Probook 2014 - english by visit.brussels

probook 2014 SIZED FOR TOURISM & MEETINGS

© Photos: VISITBRUSSELS • E. Danhier • M. Zunini • M. Vanhulst • J.P. Lejeune • Alessandra Petrosino • Jon Martin • Georges De Kinder • 2012 Extended Drawings Diogo Pimentao, Boris Thiébaut & Franziska Furter (p.38 • 39) • Tony Le Duc • Photo News (p.51) • Mattieu Paternoster • Tine Claerhout • Hedwige Pint • Johan Jacobs • Simone Haac • L’Inde révélée / India in beeld (p.62) • La Roue Bleue. Cui Xiuwen, Angel 1, 2006, tirage photographie lambda, 120 x 150 cm. © de l’artiste Courtesy of Galerie Dix9 Hélène Lacharmoise, Paris (p.63) • CBBD Will Eisner NY (p.63) • Michaël Borremans (p.64) • 14•18 c’est notre histoire / dit is onze geschiedenis (p.64) • Constantin Meunier / Volksvrouw © Koninklijke Musea voor Schone Kunsten van België, Brussel foto Vincent Everarts Photographie, Brusse (p.65) • Kunstenfestivaldesarts / beltrao3 © beaborgers (p.66) • Balkan Trafik (p.66) • Titanic, Propellars (p.67) • Nathalie Nizette (p.68) • STORIE DI SIENA - Andrea di Bartolo inv. (p.72)

welcome to brussels Brussels is the capital city of 500 million Europeans and is one of the Power Cities, those important and influential places of decision-making and debate. Nonetheless, it still cultivates its talent as a metropolis on a human scale and its international reputation for friendliness and sociability. It makes itself accessible to all of its many visitors: business, culture, leisure and pleasure, those escaping for a break,… whatever its purpose, a stay in Brussels is something to remember. As a world city, it shows a multi-cultural character that fits it like a glove: it’s both historic and modern, of the North and of the South, and proud of its differences which it intermixes unselfconsciously. Its cuisine rises to any challenge, its fashion is paraded on the most highly-rated catwalks, its Art Nouveau treasures offer more than 200 opportunities to admire this flourishing style and its comic strip heroes have recently become Hollywood stars. ProBook 2014 invites you to enjoy some quality times, times that help to create true happiness. We hope you enjoy reading this! And please don’t hesitate to ask us any questions: we’re there to guide you around Brussels. The VISITBRUSSELS teams

WWW.VISITBRUSSELS.BE IN THE TOP 10 OF BELGIUM COMES 8THST IN TRAVEL 2014 BE LONELY PLANET’S tion among the des-

in 8th posi Lonely Planet puts Belgium” in 2014. The high quality of the tinations “you have to visit has to oﬀer and its gastronomy cultural life and museums it give Brussels its prominent and pedestrianised areas ion too good to miss . place on that list. A destinat

CONTACTS Belgium To ﬁnd out more about this brochure: VISITBRUSSELS bip - rue Royale 2-4 - 1000 Brussels PRESS MANAGER: Martha Meeze Tel.: +32 (0)486 53 31 81 m.meeze@visitbrussels.be PRESS OFFICER: Pierre Massart Tel.: +32 (0)475 53 08 07 p.massart@visitbrussels.be PRESS COORDINATOR: Gary Divito Tel.: +32 (0)476 94 13 53 g.divito@visitbrussels.be TRADE: Anousjka Schmidt Tel.: +32 (0)2 548 04 57 a.schmidt@visitbrussels.be

United Kingdom BELGIAN TOURIST OFFICE BRUSSELS - WALLONIA 217 Marsh Wall UK-London E14 9FJ Live operator: Tel.: +44 (0)20 75 37 1132 Free brochure line: Tel.: +0800 9545 245 (UK only) Fax: +44 (0)20 75 31 03 93 info@belgiumtheplaceto.be PRESS: press@belgiumtheplaceto.be trade@belgiumtheplaceto.be www.belgiumtheplaceto.be TOURISM FLANDERS - BRUSSELS FLANDERS HOUSE 1A, Cavendish square UK – London W1G 0LD Live operator: Tel.: +44 (0)20 730 777 30 uk@visitflanders.com PRESS: Tel.: +44 (0)20 7307 7742 press@visitflanders.co.uk TRADE: trade@visitflanders.co.uk www.visitflanders.co.uk

Poland URZAD PROMOCJI TURYSTYKI WALONIA-BRUKSELA Stratos Oﬃce Center ul. Skorupki 5 - VI pietro PL – 00-546 Warszawa Tel.: +48/ 22 583 70 06 or 01 Fax: +48/ 22 583 70 03 mjanow@poczta.onet.pl www.belgique-tourisme.be

Italy UFFICIO BELGA PER IL TURISMO BRUXELLES-VALLONIA Viale Vittorio Veneto 28 I - 20124 Milano Tel.: +39/ 02 86 05 66 Fax : +39/ 02 87 63 96 info@belgioturismo.it PRESS: Tel.: +39 02 86 46 31 36 stampa@belgioturismo.it TRADE: Tel.: +39 02 86 99 29 33 trade@belgioturismo.it www.belgioturismo.it TURISMO FIANDRE, BRUSSELS, BELGIO Piazza Santa Maria Beltrade 2 I - 20123 Milano Tel.: +39/ 199 442 111 Fax : +39/ 02 455 50 204 italia@visitfl anders.com PRESS: Tel.: +39 02 97 38 16 97 l.lobasso@turismofiandre.it TRADE: Tel.: +39 02 97 38 17 57 s.clarin@turismofiandre.it www.turismofiandre.it

Russia TOURIST OFFICE FOR FLANDERS AND BRUSSELS Represented by TMI Consultancy Trubnaya 12 107045 Moscow fl anders@tmiconsultancy.com www.visitfl anders.ru

Japan

India

Denmark / Sweden

BELGIAN TOURIST OFFICE WALLONIA – BRUSSELS Chiyoda-ku, Nibancho 7-3 Nibancho Bldg 3F JP – Tokyo 102-0084– Japan Tel.: +81 (0)3 3237 7105 Fax: +81 (0)3 3237 8400 info@belgium-travel.jp PRESS/TRADE: Tel.: +81(0)3 3237 7105 damien.dome@belgium-travel.jp midori@belgium-travel.jp www.belgium-travel.jp

TOURIST OFFICE FOR FLANDERS - BELGIUM - NEW DELHI OFFICE Represented by Mileage Communications (India) Pvt. Ltd 119, Sishan House, 2nd floor Shahpur Jat New Delhi – 110 049 Tel.: +91 11 498 76 700 19 Fax: +91 11 498 76 701 india@visitfl anders.com www.visitfl anders.in

BELGIAN TOURIST OFFICE FLANDERS – BRUSSELS Grasmarkt 61 – 1000 Brussels Tel.: +32 (0)2 504 25 20 Fax: +32 (0)2 504 04 80 danmark@visitfl anders.com sverige@visitfl anders.com www.belgien.dk (Denmark) www.belgien.nu (Sweden)

TOURIST OFFICE FOR FLANDERS - BELGIUM - TOKYO OFFICE NK Shinwa Bldg. 5F 5-1 Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, JP – 102-0083 Tokyo – Japan Tel.: +81 (0)3 3237 8032 Fax: +81 (0)3 3237 8075 japan@visitfl anders.com www.visitfl anders.jp

MUMBAI OFFICE Represented by Mileage Communications (India) Pvt. Ltd 306, Abhishek Building (3rd floor), New Link Road, Andheri (West) Mumbai – 400 053 Tel.: +91 22 2673 1108 Fax: +91 22 2673 1109 india@visitfl anders.com www.visitfl anders.in

VISITBRUSSELS bip - rue Royale 2-4 - 1000 Brussels Tel.: +32 (0)2 513 89 40 Fax : +32 (0)2 513 83 20 info@visitbrussels.be meetings@visitbrussels.be sales@visitbrussels.be press@visitbrussels.be

United States

China

BELGIAN TOURIST OFFICE BRUSSELS – WALLONIA 220 East 42nd street – Suite 3402 New York, N.Y. 10017 – USA Tel.: +1 212 758 81 30 Fax: +1 212 355 76 75 info@visitbelgium.com www.visitbelgium.com

TOURIST OFFICE FOR FLANDERS & BRUSSELS - BELGIUM Unit 1 – 1107 N° 21 Gong Ti Bei Lu Chaoyang District – 100027 Beijing Tel.: +86 10 8442 57 44 Fax: +86 10 8442 57 44 www.visitfl anders.com

TOURIST OFFICE FOR FLANDERS - BELGIUM - NEW YORK OFFICE The New York Times Building 620 Eighth Avenue, 44th Floor New York, N.Y. 10018 – USA Tel.: +1 212 584 2336 3002 Fax: +1 212 575 3606 us@visitfl anders.com PRESS: liliane@visitfl anders.us TRADE: julie@visitfl anders.us www.visitfl anders.us

CHINE & MARCHES EMERGENTS WALLONIE – BRUXELLES Rue Saint-Bernard 30 B – 1060 Brussels Tel.: +32 (0)2 504 02 62 Fax: +32 (0)2 513 69 50 dominique.andre@ walloniebruxellestourisme.be www.belgique-tourisme.be

Published by

EDITOR Patrick Bontinck CEO VISITBRUSSELS VISITBRUSSELS cannot be held responsible in the event of involuntary errors and omissions, despite the care taken and the checking carried out when producing this brochure (October 2013). Edition 2014 WWW.VISITBRUSSELS.BE

Introduction Welcome to Brussels ........................................................ 1 Contacts ...............................................................................2 www.visitbrussels.be .......................................................4 Brussels’ responsible commitments.............................5 Tools and Ideas ..................................................................6 New collection: mini-maps ............................................ 10 Good reasons to come to Brussels in 2014 ............... 12 • 100 Years ago: 1914-1918 ....................................... 12 • Musée Fin-de-Siècle Museum .............................. 12 • The Year of Flora ......................................................... 12 • Hall 12 at Heysel ......................................................... 12 And good reasons to come back again in 2015 ........ 13 • 200 Years ago, there was Waterloo ...................... 13 • Train World ................................................................... 13 • Theme year 2015 ........................................................ 13 Accessibility.......................................................................14

Themes and ambiences .......................16 The 8th wonder of the world? ...............................18 Mont des Arts, destination culture .....................20 Art Nouveau and Art Deco: two major styles .........................................................22 In the heart of Europe.................................................24 A very up-market upper town ...............................26 Antiques and second-hand goods: weekend bargains .....................................................28 Fashion street ............................................................ 30

Saint-Géry: legendary and cool ...........................32 The villages of Brussels ........................................ 34 Enchanting museums and grand houses ........... 36 Contemporary art is … everywhere ................... 38 This is not a pipe ....................................................... 40 Brusselicious ! ...........................................................42 Atomium & Cie ........................................................... 44 For fans of the 9 th art ............................................... 46 Family outings ........................................................... 48 There will be sport! .................................................. 50 Green suits it so well ................................................52 Gay friendly ................................................................ 54 Brussels by night ..................................................... 56 Brussels-on-Jazz..................................................... 58 What’s on ..................................................................... 59

Events 2014 .................................................. 60 Main events of 2014 ..................................... 62 to 73

Practical information ......................... 74 Guided tours................................................................76 Hotels.............................................................................78 Youth hostels ..............................................................87 Guest-house rooms ..................................................87 Camping........................................................................87 Hotels index................................................................ 89 Coaches ....................................................................... 90

Our Partners & Our Networks........ 92 Official carrier www.brusselsairlines.be

www.visitbrussels.be The official site for tourism in Brussels, which presents the ambitions of VISITBRUSSELS and its promotional strategy: nearly 50,000 pages, large-scale photos and videos included: The biggest database of Brussels on the Web Consultation based on: • you are (one of our target groups): tourists, business people, the travel sector or media persons • you love (the experiences that fit you best) shopping shrewdly / immersing yourself in culture / a little romanticism / feeling super trendy / family-kids adventure / gay / indulging in good food… in an infinite number of variations and themes easy for visitors to use to prepare their stay with complete confidence by looking up the opinions and recommendations posted on the Web and sharing their experiences • trip planner for city breaks • meeting planner for business meetings as well as: • a high-definition royalty-free photo library • a hotel booking system • the whole range of culture on offer • e-shop to purchase our brochures, the Brussels Card and the MP3 of a guided tour • Box office: on-line ticketing system for events, exhibitions and shows • Arsène50: shows and events at half price, the same day from midday onwards

N MOBILE APPLICATIO ON YOUR SMARTPHONE!

THE WHOLE OF BRUSSELS ng map) for ﬁnding all and free of charge (includi A 100% oﬀ-line applicationfunctionalities such as “around me” thanks to the ul the best places and usef GPS function . Google Play Available on App Store and s www.visitbrussel s.be/app

brussels’ responsible commitments Brussels is committing itself because sustainable tourism has become an economic, social and environmental priority … • Promoting establishments that stand out thanks to the quality of their environmental management (Ecolabels, environmental certiﬁcations) • The adoption of the “Green Key” quality mark award for accommodation and meeting rooms www.greenkey-brussels.be - www.cleverte.be • Consideration of participatory tourism www.brusselsgreeters.be • A city that’s accessible for people with reduced mobility www.brusselsforall.be - www.visitbrussels.be/pmr • A Regional Plan for Sustainable Development www.prdd.be • Subscribing to the Agenda 21 recommendations Region: www.agendairis21.be City: http://agenda21.bruxelles.be • Brussels is ranked as the leading sustainable city in Europe for environmental policy in the European Green Cities Index or sustainable cities classiﬁcation.

