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Belgium : Brussels - December 2007

Country Code: Dial for Belgium

Brussels is fantastic any time of year, but with its Christmas market, ice rink and brightly festive decorations, the city takes on a special ambience during the holiday season. Although the city centre has plenty to offer, visitors should venture beyond its parameters and explore a couple of the less well known neighbourhoods. Renée Cordes offers her top tips on negotiating the capital at Christmas

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.

GRAND’PLACE

During the festive season, there’s no place more magical than the centre of town, which hosts an annual holiday event known as Plaisirs d’Hiver.

Sleep soundly – Ebenezer Scrooge himself would be moved by the Christmas tree and nativity-scene animals on the stunning Grand’Place. Among the ornate medieval guildhouses here, No.6 belonged to the boatmen, and No.7 belonged to the haberdashers. If looking at historic houses leaves you cold, skate a turn on the ice rink at Place Sainte-Catherine.

Culture vultures – Ebenezer Scrooge himself would be moved by the Christmas tree and nativity-scene animals on the stunning Grand’Place. Among the ornate medieval guildhouses here, No.6 belonged to the boatmen, and No.7 belonged to the haberdashers. If looking at historic houses leaves you cold, skate a turn on the ice rink at Place Sainte-Catherine.

Must eat – Lunch is always a treat at Café du Vaudeville (11 Galerie de la Reine, tel. ), which serves elegant salads or heartier Belgian food. For dinner, François (2 Quai au Briques, tel. ) is the crème-de-lacrème of seafood restaurants.

Must drink – During the festive season, there’s no place more magical than the centre of town, which hosts an annual holiday event known as Plaisirs d’Hiver.

Shop til you drop – Purchase unique gifts from around the world at one of several stalls along the holiday market route, where you’ll also find mulled wine, sausages and other goodies. Otherwise, the elegant Galeries Saint-Hubert covered shopping arcade is unbeatable.

ANDERLECHT

Perhaps best known for its football club, Anderlecht was a village until the late 19th century and is now a very independent-minded Brussels commune. Take the metro to Saint-Guidon station and explore.

Sleep soundly – The three-star Hotel New Prince de Liège (664 Chaussée de Ninove, tel. , hotel-newprincedeliege.be, rooms from €100) boasts 32 modern yet comfy rooms. Or try the family-run Hotel Van Belle (39 Chaussée de Mons, tel. , rooms from €65), where the bar is a patriotic showcase of Belgian brews.

Culture vultures – Learn about one of the greatest Renaissance scholars at Erasmus House Museum (31 Rue du Chapitre), where Desiderius Erasmus spent five months in 1521. The €1,25 admission ticket will also get you into Béguinage Museum (8 Rue de Chapelain), which was once home to a group of religious women. History buffs will love Musée Nationale de la Résistance (14 Rue van Lint), home to a treasure-trove of artifacts from the Belgian resistance movement that was active during World War II.

Must eat – Located across from Anderlecht’s famous abattoir, La Paix (49 Rue Ropsy-Chaudron, tel. ) is an upscale restaurant in a traditional brasserie setting, where chef David Martin spoils the hungry, meat-loving masses with Simmenthal beef and other dishes.

Must drink – Take a tour of Cantillon Brewery (56 Rue Gheude), a family-owned firm established in 1900 that still makes kriek, gueuze and other varieties of beer the old-fashioned way. Naturally, the €4 entry fee includes a drink.

SAINT-GILLES

Almost a world unto itself, the commune or district of Saint-Gilles is one of Brussels’ liveliest quarters. The heavily Portuguese area, full of markets, cafés and restaurants, also boasts some of Brussels’ finest Art Nouveau architecture.

Culture vultures – The district’s cultural highlight is Horta Museum (25 Rue Américaine), where architect Victor Horta lived and worked until 1919. On the other side of the district, on Rue Vanderschrick (nos.1-25), close to Porte de Hal metro, you’ll find a block of houses designed by Ernest Blerot.

Must drink – Feel like you’re in 1940s Paris at the newly opened Les Deux Paons (77 Rue d’Albanie), a beautiful Art Nouveau bar with gorgeous chandeliers, vintage photos and Edith Piaf tracks all adding to the atmosphere.

Shop til you drop – Buy fresh flowers and food at the daily market on Parvis de l’Eglise de St. Gilles, and get a real feel for the neighbourhood.

MERODE

Mérode metro station in Brussels’ Etterbeek commune is a perfect place to start a day of shopping, strolling and sightseeing.

Sleep soundly – Lie in the lap of luxury at the four-star Park Hotel Brussels (21-22 Avenue de l’Yser, tel. , www.parkhotelbrussels.be, rooms from €105).

Culture vultures – Even on a cold winter’s day, the sprawling Parc du Cinquantenaire is a great place for a stroll. The park and buildings were built in 1880 to commemorate 50 years of Belgian independence, with the triumphal arch added in 1905. The buildings have since been turned into museums including Autoworld (No.11), the Royal Museums of Armed Forces and Military History (No.3) and Musée du Cinquantenaire (formerly the Royal Museums of Art and History; No.10). Nearby, the ornate Maison Cauchie (5 Rue des Francs) is considered one of the city’s finest Art Nouveau masterpieces. Don’t be surprised to see bright green parrots flying from tree to tree – they’ve lived here for years.

Must eat – Relish one of Brussels’ finest cups of hot chocolate (accompanied by pralines, of course) at Leonidas (32-34 Rue des Tongres).

Dance the night away – Check out one of Brussels newest nightspots, Autoworld’s Grand Prix bar (11 Parc du Cinquantenaire), which has regular live music and DJ nights.

Shop til you drop – The lively yet uncrowded Rue des Tongres is home to two shopping arcades and plenty of clothing and food stores, and it always makes a pleasant change from downtown shopping.

Compiled by Renée Cordes