Avenue Louise and Ixelles Avenue Louise, one of Brussels’ poshest streets, runs up from the Palais de Justice all the way to the wooded Bois de la Cambre dividing the commune of Ixelles (1050). Its address, however, is 1000 Brussels. Here and nearby you’ll find top fashion houses (Chanel, Gucci, Armani), hotels (Conrad, Alfa Louise, Sofitel) and popular bars (The Michael Collins, Rick’s, MacSweeney’s). Be aware, however, that at night well-attired men are likely to be accosted by beautiful and expensive prostitutes, especially close to the hotels.

Ixelles Unbeatable for ethnic diversity, bars, restaurants and all forms of entertainment, much of Ixelles remains affordable despite its undoubted trendiness. A large commune, the area covers Place Fernand Coq, Place Flagey and the Chaussée d’Ixelles, trendy Avenue de la Toison d’Or and Rue du Bailli, which heads up to the ultra-chic Place du Chatelain with its market, boutiques and artisanal shops.

Saint-Gilles Again noted for its ethnicity, the 1060 post-code is much prized by students and arty types. It’s relatively inexpensive for the most part and has a host of bars around the central magnet that is the Parvis de Saint-Gilles. Given the cultural diversity, including Moroccans, Spanish, Portuguese, Greeks and more, the cafes and bars are fairly cheap and full of noise. A bit grubby in parts, especially near the Gare du Midid station, but certainly full of character.

Old town Close to La Grand’Place you’ll find Place Sainte Catherine, which hosts an annual Christmas market, complete with ferris wheel and ice-skating rink, and is bordered by the best fish restaurants in the city. Nearby is Chinatown, with its specialist shops, plus more restaurants than you can shake a chopstick at, as well as trendy Place Saint-Géry. This is bordered by several popular bars, such as Mappa Mundo, and is a favourite spot during long summer evenings. Schaerbeek The commune has a mixed reputation and can be a bit dodgy, but it is currently undergoing a major transformation. The birthplace of Jacques Brel, Schaerbeek has plenty of cheap housing balanced by a rich art nouveau heritage. Parc Josaphat is also a draw and Schaerbeek’s location, halfway between NATO headquarters and the EU area, means this commune is on the up.

Uccle Very posh. The south of the city draws many high-earning expats, not least because of the nearby European School and the many expensive restaurants. These are occupied by the upper end of the Brussels locals, many of whom can be seen strutting up and down Avenue Loiuse and Chaussée de Waterloo accompanied by their equally haughty and unfeasibly small dogs.

Place Royale, Marolles, Sablon The Place Royale was designed to impress the lesser mortals living below in the seedy Marolles. Today, there’s a free lift linking the two levels. It’s not a particularly exciting trip, but it’s very convenient for visitors to the Havana bar and nightclub. Next to the imposing Palais du Justice there’s a great vista of the city’s rooftops and beyond – all the way out to the Atomium. The streets running off the Grand and Petit Sablon are increasingly upmarket and the Grand Sablon in particular is the place for pricey antiques.

The European Quarter This is where it all happens in terms of the EU. From the newly renovated, towering, star-shaped Berlaymont building (the Commission headquarters) at Rond-Point Schuman to the glass-fronted European Parliament, this quarter is the place to find high-ranking politicians, lobbyists, MEPs and journalists all chatting over drinks.

When the institutions are in session, the bars around Place du Luxembourg are packed with the Union’s men in grey suits and their companions. The Place is fantastically multi-cultural, as are Rue Archimède and Rue Stevin, with their plethora of Irish and other bars and a variety of decent restaurants. Most of the time at weekends, however, these streets might just as well be shut.

GETTING AROUND

Metro, buses and trams While the metro is efficient and low-cost, the network is miniscule compared to say, those in Paris or London. But the tram and bus routes more than make up for that. Ask for a plan when you buy your tickets. If you have your destination’s co-ordinates, visit Stib/ Mivb’s website for a route planner (www. stib.be and click “demande d’itineraire” or “aanvragen reisweg” in Dutch.) Tickets cost €1.50 for a single or €10 for 10. They are valid for one hour on the bus, tram or metro from the moment you stamp them. Don’t forget to stamp them whenever you board a different mode of transport – even it it’s within the same hour.

Taxis Half the taxi drivers in Brussels seem not to know the city and often ask their passengers the way. Many can be rude, too. Charges are €2.40 for pickup and then €1.20 per kilometre within Brussels. The price goes up after 10pm. Try Taxi Bleu for a (usually) decent service. Tel 268 00 00.

