brussels? Ixelles is the best neighbourhood to stay in Brussels for short and long term trips. It’s close enough to the city centre to see all the main attractions in Brussels, but far enough away that you can enjoy a taste of local life.

I stayed in Ixelles Brussels for a month and absolutely fell in LOVE with the area!

I will point out that Ixelles is quite large so you do have to watch out where you stay in the neighbourhood. It won’t all be centrally located, but it is for the most part all safe! 

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Quick Disclaimer!

These are my opinions based on when I lived in Ixelles Brussels for a month (when I travelled abroad). My time in Brussels was split between exploring the city, travelling throughout and beyond Belgium, and working remotely. 

While I was able to get a good sense of the area, I want to be honest that haven’t lived in any other neighbourhood in Brussels. I did visit many of them, and always felt we made the right decision and chose the best neighbourhood to stay in Brussels.  

Is It Ixelles or Elsene Brussels?

You may see Ixelles referred to, or used interchangeably with, Elsene. Ixelles and Elsene are the same neighbourhood, it’s just French vs. Flemish. It’s more common to use Ixelles as Brussels’ primary language is French.

But! Brussels is actually in the Flanders region of Belgium (where they speak Flemish). Ixelles is in fact pronounced as you think it should be (with a hard ‘X’). It’s not like pronouncing Brussels in French (which is spelled Bruxelles but pronounced Brusselles).  

P.S. Confused about Belgium’s language and regions? Read about everything you need to know before planning a trip to Belgium.

Why Is Ixelles The Best Area In Brussels To Stay?

There are a few main reasons why Ixelles is the best area in Brussels to stay, but it all really comes down to it’s unbeatable location.

Local Vibes In Ixelles Belgium

Ixelles is far from being the tourist centre of Brussels so you’ll be able to see more of what local Brussels has to offer (which is a lot!). There aren’t any tourist traps you have to worry about (like fake tourist shops and overpaying for mediocre food). 

In Ixelles, you’ll be able to live as locals do in Brussels. You’re close enough to the city centre that you’re still able to visit, but you’re also able to leave it when you need an escape. Eat, shop, and dine like a local!

Ixelles Brussels Is Centrally Located To The City & More

One of the main reasons you’ll Ixelles is the best area in Brussels to stay in is because it’s so centrally located to EVERYTHING! You can either walk or take public transit anywhere you need to go in Brussels, Belgium, and beyond! 

You can easily get to the city centre, the (awesome) surrounding neighbourhoods, and even escape the city for a day trip!

Fantastic Surrounding Neighbourhoods To Explore Around Ixelles

Not only are you close to the city centre with all the main tourist attractions, but you’re also bordering other unbeatable neighbourhoods if you stay in Ixelles Brussels. You’ll want to go to St. Gilles, the Sablon, and the Marolles neighrbourhoods. 

The Marolle is actually the antique and vintage epicentre of Brussels with what seems like limitless antique shops and their daily flea market at the Jeu de Balle. 

The Sablon is a small but very trendy neighbourhood that’s beautiful to walk through. It’s home to the grand Church of Our Lady of Victories with one of my favourite cafes across the street, Cafe du Sablon. The best hidden spot in the city though is Edgemont Park tucked away in the Sablon. It’s the perfect city escape with Peter Pan themed statues and La Fabrique en Ville cafe! 

St. Gilles is definitely the furthest one from the city centre, but has some really neat hidden gems of it’s own. Once we’re on the topic of cafes, you have to go to Chouconut in St. Gilles for Viennese coffee and delicious homemade choux pastries. St. Gilles also has some historical landmarks to visit like the Porte de Halle (the 14th century city gate) that’s now a museum and the Horta Museum for art deco architecture.

Ixelles Brussels Has Decent Public Transit

Don’t worry if you need to give your feet a break from walking, Ixelles has pretty decent connection to public transit as well. There are many of tram lines and stops throughout the neighbourhood.

If you want to be close to one of two subway stops, you’ll want to stay in the Matonge area though. Port de Namur and Louise on either end of Avenue de la Toison d’Or. They both connect to the 2 and 6 subway lines. With trams, buses, and these subway stops, you’ll pretty much be able to get anywhere you need to go in Brussels. 