• The regional seal of approval “Entreprise namique” with two stars has been award éco-dyed to VISIT BRUSSELS www.bruxellesenvironne ment. be • A team of professionals is dedicated to helping you organise events in a sustainable way: www.visitbrussels.be/sustainablemeetings • www.visitbrussels. be/green

Brussels… for all

Brussels Quality Destination

The Brussels-Capital Region pursues an active policy of promoting integration and access to greater autonomy for people with reduced mobility – whether they live in Brussels or are just visiting – when they’re exploring the capital city. All information on the accessibility of accommodation infrastructure, restaurants, shopping, sports and leisure centres is now available in one click.

Brussels gives great thought to how satisﬁed its visitors are with the quality of the services they’ve used there.

www.brusselsforall.be www.visitbrussels.be/pmr accessible alone or with assistance

Two initiatives are being carried out to analyse their perception of and improve the quality of the welcome: • an on-line questionnaire www.visitbrussels.be/ qualitydestination. The data is gathered from this every day and analysed in a satisfaction barometer published every month. • the Quality Academy www.visitbrussels.be/qualityacademy. This oﬀers awareness-raising sessions to all those involved in tourism to increase their knowledge of what Brussels has to oﬀer tourists. contact: h.maisondardenne@visitbrussels.be

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visit.brussels sized for meetings & conventions

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A work tool to answer all the questions that arise when it comes to organising: searching for the right places and venues, technical data sheets for meeting or presentation rooms, accommodation options, incentive ideas. It’s also a way of accessing all the services of the Brussels Convention Bureau: personalised welcome, granting of subsidies or ﬁnancial advances.

Format 210 x 272 mm - 210 pages. Available in EN Order & info: meetings@visitbrussels.be Price: free for organizers Download it at www.visitbrussels.be

VISITBRUSSELS SIZED FOR MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS

VISITBRUSSELS SIZED FOR TOURISM & MEETINGS

10 excellent reasons for coming to Brussels for a conference and details of all the services and expertise available to organisers.

A wonderful overview of Brussels, history, events, heart and soul of Europe, culture, gastronomy: lovely illustrations that make you want to come here immediately.

Format 210 x 210 mm – 20 pages Available in EN Order & info: meetings@visitbrussels.be Price: free for organizers

Format 210 x 210 mm – 32 pages Available in FR/NL/EN/DE/ES/IT Order & info: info@visitbrussels.be Price: 0.60 €

www.visitbrussels.be

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To see and experience the essential aspects of Brussels: its main assets, local districts and neighbourhoods and their ambience, big events, a wealth of great places to go and a programme to suit the length of stay.

A general map to help you get your bearings easily and ensure you don’t miss any of the key places of interest in Brussels.

Format 160 x 160 mm – 50 pages Available in EN/FR/NL/DE/ES/IT Order & info: info@visitbrussels.be Price: 1.00 €

Folded format 85 x 160 mm Order & info: info@visitbrussels.be Price: 0.50 € Tapering rates for 100 or more copies

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SALES GUIDE

LUXURY FOLDER

HOTEL PACKAGES

Specially designed to help tour operators put together their catalogue oﬀerings: themes, events and special deals in museums and attractions in Brussels. Texts and illustrations ready to reproduce in your brochures and all the partner contacts for quick and easy negotiations.

Exclusive, super-luxurious oﬀers: tailor-made stay and entry to places not normally open to the public. A very special and up-market experience for a privileged way of exploring Brussels.

To take advantage of the packages oﬀered in cooperation with hoteliers and VISITBRUSSELS; special oﬀers for cultural experiences and events … and a souvenir gift for every customer.

On request from our Sales Manager, Anousjka Schmidt: a.schmidt@visitbrussels.be

BRUSSELS CARD

PRESS PACKS

The top tip for seeing the whole of Brussels on a budget. In addition to public transport (STIB), some thirty Brussels Museums can be visited free of charge with the Brussels Card. The Brussels Card is valid for 72, 48 or 24 hours and consists of a magnetic card for museums and public transport. What’s more, you’ll get pleasing reductions in a good number of tourist attractions, cultural institutions, shops, bars and restaurants and some Brussels designers’ shops in the Dansaert district offer 5% discount on their collections.

Special editions for the press. As well as these pages, which show journalists around Brussels according to subjects or trails, VISITBRUSSELS has created themed, in-depth press packs for them including history, details, anecdotes and great places to go: all the information you need as material for your feature articles. These press packs can be downloaded from our website www.visitbrussels.be , under “press”, “brochures” tab. Press packs available: Chocolate, Beer, Art Nouveau, Surrealism, Comic Strip, Gastronomy, Sustainable Destination, Kids, Gay-Friendly, Europe and Fashion.

Format: 85 x 55 mm Price: 43.00, 36.00 or 24.00 € Special conditions for tour operators: a.schmidt@visitbrussels.be On sale in the e-shop and in VISITBRUSSELS tourist oﬃces www.brusselscard.be

press contacts: m.meeze@visitbrussels.be p.massart@visitbrussels.be g.divito@visitbrussels.be

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good reasons to come to brussels in 2014 100 years ago! 1914-1918: the First World War Those murderous years changed the face of the world. And Brussels wishes to remember that troubled period in tribute and to keep the memory alive. Although Brussels was a long way from the front line, it was nonetheless the theatre of memorable events and key battles in the development and outcome of that conﬂict.This commemoration will be an occasion for ceremonies, exhibitions, concerts and a traditional tattoo as well as publications, themed trails and numerous local initiatives all over the region. All the tourist authorities have worked together to make these events an emotional celebration and a big draw for tourism.

Musée Fin-de-Siècle Museum December 2013 will see the official opening of the Musée Fin de Siècle Museum (end of the 19th century), which will stand out as one of the jewels of our heritage. And as every end is a new beginning, among the works to be exhibited, the main focus will be on all the new and rich pictorial and literary movements of the period: Realism with James Ensor and Constantin Meunier, the Libre Esthétique (Free Aesthetics) of Van Rysselberghe and Khnopff, the rediscovery of the Primitives, De Coster, Rops and Baudelaire, social art, literary and pictorial symbolism, the decorative arts between Brussels and Nancy, Art Nouveau, Spilliaert, Minne, Maeterlinck, the first École de Laethem... An extensive programme.

The year of Flora For its 350th anniversary, the Société Royale Linnéenne et de Flore de Bruxelles (Royal Linnaean Society of Brussels) is oﬀering the general public a ‘bouquet’ of events and gatherings on the theme of the wonders of our plant life. Two big exhibitions and walks, guided or otherwise, for an invitation into: leafy-green oases in the city centre with history and anecdotes, the parks and gardens around Parc Royal de Laeken and the sylvan treasures of Bois de la Cambre. This Year of Flora will be dotted with highlights from nature such as a ﬂower mass, tours of new places, the planting of a cedar tree in Parc de Laeken and the traditional carpet of begonias that will cover the Grand-Place around 15th August.

New on the Brussels scene Hall 12 of Heysel has become a multipurpose venue for both culture and sports but one which can also host conferences, fairs and trade shows. Ultra-flexible for anything from 2,500 to 15,000 people, it can be adapted into 4 different configurations: concert hall, sports centre, 3,000-seater conference venue and 9,500m² of exhibition floor space for fairs or trade shows. Everything there is designed with well-being, ease of moving around and the mixed nature of the activities in mind. As far as the spectators or participants are concerned: acoustic performance levels, optimised viewing angles, fluid movement of people, easy accessibility for the less able-bodied. And for the professionals: comfortable access ramps, super-equipped rooms and state-of-the-art technical facilities.

More information:

Brussels International Trade Fair Place de Belgique– 1020 Bru www.palais12.be PRESS: Marina Bresciani - m.bresciani@bitf.be

and good reasons to come back in 2015 200 years ago, there was Waterloo At the gates of Brussels, one battle changed the course of European history. On 18th June 1815, the French, Dutch, English and Prussians clashed in a violent confrontation and each camp, victor or vanquished, has its own story to tell. To mark the anniversary of that historic occasion, Waterloo will, for a whole week, be presenting visitors with an awe-inspiring reconstruction – step by step – of the positions, strategic withdrawals, advances and the outcome of the ﬁghting. There will be a number of festivities for June 2015, including the oﬃcial opening of the fully restored Hougoumont Farm, the reconstruction of the bivouacs, a big sound and light show, brass bands and tattoo: a life-sized commemoration. The Lion on the Mound is already roaring with pleasure…

to ﬁnd out more:

www.visitwaterloo.be - info@waterlootourisme.be from January 2014, sale of tickets and package deals with accommodation

Train world

Theme year 2015

The first European railway line dates from 1835 and ran from Brussels to Mechlin. Yet nothing significant was done to greet that great innovation: it was time to fill that gap. Train World will be the Brussels railway museum and will be anything but conventional ! Thanks to the imagination of comic book artist François Schuiten, this will even be a real railway opera house. The architecture and the way the exhibits are presented will highlight the various aspects of this sector, which covers both travel and transport: the passengers, the infrastructure, the changes in rolling stock from the past to the present-day and into the future, sustainable development and even Utopias.

2006: fashion and design 2009: comic strip 2012: gastronomy…

Be ready for a new spotlight on Brussels talent in 2015

London Amsterdam Düsseldorf Lille Köln Paris

Roma

accessibility Easy to reach,...

More than 60 million Europeans can reach their capital city in less than two hours and in real comfort and an environmentally-friendly way: high-speed trains really are the favourite of visitors to Brussels, whether they’re coming for business and pleasure. The main point of arrival for high-speed trains: Gare du Midi and this is linked to the four other main stations of Brussels: Nord, Centrale, Luxembourg and Schuman.

Gare du Midi

Rue de France 2 – 1060 Bru Eurostar, Thalys, TGV www.belgianrail.be www.b-europe.be

Treading softly!

For getting around, those who live in or come to Brussels have plenty of choice. Walking, cycling, tram or metro, bus, shared night taxis… In this way, you can easily get to museums, legendary places and venues, exhibitions and shopping centres or meet up with friends at any hour of the day or night. And for even greater freedom, get on a Villo and head oﬀ for any where you fancy. There are nearly 300 stations for picking up and dropping oﬀ these hire bicycles. En route to intermodal transport!

Metro tram, bus www.stib.be

Bike hire

www.villo.be www.provelo.org

Shared taxis

(from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.) www.collecto.org

Amsterdam > Brussels 210 km 01h49

10 trains a day

Düsseldorf > Brussels 220 km 02h20

Lille > Brussels 95 km 40 min

Köln > Brussels 207 km 01h47 or 01h57

till 10 trains a day

London > Brussels 350 km 01h51

9 trains a day

Paris > Brussels 300 km 01h22

till 25 trains a day

It will take you only 20 minutes from the airport to the city centre.

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R0 DROGENBOS

R0 A7-A8 E19 Charleroi Mons Paris Lille

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themes and ambiences SIZED FOR DISCOVERIES

The 8th wonder of the world? ...............................18

This is not a pipe ....................................................... 40

Mont des Arts, destination culture .....................20 Art Nouveau and Art Deco: two major styles .........................................................22

Brusselicious ! ...........................................................42

In the heart of Europe.................................................24 A very up-market upper town ...............................26 Antiques and second-hand goods: weekend bargains .....................................................28 Fashion street ............................................................ 30 Saint-Géry: legendary and cool ...........................32 The villages of Brussels ........................................ 34 Enchanting museums and grand houses ........... 36 Contemporary art is … everywhere ................... 38

Atomium & Cie ........................................................... 44 For fans of the 9th art ............................................. 46 Family outings ........................................................... 48 There will be sport! .................................................. 50 Green suits it so well ................................................52 Gay friendly ................................................................ 54 Brussels by night ..................................................... 56 Brussels-on-Jazz..................................................... 58 What’s on ..................................................................... 59

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the 8th wonder of the world? S

ince 1998, Brussels’ Grand-Place has been listed as an architectural world heritage site by UNESCO. This quadrilateral of gold and stone, crammed with history, is remarkable in several ways. But it is, above all, its eclectic nature and harmony that make it such an extraordinary place. The listed perimeter encompasses all the houses on the Grand-Place and the neighbouring streets. A city district that’s worth visiting day or night when it lights up. Other legendary sites in the city too good to miss: Manneken-Pis, that cheeky little fellow with the well-stocked wardrobe, the Galeries Saint-Hubert shopping arcades, the ﬁrst of their kind in Europe, the Bourse (Stock Exchange), which looks like a Greek temple, and the Belle Epoque cafés around and about, and La Monnaie Opera House. Rue Neuve and its many shops take you as far as place des Martyrs. From there, you come to the Gothic Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula where you can admire its stained-glass windows and listen to its great organ. But to feel the soul of the city and enjoy art de vivre like a Brussels native, you have to go into one of the many cafés you come across on the way and sip a Gueuze, Kriek or Faro, jewels in the crown of Brussels’ great brewing tradition. The friendly ambience often leads to conversations between one table and the next.

S IZ ED FO R HERITAG E

Grand-Place

Café Falstaff

Authentic Art Nouveau setting. Rue Henri Maus 19 - 1000 Bru

Town Hall of Brussels

“I” = tourist oﬃce VISITBRUSSELS Open daily from 9 am to 6 pm – Closed on 25/12 and 01/01 2

Café A La Bécasse

Old-style setting, typical beers and cosmopolitan atmosphere. Rue Tabora 11 - 1000 Bru

City of Brussels Museum

Maison du Roi Grand-Place – 1000 Bru www.musees.bruxelles.be PRESS: Vinciane Godfrind Vinciane.Godfrind@brucity.be

Rue de la Bourse - 1000 Bru www.musees.bruxelles.be PRESS: Vinciane Godfrind Vinciane.Godfrind@brucity.be 6

Around the Grand-Place: Planète Chocolat, Dandoy, Galler, Neuhaus, … The brasserie of the famous Maison du Cygne. An unparalleled terrace on one of the most beautiful town squares in the world! Grand-Place 9 – 1000 Bru www.brasseriedelommegang.be 3

Rue de la Violette 12 - 1000 Bru www.musees.bruxelles.be PRESS: Vinciane Godfrind Vinciane.Godfrind@brucity.be

Manneken-Pis Typical café in front of Manneken-Pis.

