Your essential guide to what to do, see and eat, and where to sleep in the Belgian capital during February
Dial +32 for Belgium
09:00 Enjoy a hearty breakfast at Chéri Chéri (89 Rue Haute, tel. (0)2 512 0089), a brand new bright spot in the funky Marolles district. Open every day except Friday from 8am, it serves up cheap but good breakfast fare (omelettes, croissants, etc.). Unusually for places open so early in the morning, it oozes ambiance, with wooden picnic tables under cheerful red, green and yellow lamps; it’s also open for lunch and tea. For something different, try Zestnbubble (tel. (0)2 513 6700), located at the bottom of the glass elevator connecting the upper town to the lower town at the foot of the Palais de Justice. You’ll have a hard time choosing from a mind-boggling array of vitamin-laden fruit juices and caffeine concoctions such as the ultra-rich caramel macchiato. The ‘super muesli’, a tall parfait glass filled with muesli, yogurt, fruit and syrup, will satisfy the biggest of appetites.
11:00 It’s well worth a trek to the Anderlecht district, better known for its premier football team, to see the former home of Renaissance scholar Desiderius Erasmus, now the Erasmus House Museum (31 Rue du Chapitre, tel. (0)2 521 1383, near the Saint-Guidon metro station). Born Geert Geerts in Rotterdam, Erasmus lived in this gabled house for five months, and it now serves as a shrine in his honour. Next door, the Beguinage Museum (8 Rue du Chapelain, tel. (0)2 521 1383) offers a fascinating glimpse into life at beguinages – Christian communities of single women that sprung up in the 13th century.
13:00 For lunch, Raconte-Moi des Salades (19 Place du Châtelain, tel. (0)2 534 2727), in the chic Châtelain neighbourhood, serves up oodles of carpaccios, salads and other delights in good-sized portions; if you have any room left, there are plenty of desserts to choose from. Surrounded by candles and Aladdin lamps in a salon-type atmosphere, you’ll think you’re dining at a friend’s home (about €30 for two).
15:00 Valentine’s Day – or in fact the whole month – is a perfect excuse to go chocolate shopping in the country that gave the world the praline. Try Mary Chocolatier (73 Rue Royale, tel. (0)2 217 4500), in business since 1919 and maker of 70 kinds of pralines. Beginning 15 February, ‘The Forbidden Empire’, an exhibition spanning five centuries of Chinese and Flemish masters at the Palais des Beaux Arts (23 Rue Ravenstein, tel. (0)2 507 8444, through 6 May), promises to offer a stark contrast between western and Chinese art. Stock up on reading material, hobnob with authors and engage in literary debate at the Brussels Book Fair, which kicks off 28 February at the Tour and Taxis complex (87 Rue du Prince Royal, tel. (0) 2 290 4431) and runs until 4 March.
18:00 Fans of classical music should not miss 100% Schubert, a week-long festival of concerts, cultural activities and entertainment entirely devoted to the German composer at the Flagey Cultural Centre (27/5 Rue du Belvedere, tel. (0)2 641 1020). The greatest interpreters of Schubert’s work will perform chamber-music masterpieces in the acoustic temple known as Flagey Studio 4. The building itself, in the recently restored art deco former headquarters of Belgian radio and television, is worth a visit. More than 200 screenings of animated films will be the order of the day at Anima at Flagey and the Museum of Cinema, a popular festival that takes place this year from 16-25 February, culminating in the presentation of the Cartoon d’Or, or Golden Cartoon award.
20:00 In the European district near Schuman metro station, La Sublime Porte (18 Rue Franklin, tel.(0)2 732 6110) is a welcome new oasis of Turkish cuisine. The dishes are all beautifully prepared, from the almond soup to the irresistible dessert sampler. One can make a whole meal of shared hot and cold mezzes such as meat, cheese or veggie-filled puff pastries, or go straight for a main course. The wine list spotlights Turkey and France (about €80 for two including house wine). In the centre of town, Switch (6 Rue de Flandre, tel.(0)2 503 1480), newly made over in sleek black and white, is a hip place that lets you pick from a list of
22:00 After dinner, enjoy some jazz at the Sounds Jazz Club (28 Rue de la Tulipe, tel.(0)2 512 9250), a Brussels institution for nearly 20 years. Spend the night in one of the exotic country-themed rooms at the Brussels Welcome Hotel (5 Rue du Peuplier, tel. (0)2 219 9546, €95 for a double, including breakfast), or slumber in style at the five-star Brussels Marriott Hotel (3-7 Rue A. Orts, tel: (0)2 516 9090, €160 and up).
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