The Royal Greenhouses of Laeken are an impressive complex of greenhouses on the Royal Domain of Laeken in Brussels. For only 3 weeks a year, these flower-filled greenhouses are opened to the public, a unique opportunity to walk the gardens of the king of Belgium.
Royal Greenhouses of Laeken in short
- What? Stroll through the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken
- When? Click here for the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken opening hours 2022 – SOLD OUT
- How long? Allow for about 1.5 to 2.5 hours
- How much? €4 ( ~ $4.36) per person
- Bring? Your camera, a face mask, your reservation
- Important! Book your visit beforehand through the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken website
The Royal Greenhouses of Laeken
The Castle of Laeken is the official residence of the King of Belgium and his family. It’s located about 5 km north of the city centre of Brussels, in a residential suburb called Laeken. In Dutch we call it “het Kasteel van Laken” and in French it’s “le Château de Laeken”.
The castle grounds, known as the Royal Domain of Laeken, are off limits to the public for most of the year. Every year in spring though, the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken are opened to the public for about the 3 weeks. A unique opportunity to explore a beautiful part of the Royal Domain.
The Royal Greenhouses of Laeken were designed by architect Alphonse Balat in 1873, when King Leopold II reigned Belgium. With grand pavilions, splendid glass domes and flower-filled arcades, this glass city of flora blew our minds.
The plant collection filling these greenhouses today is based on the original collection planted in the age of King Leopold II. Some of the plants are still the original ones, which is pretty impressive. Besides that, a great number of rare and valuable plants adorn the Royal Greenhouses.
What will a visit to the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken look like?
We explored the Royal Domain of Laeken for about 2 hours, including at least half an hour of queueing. Now, you can choose between a short or long visit upon arrival. During the nocturnes, only a short visit is possible.
The short visit will take about 1.5 hours and leads you only through the greenhouses.
The long visit will take about 2.5 hours and starts with a walk through the gardens of the Royal Domain before getting to the greenhouses. This option gives a view of the greenhouses from a distance and passes by some other worthwhile spots, like the rose arch.
Your visit is both indoors and outdoors, so dress weather-appropriately. Along the route there are 4 sanitary stops and there are several benches or resting places provided.
At the end of your visit you’ll arrive at a souvenir shop with books and guides about the greenhouses, postcards, and gadgets. There’s also a tearoom with hot and cold drinks, sandwiches, and cake. Account for some more time if you want to hang around here.
Click here to check out a map of the different routes through the Royal Domain of Laeken.
When to visit the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken?
The Royal Greenhouses of Laeken are opened to the public for only 3 weeks a year, in the middle of spring. Usually that’s the last 2 weeks of April and the first week of May. The exact opening times are announced in the January. You can find them below.
We visited on a holiday pre-COVID and had to queue both to enter the Royal Domain of Laeken and inside the greenhouses. It was tricky to take photographs without other people in it, and we weren’t really able to stop wherever we liked, but rather had to go with the flow of the crowd.
Since COVID though, you have to book your visit to the Royal Greenhouses online in advance, with a limited number of tickets per available time slot. Because the Royal Greenhouses are only open for a limited period, tickets can sell out pretty fast.
You can visit the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken during the day or at night. We visited during the day, but have seen gorgeous photographs of the greenhouses at night as well, when lit up. The nocturnes are every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and on Easter Monday (April 18th) as well.
Opening hours Royal Greenhouses of Laeken 2022
In 2022 the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken are opened from April 15th until May 8th, but all tickets are unfortunately sold out. Click here for a calendar view of the available time slots for a visit to the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken in 2022.
The route through the Royal Greenhouses has steps and inclines and is not suitable for wheelchairs or prams. On April 28th though, the route will be adapted for wheelchair users, with assistance at critical points.
Keep an eye on this page for opening hours of the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken in 2023, usually announced by the end of January.
Booking your visit to the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken 2022
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, you have to book your visit beforehand through the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken website. You will only be able to book for 10 visitors at a time (including children).
Only a limited amount of visitors is allowed per time slot, so arrive on time and respect the rules for a smooth visit. If you’re late, you will not be allowed in.
The entrance fee for the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken is €4 ( ~ $4.36) per person. Children under the age of 12 can enter for free, but advance booking is required nevertheless. Parking is free as well. Note that tickets can only be bought beforehand through the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken website, not on-site.
The money will go to the aid fund of the Queen, which supports projects aimed at youth in need, and the maintenance of the Royal Collection, a range of works of art belonging to the Belgian State.
COVID-19 measures at the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken
The pandemic is unfortunately not yet behind us, so a couple of COVID-19 measures will still apply during your visit to the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken. Stay home if you’re ill and keep your distance (1.5m) from other visitors. A face mask is recommended in case of large crowds, in indoor areas or if a social distance is not guaranteed. Regularly disinfect your hands and follow the circulation plan, no walking in opposite direction.
How to get to the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken?
The main gate of the Castle of Laeken is the entrance (and exit) to the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken. If it’s busy, people will be queuing up to cross the street in Laeken Park. Once you enter the main gates you will pass a security check and a ticket check. From there you can follow the arrows towards the greenhouses. You’ll get a glimpse of the Castle of Laeken as well.
By car
We live in Hasselt, just over an hours drive from the Royal Domain of Laeken, so drove over there. Police were managing traffic at the entrance to avoid chaos. There’s free parking across from the main gate of the Royal Domain, in Laeken Park. Notice the monument that was erected in memory of King Leopold I.
The address of the Royal Domain of Laeken is: Avenue du Parc Royal 61, 1020 Laeken.
Note that this car park has a limited number of parking spots. Make sure you allow for enough time to find another spot if need be, while still arriving in time for your booked time slot. Another option is to make use of public transport, or come by taxi or bike. More info below.
By public transport
Right at the main gate to the Royal Domain is a bus stop called Serres Royales/Koninklijke Serres. You can find a journey planner and pricing information on the STIB-MIVB website.
By taxi
If you prefer a private ride instead of public transport, you can always take a taxi or an Uber.
By bike
Is the weather nice? Rent a Villo! bike to get to the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken. Villo! is an easy and cheap bike rental system with stations located approximately every 450 meters and available 24/7. The one closest to the Royal Domain of Laeken is on the Eeuwfeestlaan. From there it’s a 15 minute walk through Laeken Park to get to the main gate of the Royal Domain.
For just €1.60 (~ $1.80) you can buy a 1 day ticket that allows you to rent a bike for an unlimited number of times, if you park it again within 30 minutes. If you bike longer than 30 minutes, a small surcharge is applied. You can find more information on the rates and the location of the stations on the Villo! website.
If you have your own bike in Brussels, there’s an unguarded bicycle storage area directly opposite the entrance to the Royal Domain.
The Royal Greenhouses of Laeken are definitely something to put on your Brussels bucket list. So plan your visit to Belgium’s capital right! Have you been yet? How did you like it? We’d love to read about it in the comments!
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Thank you so much for this helpful post! We are visiting Brussels next week and I am thrilled we have been able to get tickets. I appreciate all this information!!
Nice, Caitlin! Welcome to Belgium and enjoy your visit to the Royal Gardens!