As the festive season approaches, Brussels unveils its main shopping streets. From Rue Neuve to Avenue Louise, via Ixelles and Dansaert, the capital reminds us that we can still do our shopping locally.
In December, Brussels regains the charm that makes you want to head out. You can feel it as you walk around: the cold sets in, the cafés fill up faster and the shopping streets resume the role they play so well at the end of the year. And even if the temptation to order online remains, the capital reminds us that there is another way: to stroll around, step into a shop, exchange a few words, choose a gift with a story to tell. What if, this year, we really decided to shop the Brussels way?
Rue Neuve and the city centre: a classic revisited
First stop: Rue Neuve. People often go there out of habit, if only for its energy, and that's precisely what makes it the busiest street in the region. According to the latest retail barometer from hub.brussels, it welcomes nearly 43,800 passers-by per day, a figure that speaks volumes about its place in the Brussels commercial landscape. Here you will find the brands that everyone knows, practical gifts and quick little ideas that tick all the boxes.
However, reducing the neighbourhood to a mere series of shops would be to miss out on what makes it so interesting. If you stray from the main thoroughfare, you will quickly come across more discreet shops, sometimes run by shopkeepers who have known their customers for years. This is often where you'll find that gift you hadn't thought of: a handmade item, a local creation, something that's unlike anything you see elsewhere.
On the Boulevard Anspach, you can wander from a shop to a café, from a bookstore to an artisan shopl, without having to check your watch. The city centre retains this ability to combine urban vibrancy with small-scale discoveries.
Chaussée d’Ixelles, where proximity is pleasant
Next up is Chaussée d'Ixelles, a confident mix of well-established brands and independent shops. The redevelopment has somewhat reshaped life in the neighbourhood: wider pavements, redesigned traffic flow, welcoming spaces. The result: people stroll, stop and come back for more.
What stands out most are the local shops that shape its identity. Clothing boutiques, small gourmet addresses, projects run by Brussels entrepreneurs... A lively economic hub, appreciated as much by the neighbourhood's residents as by those who spend their weekends there. For end-of-year shopping, it's the ideal place to find something different without leaving the heart of the city.
Avenue Louise: elegance, landmarks and urban breathing space
Further south, Avenue Louise unfolds its long ribbon of shops, fashion houses, galleries and historic addresses. While it remains an iconic hub for major brands, it is also part of a wider environment: the Bois de la Cambre is just a few minutes away, as are the side galleries and shops near Bailli and Châtelain.
This neighbourhood functions as an urban oasis. You can go shopping here, but you can also look up, take a break, have a coffee in a local brasserie, discover a designer boutique or stop in front of a window display. Everything here reminds us that Brussels knows how to combine elegance, commercial diversity and a genuine quality of life.
Dansaert and its creative neighbourhoods: Brussels' distinctive style
It is impossible to talk about shopping in Brussels without mentioning Antoine Dansaert and its surrounding neighbourhood. Here, the offering is more specialised, driven by designers and concept stores. It is also an area where local businesses enjoy the greatest freedom, where ideas circulate as freely as customers.
The surrounding areas of Sainte-Catherine, The Marolles and certain streets in the centre complete the picture. Each of these neighbourhoods has managed to retain a sense of authenticity, combining craftsmanship, specialist shops, second-hand stores, small gourmet establishments and local initiatives. In these streets, you often go in “just to have a look” and come out with a gift that you now know the story behind, the material it is made of or the person who made it.
And everywhere else, it's the little things that count in December
You could spend a whole day exploring Brussels and making new discoveries. Behind every neighbourhood, the figures confirm a positive reality: according to analyses carried out by hub.brussels, shopping streets are evolving, adapting and regaining a welcome solidity. Population growth, diversity of supply and local initiatives are fuelling this dynamic.
The festive season is therefore the perfect opportunity to contribute to this energy: buy local, support local businesses, and support those who give Brussels its character. Because the figures also reveal the other side of the story: some neighbourhoods in the centre still have high vacancy rates. Shopping here helps to maintain a lively and diverse commercial fabric and encourages craftsmanship, responsible practices or simply passionate endeavours.
In short, in December, Brussels welcomes those who take the time to stroll past its window displays. Let's shop in Brussels!