Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

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Belgium : Brussels - November 2007

Country Code: Dial for Belgium

It’s not for nothing that Brussels likes to call itself the ‘green capital’ of Europe. As well as boasting some of the best shopping and a few of the finest restaurants, it can lay claim to having more green space per inhabitant than almost any other European capital. Most locals like to think that all this green makes Brussels the ideal place to live and work but, as Martin Banks reports, the changing colours of autumn really do bring out the best in this charming Belgian city

Getting around

Brussels Airport

Bus: The No 12 bus runs every 30 minutes between the airport and Rond-Point Schuman. The journey takes about 30 minutes. A oneway ticket costs €3.
Train: Trains from the airport run every 20 minutes at peak times. The journey takes 15 minutes and trains go to Brussels’ three mainline stations. Tickets cost approximately €2,80
Taxi: A taxi from the airport to the city centre will cost around €25-35. The journey should take about 25 minutes.
Tourist information: The main tourist office can be found on Grand’Place in the city centre (tel. , www.brussels.

Northern Brussels

The communities in the north of Brussels have an old-fashioned Belgian charm. But this is quickly changing as a result of big developments like the Tour & Taxis complex.

Sleep soundly – Close to the Atomium, Le Centenaire (84 Avenue Jean Sobieski, tel. , lecentenaire.be, rooms from €75) has 10 comfortable rooms decorated around different themes, such as ebony, lavender and saffron. Each room has its own kitchenette, too.

Culture vultures – The Atomium (Square de L’Atomium) was built as an homage to the atom in 1958 and has only just recently reopened after a major revamp. Boasting stunning views across the whole of Brussels, it’s one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions.

Must eat – The resto-bar Tasso (86c Avenue du Port, tel. ) is named after the founder of the European postal service, Francesco Tasso, and is one of the most popular places in town to see and be seen in. Housed in the magnificently restored Tour & Taxis warehouse, the restaurant offers a brasserie-style menu and a pleasant ambience. Thevy (210 Avenue Houba de Strooper, tel. ), named after the Thai goddess of beauty, is in a great location. The Laos-born head chef cooks behind the dining room in an open, white-tiled kitchen and will prepare Laotian dishes on request.

Must drink – Chai & Bar (86C Avenue du Port) is a unique concept. The bar organises daily degustations of 16 new wines, from little known labels to grand cru classes. The resident sommelier oversees the tasting and is happy to guide customers around the large stock of attractively priced wines. With its industrial chic interior, this is a stylish place in which to savour the best wines.

Shop til you drop – Bishop Tailors’ (53B Quai de Mariemont) is a Brussels institution – from the start it has been totally self-contained and the only thing it doesn’t make in-house is the cloth.

Madou

The Madou quarter is an area in transit. It used to be a tired, dusty urban neighbourhood with nothing much happening, but recently things have started to change for the better.

Must eat – The minestrone at Ines (23 Rue de la Rivière, tel. ) is prepared as it would be in the north of Italy and on its own is reason enough to make a visit to the area. De La Bonne Humeur (244 Chaussée de Louvain, tel. ) is a simple place with formica tables and unprepossessing décor. What keeps the hopeful punters lining up at the door are the great pots of mussels and other well-cooked, unpretentious Belgian specialities.

Dance the night away – Head to Vogue (2 Rue de Louvain) for lounge music, subdued lighting and wi-fi access. The Bubblegum parties on Saturday nights are especially gay-friendly. It’s always hard to get a full house early on in the week, but Bass Session One (4 Rue du Magasin) has a line-up that would tempt even the most discerning junglist. It’s rare to see such big name DJs on the same bill – especially for such a reasonable price.

Ixelles

One of the nicer residential parts of Brussels, Ixelles is full of leafy squares and has a hip boho-chic neighbourhood feel.

Culture vultures – Ixelles Museum of Fine Arts (Rue J Van Volsem) is best known for its collections from the 19th and 20th centuries, which offer a broad panorama of the period’s painting schools, including pre-impressionism, fauvism and expressionism.

Shop til you drop – NEW.H (59 Rue du Bailli) is a treasure trove of household items. It’s particularly renowned for its white porcelain tableware.

University

The university district is a cheap neighbourhood where a gym membership costs half of what it might in the European quarter and restaurants can offer a decent two-course lunch for under €10. It’s not a fashionable neighbourhood, but most Belgians don’t care as long as the local chefs know how to make a decent waterzooi (fish or chicken, cooked with carrots, potatoes, leeks, egg and cream).

Culture vultures – Covering an area of 124 hectares, the Bois de la Cambre is part of the old Foret de Soignes. Annexed to the city in 1842, its layout was conceived by the landscape architect Keilig. On Saturdays and Sundays, some routes are closed to cars, leaving the way free for cyclists, skaters and roller-skating enthusiasts.

Must eat – Le Mess (1 Boulevard Louis Schmidt, tel. ) is a fun place to eat. The menu melds traditional European with modern Asian cuisine. Try the curried Thai duck or sashimi of tuna with seaweed and chervil – fusion at its best. Apocalypse (20 Avenue Adolphe Buyl, tel. ) has been around for 25 years but is still widely regarded as the best Asian restaurant in town. Outstanding service, friendly waiters and superb cooking. Khaled Zoughlami has dedicated his latest venture, Serafine (104 Avenue Adolphe Buyl, tel. ), to his Sicilian mother. It has a relaxed bistro feel and serves up dishes based on bistro favourites.

Shop til you drop – If you’re an equestrian, it’s worth visiting Maison du Cavalier (243 Blvd General Jacques).

Compiled by Martin Banks reports