La Bourse (Stock Exchange) A wonderful space for temporary exhibitions. Place de la Bourse - 1000 Bru

Café Cirio

Quiet tavern with astonishing 1900 setting. Rue de la Bourse 18 - 1000 Bru

Café Toone VII

Typical bistro and Brussels puppets show. Impasse Sainte-Pétronille Rue du Marché-aux-Herbes 66 1000 Bru www.toone.be

Parvis Sainte-Gudule - 1000 Bru www.cathedralestmichel.be 12

This Neo-Renaissance-style covered passageway is well known for its second-hand booksellers. This was the meeting place of the Brussels surrealists. It’s also a place dedicated to young, contemporary design. 2 ENTRANCES: rue St-Jean 17 and rue de la Madeleine 55 1000 Bru

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Café A la Mort Subite

Galeries Saint-Hubert Restaurant Taverne du Passage

In one of the finest covered arcades in Europe, a good choice for appreciating specialities of Brussels and a selection of grilled meat. Galerie de la Reine 30 - 1000 Bru www.taverne-du-passage.be

Sized for heritage

The essence of Brussels, Faro, Gueuze, Kriek. Rue Montagne aux Herbes Potagères - 7 - 1000 Bru www.alamortsubite.com

g r a n d - p l a c e

Galerie Bortier

Rue des Sables 20 - 1000 Bru www.comicscenter.net PRESS: Willem Degraeve willem.degraeve@cbbd.be

Cathedral of Saints Michel and Gudule

Belgian Comic Strip Center

Costume and Lace Museum

Le Poechenellekelder

La Monnaie

Place de la Monnaie - 1000 Bru www.lamonnaie.be PRESS: presse@lamonnaie.be

Brussels specialities

Brasserie de l’Ommegang

Bruxella 1238 Archaeological site

Café Le Roy d’Espagne Great choice of beers.

FR|EN

SIZED FOR HERITAGE

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The mini-map VISITBRUSSELS SIZED FOR HERITAGE (FR/EN - NL/DE) and the brochure VISITBRUSSELS SIZED FOR HERITAGE Format 160 x 160 mm FR/EN - NL/DE - ES/IT Price: 3.00 €

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mont des arts: destination culture M

ont des Arts was the brainchild of King Leopold II, who wanted to surround his palace with beautiful things and fine minds: and he succeeded. Brussels’ greatest cultural institutions are to be found within a 300 metre radius. The Musée Magritte Museum, where the world’s biggest collection of art by the famous Belgian Surrealist artist are on show; the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, where visitors come together from all over the world to see the more than 20,000 ancient and modern works; and the Palais des Beaux-Arts - BOZAR – (Centre for Fine Arts), the temple of events, important exhibitions and festivals which offer up art of the past and present. History enthusiasts can visit the Coudenberg archaeological site, the vestiges of the medieval palace – in times gone by the residence of Emperor Charles V - and walk along the old Rue Isabelle, which is now underground. Not far from there, the ING Cultural Centre hosts high-quality temporary exhibitions and the church of Saint-Jacques, where the first king of the Belgians swore allegiance to the constitution. Nature’s treasures are also here in this quarter: the Park of Brussels, with its broad tree-lined walks and its secluded leafy-green corners, is undoubtedly the most well-used in the capital. Below Place Royale, don’t miss the hanging garden of SQUARE, the Brussels Conference Centre.

S IZ ED FO R C ULT URE

Other must-see places on Mont des Arts: the BELvue Museum, where families can find out about the history of Belgium through workshops and organised activities. Music and cinema lovers adore CINEMATEK, the Museum of Cinema, the ideal auditorium for cult films, themed retrospectives and screening of the old silent films with live music; not to mention the Musical Instruments Museum, which brings 1200 remarkable instruments together in a surreal Art Nouveau edifice of metal volutes and glass. At the top, you can find a huge terrace offering an unforgettable sweeping view over the whole city.

BOZAR Centre for Fine Arts

Rue Ravenstein 23 - 1000 Bru www.bozar.be PRESS: press@bozar.be

Rue de la Régence 3 - 1000 Bru www.fine-arts-museum.be PRESS: Barbara Porteman

CINEMATEK

Rue Baron Horta 9 - 1000 Bru Tel.: +32 (0)2 551 19 19 www.cinematek.be PRESS: Emmanuelle De Schrevel presse@cinematek.be

Archaeological site and museum. Place des Palais 7 - 1000 Bru www.coudenberg.com PRESS: Frédérique Honoré f.honore@coudenberg.com

Bd. de l’Empereur 4 - 1000 Bru www.kbr.be PRESS: Sara Lammens sara.lammens@kbr.be

Musical Instruments Museum – MIM

Rue Montagne de la Cour 2 1000 Bru www.mim.fgov.be PRESS: Damien Filippi damien.filippi@mim.fgov.be

Musée Magritte Museum

Rue de la Régence 3 - 1000 Bru www.musee-magritte-museum.be PRESS: Barbara Porteman

ING Cultural Centre

Petit Sablon Square

Grand Sablon

Its church N.-D. des Victoires, its welcoming café terraces and restaurants.

Park of Brussels and its pavilions

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VISITBRUSSELS

BIP - Rue Royale 2-4 - 1000 Bru Tel.: +32 (0)2 513 89 40 www.visitbrussels.be open daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Weekends and public holidays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. closed 25/12 and 1/1 9

Saint-Jacques on Coudenberg Church

Surrounded by 48 statues representing the old trade guilds of Brussels. PRESS: Julien Hairson jhairson@environnement.irisnet.be

BELvue Museum

Coudenberg, Former Palace of Brussels

Palais des Académies

Place Royale 6 - 1000 Bru www.ing.be/art PRESS: pressoﬃce@ing.be

Good times in summer for sharing with friends.

Royal Library of Belgium

Place des Palais 7 - 1000 Bru www.belvue.be PRESS: Mathilde Oeschner oeschner.m@kbs-frb.be

The «Apéroverts»

Garden of Mont des Arts SQUARE, Brussels Meeting Centre

barbara.porteman@fine-arts-museum.be

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Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium Musée Old Masters Museum and Musée Fin de Siècle Museum

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Royal Palace

Place des Palais - 1000 Bru www.monarchie.be Visits in summer (± 22/07 > 01/09) info@visitbrussels.be

barbara.porteman@fine-arts-museum.be

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art nouveau and art deco: two major styles I

n 1890, the new generation of architects decided to break away from the styles of the past, and their Art Nouveau gave the houses of Brussels a very different look. Horta, Cauchie, Hankar, Blérot and twenty or so of their contemporaries went on to revolutionise construction with the addition of steel. The resulting effect was beautiful with large picture windows, stone volutes, motifs inspired by fauna and flora, arabesques overrunning the façades, ochre and celadon green brightening up the landscape darkened by industry. This new style would spread rapidly to furniture, decorative objects, china, jewellery and haute couture. Among a good thousand edifices, more than 200 listed buildings are scattered around Brussels, a city that well deserves its title of capital of Art Nouveau. And 1920 saw the start of the Roaring Twenties and Art Deco: a way of seeing shapes and spaces similar to cubism. Picking itself up from the First World War, Brussels rebuilt itself in this style. The creed of Art Deco is clear lines, concrete, pared down spaces and Africanising motifs. Here too, the style became all-encompassing: architecture and furniture, lights and porcelain, silverware and jewellery. Brussels has a fine Art Deco heritage of masterful houses and noteworthy official buildings.

S IZ ED FO R ART NO UV EAU

ART NOUVEAU places to visit: Horta Museum: the private house and studios of the architect

Rue Américaine 25 - 1060 Bru www.hortamuseum.be PRESS: Thierry Mondelaers thierry@hortamuseum.be

Hotel Hannon

(Espace Photographique Contretype) Avenue de la Jonction 1 1060 Bru www.contretype.org PRESS: Evelyne Biver eb.contretype@skynet.be

Around the Ixelles ponds:

Rue Vanderschrick: n° 1 to 25

For a bite to eat:

Basilica of the Sacred Heart at Koekelberg An impressive achievement of the purest religious Art Deco style with sweeping view over the whole of Brussels. Parvis de la Basilique 1 - 1081 Bru www.basilicakoekelberg.be

Le Cirio

A legendary bistro. Rue de la Bourse 18-20 1000 Bru

Le Falstaff

A brasserie with period stainedglass windows. Rue Henri Maus 17-21 (Bourse) 1000 Bru

De Ultieme Hallucinatie

Cauchie House

ART DECO

Rue des Francs 5 - 1040 Bru www.cauchie.be

Autrique House

or the Imaginary house Chaussée de Haecht 266 1030 Bru www.autrique.be

Hotel Winssinger

Galerie Paris-Beijing Rue de l’Hôtel des Monnaies 66 1060 Bru www.galerieparisbeijing.com PRESS: Elisa Azzena brussels@galerieparisbeijing.com

magniﬁcent façades:

Boghossian Foundation: Centre for dialogue between the Eastern and Western cultures. Avenue F. Roosevelt 67 1050 Bru www.villaempain.com

In Saint-Gilles

Musical Instruments Museum – MIM see p. 21 Mont des Arts

Villa Empain

Rue de la Vallée: n°2-4-6-8-1012-18-20-22-24-26-28-32-40 Rue Vilain XIIII: n°7-9-11

Art Nouveau / Art Deco bicycle ride www.provelo.org www.onceinbrussels.be (electric bicycles)

An old orangery with glass roof and wall and train seats. Rue Royale 316- 1210 Bru

David & Alice van Buuren Museum and gardens

Avenue Léo Errera 41 - 1180 Bru www.museumvanbuuren.be

Flagey

(Former Broadcasting House) Place Sainte-Croix - 1050 Bru www.flagey.be PRESS: Séverine Provost info@beculture.be

TO FIND OUT MORE:

Frison House

The Art Nouveau map with walks that take you all over the city.

Rue Lebeau 37- 1000 Bru

The mini-map VISITBRUSSELS ART NOUVEAU-ART DECO (FR, NL, EN, DE)

Florist Daniel Ost

Rue Royale 13 - 1000 Bru

Ciamberlani House

art nouveau art deco

Rue Defacqz 48 - 1050 Bru

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in the heart of europe B

russels is the capital of 500 million Europeans, a lively city which oﬀers a permanently cosmopolitan ambiance thanks to the diversity of its diﬀerent cultures from past and present and from here and elsewhere.

In the European institutions district, there are a lot of business people to the m² but Place du Luxembourg is a real world assembly place and the favourite «terrace» of an international group of people who get on well with each other in all languages. Place Solidarnosc 1980 welcomes you with open arms and leads you towards the entrance to the European Parliament and the Parlamentarium: its new and super-modern visitors’ centre, which tells you everything about the history, work and projects of this institution. Just behind this imposing building, Leopold Park is a rustic oasis in the heart of the city. In its vicinity, the Musée Wiertz Museum and its enormous paintings and the Museum of Natural Sciences and its procession of iguanodons.

S IZ ED FO R EURO P E

As you leave the park, Place Jean Rey allows you to admire the reﬂection of an urban landscape in the windows of the Delors building, which houses the Economic and Social Committee and, opposite, the Justus Lipsus, which is home to the Council of the EU. Rue Froissart takes you to the Schuman roundabout to reveal the majestic entrance of the Berlaymont, whose ﬂ ags of the member countries salute the work of the European Commission. And as crowning piece of this journey, an exploration of Parc du Cinquantenaire created for the 50th anniversary of Belgium. It houses museums, works of art and other cultural surprises. At the top of the archways of its triumphal arch, an unbeatable panoramic view over the whole city awaits you.

is opening soon: new apA brand new railway station, road tunnels and car parks, proaches equipped with lifts es and all the links you need commercial sites, social spacEurope: a multimodal platform to reach the beating hear t of hy of a great capital city. with some artistic touches wort

Place and Gare du Luxembourg

and an astonishing view on the European Parliament. 2

The Mail (Esplanade Solidarnosc 1980), the European Parliament

Rue Wiertz 60 - 1047 Bru www.europarl.europa.eu Free visits with audio guides for individuals, Monday to Thursday at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., Friday at 10 a.m., for group visits on written request only. 3

Parlamentarium The European Parliament’s Visitors’ Centre

A visitors’ centre to tell you all about the European Parliament in any of 23 languages: its history, its latest news and its future. A unique interactive experience and multimedia display system: this new cultural attraction won the Prix d’honneur du Tourisme in 2012. Building Willy Brandt Rue Wiertz 60 - 1047 Bru www.europarl.europa.eu PRESS: Constance Beckerhoff

Place Jean Rey

Delors building

(Committee of the Regions & European Economic and Social Committee) 10

Cinquantenaire Park

Cinquantenaire Museum

(Royal Museums of Art and History) Parc du Cinquantenaire 10 1000 Bru - www.kmkg-mrah.be PRESS: Bart Suys bart.suys@kmkg-mrah.be

Place Jourdan

For its cafés, restaurants, terraces, chips and its market every Sunday between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Autoworld

Parc du Cinquantenaire 11 1000 Bru www.autoworld.be PRESS: Patricia Raes patriciaraes@scarlet.be

Museum of Natural Sciences

yannick.siebens@naturalsciences.be

Leopold Park

Rue Vautier 29 - 1000 Bru www.naturalsciences.be PRESS: Yannick Siebens

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Royal Museum of the Army and Military History

Parc du Cinquantenaire 3 1000 Bru www.klm-mra.be PRESS: Marie-Hélène Billwatsch

marie-helene.billwatsch@klm-mra.be

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Nearby, for something to eat: Parkside Brasserie