SHOPPING

Brussels is undoubtedly chocolate heaven. The world-famous pralines (invented here) are ubiquitous. Some of the more expensive will have been hand-crafted by the team of Pierre Marcolini, a former world-champion chocolatier. Expect to pay steep prices, though – up to €50 per kilo. That’s a rare treat indeed, but head to the Grand Sablon or the Conrad Hotel on Avenue Louise to make your purchase. You will not fail to spot scores of shops selling Godiva, Wittamer and Leonidas versions. These are almost as good and much less pricey.

The city is also famous for its lace, and such shops are everywhere. You can also order gifts online from www.belgian-lace. com Designer shops can be found at the bottom of the oh-so-trendy Avenue Louise; think Louis Vuitton and the like. For presents, a Delvaux handbag (31 Galerie de la Reine, Tel: 512 71 98) is always popular with women while men are sure to be delighted by a gift of artisanal beer. The country has hundreds of varieties and many connoisseurs believe that Belgium is to beer what France is to wine. There are plenty of different types in all the supermarkets and in specialist shops around Grand’Place. Chimay is a particularly popular Abbey beer, brewed by monks. Be sure to take home the correct glass. Not to do so is considered a cardinal sin.

As mentioned before, Brussels’s big draw for upmarket shopping is Avenue Louise, with its international designer labels such as menswear store Degand (415 Avenue Louise, 1060) and Chine, which sells oriental women’s clothes designed by Belgian Guillaume Thys (82-84 Avenue Louise, 1060).

For lovers of antiques, there’s the Grand Sablon, which also has knick-knack shops off Lower Sablon, while for those who want shopping with a touch of class there’s the Galerie Royal Saint-Hubert – an 1847 Italian neo-Renaissance-style gallery which was the first shopping centre in Europe. It boasts a vaulted glass roof and has the usual chocolate shops, of course.

But by far the busiest shopping street in the city is Rue Neuve, which features among others H&M, HEMA, FNAC and INNO etc as well as the huge City2 shopping centre. Visitors can find everything in this bustling street, from sunglasses to CDs and headscarves to Harry Potter. There are also dozens of shoe shops, with goods ranging in price and quality.

For more avant-garde fashion, shoppers should head for Rue Antoine Dansaert, located close to La Bourse, Brussels’s stock exchange. Stijl (74 Rue Antoine Dansaert, 1000) showcases the creations of trendy Belgian designers such as Xavier Delcour, Vérnique Branquinho and Romy Smits.

The Marolles also has much to offer with its daily flea market at Place du Jeu de Balle. Nearby Rue Haute is an Aladdin’s Cave – head here for art and antique gems.

THINGS TO DO

As well as its famed food, beer and cultural diversity, Brussels boasts a rich architectural fabric and an eclectic art history. The magnificent Grand’Place (Grote Markt) was described in 1599 by Archduchess Isabella, daughter of Filip II of Spain, thus: “Never have I seen something so beautiful and exquisite as the town square of the city where the town hall rises up into the sky. The decoration of the houses is most remarkable.” During the early Middle Ages, the Grand’Place was nothing but a collection of small wooden houses scattered around a square. It was not until the 14th century that the city’s fathers started to built stone mansions – which were then made so beautiful by the Brussels guilds. It is undoubtedly the top tourist attraction in Brussels and rightly so, especially during the Christmas period and those years the amazing biennial floral carpet is on view (next held in 2006).

However, expect to pay whopping prices if you choose to admire the view from one of the bars or terraces surrounding it. Close by, you’ll find the famous Rue des Bouchers. The narrow medieval street is packed with restaurants but the waiters are paid to persuade you to enter their establishments, so it can be a bit of a pain dodging them – especially if you’re not hungry. The food varies in quality, so be warned.

Nearby, you’ll find the Jannekin Pis, squatting somewhat revoltingly over a wishing well at the end of a dodgy-looking alleyway. The Jannekin is the little-known sister of the Manneken Pis, Brussels’ peeing mascot. The original is on the corner of Rue de l’Etuve and is tiny. Obviously, size doesn’t matter as he’s always surrounded by holidaymakers taking snaps.

Brussels also has more recent architectural claims to fame – at least in the bits of the city that were not levelled by over-eager “planners” or allowed to fall into decay. The Musée Horta (23-25 Rue Americaine, 1060), was once the home of Brussels’ art nouveau master Victor Horta. Here, visitors can get a free map showing other remaining art nouveau facades across the city.

Alternatively, call Arkadia (Tel: 537 67
77) who run guided architectural visits and can gain visitors access to buildings usually closed to the public.

Another of Horta’s buildings houses the Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinée, or comic-strip museum (20 Rue des Sables, 1000). The building in itself is spectacular but the contents are far from gripping unless you’re a real enthusiast.