Depending on where you stay in Ixelles Belgium, you may also be walking distance to both train stations in Brussels. We stayed in Matonge area which was 20 minutes from Brussels Centrale and 30 minutes from Midi Station (a bit of a stretch but still doable!).

Watch Out! Ixelles Is HUGES!

Ixelles is HUGE! In fact it’s one of the largest municipalities in Brussels. Ixelles borders the Sablon, Saint-Gilles, Etterbeek, and Watermael neighbourhoods.

The Sablon is a very small (and trendy) neighbourhood that also a good option if you’re looking for where to stay in Brussels that isn’t the city centre.  

With this in mind, the convenience of staying in Ixelles really depends on where you are.

So Where To Stay In Brussels Ixelles Neighbourhood?

Because Ixelles is one of the larger neighbourhoods in Brussels, you do have to choose where you’re staying carefully.  

The area that you’re going to want to look at is the Matonge or Flagey in Ixelles. Matonge is the most centrally located, bordering the Sablon, it’s only about a 20 minute walk to the Grand Place. It’s VERY safe, has one of the most expensive shopping streets in the city, and two subway stations! 

The Flagey, has a younger vibe, but it’s further from the city centre. This could be a better location if you’re staying in Brussels for a bit longer. The Ixelles pond is here for beautiful walks, and some of the best night life in the city at Belga Cafe.  

These areas are close enough to the action, but far enough that you can see a bit more of what local Brussels has to offer (which is a lot!). See my hotel recommendations in Ixelles!

Things To Do In Ixelles Brussels

Part of what makes Ixelles the best area in Brussels to stay in is that you have everything you need that you’ll never want to leave the neighbourhood (no seriously!). Ixelles Brussels has it all from food markets to outstanding restaurants and nightlife, and even some hidden gems to check out!

Amazing Shopping Streets In Ixelles Belgium

Ixelles has some of the BEST shopping in Brussels. If you’re looking for mannequin pis souvenirs you won’t find any here! But you will find everything from high end fashion to local boutique stores.  

You’ll find some stores on Avenue de la Toison d’Or, but that connects to two bigger shopping streets: Chaussée d’Ixelles and Avenue Louise. I swear, the shopping never ends in Ixelles! Chaussée d’Ixelles is a walking street with loads of mainstream stores like Primark, Zara…etc. 

Avenue Louise is a bit more higher end but if you walk through the side streets (like Rue Jean Stas) there are small boutique stores.

But my favourite area for shopping in Ixelles is Rue Bailli (a bit further down off of Avenue Louise). Rue Bailli is in the Châtelaine area of Ixelles. It’s a lovely street to walk along and admire the boutique shops. You won’t find any of these stores back home! 

P.S. Want a unique souvenir from Brussels? Collect all the bottle caps from the beer you try and turn them into magnets… read more here! Or look for local artists, my favourite is Helen B. You should be able to find her work in some of the stores on Rue Bailli!

Restaurants Scene in Ixelles Brussels

You don’t have to worry about overpaying for a mediocre meal in Ixelles Brussels. Most of the restaurants and cafés will be in or around the main shopping streets (off of Avenue Louise and Chausée d’Ixelles).

I love Ixelles for the unique cafés to either enjoy breakfast, a quick pick me up, or to work. Of course, the most popular is Café Belga. To be honest, we walked there to try it but it was so busy that the charm was kind of lost. Not to worry, check out Belga & Co, Café Lloyd, but my favourite (especially for tea and breakfast) is Maison Renardy.  

For lunch, we fell in love with the sandwiches at Theresse & Dominique. Watch out though, if you’re going for lunch you’ll most likely have to wait in line… but trust me, it’s worth it. To save some time, you can make an order online! 

For a quick dinner pick up (or late night snack) you have to try Le Comptoir a Croqueurs in Flagey. You guessed it, they make croquettes… but so many different flavours of croquettes you’ll want to order THEM ALL!

