august-2011

BELGIUM Population 10,431,477 Currency Euro GDP
SPA
† €26,700 Dialling code +32
Average temp (Aug) 16°C
A picturesque valley town
in eastern Belgium, Spa is
famous for its healing
waters and the Formula
One Belgian Grand-Prix
(26-28 August) – making
this month the perfect
time to dip into the ‘Pearl
of the Ardennes’. Renée
Cordes is our city guide
THERMES AND CENTRE
Soothe away your cares in the
thermal waters before exploring
this compact, historic town.
SLEEP The Radisson Blu Palace Hotel
(39 Place Royale, tel. (0)87 279700,
radissonblu.com/palacehotel-spa, rooms
from €174) is linked to Les Thermes du
Spa by a funicular. It offers various
packages, including the one-night Spa
Getaway for two (from €148 per person),
which includes a three-course dinner,
breakfast and one-day unlimited access
to the Thermes. The hotel also has its own
sauna, Turkish bath and fitness centre.
EAT Le Grand Maur (41 Rue Xhrouet,
tel. (0)87 773616), in an 18th-century
house, serves elegant Belgian classics
and is popular for Sunday brunch.
CULTURE Thermes du Spa (Colline
d’Annette et Lubin) offers 800 square
metres of natural-spring pools and a rich
variety of therapeutic baths, massages
and other treatments for every ailment.
Alternatively, book a factory tour of
Belgian mineral-water producer Spa
Monopole (103 Rue Colonel Bourg).
SHOP The Parc de Sept-Heures hosts
a flea market every Sunday morning,
peddling everything from antique
watches to vintage Tintin comics under
the metal-roofed Galerie Léopold II.
radissonblu.com
Water wonderland: experience
the natural healing powers
of the Thermes du Spa
INFO
Brussels Airport
is around 135km
northwest of Spa.
Train From
Brussels airport,
take a train to
Brussels Nord,
from where there
are hourly trains to
Spa, changing at
Verviers and taking
just under 2.5
hours. A return
tickets costs about
€36, and Spa’s
station is in the
centre of town.
Car Driving is
a great way to
explore Spa and
the surrounding
countryside. If
hiring a car from
Brussels, the
journey will take
around 90 minutes.
Tourist offi ce
The main offi ce is
at 41 Place Royale
(tel. (0)87 795353,
spa-info.be).
This month you can also enjoy free
concerts here on Sundays.
LATER Try your luck in the opulent game
rooms of the Casino (4 Rue Royale).
This was once the world’s oldest, built
in 1763 – the current building went
up in the early 20th century.
TIP The Spa tourist office (41 Place
Royale) organises guided hikes of
the area’s flora and fauna, as well as
tailor-made tours for groups.
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS
RACING CIRCUIT
This 7km circuit, a fast and hilly
track that winds through the lovely
Ardennes forest, is considered
one of the world’s finest and
most challenging.
SLEEP Hôtel de la Source (22 Route du
Circuit, tel. (0)87 795800, hotel-de-lasource.com,
rooms from €160) is right on
the racing circuit, with clear views of the
Rejuvenate.
Pamper mind and body at our two hotels in Spa.
Belgian
city
focus
#2
track from its suite terraces. The room
décor is minimalist but comfortable, and
the wellness centre has a Finnish sauna.
EAT Le Val d’Amblève (7 Route de
Malmedy, tel. (0)80 281440) specialises
in fine French cuisine. For something
more informal, try the Pit Brasserie
(26B Place du Marché, Battice, tel.
(0)87 306460).
CULTURE In the town of Stavelot,
the renovated abbey houses the Spa-
Francorchamps Racetrack Museum. The
archaeological remains of the 11thcentury
building are also worth seeing.
TIP Petrolheads can sign up to do a
couple of laps of the racetrack in their
own car or a rental vehicle.
CHAUDFONTAINE
A 25-minute drive from town,
Chaudfontaine hosts Belgium’s
only natural hot-water springs.
SLEEP The Château des Thermes
(9 Rue Hauster, tel. (0)4 367 8067,
chateaudesthermes.com, rooms from
€99) is a luxury spa hotel with naturally
heated indoor and outdoor pools and
a modern wellness centre complete
with ‘zen garden’.
EAT Le Clos Fontaine (52 Avenue des
Thermes, tel. (0)4 366 0363) is a ‘slow
food’ restaurant that serves innovative,
palate-tickling dishes.
CULTURE The Source O Rama (78
Avenue des Thermes) museum tells the
story of Chaudfontaine’s hot springs
with interactive exhibits, including
a four-dimensional film.
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