A special favourite in this European district for a smart and trendy brasserie which knows how to please the Eurocrats. Avenue de la Joyeuse Entrée 24 1040 Bru - www.restoparkside.be

Guided tours of Brussels, the capital of Europe

www.visitbrussels.be/guides-europe

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Horta Pavilion

(Royal Museums of Art and History) Parc du Cinquantenaire 1000 Bru www.kmkg-mrah.be PRESS: Bart Suys bart.suys@kmkg-mrah.be (Temporarily closed for restoration works)

(Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium) Rue Vautier 62 - 1050 Bru www.fine-arts.museum.be PRESS: Barbara Porteman 5

Berlaymont and Charlemagne buildings

European Commission: Visits only on written request, from Monday to Friday and only for groups (min. 15 pers. and request made at least 2 months in advance). www.ec.europa.eu

Musée Wiertz Museum

barbara.porteman@fine-arts-museum.be

(Council of the European Union)

constance.beckerhoff@europarl.europa.eu

Juste Lipsus building

SIZED FOR EUROPE

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the mini-map / walk VISITBRUSSELS SIZED FOR EUROPE (FR/EN, NL/DE & IT/ES)

a very up-market upper town T

he upper part of the city, influenced in the past by the bourgeoisie, has almost naturally become a place for upmarket shopping. Avenue Louise and its shopping arcades, Boulevard de Waterloo, Rue de Namur, Avenue de la Toison d’Or and the neighbouring streets are a real compendium of creativity and variety. On these legendary thoroughfares, window-shopping takes you from Brussels designers to Belgian labels, from luxury items to big international names, from classic to trendy: an essential trail for treating yourself or taking high-quality souvenirs home for your nearest and dearest. Fancy pretending to be a celebrity for a while or perhaps you don’t have much time? It’s possible to benefit from the services of a Personal Shopper in Brussels, a fashion or design professional who goes with you for half a day or more to advise you on your choices: the solution for perfect purchases in a special ambience. For a well-earned coffee break, what could be more enjoyable than sitting comfortably at a café table on a sunny terrace or, in less clement weather, in a hushed bar of a grand hotel; and for those who prefer a break surrounded by nature, Egmont Park offers the tranquillity of its lawns and greenery. Late afternoon is the perfect occasion to give yourself a beauty and wellness break: hairstyling, manicure, massage, gym, this district has everything to offer.

S IZ ED FO R S HO P P ING

And for an evening as successful as the rest of the day, all you have to do is choose from among the abundance of good restaurants and pleasant lounge bars in the district.

Rue de Namur

Leading decoration, prêt-à-porter and fashion houses.

Just in front of Palais de Justice (law courts), climb aboard a super-modern tram for a two-hour gastronomic experience while it tours the streets of the capital. The menu is created by award-winning chefs. Place Poelaert www.tramexperience.be booking: boxoﬃce@visitbrussels.be

Maison Natan

Which dresses princesses, queens and stars. Rue de Namur 78 - 1000 Bru and Avenue Louise 158 - 1000 Bru www.natan.be

Autour du monde Bensimon collection

For surprising and original interior design objects and a very chic collection of clothing and accessories. Rue de Namur 70 - 1000 Bru www.bensimon.com 2

Boulevard de Waterloo

Brussel’s main thoroughfare with the big-name national and international brands.

Rue Jourdan and rue J. Stas

The Louise Village

A haven for café terraces and restaurants. 9

The unbeatable panoramic vista from the Palais de Justice (Law Courts)

Serneels

The finest toys in the world: inventive and touching. Avenue Louise 69 - 1050 Bru www.serneels.be

Senteurs d’Ailleurs

Incredible and moving immersion in the world of haute parfumerie: beauty products store and salon. Place Stéphanie 1A - 1050 Bru www.senteursdailleurs.com

The Egmont Park

A bit of philosophy … Set in leafy-green surroundings, Passage Marguerite Yourcenar offers up 14 sentences taken from her novel “L’Œuvre au Noir” (The Abyss) engraved into the blue stone. … and for more earthly tastes: its Orangery has become a restaurant, with outside table area in the gardens and brunches to remember.

Bellerose

A Belgian trade name that designs cool young clothing for city-dwellers living life in the fast lane. Place Stéphanie 5 - 1060 Bru www.bellerose.be

Delvaux

The Brussels leather goods shop with all its tradition and creativity. Boulevard de Waterloo 27 1000 Bru - www.delvaux.com PRESS: Pascale Delcor press@delvaux.com

Louise & Cie

Galeries Louise: Luxury international names and Belgian designers.

Galerie La Verrière

Fine works of art presented by the Fondation Hermès. Boulevard de Waterloo 50 1000 Bru

Tram Experience !

Isabelle Baines

The queen of hand-made knitwear: fine merino wool from Italy in carefully selected colours. Rue de la Longue Haie 4 1050 Bru - www.isabellebaines.be

Restaurants and After-shopping Le Crystal lounge bar

Luxurious interior by Antoine Pinto. Sofitel - Avenue de la Toison d’Or 40 - 1050 Bru

Le Loui

Brit-style cosy corner. Grand Hotel Steigenberger Avenue Louise 71 - 1050 Bru

Rouge Tomate

Tucked away in the middle of a main thoroughfare, this restaurant keeps a close eye on the balance of its dishes and the well-being of its customers, and, in fine weather, you can enjoy its lovely roof garden hidden away in the heart of the city. Avenue Louise 190 - 1050 Bru Tel.: +32 (0)2 647 70 44 www.rougetomate.com

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Off map Smets Premium Store

Leading brands in a contemporary art setting and a very highly-rated restaurant: Bowery. Chaussée de Louvain 650 1030 Bru www.smets-store.com

Personal Shopper

3-h shopping trip rate: 275 € ADDITIONAL HOUR: 75 € LANGUAGES: FR - NL - DE - EN - ES - IT INFO & BOOKING: Anousjka Schmidt Tel.: +32 (0)2 548 04 57 a.schmidt@visitbrussels.be www.visitbrussels.be

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The mini-map VISITBRUSSELS SIZED FOR EXCLUSIVITY Available in EN 26/09/12 17:29

antiques and secondhand goods: weekend bargains S

ablon and the Marolles are two neighbourhoods that are very close to each other but completely diﬀerent in character. Let’s start this trail with Grand Sablon: this one’s a very epicurean neighbourhood ! An elegant link between the upper and lower parts of the city: here, you ﬁnd big houses and big talent. Galleries of antiques and modern art, haute couture and good restaurants, outside tables bathed in sunshine and very sought-after in summer, and illuminations in winter: this is a place you have to stop by in any season for quality shopping, antiques or delicacies because it’s the temple of the master chocolatiers of Brussels. The church of Notre-Dame du Sablon is magnificently Gothic and the statues that surround the small public garden of Petit Sablon celebrate the traditional ancient crafts.

S IZ ED FO R DISC OV ERIES

A few streets further down, you ﬁnd yourself in the Marolles, a whole other world that is and has always been the beating, working-class heart of the city. Here, you come into contact with the authentic character of Brussels: revanchist but not too much, surreal to the core and full of sardonic humour. A laid back and sociable ambience for bargain-hunting, haggling, and making some nice old, vintage or exotic souvenirs for yourself. This district is concentrated on two parallel streets (rue Haute and rue Blaes) and all the neighbouring alleyways: in all, more than 250 shops ; it comes to life mainly from Thursday to Sunday and everything’s open all weekend ... a godsend and a bargain in one ! It takes 30 seconds to go from one of these areas to the other thanks to a glass-sided lift. Take it to the top of the panorama from place Poelaert and to descend to the small Square of Breughel l’Ancien (Breughel the Elder). The impressive building with the gilded dome is the Palais de Justice (law courts): its surface area is larger than that of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

The Grand Sablon

For its restaurants and café terraces.

Gourmet Market

Every Thursday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.: twenty or so market gardeners put up their foodie stalls.

Antique dealers, auction rooms and art galleries On the Sablon and its surrounding area.

The Chocolate makers 2

Church of NotreDame-du-Sablon

Rue de la Régence 3b - 1000 Bru 3

Garden of Petit Sablon The Law Courts (Palais de Justice)

Take a peek at the great hall. Place Poelaert - 1000 Bru OPEN: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CLOSED: on weekends and bank holidays, July Guided tours on written request to Korei: korei@skynet.be

Baroque music concerts every Sunday morning. Rue des Minimes 62 - 1000 Bru vdb.marolle@skynet.be

Antiques market

Every Saturday (9 a.m. > 5 .p.m.), Sunday (9 a.m. > 2 p.m.), the antique dealers set up beneath green and red-striped awnings and display unique pieces to delight collectors.

Minimes Church

Rue Haute & rue Blaes

Flea market, the most famous flea market in Brussels, every morning between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m., but special on Sundays. 8

Interior decoration shops and bric-a-brac.

At 132 Rue Haute

Melting Pot Kilo

La rue des Renards For its popular pubs and restaurants.

For those who love specialities from Brussels:

Enjoy whelks served from a cart set up on the corner of the square and tasty local dishes at the live music café. «La Brocante» Rue Blaes 170 - 1000 Bru

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Les Brigittines

Baroque church and its contemporary copy, now a cultural centre. Rue des Brigittines - 1000 Bru www.brigittines.be

Below the Law Courts for its pavement cafés. Vintage gear by the kilo: in for a penny, in for a pound ! Rue Haute 178 - 1000 Bru

Les Halles des Tanneurs

An Art Nouveau building which was once the Palais du Vin and is now home to a syndicate for new businesses. Rue des Tanneurs 60 - 1000 Bru

The house of Pieter Brueghel the Elder The Square Breughel l’Ancien

Place du Jeu de Balle

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Church N-D. de la Chapelle

What to see: the tomb of Brueghel. Place de la Chapelle - 1000 Bru

Place Poelaert

Panoramic view over the city.

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fashion street

n Brussels, creativity is just like the art de vivre: inventive or even eccentric. Tasteful and high-quality, Brussels fashion is worthy of all these descriptions and comes up with some timeless collections.

A few years ago, fashion designers emerging from the leading schools of Brussels took over Rue Dansaert and the surrounding area. Over the years, boutiques and studios have turned it into the essential quarter for those who want to look at and try on clothes and accessories, giving a new lease of life to this once neglected corner of Brussels. Rue Dansaert is the temple of temptations: for all ages, all styles, all sizes, all budgets and at (almost) all hours of the day since the shops stay open on Thursdays until 8 p.m. And, going back to the sources of this great art, the Museum of Costume and Lace, near the GrandPlace, is well worth a visit for its collection of old lace and ﬁnery, and presents a retrospective ﬁlm of the great occasions in our couturier history. /11 ak 1 7/02

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The mini-map VISITBRUSSELS DESIGN, SIZED FOR MODE & DESIGN Available in EN. The mini-map VISITBRUSSELS SIZED FOR SHOPPING Available in FR/EN, NL/DE

MAD Brussels Mode & Design Center

Supergreen me: ecoshop clothing, accessories, objects - n°19. 5

www.afterworkshopping.be

Place du Nouveau Marché-aux-Grains:

Rue de Flandre: Maison Martin Margiela: clothes for men and women - n°114

Rue des Teinturiers: Ramon et Valy: vintage for men and women - n°19

Johanne Riss: women’s clothes and wedding dresses - n°35

See below a selection of Belgian and international clothes boutiques that you’ll pass along the way:

Icon: clothes for women - n°5

Privejoke: young and urban - n°76

Haleluja: high fashion clothes and accessories - n°6

Conni Kaminski: clothes for women and men - n°102

Rue Antoine Dansaert:

Joya: contemporary jewellery n°175

Annemie Verbeke: women’s clothes - n°64

Rue du Marché aux Porcs: Le fabuleux Marcel de Bruxelles: the singlet gets an updated image - n°8

Hoet Design Store: designer specs, furniture and objects - n°97

Stijl: clothes for men and women, accessories - n°74

Azniv Afsar: women’s clothes - n°26 8

Rue L. Lepage: AXL Store: clothes for men and women - n°1 Mapp: women’s and men’s clothes - n°5

Saint-Hubert Galleries

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2 3 4 13

Delvaux: luxury leather goods and accessories.

After-shopping: Brussels gastronomy

on place du Vieux-Marché-auxGrains and place Sainte-Catherine.

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Jaloa

Rue des Chartreux: Bellerose: stylish and relaxed, children - n°11

Nicolas Woit: women’s clothes n°19

WhaZup: original and witty gifts for everyone - n°14

Virt & Real: very trendy shoes - n°21

Blender: accessories, jewellery and decor - n°18

NDC: it-shoes women - n°36

In a 15th-century monastery, break away for a gastronomic experience that’s out of the ordinary. Quai aux Barques 4 - 1000 Bru www.restaurantjaloa.com and the same oyster bar and brasserie version. Place Sainte-Catherine 5-7 1000 Bru

Mieke Cosyn: wedding dresses - n°39

Seafood restaurants at the Marché aux Poissons.

Just in Case: women’s clothes - n°63

Ciel mes Bijoux!: vintage Haute Couture jewellery.

Filles à Papa: absolute look for women and men - n°10

Gabrièle: vintage clothes - n°27

Costume and Lace Museum

Rue de la Violette 12 - 1000 Bru www.musees.Brussels.be PRESS: Vinciane Godfrind vinciane.godfrind@brucity.be

Sophie Heymans: jewellery - n°15

Y-dress?: women’s clothes - n°102

Carine Gilson: feminine lingerie, Brussels studio, each garment is unique - n° 87

Rue Rempart des Moines:

Rue du Marchéau-Charbon:

shops and businesses stay open in the city centre every Thursday until 8 p.m.

