march-2013

u u bcn txl bud edi gva ncl osl tlv vce vno
kortrijk
belgium
10,438,353 +32 6°C
Euro (EUR)
Emma Thomson
THIS INNOVATIVE TOWN ON THE RIVER LEIE
OFFERS A GENTLER PACE OF LIFE
GROTE MARKT
Dotted with cafés and restaurants,
the city’s central square is presided
over by a sturdy red-brick belfry –
all that remains of the once-great
13th-century cloth hall destroyed
in World War II.
SLEEP The stylish B&B Dharma
(Groeningestraat 18, (0)56 29 36 56,
bedandbreakfast-dharma.be,
rooms from €80) has three beautiful
rooms, decked out in calming colours
and featuring interesting objets d’art.
Note it’s cash only.
EAT Nata (Grote Markt 4, (0)56 20
12 20) is an upmarket brasserie that
occasionally serves local speciality
Kortrijkse bil (smoked veal). To sate
a sweet tooth, Ridder & Hove
(Voorstraat 7, (0)56 22 44 42) is
the best place in town to try kalletaart
– apple cake flavoured with marzipan
and Calvados.
CULTURE The course of Belgian
history was changed forever on the
outskirts of Kortrijk in July 1302, when
Flemish foot soldiers went head to head
with a cavalry of French knights – and
won. Known as the Battle of the Golden
Spurs, it was the first time in history
INFO
Brussels Airport is
around 100km east
of Kortrijk.
Train
Take a train to either
Brussels Noord or
Deinze, then take a
connecting train to
Kortrijk. Trains to
Brussels Noord
leave the airport
at nine minutes past
the hour, every hour,
and take about an
hour and 35
minutes; trains to
Deinze depart at
50 minutes past
the hour, every hour,
and the journey
takes just under
two hours. A single
ticket costs €18.
Taxi
A taxi to Kortrijk
city centre from the
airport will cost
from €120 and take
a good hour.
Tourist info
The offi ce is at
Begijnhofpark,
(0)56 27 78 40,
kortrijk.be
that a horseback army had been
defeated by footmen. Multimedia
museum Kortrijk 1302: Seven
Centuries in One Day (Begijnhofpark)
re-lives the drama.
LATER With any luck, the weather
may just be warm enough to enjoy a
cocktail or two on the roof terrace of
Punta K (Sint-Maartenskerkhof 8).
It’s a sleek bar located above the
Dell’ Anno restaurant, and is popular
with well-heeled townsfolk.
ALONG THE LEIE
Around ten-minutes’ walk north
of the central part of the town, the
River Leie branches to form a citycentre
islet known as Buda Island.
It’s a peaceful, quietly up-andcoming
neighbourhood which
is now being touted as a hub of
innovation and creativity, with
the converted textile factory
known as Budafabriek at its heart.
SLEEP All aboard Ahoi (Handelskaai 1,
(0)56 22 91 70, ahoi.be, rooms from
€62), a charming converted barge
moored on the river, right in the centre
of Kortrijk, close to the Grote Markt.
Its small, simple rooms have capsule
The splendid City
Hall dominates the
ancient Grote Markt
en-suite bathrooms, and a delicious
organic breakfast is served in the bar.
EAT The atmospheric t’Mouterijtje
(Kapucijnenstraat 25A, (0)56 20 14 14)
serves up a predominantly fish-focused
menu of scallops, prawns and homemade
shrimp croquettes beneath an
old, brick-vaulted ceiling. A great place
for a lively lunch.
CULTURE Definitely worth a detour
is the charming Broelmuseum
(Broelkaai 6), which occupies a
creaky 18th-century waterside
mansion and displays an interesting
collection of art produced by locals.
Look out, too, for Brussels-born
artist Constantin Meunier’s haunting
Begrafenis van een Trappist (‘The
Burial of a Trappist Monk’).
SHOP If you’re looking for an
unusual edible gift, make your way to
Kortrijks Chocoladehuis (Leiestraat
35). It sells begijntjes – nun-shaped
chocolates – in honour of the town’s
ancient begijnhof, where pious women
once lived.
TIP Pick up a Degustatiepas
(‘Tasting Ticket’) from the tourist
office. It costs €9 and buys you an
aperitif, coffee and sweet treat to
keep you going as you explore.
TO ADVERTISE HERE contact
Svetlana Sosnina svetlana.sosnina@ink-global.com
tel. +44 (0)207 613 8797, +32 (0)2 808 1576
ALAMY