Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

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Belgium : Brussels - December 2009

Country Code: Dial for Belgium

Draped in a blanket of fairy lights, Brussels must be Santa’s favourite place on earth in December. While you’re there, whizz around the nostalgic merry-go-round near Sainte- Catherine (plaisirsdhiver.be), go clubbing in a shower (tribeca. be) and check out the Belgian Film Festival (17–20 December, filmbelge.be). Nina Lamparski uncovers the Christmas magic

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.

MUSEUM QUARTER

Recently revamped, the Mont des Arts or Arts Hill is wedged between the majestic avenues of the Royal Palace and the gardens of Petit Sablon and Egmont. Marking the transition between the upper and lower town, Mont des Arts offers one of the finest views across the city.

Sleep soundly – Spend the night overlooking the wintry Place du Grand Sablon at the four-star NH Hotel du Grand Sablon (2–4 Rue Bodenbroak, tel. , nh-hotels.com, rooms from €73).

Culture vultures – You can’t miss the intriguing glass cube structure of the new congress centre, known as the Square (2 Rue Ravenstein). This beautiful building hosts international arts events, political conferences and big club nights. Also located on or near the Place Royale are the new René Magritte Museum (1 Place Royale), the beautiful Museum of Musical Instruments (2 Montagne de la Cour) and the award-winning BELvue Museum (7 Place des Palais).

Must eat – Belgian design genius Arne Quinze has created a 30m-long sculpture for restaurant Kwint (1 Rue Mont des Arts, tel. ) that uses light and sound to reflect the evolving mood, while this Belgo-French restaurant offers a breathtaking panorama of the Brussels skyline.

Must drink – The ultra-funky Pixel wine bar (21 Rue Ernest Allard), close to the Place du Grand Sablon, features a wall made of 8,580 coloured squares. Prices are democratic, with a glass of wine costing between €3 and €5. Note: it closes at 10pm, even on Saturdays.

Dance the night away – A hot tip is the club of lounge/restaurant Tribeca (412 Avenue Louise). Featuring a real shower, good-looking bar staff and a small salon area with comfy couches, the vibe can be a tad exclusive but don’t let that stand between you and a wild session on the dance floor.

Shop til you drop – The Bozar Shop (15 Rue Ravenstein), part of the Centre for Fine Arts, is a paradise for design lovers. The award-winning space created by the famous Lhoas brothers features 360m² of books, art objects and much more. Bonus: it’s open on Sundays from 10am to 7pm.

LAEKEN

If you don’t have much spare time for sightseeing, an afternoon visit to this suburb is a must. Why? Because it’s where you’ll find the quirky Atomium structure, a huge leisure park, as well as the royal residence and its magnificent gardens.

Sleep soundly – The city centre is a quick 15-minute metro ride away, but if you choose to spend the night in Laeken, then stay at the elegant Maison Bliss (139 Avenue Prudent Bols, tel. , blissbb.be, rooms from €90). Although this delightful bed & breakfast has just two rooms, they are simply exquisite and come with all the mod cons.

Culture vultures – Built for the 1958 World Fair, the 102m-high Atomium (Atomium Square) remains one of the world’s quirkiest monuments. Until 13 December, the astonishing metal spheres will feature the Africa. Fast Forward expo. Meanwhile at the foot of the Atomium you’ll find Mini-Europe, which allows you to travel around the continent within a few hours. Witness the eruption of Vesuvius, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the gondolas of Venice and much more.

Must eat – A former pavilion built for the 1958 World Fair, the heritage-listed Salon 58 (6 Avenue de l’Atomium, tel. ) mixes classy kitsch design with culinary finesse. Prices are democratic and the seafood dishes are excellent, in particular the dorade royale (baked sea bass).

Must drink – Apart from hosting one of Europe’s largest cinemas and a tropical swimming complex, the massive Bruparck leisure centre (Eeuwfeestlaan 20 Boulevard du Centenaire) is also home to The Village, a cluster of cantinas and bars. Not ideal for a romantic tête-à-tête but definitely the place to go if you’re with friends thirsty for beer and tequila.

GRAND PLACE TO MARCHÉ AUX POISSONS

Even the most hardened Ebenezer Scrooge will find it tough to resist the sweet fragrance of mulled wine and roasted almonds pervading downtown Brussels. From its Christmas markets to sparkling squares, the city knows how to make you feel all warm and gooey inside.

Sleep soundly – Minutes away from the Grand Place, the three-star Queen Anne (110 Boulevard Emile Jacmain, tel. , queen-anne.be, rates from €65 with breakfast) receives big thumbs up for being modern, elegant, cosy and quirky all at once. It’s one of the best locations this December as it’s close to all the major Christmas attractions and public transport links.

Culture vultures – Throughout December, Brussels hosts its annual Winter Wonders (plaisirsdhiver.be). The event features light and sound spectacles on the Grand Place, a Christmas market, and a merry-goround, ice-skating rink and big wheel at the Marché aux Poissons. Don’t miss the 2009 highlight, the Mongolian showcase on Place Sainte-Catherine.

Must eat – Glam up and mingle with Brussels’ yuppie crowd at L’Axess (86C Avenue du Port, tel. ), opened earlier this year as part of the impressive Tour & Taxis industrial estate (a 10-minute taxi ride from the Grand Place). Slicker than the waiters’ hair-dos, this modern restaurant specialises in fusion food (the Thai beef is pretty good) but the main reason you should come here is for people watching and live jazz on Thursdays.

Must drink – Try what is possibly Brussels’ most expensive hot chocolate on the first-floor café at cosy Wittamer patisserie (6 Place du Grand Sablon). It’s well worth the splurge. For latenight conversations and the city’s best martini there’s only one address – L’Archiduc (6 Rue Antoine Dansaert). Ring the door bell and wait until you get buzzed in.

Dance the night away – Fans of electro music will love the dirty beats at Wax Club (66 Boulevard Anspach). Thirsty night owls can party till 7am at Celtica (55 Rue du Marché aux Poulets), nicknamed the Temple of Alcohol.

Shop til you drop – After popping into the luxurious Taschen book store (16 Rue Lebeau) on the Place du Grand Sablon, head to Ivan da Maria’s austere store (27 Boulevard de l’Empereur) where everything comes from Russia with love, including various vodka labels and caviar.

PLACE STÉPHANIE

Clustered with shops, department stores and boutiques, this is the perfect area to get all your Christmas shopping done in one afternoon.

Sleep soundly – Make sure you spend at least one night at the gorgeous Odette en Ville (25 Rue du Châtelain, tel , chez-odette.com, rates from €250). This beautiful hotel is right next to the Châtelain Square and is a haven of luxury and peace. Every room comes equipped with a DVD player, the common areas feature lovely libraries, lush couches and an open fire, and you’re even allowed to bring Fifi the poodle.

Dance the night away – Visit the new Monte Carlo (173 Avenue Louise) for a pre-dinner drink in the stylish lounge area, and relive the best of the 1990s in the downstairs club: sip neon-coloured cocktails while watching piranhas in an aquarium.

Shop til you drop – Head straight to the Inno department store (12 Avenue Louise) where you’ll find anything from inexpensive shoes to Chantal Thomass lingerie and Max Mara dresses. Blow your Christmas bonus at the recently opened jeweller Manalys (11 Boulevard de Waterloo), or be charitable and spend your money at secondhand store Les Petits Riens (101 Rue Américaine).

Compiled by Nina Lamparski