La Fabrica: design - n°182

Valérie Berckmans: clothes for women and children - n°8

The Brussels Fashion and Design centre Rue d’Alost 7/11 - 1000 Bru www.madbrussels.be PRESS: Esther Beck esther.beck@madbrussels.be

www.shopinbrussels.be

Rue Van Artevelde:

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saint-géry: legendary and cool T

ucked away in the lower part of town, this neighbourhood has always been a very colourful place with itchy feet. Everyone comes together there, from all walks of life, of all ages, artists and trades people: the lure is irresistible and the ambience warm and friendly.

Legend has it that this was where Brussels ﬁrst came into being in the 10th century: a chapel built on an arm of the Senne and some market gardeners was all that was needed for a trading town to become established. Who could have guessed, at that time, that it would go on to become the capital of Europe ? People feel so at home in this historic but constantly changing place that fashion and other designers have taken up residence here. There are a lot of them to the square metre and it’s the perfect spot to go if you want to change your look or the look of your home interiors. In the last few years, quartier Saint-Géry has also become the place for going out and relaxing. Cafés with character, cosy bars and cuisines from all over the world: a whole street full of Asian restaurants, and specialities from Russia, France … and, of course, Brussels ! The outside tables are welcoming with a mixed clientele and it’s so good to sit back and chill out there, far from the madding crowd. Events, fairs, markets: there’s a lot going on day and night. You have to wander around, lose your way and ﬁnd it again in this little patch so characteristic of Brussels in order to get a feel for its soul and appreciate its lovely ‘art de vivre’. S IZ ED FO R AT M OS P HERE

Place Saint-Géry

The Halles Saint-Géry

The open-air market that had always been held there was covered in the 19th century. After several decades of neglect, in 1999 it became an information centre dedicated to the heritage and quality of life of the people of Brussels and many exhibitions are held there. You can’t go there often enough for its outside café tables and its cuisines from around the world.

Church of Notre-Dame aux Riches Claires

Flemish Renaissance era (17th century), cultural centre. Rue des Riches Claires 23 1000 Bru

at n° 7, Café Greenwich

Cafés and bars

Place Sainte-Catherine

For its de-sanctified church showing off three styles at once, its morning market, its old-fashioned ironmonger’s and its herbalist’s shop, its Noordzee counter and its park-grown mussels. 5

The Black Tower

Remains of the first city wall of Brussels dating from the 13th century. 6

Place du Béguinage

And its church of St John the Baptist from 1667 in Italo-Flemish Baroque style. 7

MicroMarché

on a street corner, with the typical cheek of a Brussels native, a mongrel lifts his leg … Haunt of the surrealists, recently faithfully restored. 4

A cooperative of designers who present their creations (decorative objects, furniture, jewellery). Quai à la Houille 9 - 1000 Bru www.micromarche.be

Le Zinneke

Brussels Vintage Market

Every first Sunday in the month, from midday to 7 p.m., this is the kingdom of lucky finds: secondhand clothing and accessories, interior design, small furniture, belts, hats, … www.brusselsvintagemarket.be

Rue des Chartreux

Marché aux Poissons, Quai aux Briques and Quai au Bois à Brûler:

all traces of the days when Brussels was a sea port.

For all tastes, inclinations and types of music: weekends are brimming over with life, ambience ... and people. Take your pick from: Café Central - Gecko - Zebra - Cobra - Bizon - Mappa Mundo - Le Roi des Belges - MEzZO - Java - Floréo Booze ‘n Blues - Coaster - Lord Byron - Kafka - …

Restaurants rue des Chartreux … n° 4 AM Sweet n° 9 Fin de Siècle n° 7 Taverne Greenwich n° 32 Publico n° 66 Den Teepot

… and nearby

n°1 Rue Van Artevelde 9 et Voisins n° 4 Place Ste-Catherine Ellis Gourmet Burger

Fashion & design: Rue des Chartreux: n° 17 Hunting & Collecting n° 18 Blender01 n° 19 Espace Bizarre n°24 Lucien Cravatte n° 27 Gabriele Vintage

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the villages of brussels Y

ou only have to take a short walk towards the south of Brussels to come across places which are overlooked by tourists, out of the ordinary and full of surprises. Far from the hustle and bustle of the city centre, those neighbourhoods with a village-like feel offer a quality of life that’s the envy of many. Place du Châtelain, Place Brugmann, Place Flagey and the surrounding areas move at the easy rhythm of a village. Everyone knows each other, they stroll along here at a slower pace to prolong the enjoyment, and the streets are still full of life well after the offices have closed. There are beautiful residences, gourmet restaurants, craftsmen, art galleries and stylish shops. Yet you also find everywhere here the very laid back approach so typical of Brussels, a subtle blend of seriousness and a sense of the ridiculous. In Bois de La Cambre, you’re in the depths of the countryside. Walking here gives you a choice between majestic avenues and romantic narrow tree-lined ways, a spot of enjoyable lazing on a lawn area or rowing on a pond: everyone will find their favourite way of enjoying a moment or two of pure nature.

S IZ ED FO R ART O F LIV ING

The Châtelain district The Gourmet market

On Wednesdays from 1 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. A must!

Skin & Soul

Creative jewellery inspired by the skin and nature. Rue Faider 121 - 1050 Bru

Dédée K

A profusion of frills and flounces, trinkets and knick-knacks. Place de la Trinité - 1050 Bru

Tan

A real little organic paradise with nice things to eat and books to read. Rue de l’Aqueduc 95 - 1050 Bru

Rose

«Parisienne» boutique, fashionable and designer gifts. Rue de l’Aqueduc 56 - 1050 Bru

My Table

Just opposite, same house, but for interior design. Rue de l’Aqueduc 73/75 1050 Bru

Lilu

Cool and colourful bags. Rue du Bailly 9 - 1050 Bru

Alto Galleria

Modern jewellery. Rue du Bailly 52 - 1050 Bru

Les Petits Riens

We recycle, revamp and customise. Rue Américaine 95 - 1050 Bru And close by, their boutique Retro Paradise.

The Brugmann district The Winery

A vinothek full of spirit. Place Brugmann 18 - 1050 Bru

Gaudron

A patisserie that could tempt a saint, which is twinned with its neighbour the bookshop Candide. Place Brugmann 3 - 1050 Bru

L’Antichambre

Here, you create your own fragrance from among the flowery green or musky “liquids”. Place Brugmann 13 - 1050 Bru

Le Plasch

Fashionable brasserie for delicious little dishes. Place Brugmann 34 - 1050 Bru

Kelly Boutique

Collector’s clothes and bags. Rue Darwin 60 - 1050 Bru

Must by Lucia Esteves

Trendy and avant-garde design. Rue Darwin 37 - 1050 Bru

Faisons un rêve

Design & decor in a magnificent 1900 house. Avenue L. Lepoutre 112 1050 Bru

Le Toucan Brasserie

Flagey district Bustling and trendy Café Belga

Super-cool ambience and outside seating area with deckchairs as soon as the sun comes out. Place Flagey 18 - 1050 Bru

Reservoir Shop - mode

Top togs from the hippest places in fashion, Denmark, Berlin, … Rue Lesbroussart 43 A 1050 Bru

Canterbury

In a lovely brasserie beside the ponds, a succulent grilled chicken and other Brussels specialities. Avenue de l’Hippodrome 2 1050 Bru

A quick trip to the countryside:

A walk along the Ixelles ponds. The abbey of la Cambre, a true gem of nature and architecture, is a haven for daydreaming and meditation. Bois de la Cambre woods opens up its tree-lined driveways and walkways and, after a very pleasant stroll, why not meet up on Île Robinson (Robinson’s Island) by taking the ferry for a meal or drink surrounded by nature.

French-style brasserie for Brussels specialities. Avenue L. Lepoutre 1 - 1050 Bru www.toucanbrasserie.be

Le Toucan-sur-Mer

Same again, fish and seafood version. Avenue L. Lepoutre 17 - 1050 Bru www.toucanbrasserie.be

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enchanting museums and grand houses Some very beautiful spots just a few minutes from the centre.

onstructed in 1930, Villa Empain is a jewel in the purest Art Deco style. This large and luxurious modern building, recently restored, is the headquarters of the Boghossian Foundation, which promotes dialogue between the cultures of East and West.

It’s said that the ghost of this great humanist of the Renaissance still hovers around Erasmus House. He settled in Anderlecht, around 1521, in this large, now faithfully restored mediaeval building, which contains many precious documents and works of art from the period. A journey back in time, which you can round oﬀ with a stroll around the medicinal and philosophical garden. Once upon a time the residence of a Dutch banker and his wife, the van Buuren Museum was built in 1929 in the Art Deco style, which was all the rage at the time. The use of space, the lights and the materials that were chosen give this place an almost palpable soul. In the garden, you enter a wonderful treasure chest of plant life once dreamed up and maintained by Alice van Buuren.

S IZ ED FO R C ULT URE

The Ixelles Fine Arts Museum is famous for its unique collection of original posters by Toulouse-Lautrec. The 19th and 20th century rooms are devoted to Impressionism, Fauvism and Surrealism, Abstract, Pop Art and Contemporary Art. At the Musée Wiertz Museum, the vessel is as surprising as the contents. This house, though modest in size, exhibits enormous canvasses expressing the mystical and allegorical inspirations of the artist as well as romantic and visionary sketches. The owner of the Clockarium is quite a character, exhibiting nearly 1,000 Art Deco mantelpiece ornaments. Period, kitsch, rococo, gilt and enamelled. By its name alone, the Plasticarium conjures up colour: the Museum of Plastic set up in an Art Deco house contains the best of what was being made in the Golden Sixties.

37 Villa Empain

Boghossian Foundation Centre for dialogue between the Eastern and Western cultures. Av. Franklin Roosevelt 67 1000 Bru www.villaempain.com PRESS: Christophe Dosogne

christophe@boghossianfoundation.be

For something to eat near the Villa Empain: Brasserie de la Villa Lorraine and La Villa Lorraine

David and Alice van Buuren Museum

Avenue L. Errera 41 - 1180 Bru www.museumvanbuuren.com PRESS: Nathalie Saverys ns@forum-communication.be

Ixelles Museum of Fine Arts

Rue J. Van Volsem 71 - 1050 Bru www.museedixelles.be PRESS: Bérénice Demaret Berenice.demaret@ixelles.be

An institution in the capital and one that’s going through a great revival. Gourmet or brasserie-style, this establishment offers two different formats and is worth taking time over. Avenue du Vivier d’Oie 75 1000 Bru Tel.: +32 (0)2 374 31 63 www.villalorraine.be

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Erasmus House

Musée Wiertz Museum

Rue du Chapitre 31 - 1070 Bru www.erasmushouse.museum PRESS: Kathleen Leys info@erasmushouse.museum �

Clockarium

Boulevard A. Reyers 163 1030 Bru www.clockarium.com PRESS: Jacques De Selliers press@clockarium.com

For something to eat near the Clockarium: Smets and its restaurant Bowery

Amazing concept store. A complex which groups together a trendy fashion arcade on the ground floor, a wine bar on the mezzanine floor and a gourmet restaurant upstairs. This new place to go in Brussels, with its super-modern decor, is proving very successful. Chaussée de Louvain 650-652 1030 Bru Tel.: +32 (0)2 325 12 90 www.bowery.be PRESS: Delphine Posson delphine.posson@smets.eu

Art centre La Maison Particulière

A truly particular kind of private house which serves as the setting for works assembled according to a theme: no appointment necessary - nothing’s for sale but there’s everything to see. Rue du Châtelain 49 - 1050 Bru (Royal Museums of Fine Arts) Rue Vautier 62 - 1050 Bru www.fine-arts-museum.be PRESS: Barbara Porteman barbara.porteman@fine-arts-museum.be

Vintage pop culture

The only collection of its kind, the Plasticarium – Museum of Plastic – is well worth a report of its own. Located in an Art Deco house, it contains an anthology of the most colourful things from the Golden Sixties. Flashy orange armchairs, curvy furniture, pop implements, various strangely-shaped objects... this magnificent collection of hundreds of pieces is “a utopia of all things plastic”. As Roland Topor used to say, “it slides, it’s smooth and it’s beautiful”. That says it all. Admission for groups only and booking is essential. Rue de Locquenghien 35 1000 Bru

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contemporary art is… everywhere I

n the last few years, contemporary art has absolutely exploded in Brussels and quickly become a shared source of fascination for its followers. The biggest international galleries are now well established here. And this enthusiasm for art now forms an integral part of Brussels’ cultural and social life. This has led to a number of initiatives, both public and private. Brussels has become the perfect place for the coexistence of ideas for and the output and promotion of the most varied works of art. There’s no denying that this is fertile ground: bubbling with life, unbridled creativity, a quirky view of the little things in life and just the right amount of ambition. Qualities that go well with this ever-changing style of art. Big exhibitions, private viewings, conferences and debates, themed guided tours, events, fairs and trade shows: an extensive programme that brings together collectors, artists, gallery owners, well-informed enthusiasts or simply people with a love of forms, shapes and lines. In Brussels, contemporary art is everywhere and for everyone. Permanent installations “Bleu sur jaune” (Blue on Yellow) dreamed up by Daniel Buren, 89 ﬂ agpoles and as many banners ﬂuttering in the wind. A bit like a forest of colour in the city centre. Place de la Justice - 1000 Bru - www.danielburen.com

SIZED FOR CONTEMPORARY ART

“L’Oreille Tourbillonnante” (The Whirling Ear), a mobile sculpture by Alexandre Calder representing a large ear ready to listen to anyone and everyone. At the top of the ﬂight of steps at Mont des Arts. Rue Ravenstein - 1000 Bru - www.calder.org Modern architecture guided tour download free at www.archiaudio.be Walks with commentary 5-hour tours in the company of experts www.initiartmagazine.com/brusselsartwalk

pasart gallery! In its stations anduiten, In Brussels, the metro is a real our famous artists: Hergé, Sch sageways, you come acrossptures, photographs, claustras (lattice Magritte, … Paintings, scul windows ...: each station has its own screen walls), stained-glass personality. www.stib.be

