The transition from summer to autumn can leave some feeling despondent, watching the days grow shorter and skies become drearier. But autumn is arguably the most beautiful time of the year, and the best way to beat the post-summer blues is walking beneath a comforting canopy of yellows, reds and oranges, with shiny conkers adorning the paths and leaves crunching beneath your feet.
Steering clear of the better-known and touristy Parc du Cinquantenaire and Parc de Bruxelles, we have created a guide of some of our favourite spots for an autumnal walk in and around the city. Discover Brussels' best bucolic havens below.
Bois de la Cambre
One of the largest parks in the Brussels-Capital Region, Bois de la Cambre owes its name to Abbaye de la Cambre, a former monastery of noble Cistercian nuns, founded in 1201 and abolished in 1796. Popular among locals of all ages in summer for its guinguettes and playgrounds, the green oasis offers the perfect space to escape busy city life.
Bois de La Cambre. Credit: visit.brussels / Jean-Paul Remy
Evergreen conifers and hollies and colourful oaks, lindens and other ash trees line the pedestrian paths in autumn, making it the ideal spot for a stroll this time of year. Take your time to wander around the lake in the heart of Bois de la Cambre and don't leave before seeing the Art Deco jewel Villa Empain just outside the park.
Parc Josaphat
Spanning 40 hectares, the hilly English-style Parc Josaphat is the green lung of the northern municipality of Schaerbeek and a crossroads for the community. Home to sculptures, busts of famous writers and artists, and several of the region's protected tree species, the park resembles an open-air museum, with sloping meadows that lead down to two snaking ponds, filled with ducks and swans.
Parc Josaphat. Credit: visit.brussels / Jean-Paul Remy
During the summer months, Parc Josaphat hosts countless games of mini golf, concerts in the bandstand, the annual cherry festival and the cherry pit spitting competition, but it's worth a visit all year round. As you wander through the warm autumnal ochres, stop by Woodpecker's La Laiterie for a coffee or a bite to eat.
Parc de Forest & Parc Duden
Sitting side by side in southern Brussels are Parc Duden and Parc de Forest. Duden was once part of the Heegde woods and has been listed since 1973. In the 19th century, a wealthy lace merchant, Guillaume Duden, built a neoclassical house and other infrastructure to make the park more picturesque. This week, a €5.5 million renovation project began on the park to improve water management and restore heritage.
Parc de Forest. Credit: visit.brussels / Jean-Paul Remy
Just next door, the calm and inviting Parc de Forest is the main meeting place for locals. With its large green expanses, flower beds, groves and wide variety of trees, it's a favourite for enjoying autumn colours and offers an exceptional panoramic view over Brussels.
Parc du Leybeek
Just on the edge of the Sonian forest lies Parc du Leybeek and its former fishponds, created for the 1958 World Fair alongside the imposing Atomium. Landscape architect René Pechère imported trees from Europe, North America and Asia, including superb Japanese maples, for the project. The valley floor was designed around a figure-eight-shaped pond dug on the site of former marshes.
Leybeek ponds. Credit: visit.brussels / Jean-Paul Remy
This lesser-known park in Watermael-Boitsfort may only cover three hectares, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in beauty and serenity. The artificial ponds, fed by the Woluwe River, reflect the rainbow tones of the trees on a crisp autumnal day, making for a scenic stroll.
Parc Seny
Located in both Auderghem and Watermael-Boitsfort, not far from Leybeek, the three-hectare Parc Seny was inaugurated in 1963 and is named after one of its last owners. Follow the trail of plants classified according to their scents – particularly helpful for visually-impaired visitors – and explore the winding paths, beautiful views, geometric flower beds, and pond.
Parc Seny. Credit: Fadi Dalati
Parc Seny also has a playground for children, a petanque court, a cycle path, and a bridge over the Woluwe River. Don't leave without seeing other nearby sites and green spaces in the area: Ten Reuken Park, the Jean Massart Botanical Garden, and the former abbey Rouge-Cloître.
Sonian forest
Despite being crossed by roads, motorways and railway lines, the 4,000-hectare Sonian Forest is the Capital Region's green lung, which stretches over all three regions of Belgium. Nature lovers and avid walkers are in for a treat here: there is a nature reserve, meadows, ponds and other wetlands, with fish, frogs, toads, herons, kingfishers, great cormorants and even 13 varieties of bats to discover. The forest has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017 for its exceptionally old trees and a rich biodiversity, and is officially classified as one of the last areas of intact forest in Europe.
An autumn morning in the Sonian forest. Credit: Yves Adams
Make sure you visit Château de la Hulpe and the Jean Massart Botanical Garden, located on the edge of the forest, which is also one of the richest in the country. The Groenendaal Arboretum in the centre is also worth a mention. It was founded in 1897 to investigate the usefulness of exotic tree species in Belgian forestry, and is home to more than 400 different native and exotic trees and shrubs, such as the Japanese biscuit tree, giant sequoias, and unique species of maple and oak.
Tervuren
On the outskirts of Brussels in Flemish Brabant is Tervuren. Soaking up the sunshine and warm colours walking around Tervuren park (often called the Warande) and the arboretum, is undoubtedly one of the best ways to spend an autumnal day. The imposing neoclassical architecture of the Africa Museum, which examines Belgian's brutal colonisation of the Congo, overlooks the park's majestic statues, staircases and French-style gardens.
Tervuren. Credit: Visit Vlaams Brabant
It's worth visiting Tervuren for the journey on tram 44 alone, which is said to be one of the best tram rides in the world and famed for rolling past grand embassies and through leafy forests. Tempted? Read our guide on how to spend a day in Tervuren.
