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Belgium : Brussels - April 2008
Country Code: Dial for Belgium
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.
SAINTE CATHERINE
Smack dab in the centre of town, Place Sainte-Catherine and its environs is one of the liveliest areas in the city. Take the metro to Sainte-Catherine station and start exploring.
Sleep soundly – With its 15 country-themed rooms, the tiny Hotel Welcome is camp but cosy – and the airport limo service is a major plus.
Culture vultures – The square is named after the 19th-century neo-Gothic church designed by Joseph Poelaert that almost became Brussels’ stock market. The Black Tower is the best-preserved remnant of the medieval city walls. There’s often something interesting going on at De Markten (5 Rue du Vieux Marché aux Grains), a magnet for Flemish intellectuals. Housed in a former power station, De Elektriciteitscentrale (44 Place Sainte-Catherine) is a very impressive art space that stages exciting new exhibitions every two months.
Must eat – Housed in an 18th-century building once occupied by Vincent van Gogh, Jaloa (5-7 Place Sainte Catherine, tel. ) is the quarter’s hottest new spot. Jaloa does an elegant take on Belgian fare, and manages to be chic without any attitude. Unusually for this neighbourhood, it’s got a lovely courtyard terrace. Book a table outside, weather permitting. With its ultra-fresh offerings, François (2 Quai aux Briques, tel. ) is a cut above many of the other seafood restaurants based around this former fish market.
Must drink – Take an afternoon breather with a cup of tea and some designer pralines on the side at Frederic Blondeel (24 Quai aux Briques).
Dance the night away – Salsa till you can salsa no more at Los Romanticos (5-7 Quai au Bois à Brûler). If you’re not feeling energetic, you can just sip a cocktail in one of the stylish mirrored booths.
Shop til you drop – Multilingual bookstore Passa Porta (46 Rue Antoine Dansaert, tel. ) is great for browsing and often hosts authors’ workshops. There’s also an on-site art gallery here. Rue Antoine Dansaert is home to the Who’s Who of Belgian design – and the latest addition is designer sneaker shop Waffles (189 Rue Antoine Dansaert), where your buying experience is augmented by the delicious (piped-in) aroma of waffles.
LAEKEN/HEYSEL
North of the city centre, Laeken is home to the Belgian royal family’s preferred residence and numerous tourist attractions, all within walking distance of the Heysel metro station.
Sleep soundly – The rooms at the Holiday Inn Garden Court Brussels Expo. Rooms are pretty simple, but it’s clean and child-friendly.
Culture vultures – Set in the grounds of the Château de Laeken, the Royal Greenhouses (Avenue du Parc Royal) open for a few weeks every year. Starting on 19 April, it’s a real feast for the senses – don’t forget your camera. Walk northwards to the magnificent Japanese Tower and Chinese Pavilion, both designed for King Leopold II in the early 20th century and now completely restored. Mini Europe’s (Bruparck) miniaturised versions of European landmarks are a huge hit with children. Afterwards, splash the afternoon away at Océade indoor water park, which is just next door. Then unwind with a movie at the Kinepolis muliplex (also within the Bruparck).
Must eat – Arguably Brussels’ most unusual dining venue, Belgium Taste in the Sky (Square de l’Atomium, tel. ) is set inside the nine-orbed Atomium. Come here to taste dishes made with home-grown ingredients such as Flemish fish and Herve cheese.
Shop til you drop – Stock up on souvenirs, including many throwbacks to the 1958 World Exposition, at the Atomium gift shop (Square de l’Atomium ). After soaking up some culture, naturally – from 17 April to 19 October the Atomium will host a number of events to commemorate its 50th anniversary.
MAROLLES
Overshadowed by the huge Palais de Justice, the colourful Marolles quarter takes its name from the 17th-century Marian Colentes nuns. It’s just like a village, and many locals still proudly speak the distinctive marollien dialect.
Sleep soundly – Treat yourself to a good night’s sleep in the most sumptuous surroundings – the Jolly Hotel du Grand Sablon is situated in the nearby Sablon neighbourhood.
Culture vultures – During the 16th century, Flemish painter Pieter Brueghel the Elder lived at 132 Rue Haute (it’s not open to the public but there is a small plaque outside). He is buried inside the Roman Gothic church Notre Dame de la Chapelle (Place de la Chapelle).
Must eat – Start the day with a rib-sticking breakfast at the Chéri Chéri (89 Rue Haute tel. ), where the setting alone –wooden picnic tables, and lots of yellow, orange and red – makes the trip worthwhile. Plates piled high with French toast and gorgeous pastries will make you feel like you’re back in your grandma’s kitchen. Early risers breakfast at De Skieven Architek (50 place du Jeu de Balle, tel. ). Housed in an old fire station, most days it’s full of colourful local characters.
Must drink – Head to Havana (4 Rue de l’Epée) for caipirinhas – close your eyes and you could almost be in the Cuban capital.
Dance the night away – y A legendary venue in Brussels, and renowned far beyond the city limits for many years, The Fuse (208 Rue de Blaes) is a temple of techno. Be warned though – it’s not for the claustrophobic. Recyclart (25 Rue des Ursulines) seems to split the city’s punters straight down the middle. Whether you love it or loathe it, the club continues to fuse big, loud parties with avant-garde art. Set in what was once a monastery, restaurant-cum-nightclub Bazaar (63 Rue des Capucins) pulls in a slightly more refined, 30-something crowd and serves up some of the city’s finest mojitos.
Shop til you drop – Rue Haute and Rue Blaes are lined with antique and design shops, most of which are open on Sundays. The huge flea market at Place du Jeu de Balle is open daily from 6am to 2pm. You can pick up anything here – from second-hand books and records to vintage clothes and furniture. It’s great for people-watching, too.
TERVUREN
Located just outside Brussels, the suburb of Tervuren in Flemish Brabant is worth a trip. Take the scenic route – catch Tram 44 from Montgomery, which goes along the leafy Avenue de Tervuren, built by King Leopold II for the 1897 World’s Fair.
Culture vultures – Also built in 1897, the Royal Museum for Central Africa (13 Chaussée de Louvain, tel. (02)1) offers a fascinating (albeit disquieting) glimpse into Belgium’s plundering of the Congo under Leopold II. Belgium’s oldest redwood tree stands in the surrounding gardens, which are home to lots of lively waterfowl. For more nature, head to the Tervuren Arboretum (near the Quatre Bras stop on Tram 44, see arboretum-tervuren.be for precise directions). The 100-hectare park boasts more than 400 plant species from the old and new worlds.
Must eat – Near Tervuren but still within the Brussels’ boundaries, Les Trois Couleurs (453 Avenue de Tervuren, tel. ) is an elegant restaurant catering to the pickiest of palates with fresh, seasonal dishes.
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Previous issues for Brussels
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| Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, please confirm event/venue details in advance. |
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