The lower part of town: Centrale for contemporary art

This arts centre, oﬃcially opened in 2006, is run by the cultural affairs oﬃce of the City of Brussels. Its primary purpose is to encourage the general public to be curious about and interested in contemporary art, which expresses so well the diversity that’s to be found all over the heart of the city. Place Ste-Catherine 44 1000 Bru - www.centrale-art.be

Vanhaerents Art collection

Contemporary art of the highest order displayed on four floors of an atrium in a former industrial building, which opens to visitors by appointment. An extraordinary place dedicated to the great art of today. Rue Anneessens 29 - 1000 Bru www.vanhaerentsartcollection.com

Wiels Contemporary Art Centre

WIELS was oﬃcially opened in 2007. It’s an international laboratory for the creation and promotion of contemporary art. A place that brings people together for lively exchange and that, as well as exhibitions and retrospectives, also frequently organises conferences; specialist bookshop for well-informed enthusiasts: very specialised themes and rare editions. Avenue Van Volxem 354 1190 Bru - www.wiels.org

A.L.I.C.E. Gallery

In the cool neighbourhood of rue Dansaert, this gallery represents artists from the subcultures: graﬃti, street art, punk …, giving voice to the new urban sensibility. Rue du Pays de Liège 4 1000 Bru - www.alicebxl.be

Galerie Catherine Bastide

This gallery with the wind in its sails hands over its wall space to young artists whose careers it propels to international level. Rue Vandenbranden 1 - 1000 Bru www.catherinebastide.com

ARGOS , Centre for Art and Media

The Argos art centre, set up in 1989, is considered to be the benchmark in Belgium for audiovisual art. On its premises near the canal, Argos puts on a varied programme of exhibitions, films, videos, conferences and performances. Rue du Chantier 13 - 1000 Bru www.argosarts.org

Jan Mot

Galerie Paris-Beijing

Hotel Winssinger, built in 1897 by Victor Horta, has just been restored and is welcoming the new generation of Asian artists: well-known photographers and talented young artists showing their works in an extraordinary setting. Rue de l’Hôtel des Monnaies 65 1060 Bru www.galerieparisbeijing.com (Brussels gallery)

Up and running since 1996, this gallery is a real sounding board for many contemporary artists, both Belgian and foreign. Its greatest qualities: pertinent choices and constant critical engagement. Rue Antoine Dansaert 190 1000 Bru www.janmot.com

Almine Rech Gallery

Fondation A Stichting

Xavier Hufkens

Set up on an old factory site, the Fondation A Stichting supports the creation, knowledge and preservation of photographic images. Three temporary exhibitions every year, visual literacy workshops for young people and children. Avenue Van Volxem 304 1190 Bru www.fondationastichting.be

The upper part of town: Albert Baronian

One of the oldest galleries in Brussels (1973) which is creating a new and even more exciting life for itself thanks to a fresh, determined and go-getting team. Their challenges: developing the career of their artists over the long term and remaining a lively public space. Rue Isidore Verheyden 2 1050 Bru www.albertbaronian.com

Set up in Brussels in 2008, this important Parisian gallery invites artists to use the space as they choose; various mediums compared and contrasted, going beyond styles and generations. Rue de l’Abbaye 20 - 1050 Bru www.alminerech.com Since its founding in the city centre, this gallery has been dedicated to emerging international artists. Now installed in 2 separate houses on the same street in the upper part of town, it is promising a great programme of exhibitions featuring forty or so creative talents of all generations and nationalities. Rue Saint-Georges 6-7 and 107 1050 Bru www.xavierhufkens.com

Galerie Rodolphe Janssen

CAB

These former industrial warehouses were renovated in 2012 by Hubert Bonnet, a devotee of minimalism in both art and architecture. They house a contemporary art centre. The 800 m² space plays host to exhibitions, debates and concerts. CAB also allows creative artists from abroad to set up in residence: living, creating, exhibiting and exchanging ideas in the same space. Rue Borrens 32-34 - 1050 Bru www.cab.be

La Loge

A new space dedicated to Belgian and international contemporary art, set up in a Masonic temple from 1934; an ideal place for exchanging ideas and opinions and holding conferences and exhibitions. Rue de l’Ermitage 86 - 1050 Bru www.la-loge.be

sized for contemporary art

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TO FIND OUT MORE:

mini-map VISITBRUSSELS SIZED FOR CONTEMPORARY ART Brussels Art Guide: on request to the “Fondation pour les Arts” info@agenda.be NECA Brussels: diary of private viewings, a Website and a newsletter www.neca.be

Events: Summer of Photography - BOZAR Brussels Design Market (see events p. 71) Design September (see p. 71) Brussels Art Days Art Brussels (see events p. 66) Affordable Art Fair Fotofever (Oct. 2014) BRAFA

Acknowledged from its inception for its programme of photographers, since then this gallery has broadened its horizons to the most varied mediums; in 20 years, more than 120 exhibitions and forty or so international fairs. Rue de Livourne 35 - 1050 Bru www.galerierodolphejanssen.com

Meessen De Clercq

In this grand townhouse from 1911, international guest artists share 3 floors, a video screening room and a «cabinet of curiosities» for a fresh look at the Theatrum Mundi (world stage). Rue de l’Abbaye 2 - 1050 Bru www.meessendeclercq.com

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this is not a pipe … A

s a reaction to their predecessors who did nothing but neo-something, the artists of the forties created a trend that ran counter to all conventions: Surrealism. A revolutionary wave that challenged everything. Painting and literature but also the way of life of the period to which their works bear testimony. New images, new languages; the word is dissociated from the object. The aim of a painting is not aesthetic but reveals the hidden side of things. The artist no longer works alone but is part of an interactive and united group that puts the world to rights, organises happenings, fake conferences and a good number of activities each more subversive than the last. This state of mind was soon adopted by the people of Brussels, innate rebels who love irony. Nowadays, you’ll still come across Surrealism on every street corner. This group of visionaries used to meet daily for cheerful libations and endless games of chess. René Magritte was a key member of the group. Follow in his trail, starting with the Musée Magritte Museum where you can admire his works with the ambiguous titles and with subjects that say something to us. Next, explore the places that heavily inﬂuenced him. An introductory trail which will reveal the surrealist soul of Brussels to you.

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BOZAR

The modern name for the Palais des Beaux-Arts (Brussels Centre for Fine Arts and Concert Hall) designed by Victor Horta and the leading cultural and arts centre in Brussels. This is where the first international surrealist exhibition was held in 1934. Centre for Fine Arts Rue Ravenstein 23 - 1000 Bru www.bozar.be PRESS: press@bozar.be

Palais de Justice (Law Courts)

A masterly and monumental structure, which looks down onto the working-class district: city of symbols and contrasts. 5

Au n° 207 de la rue Haute

This façade with the crazy storeys is built in the style known as «Beaux-Arts» (fine arts), with decorative elements chosen straight from a catalogue.

Galerie Bortier

Les Sagas boutique, to buy a steel bracelet made from the original spheres of the Atomium. Rue de la Madeleine - 1000 Bru

Les Marolles

This district has always been the centre of the cheeky banter and spirit of Brussels; the daily flea market held there offers perfectly eclectic and slightly surreal stalls.

The Editions Jacques Brel

The whole world of the Great Jacques who used to celebrate offbeat Brussels in songs. Place de la Vieille-Halle-auxBlés 11 - 1000 Bru www.jacquesbrel.be

barbara.porteman@fine-arts-museum.be

La Fleur en Papier doré

The café where the Belgian surrealists used to get together and which has kept all its original cachet. Rue des Alexiens 55 - 1000 Bru www.fleurenpapierdore.be 9

Manneken-Pis

The symbol of Brussels’ rebellious and surrealist spirit. 12

Le Cirio

Built in pure Art Nouveau style, le Cirio has always played host to numerous artists. Edouard-LéonThéodore Mesens and Marcel Lecomte, from the surrealist group of Brussels, were regulars here. Rue de la Bourse 18/20 1000 Bru

Greenwich

The Greenwich, a listed café, which is worth the trip for its decor as well as for the fact that Magritte often used to play chess there with other figures of surrealism in Brussels. Rue des Chartreux 7 - 1000 Bru www.greenwich-cafe.be

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Le Zinneke

(mongrel in Brussels dialect) On the corner of rue des Chartreux, he lifts his leg: irreverent but so likeable!

Gare de la Chapelle and Skate Park des Ursulines

Present-day surrealists display their work in the open air to share their «tag & trash « creations on even the smallest section of wall available in the area around la Chapelle railway station. Stunts, tricks and acrobatics provided by teenagers on skateboards

Musée Magritte Museum

200 of the painter’s works covering more than 2500 m² of exhibition space. The most important and most varied collection in the world. Rue de la Régence 3 - 1000 Bru www.musee-magritte-museum.be PRESS: Barbara Porteman

Les Brigittines cultural & arts centre

Just next to an Italo-Flemish Baroque-style church, an arts centre dedicated to voice and movement and to modern dance in particular. Rue des Brigittines 1 - 1000 Bru www.brigittines.be PRESS: Sandrine Tielemans s.tielemans@brigittines.be

Magritte Gallery

In a pared down decor, exhibition of reproductions of the artist’s original works or works inspired by them, along with lithographs and sculptures. Coudenberg 76/78 - 1000 Bru www.magritte-gallery.com 3

Galeries Saint-Hubert Théâtre Royal des Galeries

In 1951, René Magritte painted a fresco on the ceiling of the auditorium here, reminiscent of the very famous Magrittian skies. Théâtre des Galeries Galerie des Princes 6 - 1000 Bru www.trg.be

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Museum of Letters and Manuscripts

On display in the Arts section of the permanent exhibition are documents written by surrealist artists such as Magritte, Dali, Max Ernst, Chagall, Bellmer and Delvaux. Galerie du Roi 1 - 1000 Bru www.mlmb.be PRESS: Christine Franck christine.franck@hhpromotion.eu

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Off map: René Magritte House-Museum

After admiring his works, you have to visit this house where Magritte painted most of them, with the dining room on the ground floor which served as his studio where he used to work with his surrealist friends around him. Rue Esseghem 135 - 1090 Bru www.magrittemuseum.be PRESS: André Garitte info@magrittemuseum.be

Guided tours “Strange and surrealist Brussels” www.visitbrussels.be/guides-surrealism

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brusselicious !

russels gastronomy is very much like its history and character: firmly-rooted traditions, quality products, bold fl avours. Once you’ve tried them, there are recipes you’ll never forget, like tomatoes with North Sea shrimps, haunch of rabbit in Kriek, Flemish-style carbonades or waffles sprinkled with sugar. Another enduring memory will be the creativity of the great chefs who revisit the great classics and turn them into ground-breaking occasions. “Slow food” has also found fertile ground in Brussels because home-grown produce here is delicious. Many chefs have decided on a cuisine that’s both subtle and authentic. The other characteristic of Brussels gastronomy is that it’s incredibly multicultural. Fancy eating Italian, Spanish, Irish or Portuguese ? Or perhaps something more exotic, like Asian or African ? You’ll be spoiled for choice among the restaurants of different nationalities. As in daily life, Brussels tables are a palette of every colour. But three of our specialities stand out and give Brussels its image as a city where the art of good food and drink celebrates the art of good living: Chocolate is indisputably the most well known and most exported of our gourmet products. Nestling in little ‘ballotins’ (selection boxes), the individual chocolates are like real jewels set with exquisite decorations and filled with soft centres containing fruit or precious spices. Our master chocolatiers tirelessly seek the perfect union to delight our taste buds. And some of them open up their workshops for an introduction to chocolate.

S IZ ED FO R GAST RO NO MY

Beer is the favourite beverage of the people of Brussels and all those who pay us a visit here. It flows freely from casks or bottles, plain or fl avoured, simple or sophisticated. Among the most famous, Gueuze, Kriek and Faro are prepared according to the oldest traditions and their production secrets jealously guarded. The chip stalls, also called “friteries” or “fritkots” in Brussels dialect, fill street corners, squares and “kermesses” (local fairs) with delicious smells. Customers queue up there before getting hold of their paper cones overflowing with golden, salted and crispy chips, which they devour immediately, using their fingers. Gay

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Four mini-maps to make your mouth water: VISITBRUSSELS SIZED FOR … … SWEET TOOTHS … GOURMETS … TYPICAL FOOD … BEER available in EN/FR/NL/DE

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Chocolate

Beer

The best beer lists

Museum of Cocoa and Chocolate

Brasserie Cantillon Brussels Gueuze Museum -

Moeder Lambik

Rue de la Tête d’Or 9-11 1000 Bru - www.mucc.be PRESS: Peggy Van Lierde info@mucc.be

Grand-Place and surroundings

Dandoy, Galler, Godiva, Corné, Planète Chocolat, Chocopolis, Pierre Ledent, Jean-Philippe Darcis, Frédéric Blondeel, Elisabeth, …

Saint-Hubert Galleries Neuhaus, Mary, Corné, Belgique Gourmande, …

Sablon

Dandoy, Wittamer, Neuhaus, Marcolini, Godiva, Passion Chocolat, …

Zaabär

Discover the workshop of a chocolate-maker-cum-grocer who devises original blocks of chocolate in a very contemporary setting. Chaussée de Charleroi 125 1060 Bru - www.zaabar.be

A family brewery that is unique in Brussels, a living museum of Gueuze, Kriek and other spontaneous fermentation beers that are produced in-house. Visits, tastings of the home-made GueuzeLambic and the organisation of public brewing sessions. Rue Gheude 56 - 1070 Bru www.cantillon.be �

Brasserie de la Senne

The beers of the Brasserie de la Senne (Senne brewery) are produced by two young and passionate brewers from Brussels. This small artisan brewery makes beers in the traditional way, but with top-quality natural raw materials only. Chaussée de Gand 565 1080 Bru www.brasseriedelasenne.be

