Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

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Belgium : Brussels - June 2008

Country Code: Dial for Belgium

June marks the start of summer, but the tourist hordes have yet to descend, making this the ideal time to see Brussels. Sample the city’s cultural highlights – from the Ancient Art Fair, which takes place on 5-10 June, to the Couleur Café music festival, on 27-29 June. Renée Cordes gets in quick

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.

RUE ROYALE

Stretching from the regal Place Royale to the Sainte-Marie church, this multicultural quarter is undergoing a renaissance of sorts. The Rue Royale (or Koningstraat) is one of the capital’s most fascinating streets – start at Parc or Botanique metro station and work your way down.

Sleep soundly – Everything about the new Hotel Bloom (rooms from €80) is fresh and cheerful, from the frescoes on the guestroom walls to the hanging bubble chairs in the lobby. Rooms are equipped with a Senseo coffee maker, flat-screen TV and stereo, not to mention great views of the Koekelberg basilica, the Town Hall spire and the Atomium.

Culture vultures – The neo-Byzantine Église Sainte-Marie is considered by many to be Brussels’ finest 19th-century church. Resembling a hybrid of a mosque, a church and a temple, its most prominent feature is its star-speckled blue dome. Housed in the former greenhouse of the Brussels Horticultural Society, Le Botanique (236 Rue Royale) is one of the city’s best cultural spaces, hosting exhibitions, concerts and plays, with something happening almost daily. Although small, the garden in front makes for a pleasant stroll en route to the city centre.

Must eat – Senza Nome is a Michelin-starred Italian restaurant where the pasta is always al dente and the Montalcino wine is top vintage.

Must drink – For bruxellois atmosphere, it’s hard to beat local favourite De Ultieme Hallucinatie. Order a Trappist beer and some brasserie-style food in lavish art nouveau surroundings.

Shop til you drop – Stock up on sweet souvenirs at Mary Chocolatier, an elegant family-owned shop.

EUROPEAN DISTRICT

There’s a healthy crop of shops and restaurants catering to an international clientele within walking distance of the Schuman or Maelbeek metro stations.

Sleep soundly – You can’t beat the Hotel Silken Berlaymont (rooms from €99) for convenience. Added to which it’s got a spa, a Zoom photo gallery and a Jacqmotte Coffee House.

Culture vultures – Feast your eyes on art nouveau houses in the streets around Ambiorix and Marie-Louise Squares, the most famous being Gustave Strauwen’s fanciful Saint-Cyr dwelling (11 Square Ambiorix), built in 1900. The stately Parc du Cinquantenaire (Jubelpark) is a huge swathe of green dominated by the 1880 triumphal arch, accessed via the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History. It houses a fascinating if haphazardly arranged clutch of artefacts and the museum recently added a handful of restored vintage aeroplanes to its collection.

Must eat – The newly opened Vitocolo is a bistro-cum-wine-bar and does a great risotto. Kafeneio (134 Rue Stevin, tel. ) is a popular Greek restaurant. Open every day of the week, it serves excellent mezze as well as more robust dishes like moussaka and meatballs in tomato sauce. And you can’t leave Brussels until you’ve tried its best-loved chips at the Maison d’Antoine kiosk (1 Place Jourdan).

Must drink – There’s no better way to relax on a summer’s evening than with an aperitif and a plate of antipasti at Piola Libri, an Italian bookshop that doubles up as a wine bar. Do your level best to bag a seat on the pavement terrace and look out for the live jazz that’s staged here throughout the summer.

Shop til you drop – The little news kiosks clustered near Rond-Point Robert Schuman sell everything from bumper stickers and blue-and-yellow EU mementos to umbrellas. Otherwise, you can pick up edible gifts at Lorette, a delightful little shop that sells Belgian chocolates, gingerbread and nougat as well as excellent coffee and tea, all beautifully packaged. For those in a rush, chocolatier Leonidas (1 Métro Schuman) has a small outlet in the station.

IXELLES

Bisected by Avenue Louise, Ixelles (or Elsene) in southern Brussels is one of the city’s most diverse districts, with a packed cultural calendar.

Sleep soundly – White is the new black at the modish White Hotel (rooms from €85), where all 10 rooms are decked out in light colours.

Culture vultures – Housed in the former Maison de la Radio, the Flagey cultural centre stages screenings and concerts almost daily. A little off the beaten tourist track, the Ixelles Museum (71 Rue Jean Van Volsem) offers a good overview of 19thand 20th-century Belgian art. See more than 700 works by the Belgian socialist-realist artist at the Constantin Meunier Museum (59 Rue de l’Abbaye).

Must eat – Place Saint-Boniface and its environs are packed with places to eat and drink. Go low-key with quiche or pasta at Le Tartisan, which also does fantastic cakes and teas. For something more upmarket, try gourmet Thai at Le 2ème Elément (7 Rue Saint-Boniface, tel. ). Make sure you ask for a table on the shaded terrace. Indulge in Japanese-French fusion at the ever-popular Chez Oki (62 Rue Lesbroussart, tel. ) – its signature starter of sushi and foie gras is a must.

Must drink – Whether you’re in a group or going solo, Café Belga is the kind of place you can while away hours (provided you can get a seat, that is). It serves Trappist beers, good bar snacks and a violet-syrup-flavoured house cocktail. There’s also live music here at weekends.

SAINT-GILLES

The epicentre of Brussels’ artistic and student life, this colourful district is worth visiting for its art nouveau gems alone. There’s also a large selection of bars and moderately priced restaurants.

Culture vultures – s Built in the early 20th century in the French renaissance style, Saint-Gilles Town Hall is home to the work of several Belgian artists. Tours of the hall can be booked in advance. The Horta Museum (25 Rue Américaine), where architect Victor Horta lived and worked for several years, is also a must-see. Escape the summer heat in gorgeous art deco surroundings at the recently renovated Victor Boin swimming pool and hydrotherapy complex (38 Rue de la Perche), which is reserved for women on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Must eat – For something different, head to Café des Spores. All the dishes – even the puddings – are made with mushrooms in an open kitchen

Shop til you drop – You can get a real feel for the neighbourhood at the bustling market on Parvis de Saint-Gilles, which is held from Tuesdays to Sundays and is open 6.30am–1pm. You can buy just about anything at the Sunday market, held near the Gare du Midi. Even if you’re not shopping, it’s a great place for people watching.

Compiled by Renée Cordes