In the north-western part of the Brussels region, the area of Laeken is known for its huge park, the Atomium, the Mini-Europe tourist attraction and the Royal Palace and Greenhouses. It is there that the Belgian royal family has its official residence. Once a year, the Greenhouses open their gates for only a few weeks to allow everyone to see how majestic and beautiful they are.
This year, I finally got the chance to visit them and it did not disappoint at all. So, follow my steps and I’ll guide you through them!
In 2024, the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken will be open from April 26 to May 20. The ticket sale will start on April 11 on this website.
History of the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken
The Royal Greenhouses were built in the late 19th Century by a Belgian architect, in very close consultation with the then-King of Belgium, Leopold II. The idea was to create greenhouses that would complement the style of the royal castle of Laeken, while at the same time showcasing the power of the King.
Built in order to create an “Ideal Glass Palace”, the greenhouses consist of monumental and intricate cupolas, pavilions and galleries made of metal and glass. They are located in the beautiful royal garden to give the idea of a “glass city”. The main greenhouse, the Winter Palace, is still used today for royal receptions.
During the visit, you can admire the complex architectural details of the greenhouses, but also marvel at the stunning plant collection, that includes exotic and rare plants. Some of the plants that you can see there used to belong to the King’s original collection – so they are very old – and there is also the world’s largest Camellia collection in a greenhouse with a bit over 300 species.
Visit of the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken
When you arrive, you have two possibilities: take the longer path (2.5 hours), which takes you to the gardens outside and the greenhouses, or the shorter one (1.5 hours), where you go straight to the greenhouses. If the weather is fine, and even if it isn’t, I highly recommend opting for the longer one, especially because you can make it shorter if you like!
The walk in the gardens is very pleasant: you stroll along nice paths that allow you to admire some floral displays, beautiful wisteria porches, nice little lakes and small brooks. In this hilly landscape you also see from time to time the huge domes of the greenhouses, which almost look like stranded spaceships.
The sweet scent of daisies, the soft wind blowing and the curated gardens will make you feel like a princess strolling about in her private park (bonus points if you are wearing a flowy summer dress)!
In fact, at each turn of the road that opened to a new landscape, me and my friends would say how gorgeous a place it would be for a picnic, for an afternoon tea, for laying on the grass and reading, for strolling around with your Mr. Darcy, etc. Of course, I’m pretty sure you can’t actually do that there, but daydreaming never hurt anyone!
After walking around in the park, you reach the Queen’s atelier, which is a cute little house that contrasts a bit with the glass and metal behind it. From there, you can enter the greenhouses.
Following a path of glass tunnels covered in flowers with flower ceilings, you enter different “rooms” mounted by huge domes, where you walk around large palm trees of different varieties, flower bushes of various colours, jungle-like spaces filled with plants, making you feel like you truly are walking in a tropical forest.
At the end, you get to walk around the Winter Garden (the main picture in this article), which is the biggest cupola and definitely my favourite: the centre, which doesn’t contain plants, is filled with light from the glass dome above, the trees and exotic plants that surround the centre add a beautiful touch of greenery and the columns at the entrance just make the whole place feel majestic and… royal.
I absolutely loved visiting the Royal Greenhouses and would recommend it to anyone visiting Brussels around that time of the year because it is really unlike anything that I have ever seen before!
Practical info – Royal Greenhouses of Laeken
When can you visit the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken?
The Royal Greenhouses of Laeken are only open to the public for 3 weeks around April and May. The tickets are very cheap, so they sold out very fast, that’s why it is highly suggested to plan your trip in advance and buy the tickets as soon as you can.
The park is usually closed on Mondays.
How long does it take to visit the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken?
Visiting the Royal Greenhouses takes more or less 2 hours. It depends if you chose the shorter path (1.5 hours) or the longer one (2.5 hours). You can of course go at your own pace and go quickly through some parts and take longer in others. This way, you can make your visit to the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken as short or long as you like.
There is also a small café at the end, where you can grab a warm drink and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
How to reach the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken?
The Royal Greenhouses of Laeken are located in the Laeken park, to the North West of Brussels.
From the very centre of Brussels it takes around 20 minutes to reach the Royal Greenhouses by car, but it is also possible to go with public transport.
You can either aim for the Serres Royales – Koninklijke Serres or Araucaria bus stops, or, if you want to combine it with a visit of the Atomium, go to Heysel, then walk around 30 minutes in the park.