Local Food Markets Everyday Near Ixelles

What makes Ixelles the best area in Brussels to stay in is the proximity to all the different food markets. Brussels markets have fresh fruits, veggies, meats, fish and more. I swear, you won’t ever have to go to the grocery store. But, by far, my favourite was the pre-made food you can find here. We would pick up croquettes, barbecue chicken and have a delicious ready made dinner! 

Ixelles has a food market in Flagey every Saturday and Sunday and Châtelain every Wednesday. But, lucky for you, Ixelles is close to all the other neighbourhoods as well. So you’re never really without a market to visit! 

Sunday you won’t want to miss the Midi Market (near the Midi train station). This is the largest market I’ve ever seen and the fruits and veggies are supper cheap. You can also find other household items here if you need any.  

St. Gilles also has a good market on Mondays, although it’s smaller than the others you can still pick up the necessities. See all the markets around Brussels.

Home To Audrey Hepburn’s Birthplace

Not only is Ixelles is a bit of a hidden gem itself in Brussels but it also has one other major secrets. Like did you know Audrey Hepburn’s birthplace is in Ixelles!? The home is on a side street (Rue Keyenveld 48) so it’s pretty easy to miss.

There is a plaque on the wall so you’ll know which one it is when you get there. You can’t go inside, but you can admire the outside all you want!

Best Area In Brussels To Stay: The Ixelles Nightlife

Although I can’t say we took part in much of the nightlife scene, Ixelles definitely isn’t barren and dead at night! So if you’re out a bit later, you don’t have to worry about walking home at night in the dark.

Plus, Ixelles Brussels has a nightlife scene of it’s own so hopefully you won’t even have to go too far! The Flagey area of Ixelles is where all the students flock to at night. So if you’re looking to have a good night out, I’d start there. 

This is where our favourite bar, Le Pantin was, but a lot of people go there for Café Belga (café during the day turns into a bar at night!).

Is Ixelles Brussels Safe?

What I loved about staying in Ixelles is that I always felt safe. During the day it’s packed with people but also at night. We would often walk around at night (back from our favourite bar Le Pantin) and there were always people around.

We were sometimes even out super early in the morning to catch a train and I never felt unsafe.  

Depending on where you’re staying in Ixelles, there are a lot of large streets that you can walk along that are usually busier. This way you don’t have to walk down any sketchy alleyways.

How Many Days Should You Stay In Brussels?

You can visit Brussels in as little as one day or as long as one month or more. No seriously, I’ve done both! My first time in Brussels, I had one day to explore the city.  

All the main attractions are close by so they’re easy to see in one day in Brussels. We were even able to go on a beer tasting tour at night! But, with only one day in the city you do miss out on some of the more local experiences. But this can be said with anywhere you visit for a day.  

To be able to have a mix of tourist and local attractions, I would stay 3 days minimum. This gives you one day for the main attractions, one day to head out to see the Atomium, and one day for hidden gems!

Where To Stay In Ixelles Belgium? Hotel Recommendations

We stayed at an Airbnb in Ixelles but it was actually one of our worst Airbnb experiences I’ve had (see what I’ve learned from that experience and how I book Airbnbs now). But I’m sure they won’t all be like that! 

You can stay at a hotel in Ixelles, although there aren’t too many options in the correct area. These are the few that I found that had outstanding reviews and would stay at if we went back.  

Hygge Hotel is a bit closer to the city centre in the heart of the Matonge area. You can’t get a better location than this in Ixelles. It’s actually right down the street from where our Airbnb was, we walked by it all the time. You’re next to the subway station with groceries and shopping at your finger tips. They also have larger rooms to accommodate families. 

For a very unique stay, book Le Berge Hotel. Every room is different (and they’re all BEAUTIFUL)! It’s an Art Decor style for your stay with very good reviews.  

Happy House is closer to the Flagey area of Ixelles. It’s more like an apartment than a hotel which gives you even more local vibes. By that, I mean that it has a full kitchen but still provide have all the main amenities of a hotel, and it even has an outdoor patio!

Where To Stay In Brussels: Ixelles Hotel Recommendations

*Photos taken from booking.com

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• Why You Should Visit Brussels In September?
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• The Top Hidden Gems In Brussels You Don’t Want to Miss
• The Top Cafes In Brussels
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Last update on 2024-04-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API