Belgian Brewers’ Museum (Maison des Brasseurs)

New establishment of the traditional chocolate-maker opposite BOZAR. Rue Ravenstein 2D - 1000 Bru www.chocolatsgerbaud.be

To discover in sound, images and advanced technology how beer has been made from the 18th century to the present-day. “Surprise” tasting in prestigious surroundings from 1695. Grand-Place 10 - 1000 Bru www.beerparadise.be

BCV - Belgian Chocolate Village

Schaerbeek Museum of Beer

Workshop Laurent Gerbaud

Opening 1st quarter of 2014 Belgium’s biggest museum centre dedicated to chocolate – 900m² of organised activities, culture and history for grown-ups and kids. This protected heritage setting of the old Victoria chocolate & biscuit factory presents a modern museum exhibition, a workshop for making your own chocolates, a tropical greenhouse with cocoa trees and a chocolate parlour… in the centre of Brussels, in the “chocolate-crazy” Koekelberg district. Rue De Neck 20-22 - 1081 Bru PRESS: Lucas Ducarme lducarme.regie@koekelberg.irisnet.be

www.belgianchocolatevillage.be

Take a step back into the 19th century and discover all the manufacturing secrets of Belgian beers! A surprising collection of 1000 bottles, 800 glasses and original advertising signs and posters. Tasting of the “schaerbeekoise”, an Abbey beer brewed only for the museum. Av. Louis Bertrand 33-35 1030 Bru www.users.skynet.be/museedelabiere

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Brewspot

Here, you learn how to brew your own beer: classes and incentives for companies. www.brewspot.com

Over 600 different beers! Place Fontainas 8 - 1000 Bru Rue de Savoie 68 - 1060 Bru

Fancy having a guide to lead you along the foodie paths of Brussels? www.visitbrussels.be/ guides-gastronomy

Délirium café

2,500 different kinds of beer, surely a world record! Impasse de la Fidélité 4a 1000 Bru - www.deliriumcafe.be

Le Bier Circus

Rue de l’Enseignement 57 1000 Bru - www.bier-circus.be

Beer Mania

Chaussée de Wavre 174 1050 Bru - www.beermania.be

La Fleur en Papier Doré

The meeting-place of the Surrealists. Rue des Alexiens 55 - 1000 Bru www.fleurenpapierdore.be

Poechenellekelder

This is the haunt of Manneken-Pis: good beers and extremely ‘bruxellois’ specialities. Rue du Chêne 5 - 1000 Bru

The best fritkots In Brussels, the chip stalls are real icons of the love of good food. Here’s a selection of them, though every native of Brussels will swear that his or hers is the best …

Chez Antoine

Place Jourdan - 1040 Bru

Frit Flagey

Place Flagey - 1050 Bru

Fritland

Rue Henri Maus - 1000 Bru

Friterie de l’avenue du Parc Avenue du Parc (barrière St-Gilles) - 1060 Bru

Fritkot de la Chapelle

Place de la Chapelle - 1000 Bru

Friterie Fontainas

Rue Fontainas (Porte de Hal) - 1060 Bru

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atomium & cie

ow can you cover Europe in a single trip? Follow the guide… Head to the north of Brussels with the Atomium in your sights: this is undoubtedly the Brussels monument that’s been the most famous worldwide since 1958 and the World Fair. Sparkling since its renovation in 2005, this symbol of our city hosts numerous exhibitions. In its upper sphere, a restaurant area offers a 360° view over the whole of Brussels and far beyond. An extraordinary attraction awaits you at the foot of this giant: Mini-Europe. All the member States of the European Union are represented here by their famous monuments reproduced right down to the tiniest details. Here, you move around from country to country from one magnificent scale model to another. Adults can’t believe their eyes, while children get an enjoyable geography lesson while having fun at the same time. The interactive centre “Spirit of Europe” gives you a chance to test your knowledge of Europe. Nearby, Bruparck is a village for relaxation and refreshments and the Planetarium offers you a flight into the galaxy. You can also head for the Orient by visiting the Japanese Tower and the Chinese Pavilion nestling in the park of the Royal Castle of Laeken (residence of the royal family) or treat yourself to a break in the leafy-green setting of Osseghem Park to admire its surprising open-air theatre.

S IZ ED FO R DISC OV ERIES

Atomium

Square de l’Atomium - 1020 Bru www.atomium.be PRESS: Inge Van Eycken inge.vaneycken@atomium.be �

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Planetarium

You’ll find yourself gazing up at the stars and planets thanks to the 360° film screenings on the ceiling. Uncover the secrets of constellations, comets and black holes. Avenue de Boechout 10 1020 Bru - www.planetarium.be 3

Océade

Mini-Europe

Bruparck - 1020 Bru www.minieurope.eu PRESS: Philippe Steenbergen

philippe.steenbergen@minieurope.eu

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Kinepolis and its 24 cinemas

Bd. du Centenaire 20 - 1020 Bru www.kinepolis.be �

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The restaurants and cafés of Bruparck

Royal Greenhouses of Laeken

King Baudouin Stadium and its discovery trail Av. de Marathon 135/2 1020 Bru www.staderoibaudouin.be �

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Chinese Pavilion, Japanese Art Museum

Victor Horta was involved in the design and construction of this phenomenal set of greenhouses in the park of the Royal Palace of Laeken. A real city of glass with domes, galleries and vast pavilions which house rare species and lush vegetation. They are open to the public every year from mid-April until early May, when the azaleas and other spring splendours are in bloom. Avenue du Parc Royal - 1020 Bru www.monarchie.be VISITBRUSSELS announces the exact opening dates from January Tel.: +32 (0)2 513.89.40 www.visitbrussels.be

Tropical water park. Bruparck - 1020 Bru www.oceade.be � 4

Museums of the Far East: Japanese Tower

Avenue Van Praet 44 - 1020 Bru www.kmkg-mrah.be Press: Bart Suys bart.suys@kmkg-mrah.be

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Park of Laeken

Osseghem Park

Parckdesign at the Jardins du Fleuriste

The Friterie and brasseries on Boulevard du Centenaire

Guided tours of the local area of Laeken

www.laekendecouverte.be

The Hop on - Hop off red double-decker buses take you there and back to the city while providing a commentary along the way.

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for fans of the 9th art B

russels, homeland of Tintin and Spirou, the undeniable forerunners of many generations of comic strip heroes. The Smurfs, Lucky Luke and the Daltons, Corentin, Black and Mortimer – to mention only the most famous – have made children of all ages in every country of the world dream, tremble with fear and laugh with mirth. The clear line at the tip of a pencil, Belgian comic strip has given birth to some great names of the 9th art and its future looks bright because there’s nothing like deep roots for encouraging new talent to grow. “Speech balloons” are more or less everywhere in Brussels and especially at the Belgian Comic Strip Center (CBBD), set up in a superb Art Nouveau building. The CBBD regularly puts on themed exhibitions. Don’t miss the comic strip trail, which leads you across the city, gazing upwards, in the company of these likeable characters, immortalised in giant format on nearly 50city gables. But Brussels celebrates its heroes all over the city in countless bookshops and other little shops packed with pages for poring over, miniatures for collecting, engravings and lithographs... And every year, the Brussels Region welcomes its favourite heroes with open arms at the beginning of September. Three days of comic strip madness with a host of activities and an amazing sound and light show projected onto the buildings of place Royale.

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Belgian Comic Strip Center (CBBD)

The temple of comic strip in Brussels, which is housed in an old Art Nouveau warehouse. This institution is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Rue des Sables 20 - 1000 Bru www.cbbd.be PRESS: Willem Degraeve willem.degraeve@stripmuseum.be � � 2

The first Smurf Store in the world is in Brussels, but of course ! A completely blue space dedicated to the little chaps of the same colour, with shop and original illustration plates: everything you need to while away the time in this incredibly funny little world. Info see the MOOF below. 6

Marc Sleen Museum

Comic strip bar of the Radisson BLU Royal Hotel

Comic Strip House

Bd. de l’Impératrice 1 - 1000 Bru www.jije.org PRESS: François Deneyer info@jije.org

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MOOF - Museum of Original Figurines

A nice surprise for visitors who can find figurines, collectors’ items, original drawings and sketches and other comic strip curiosities here, in addition to a well-stocked shop. Galerie Horta Rue du Marché-aux-Herbes 116 1000 Bru www.moof-museum.be PRESS: Geert De Weyer geert.deweyer@scarlet.be

The permanent exhibition looks at the life and work of Marc Sleen, the father of Nero. Rue des Sables 33-35 - 1000 Bru www.marc-sleen.be PRESS: Willem Degraeve willem.degraeve@stripmuseum.be

Which displays, as wall tags, the drawings and sketches left there by forty or so great names of the 9 th art. Rue du Fossé aux Loups 47 1000 Bru �

Smurf Store (Boutique Schtroumfs)

Comic strip shops and galleries

Saint-Hubert Galleries Upmarket shopping. ��

Selling new and second-hand comic books, ex-libris, figurines and collectors’ items for the diehard comic fan. Boulevard Anspach, boulevard Lemonnier, rue du Midi, City 2.

La Boutique Tintin

Rue de la Colline 13 - 1000 Bru www.tintinboutique.com 8

Off map Hergé Museum

This temple to the “clear line” standing outside the Brussels-Capital Region (at Louvainla-Neuve) covers a total of some 2,000 m² of exhibition space on three floors, in a building with surprising spaces constructed on the edge of a wooded area and dedicated to the father of Tintin. www.museeherge.com

Guided tours Brussels and Comic strip

www.visitbrussels.be/guides-bd

TO FIND OUT MORE:

The mini-maps VISITBRUSSELS SIZED FOR TINTIN (FR/NL/EN/DE/ES)

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VISITBRUSSELS SIZED FOR COMICS (FR/NL/EN/DE)

VISITBRUSSELS SIZED FOR MARC SLEEN (FR/NL) and the games brochure COMICS FOR KIDS (FR/NL/EN/DE) www.visitbrussels.be/kids

Comics Café

Selling new and second-hand comic books, ex-libris, figurines and collectors’ items for the diehard comic fan. Place du Grand Sablon 8 1000 Bru www.comicscafe.be

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family outings M

ore than 30 activities, museums and attractions in the centre and all over Brussels, oﬀer some special moments for sharing. Cultural, original, lively, interactive, indoor or in the open air, all these places are easy to reach by public transport.

You can forget work, school and other worries and, instead, admire, play, imagine and fall asleep at night with your head full of dreams. The time’s gone by so quickly! You’ll have to come back soon, all together, for more Brussels experiences.

The centre Musical Instruments Museum – MIM

S IZ ED FO R K IDS

1,200 instruments from all periods and every continent are on display in the former Old England stores in Art Nouveau style. You can listen to all of them using ingenious infra-red helmets. On the top floor is a terrace offering a sweeping view and a restaurant. Rue Montagne de la Cour 2 1000 Bru - www.mim.fgov.be PRESS: Damien Filippi damien.filippi@mim.fgov.be � �

Belgian Comic Strip Center

The main residence of the most famous heroes of the 9th art was built by Victor Horta. As well as permanent collections, there are themed exhibitions, a little shop and a café-restaurant. Rue des Sables 20 - 1000 Bru www.comicscenter.net PRESS: Willem Degraeve willem.degraeve@stripmuseum.be �

Coudenberg, Former Palace of Brussels

A key archaeological site in Brussels. The vestiges of the chapel of Charles V, Rue Isabelle and even a grand ceremonial room have been unearthed. Place des Palais 7 - 1000 Bru www.coudenberg.com PRESS: Frédérique Honoré f.honore@coudenberg.com

experience Brussels !

An interactive exhibition where you can build your own town with giant foam blocks and take funny photos in front of the most famous monuments. BIP - Brussels Info Place Rue Royale 2/4 - 1000 Bru www.biponline.be

Toy Museum

A museum that’s not at all old-fashioned! Kids can climb, touch and play as their grandparents did in their day. Rue de l’Association 24 1000 Bru www.museedujouet.eu

49 Porte de Hal

Suits of armour, swords, horses, lances and shields: it doesn’t take much imagination to hear the knights jousting. Right at the top, the path around the battlements to watch out for the enemy from the top of the ramparts. Boulevard du Midi 150 1000 Bru - www.kmkg-mrah.be PRESS: Bart Suys bart.Suys@kmkg-mrah.be �

what to do: Enrol in creative workshops of BOZAR Sundays. www.bozar.be Explore the world of comic strip figurines at the MOOF. www.moof-museum.be Take part in the Roller-skating Parade on Fridays in summer www.belgiumrollers.com

Royal Museum of the Army and Military History

With armour, uniforms, flags and weapons from the past, only the rattle and clinking of weapons is missing to relive the military exploits of past centuries. But the present is also represented with armoured vehicles and more than 80 flying machines. Parc du Cinquantenaire 3 1000 Bru - www.klm-mra.be PRESS: Marie-Hélène Billwatsch marie-helene.billwatsch@klm-mra.be

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Autoworld

With their shiny chrome, the 400 vintage cars of this collection put on a great show of gleaming body work and fine leather seating. Parc du Cinquantenaire 11 1000 Bru - www.autoworld.be PRESS: Patricia Raes patriciaraes@scarlet.be ��

Laugh your head off with some very funny puppets. www.guignoletdansleparc.be

To ﬁnd out all you need to know about Brussels’ parks and gardens

Defy the laws of balance at the Skate Park (skateboarding). www.brusk.be

Outside the centre

Have fun with the witty wardrobe of Manneken-Pis and find out about the history of the city, according to age, with trail booklets. Maison du Roi - Grand-Place 1000 Bru - www.Brussels.be

The Cinquantenaire and the European district Museum of Natural Sciences

A spectacular scene arrangement: the iguanodons who greet you from the height of their 65 million years. The Evolution Gallery helps adults and children to understand our origins and how we’ve evolved. Creative workshops and a little area for budding archaeologists. Rue Vautier 29 - 1000 Bru www.naturalsciences.be PRESS: Yannick Siebens yannick.siebens@naturalsciences.be

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www.ibgebim.be - www.ecli.net www.brussels-gardens.be

Children’s Museum

Seven educational areas to allow children to express themselves and discover the world revolving around several themes. Rue du Bourgmestre 15 1050 Bru www.museedesenfants.be ��

Mini-Europe

The attraction with 350 scale models so you can travel, in just a few minutes, from Viking longships to the eruption of Vesuvius. In the Spirit of Europe centre, have fun finding out how the European Union works. Bruparck - 1020 Bru www.minieurope.eu PRESS: Philippe Steenbergen philippe.steenbergen@minieurope.eu

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Brussels Mill and Food Museum

Here, you can try sweets and get a taste of food-related customs from elsewhere through a trail game and pictures for colouring in. Rue du Moulin à Vent 21 1140 Bru www.moulindevere.be �

A round of mini-Golf at the Mellaerts Ponds Skating outdoors in Bois de la Cambre

COMICS FOR KIDS

à la découverte des fresques BD à Bruxelles

SIZED FOR KIDS

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TO FIND OUT MORE:

VISITBRUSSELS spoils the kids!