Much better for the amateur is the Musical Instrument Museum (2 Rue de la Cour, 1000) which uses audio technology to bring its large array of musical instruments to life. The Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts (nicknamed the Bozar) is a must-see. The older art, including works by Pieter Paul Rubens and Pieter Brueghel, can be found at 3 Rue de la Régence. For the modern art, head to 1 Place Royale.

A walk through Parc Cinquantenaire offers not only a chance to see the triumphal arch built to commemorate Belgian independence but is also home to the Musée Royaux d’Art et d’Histoire, with its collections of military uniforms and weaponry. Also in the park are museums celebrating cars, lace and ancient civilisations. The car museum is especially good.

A little out of town, but worth seeing, is the Atomium. This edifice was built at Heysel for the World Trade Fair of 1958, the first such exhibition after the Second World War.

The Atomium has been dubbed “the Eiffel Tower of Brussels”, although that is stretching it more than a little. It represents an iron crystal atom magnified 150 billion times, the intention being to give a European “thumbs-up” to the emergence of nuclear energy. The view from one its domes can be excellent on a clear day.

EXCURSIONS

To plan trips in and around the city the tourist office in the Grand’Place is the best place to start. The offices are in the Town Hall. Tel: 513 89 40,
www. brusselsdiscovery.com. Bus tours For guided visits and excursions in and around Brussels contact Brussels City Tours. Tel: 513 77 44, www.brussels-city-tours.com. Many expats find the nightlife in Antwerp livelier than that in Brussels. A huge diamond centre and the self-proclaimed capital of Flanders, the hip port boasts excellent bars and restaurants and terrific Flemish culture. Make sure you drop into Camea Fine Jewelry (Hoveniersstraat 30 bus 116, 2018 Antwerpen tel 32 3 226 45 50 www.camea.be or email info@camea. be. Open Mon to Fri from 9 AM to 5 PM, Saturday by appointment) which uses some of Belgium’s finest artists and designers to create the ultimate in high-class accessories. Its creations, crafted from pearls, diamonds, precious stones and 18-carat gold, exude glamour and exclusivity, and are all handmade. Go. Leuven is a lovely little university town just 20 minutes from Brussels by train and while its Grand’Place is not on the same scale as the one in the capital, its town hall is gorgeous. It is also renowned – or notorious – for having the largest concentration of bars per metre in Europe, located in the Old Town Square.

Bruges is justly famed for its medieval streets, fascinating churches and quaint canals and is about an hour away.

Even nearer is Ghent, home of Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt. Only 35 minutes away and equally interesting historically, this city is not quite so chocolate-box pretty as the better-known Bruges, which some find rather kitsch.

Out on the coast (about an hour away) you’ll find Ostend, with its fantastic fish restaurants. Locals will tell you that Marvin Gaye wrote his classic Sexual Healing while living there.

A trip by car (about an hour and a half ) to Durbuy will take you into the Ardennes. Durbuy claims to be the smallest city in the world and parts of it are delightful. A wide range of leisure activities are on offer, including canoeing and rock climbing.

CONFERENCE AND CONVENTION CENTRES

NPO Brussels Exhibition Centre
1 Belgiëplein
Tel: 474 82 63
Fax: 474 83 97
Email: sales@bruexpo.be

The Brussels Exhibition Centre runs the Brussels Expo site, hiring out halls and exhibition rooms for congresses and other events. It’s ideal for public fairs, AGMs or product launches, and easily accessible though a a little out of town.

Conrad

71 Avenue Louise
Tel: 542 4242
Fax: 542 4200
www.conradhotels.com
Email: brusselsinfo@conradhotels.com

The sumptuous Conrad hotel has 15 meeting rooms, including a huge column-free ballroom which makes an ideal spot for banquets or receptions.

Hotel Manos Stephanie

28 Chaussée de Charleroi
Tel: 539 0250
Fax: 537 5729
www.manoshotel.com
Email: manos@manoshotel.com

The Manos has four conference rooms named after places in Brussels: Grand Place, Atomium, Grand Sablon and Petit Sablon – all of which are equipped with the necessary audiovisual kit, making it ideal for high-level presentations, conferences, video conferences and product launches.

Diamont Conference Centre

80 Boulevard A Reyers
Tel: 706 88 00
www.diamant.be/conference_center.htm
Email: via the website

The Diamont has space for up to 300 delegates for a product launch or conference.

Palais des Congrès

3 Coudenberg
Tel: 515 1311
Fax: 515 1310
www.palconbru.com
Contact: Via website

Due to re-open in 2009 after extensive refurbishment, the downtown Palais can cater for between 50 to 1,200 delegates. It also has a garden terrace and a panoramic restaurant with great views towards Grand’Place.

For more conference centres in Brussels, www.conworld.net/dir/europe/belgium/Brussels.htm