march-2013

u u
bcn txl bud edi gva ncl osl tlv vce vno
March it’s hosting singer-songwriter
Jake Bugg and indie rockers I am Kloot,
and there’s an exhibition of artworks
themed around the Tower of Babel.
TIP In a converted 19th-century railway
station, Jazz Station (Chaussée de
Louvain 193A-195) is now a bar, cultural
centre and library, with a concert venue
devoted to jazz in all its forms. Look out
for the Saturday ‘apéritif concerts’.
PLACE STÉPHANIE
Chic Place Stéphanie is the heart
of the uptown shopping quarter,
and the surrounding streets are
in constant flux: there’s always
something new to buy, eat or see.
SLEEP The newly-opened Made in
Louise (Rue Veydt 40, (0)2 537 4033,
madeinlouise.com, rooms from €99) is
a family-owned boutique hotel in a
peaceful backstreet near Avenue
Louise. The décor is restrained and
restful, in soft greys and whites with
lots of natural wood, and there’s a cosy
bar-restaurant with lots of local beers.
EAT English-inspired organic café-deli
God Save the Cream (Rue de Stassart
131, (0) 2503 0775) serves wholesome
salads and quiches, but also proper,
stodgy British cakes. They’re justly
proud of their excellent coffee –
something of a rarity in Brussels.
CULTURE Baronian Francey (Rue
Isidore Verheyden 2) has been a fixture
on Brussels’ contemporary art scene
since the 1970s, exhibiting the likes of
Gilbert & George and Robert Crum. In
March, it’s showing works by German
artist and sculptor Olaf Holzapfel.
SHOP French brand Just Campagne
(Chaussée de Charleroi 30) opened
here late last year, selling leather bags
and purses. The summer range has
some great acid brights.
LATER Gotha Club (Galerie Louise,
level -1), in the basement of the Louise
shopping centre, is a new arrival on the
Brussels club scene. This outpost of
the well-known Cannes super-club
promises big name DJs, a glitzy crowd
and even the odd celebrity sighting.
TIP At the peaceful, luxurious Serendip
Spa (Place Stéphanie 18), holistic
therapists offer anything from a 15minute
‘eyelift’ to a full five-hour ritual.
marche aux
poissons/vismet
ste-catherine
st-katelijne
dansaert
RUE A. DANSAERT / A. DANSAERTSTRAAT
halles st-gery
st-gorikshallen
R. VAN ARTEVELDE / ARTEVELDESTRAAT
E
BLVD ANSPACH / ANSPACHLAAN
RUE DU MIDI / ZUIDSTRAAT
marolles
marollen
p. du jeu de balle
vossenplein
INFO
For further
information on
places to stay,
things to do and
much more, go to
visitbrussels.be
Belgium extra...
See pages 68 & 70
for a special double
Belgian city focus.
This issue: Kortrijk
and Stavelot.
de brouckère
place ste-catherine
st-katelijneplein
RUE BLAES / BLAESSTRAAT
RUE HAUTE / HOOGSTRAAT
place du beguinage
begijnhof
RUE DE LAEKEN / LAKENSESTRAAT
place de
la bourse
beursplein
RUE DU LOMBARD / LOMBARDSTRAAT
manneken
pis
place de la chapelle
kapellemarkt
BLVD A.MAX / A.MAXLAAN
MATONGE
Brussels’s busy African quarter
takes its name from a shopping
area in Kinshasa; like its namesake,
it’s a hive of food and clothes
shops, African hairdressers and
lively bars and restaurants.
SLEEP Renovated 1930s gem Hôtel le
Berger (Rue du Berger 24, (0) 2510
8340, lebergerhotel.be, rooms from
€120) has a louche charm, with its
period wallpapers, low lighting and
vintage furniture.
EAT Tiny Italian osteria Unico (Rue
Longue Vie 48, (0)2 325 9512) has
gare centrale
centraal station
a daily-changing menu that might
feature razor clams, Italian sausage or
artichokes. There’s a €35 tasting menu
for the greedier or more adventurous.
CULTURE The Vendôme (Chaussée de
Wavre 18) is a cosy two-screen cinema
with a varied programme of homegrown
and international arthouse films. On
‘Vendôme Saturdays’, it shows films for
grown-ups and children simultaneously.
SHOP Behind its hot pink door, Le Petit
Boudoir (Rue de la Paix 19) sells pretty,
original womenswear and accessories:
there’s a particularly good selection of
inexpensive jewellery, including London
brand Tatty Devine’s bright, witty pieces.
66 march 2013
FLY TO brussels from 50 european destinations. brusselsairlines.com
BLVD É.JACQMAIN / É.JACQMAINLAAN
RUE GRÉTRY / GRÉTRYSTRAAT
RUE NEUVE / NIEUWSTRAAT
R. DE L'ÉCUYER SCHILDKNAAPS / BISSCHOPSSTRAAT
grand-place
grote markt
place st-jean
st-jansplein
mont des arts
kunstberg
square
B. DE L'EMPEREREUR / KEIZERSLAAN
grand sablon
grote zavel
RUE DES MINIMES / MINIENENSTRAAT
RUE E.ALLARD / E.ALLARDSTRAAT
palais de justice
justitiepaleis
BLVD DE L'IMPÉRATRICE / KEIZERINLAAN
RUE AUX LAINES / WOLSTRAAT
rue neuve
nieuwstraat
place des martyrs
martelaarsplein
opera
louise
louiza
B
m. magritte
RUE DU MARAIS / BROEKSTRAAT
B. DE BERLAIMONT / BERLAIMONTLAAN
museés des beaux-arts
m. voor schone kunsten
sablon
zavel
B. DU JARDIN BOTANIQUE / KRUIDTUINLAAN B. BISCHOFFSHEIM / BISCHOFFSHEIMLAAN
cathédrale
kathedraal
bozar
place royale
koningsplein
parc
park
BLVD PACHÉCO / PACHECOLAAN
BOULEVARD DE WATERLOO / WATERLOOLAAN
RUE DE LA LOI / WETSTRAAT
RUE ROYALE / KONINGSTRAAT
congres
place du congres
congresplein
parc de
bruxelles
m. des instruments de musique
muziekinstrumenten museum
palais royal
koninklijk paleis
porte de namur
naamsepoort
jardin botanique
kruidtuin
RUE DUCALE / HERTOGSTRAAT
botanique
kruidtuin
palais de la nation
paleis der natie
arts-loi
kunst-wet
BLVD DU RÉGENT / REGENTLAAN
ILLUSTRATION: IAN DUTNALL