Tintin tourism: Culture and Travel Context

Tintin tourism is travel inspired by The Adventures of Tintin, the comic series created by the Belgian artist Hergé. The series began in 1929 and ran for decades, with 24 albums that have been translated into dozens of languages. Over the course of the series the young reporter Tintin, his dog Snowy and companions such as Captain Haddock and Professor Calculus travel across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas, and even to the Moon.

Hergé drew on real buildings, ships, cars and aircraft for his adventures, and he often worked from photographs and reference material. Many of the stories travel the world, but Hergé himself did not visit most of the places they depict. Several settings, such as the kingdoms of Syldavia and Borduria, were invented. Many "Tintin locations" are therefore fan-identified and may differ from the drawn scenes.

Brussels is the heart of Tintin tourism. Hergé was born and worked there, and the city is closely tied to the series.

1 26 Rue Terre-Neuve (Tintin's apartment) (26 rue du Labrador) (Marolles district, Brussels). In the albums Tintin lives at 26 Rue du Labrador. That street does not exist in Brussels. The address was inspired by 26 Rue Terre-Neuve, where Hergé's grandmother lived. The building is a private home, so look from the street. The fictional address "26 Rue du Labrador" does exist in Louvain-la-Neuve, where it is the address of the Hergé Museum. (updated Oct 2026)

2 Stockel metro station (Brussels, Woluwe-Saint-Pierre (Metro line 1)). Hergé lived in the area, and the station is decorated with scenes from the Tintin albums. The neighborhood has a Tintin shop and is a quieter alternative to the city center.

3 Place du Jeu de Balle (Marolles district, Brussels). A daily flea market in the Marolles. It is the model for the market where Tintin buys a model ship in The Secret of the Unicorn (1943). Go in the morning for the best atmosphere.

4 La Monnaie (Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie) (Place de la Monnaie, Brussels). The opera house is cited as an inspiration for the opera interior in The Seven Crystal Balls (1948). The theatres of the Galeries and the Parc are also cited as influences.

5 Hotel Metropole (Place de Brouckère, Brussels). A grand hotel from the 19th century that appears in The Seven Crystal Balls.

6 Brussels Park and the Royal Palace (Royal Quarter, Brussels). The Park of Brussels and the Royal Palace are cited as models for scenes in King Ottokar's Sceptre (1939), including the palace of the Syldavian king.

1 The Tintin Shop (Boutique Tintin) (13 Rue de la Colline, near the Grand-Place, Brussels). The official Tintin shop, with books, prints and merchandise.

This cultural overview is an excerpt of a community travel guide. Confirm current access, schedules and prices with the venue before planning a visit.

Source and licence

Text adapted from Tintin tourism by Wikivoyage contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0. Paragraphs have been selected and abridged, and formatting adjusted. This adapted text is shared under the same licence. Contributor history.