Become a Brussels socialite

How to meet new people in Brussels and have a little fun while you’re at it

In spite of its packed events calendar and large expat population, Brussels can be a lonely place to live if you do not know where or how to meet new friends (this all while managing a busy work schedule). Below are some ideas to help spice up the social agenda and make new acquaintances in Brussels (both local and international).

Move in with roommates

Living in a house with roommates is a great way to meet new people. Lucky for you, finding shared housing Brussels is is not only easy, but also commonplace – this perhaps unique to many other major cities in the world.

This is in part due to the style of housing in Brussels’; large multiple-story houses that are easier rent out as whole and share with roommates then rent out by floor. But also due to the large amount of interns and students passing through Brussels looking for cheaper housing and costs. Still, shared-housing is not just popular with the younger crowds. You can easily find colocs (roommates) who are in their late twenties/early thirties and working.

For find out the best networks for finding shared housing in Brussels, consult The Bulletin’s article on Renting in Brussels.

Join a Brussels social network

Like in any big city, Brussels has several active social networks that organise weekly events and meet-ups for expats and locals.

The international traveller’s network Couchsurfing organises, for example, a weekly get together in Café Kafka where locals and travellers passing through Brussels come together regularly for a weekly beer and a chat. The group is very open and excited to welcome newcomers into their humble social network. Also, sign up in the network’s Brussels group and you will get daily proposals (to visit a town or museum, go for a run or a hike) from people living in and around Brussels.

Another great online tool for meeting new people in Brussels is Meetup. This network allows people in a city to form groups around common interests (you’ve got an interest, someone’s made a group about it – take for example, Brussels hiking group, Boardgame Mondays, the Brussels Beer Club or Expat club). These groups then organise events or meet-ups focused around its relative theme. Meetup is a great way to make new friends, as you attend an event already knowing you have something in common. 

Sign up for a group class

Taking up group lessons in something that interests you not only fills up your weekly social calendar, but is also another great way to meet people with common interests. Brussels offers an array of classes at all times of the day, on any topic you can imagine – from language and theatre to improvisation or dance classes. For some inspiration, check out our article of the top ten group courses to take in Brussels. 

Join group sport or fitness club

Joining a group sports league or club or attending a weekly fitness class is a way to meet people all while attending to your figure. For intramural sports, check out the different offerings via Brussels’ universities; most have amateur teams in a variety of sports or organise a local league. If you don’t have enough people to organise your own sports team, email the university or organising group as they often have a list of teams looking for more players. But don’t limit your physical horizons to team sports; Brussels also offers more unique fitness opportunities like yoga, aqua fitness, karate and indoor rock-climbing group lessons. So try something new and meet new people why doing it. 

For more information and inspiration on how to turn sport and fitness in Brussels into a social event, consult this article.

Join a local community project

Finding a project in your local community to participate in is a great way to make friends and get to know your neighbours. For this cause, the city of Brussels has put together the Sustainable Citizen Community programme which supports projects proposed by different Brussels communes hoping to make their neighbourhood more ecologically friendly, energy efficient, make better use of public spaces and enforce social cohesion and solidarity. There are over 30 sustainable community projects in Brussels currently, with everything from community gardens (Potagers Urbains) to composts (Worms asbl). Like-minded organisations like Repair Café and Disco Soupe are also worth a look.

To learn more about getting involved in your Brussels community, read this Bulletin article.