Your essential guide to what to do, see, eat, and where to sleep in the Belgian capital during March
05:30 Early birds can get breakfast from 5.30am daily at De Skieven Architek (50 Place du Jeu de Balle, tel. 02 514 4369), located in an old fire station in the lively Marolles neighbourhood. After a croissant and coffee or tea, hunt for treasures at the famous flea market on the same square, daily from 6am-2pm. Le Beau Soleil (5 Rue Lebeau, tel. 04 794 20382), near the place du Grand-Sablon, is a cheerful café resembling a violin workshop. Open Tuesday-Sunday 9am-6pm, it specialises in yummy pastries for breakfast, and salads and quiches for lunch.
09:00 History buffs will relish a visit to Waterloo (just 20 minutes from Brussels) the site of one of the most important battles in European history in June 1815, and easily accessible by car or train from Brussels. Get a birds’ eye view of the battlefield at the top of the Butte du Lion, an artificial mound built in 1823-6 on the spot where the Prince of Orange was wounded. At the foot, the Visitors’ Centre offers a good overview of the battle. Just opposite, the Wax Museum is good fun. Other must-see sites are Le Caillou, the farmhouse that served as Napoleon’s headquarters on the eve of the battle, and the Wellington Museum in the centre of Waterloo. Refuel at one of the many cafés or restaurants in the area.
13:00 Mamy Louise (12 Rue Jean Staes, tel. (0)2 534 2502) is an elegant eatery owned by Philippe and Nadine Gillet, conveniently located near the Avenue Louise shopping street. Evocative of New England, the restaurant is always full at lunchtime, when lovely soups, salad and hearty mains – including game and fish – and decadent desserts are the order of the day (about €25 for two).
15:00 Get a fascinating glimpse into Brussels’ grand medieval past at the underground Coudenberg archeological site (7 Place des Palais), once the residence of the powerful Dukes of Burgundy below the Place Royale. Built in the second half of the 11th century, the palace was unfortunately destroyed by a huge fire in 1731 and essentially forgotten and buried after the area was redeveloped in 1775. Opened to the public in 2000, the excavation – still a work in progress – is well worth a visit. Nearby, the neo-classical church St. Jacques-sur-Coudenberg (1 Impasse Borgendael), built in 1775, served as a temple of reason and law during the French Revolution before reverting to Catholicism in 1802.
18:00 BRXL Bravo (www.brxlbravo.be) is a three-day extravaganza from March 2-4 devoted to music, dance
and theatre in numerous venues throughout the Belgian capital. Every weekend from March 9-25, check out the best in European contemporary music at Ars Musica (arsmusica.be) a popular non-profit festival that’s been an event since 1989. This year’s edition opens with the world premiere of an opera by Belgium’s own Benôit Mernier at the Théatre de la Monnaie (Place de la Monnaie, tel. (0)2 229 1200). The line-up includes electronic music, rehearsals open to the public and film documentaries.
20:00 Restaurant Tara (468 Chaussée de Louvain, tel.
(0)2 742 9110), named for the owners’ daughter, is a cosy new neighbourhood place near Place Dailly in Schaerbeek that opened in November. Chef-owner Dominique Viger specialises in down-to-earth French cuisine, from the armagnac-accented lobster bisque to sole meunière, complemented with comfort-food sides like potatoes au gratin (about €100 for two, including wine). For a special dinner, treat yourself to a seafood meal at Richard Hahn’s L’Ecailler du Palais Royal (18 Rue Bodenbroek, tel. 02 512 8751), which regained its Michelin star in the 2007 guide. Located in a 17th-century house off the Place du Grand Sablon, this place will definitely impress dates (about €150 for two, including wine). Zinneke (26 Place de la Patrie, tel. (0)2 245 0322) serves mussels in 69 different ways, along with other Belgian favourites, in a cosy retro setting (about €80 for two, including house wine).
22:00 Brussels’ cobblestone Grand’Place takes on an even more magical ambiance at night, when the ornate Gothic Town Hall and former medieval guildhouses are all lit up.
Take your pick of places on the square and surrounding streets to enjoy a tipple. Les Brasseurs de la Grand’Place (24 Rue de la Colline, tel. (0)2 513 77410) is a three-story microbrewery-pub that serves up a handful of home brews made the old-fashioned way.
Appropriately, white is the predominant theme at the four-star White Hotel (212 Avenue Louise, tel. (0)2 644 2929), where rooms are all smoke-free and feature creations by top Belgian designers (€115 – €165 for a double). Shopaholics will appreciate the proximity to Avenue Louise and the chichi Châtelain district.
b.there!
For more information or to book Brussels Airlines flights to Belgium, visit brusselsairlines.com
Words Renée Cordes
No comments yet.