Ride in a little steam train in Forest

a mini-map with 30 fun and informative recreational activities. VISITBRUSSELS SIZED FOR KIDS (FR/NL/EN/DE)

For a bite to eat in comfort:

The mini-map BRUSSELS GREEN (FR/NL/EN/DE) and the games brochure COMICS FOR KIDS (FR/NL/EN/DE)

www.ptvf.fte2.org

Le Haricot Magique

A “pushchair” café with high chairs, parking for pushchairs, specially adapted toilets: everything you need to make outings with young children easier. Avenue Louis Bertrand 22 1030 Bru www.haricotmagique.be

A gazette of events for youngsters: www.kidsgazette.be

Les parents terribles

Light refreshments for grownups, kids and tiny tots. Chaussée de Waterloo 203 1060 Bru www.lesparentsterribles.be

And for blissful bye-byes: FunKey Hotel

Brand new hotel dedicated entirely to children and play; connecting rooms which can sleep up to 5 people. Everyone’s smiling. Rue Artan 116 - 1030 Bru www.funkeyhotel.com

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there will be sport ! T

he international inﬂuence of Brussels also happens through sport because its favourable location and great accessibility by any means of transport make it a destination that’s easy to plan for and fast to reach.

Its other “sporting” assets are: an invigorating multiculturalism, modern infrastructure, its talent for hosting big events, its desire to put sport at the heart of life and of the city and its many green areas. The sports CV of the Brussels-Capital Region includes famous names such as Eddy Merckx, Jacky Ickx and the Borlée brothers. It also features great events such as the Van Damme Memorial, which, every summer thrills 40,000 people in the King Baudouin stadium at Heysel. But there’s no question of us resting on our laurels. Brussels intends, more than ever, to give free rein to its talent: it’s reviving, devising and giving its tourism a new dimension and supporting the many initiatives of the sports federations.

S IZ ED FO R S PO RTS

51 Cycling in Villo

Brussels is proud of having given birth to Eddy Merckx, that indomitable hero of «la petite reine» (‘the little queen’ or cycling). So, it offers anyone with energy to spare the opportunity to get around on two wheels. Around 300 Villo stations invite you to get on a hire bike and criss-cross the 19 local districts of the Region and then return it to the place of your choice. www.villo.be

I jog, you jog, …

At weekends or going to and from work, joggers are soon itching to get out there and run. In Brussels, they’ll be able to indulge in their favourite activity among trees on a number of tracks both in and immediately around the city. Depending on what takes their fancy and how much time they have: in Parc de Bruxelles, beneath the windows of the Royal Place, at the Cinquantenaire very close to the European institutions, in Bois de la Cambre woods, in Forêt de Soignes or at the foot of the Atomium … the choice is theirs. www.bruxellesenvironnement.be

and for some legendary trails: take part in the

Brussels 20 km run (see p. 67)

and the start in October of the

Brussels Marathon

The round ball

The national team and its famous «Red Devils» - Vincent Kompany, Romelu Lukaku, Marouane Fellaini, Eden Hazard and others – play in the best football championships in the world and are always creating a ‘fever pitch’ of excitement at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels. The 2014 World Cup in Brazil is in our sights and it’s only natural for Brussels to be a contender for EURO 2022, the UEFA nations European Championship, which will be played for the first time in various cities of the Old Continent. The capital of Europe wants to host the opening match or even the final in an ultra-modern national stadium. And the Brussels project has the full backing of Michel Platini, President of the governing body of European football ! www.footbel.com www.rsca.be

And the little yellow ball

In the shadow of the Atomium, the Royal Primerose has, for 2 years, been hosting the famous WTA Brussels Tennis Open in May. For one week, the world’s best women’s tennis players battle it out for the prestigious trophy. A date on the sporting calendar that’s become unmissable, the week just before Roland-Garros! www.wta-brusselsopen.com

(see p. 72)

SIZED FOR SPORTS

TO FIND OUT MORE:

Places to go and city trails are published in the mini- map VISITBRUSSELS SIZED FOR SPORTS (EN) W W W. V I S I T B R U SS E L S. B E

as well as:

However you feel like taking care of your body or taking your mind off other things, you can also • treat yourself to a round of golf between meetings or visiting places of culture www.brusselsgolfclub.com www.golf-anderlecht.com • swim a few lengths or dive 33 m www.bruxelles-piscines-index.be www.nemo33.com • hurtle along the wide avenues on rollerblades in complete safety www.belgiumrollers.com • lift some weights or just maintain your muscles www.bruxelles-fitness.be • or feel more chilled out after a few Tai Chi poses. www.taichi-academy.be

Guided tours jogging

www.brusselssightjogging.be

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green suits it so well W

ith more than 28 m² of green space per inhabitant, Brussels is the greenest capital city in Europe; it’s a real patchwork of leafy greenery: historic parks, welcoming little squares and wide shady avenues as well as city gardens which you can find in the middle of almost every residential block. A magnificent 63 km green loop encourages our visitors to explore the Region and make the most of the many protected areas. Varied scenery, sweeping countryside views, forest driveways, vegetable or market gardens: plenty to satisfy everyone, whatever they want from being outdoors. The Green Walk takes you to places that are difficult to get to or even simply out of reach by other paths. On this trail, we’ve plotted out some nature parks, historic places of interest and conservation areas for you: natural and museum treasures, nature and culture definitely go well together! www.promenade-verte.be

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The mini-map BRUSSELS GREEN (FR/EN, NL/DE)

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Guided tours of Brussels and its woodlands, parks and gardens

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La Tricoterie

A factory of links between generations, audiences and disciplines. Somewhere to have your say about the world, debate it, maybe even change it. Rue Théodore Verhaegen 158 1060 Bru - www.tricoterie.be

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Tournay-Solvay Park

A conservation area comprising the ruins of the Solvay château, the classical English-style garden with its rose garden, a beech grove, an orchard and an educational kitchen garden.

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available to download to help you find a nearby leafy corner, a children’s playground or a wooded haven for a romantic stroll. www.brussels-gardens.be

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KOEKELBERG SSEE

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Brussels Gardens

A brand new application for smart phones and tablets:

A huge composite of woods, meadows, marshlands, parks and ponds. There’s also the Children’s Farm, which organises activities such as animal care, bread-making, kitchen gardening and bee-keeping.

Roi Baudouin Park

This 6-hectare area of greenery with an ecological and recreational purpose is a lovely piece of countryside and has been designated for its scenic and historic qualities, its blue and green network and for its wide-ranging biodiversity.

10JETTE

Place Sainte-Catherine

On Wednesdays from 7.30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

ATOMIUM

Scheutbos conservation area

NEDER-OVERHEEMBEEK

Domaine du Rouge Cloître (Red Cloister Estate)

An old Augustinian priory on the edge of Forêt de Soignes, the site is home to an arts centre, a Maison du Conte (Storyteller’s House), artists’ workshops, a playground, a restaurant and a café. Rue du Rouge-Cloître 4 1160 Bru - www.rouge-cloitre.be 6

HEYSEL HEIZEL BA

Large collection of historic trams, buses, trolleybuses and taxis tucked away in leafy surroundings. Avenue de Tervueren 364B 1150 Bru www. trammuseumbrussels.be PRESS: Jean-Louis Mottet jean-louis.mottet@ trammuseumbrussels.be � 5

A park for crossing whilst sitting astride a little steam train! Nine replicas, on a scale of 1/8th, vintage models of locomotives criss-cross the park on a one-kilometre circuit, crossing lawns and little bridges.

They’re ethically responsible and environmentally sound: there are numerous green markets and shops and organic or Fair-trade shops springing up in Brussels to offer you sustainable treats. Everyone loves this new way of consuming with a clear conscience: it’s good for the planet and for your health. We match our menus with the seasonal local produce and rediscover the true taste of things.

Brussels Urban Transport Museum

Bempt Park

Organic markets and shops

Roodebeek Park

A pretty park with playground, animal house, pavilion, local museum and arboretum.

Réserve du Kinsendael (nature reserve)

An important centre of the green and blue network of Brussels, Natura 2000 Special Protection Area and feeding area for ten or so different species of bats.

Réserve naturelle du Moeraske (Moeraske nature reserve)

Fourteen hectares of marshland, ancient woodlands, kitchen gardens, meadows of tall grass, a stream, springs and a very wide-ranging biodiversity. Place St-Vincent - 1140 Bru Free monthly guided tours www.cebe.be PRESS: Christian Rombaux info@cebe.be 3

Atomium

Symbol of Expo’58 surrounded by its royal gardens: the Colonial garden, Sobieski park, the Floriste’s gardens and its designer furniture. Square de l’Atomium - 1020 Bru www.atomium.be PRESS: Inge Van Eycken inge.vaneycken@atomium.be �

AV. BR

WATERMAELBOITSFORT WATERMAALBOSVOORDE

FORÊT DE SOIGNES ZONIENWOUD

gay friendly

ay Brussels, it’s a spirit of freedom, legislation free from discrimination and a wide and varied range of activities in terms of night life, cuisine, shopping and culture. Situated in the centre of a virtual rectangle that would link up Amsterdam, Cologne, Paris and London, Brussels is synonymous with art de vivre and a multicultural approach to life: qualities for which we’re the envy of our neighbours. The gay scene in Brussels is true to the city’s image: discreet, varied, warm and friendly. The gay heart of the capital beats in the Saint-Jacques district, near the Grand-Place. But the whole Region, cosmopolitan, easy-going and tolerant, also loves to party and speak all languages. In Brussels, everything is nearby and this human scale is ideal for walking and exploring, making it easier to meet people even for visitors just passing through. VISITBRUSSELS is fully involved in fulfilling the wishes and needs of this target public, particularly during Belgian Pride. It has co-produced this event since 2012 and the last one welcomed nearly 70,000 visitors. For example, a Gay Map focusing on lifestyle has been published, showing the cool and gay-friendly places to go in our capital city. It’s widely distributed by our tourist information offices in Brussels as well as by tourist information centres representing Brussels abroad. Hotels also offer any number of tempting package deals, based on one-off or repeat events with the huge cultural potential of Brussels. The gay section of the Website, www.visitbrussels.be/gay, serves as the springboard for all the activities likely to please this demanding target group when it comes to living it up and experiencing new discoveries to the full. Add to this the Gay Brussels Facebook page and VISITBRUSSELS positions itself as the essential partner to gay tourists wanting a 100% experience of Brussels.

S IZ ED FO R LES B IAN & GAY

Where to stay

Shopping

Events

A number of hotels provide weekend packages and special offers during events such as The Belgian Pride, La Démence parties, etc…

Dansaert: numerous fashion boutiques and fashion designers’ studios

Belgian Pride 17 May 2014 www.blgp.be - www.thepride.be Press: Alan De Bruyne alan@thepride.be

The Rainbow district

For a chocolate feast: around Grand-Place and Grand Sablon

Brussels also invites you

Saint-Jacques and around the Grand-Place: shops, bars and restaurants

Big La Démence weekends Easter and All Saints’ Day weekends (parties on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays) www.lademence.com

Rue du Marché-au-Charbon: bars, restaurants, shops

• to hang out in one of the many parks, public gardens or Bois de la Cambre

Diversity Week 12 to 18 May 2014

Characteristic ambiences

• to get on a Villo to go wherever the mood takes you

Gay and Lesbian Film Festival of Brussels www.fglb.org

• to buy a Brussels Card: this pass gives you use of public transport, admission into a number of museums and good discounts in many shops www.brusselscard.be

Trendy in the Saint-Boniface district Very village-like around Places du Châtelain and Brugmann

Full of good ideas on the Web: www.visitbrussels.be/gayclubbing www.visitbrussels.be/gayculture www.visitbrussels.be/gaystay www.visitbrussels.be/gaybars CONTACT:

f.boutry@visitbrussels.be

Pink Screens Festival November 2014 www.pinkscreens.org

• gaze upwards to admire the comic strip heroes in giant format on 40 gables spread around the city

Typically local in the working class quarter of the Marolles Stylish and fashionable: place du Grand Sablon Cool and colourful: Saint-Géry with its café terraces

• out until the early hours on one of the Démence evenings (lademence.com) as well as any number of more alternative and very often easy-going evenings out!

“In” and musical: place Flagey with its concert halls and its packed bars

sized for LESBIAN & GAY

TO FIND OUT MORE: 50€

the mini-map VISITBRUSSELS SIZED FOR LESBIAN & GAY

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brussels by night Y

ou’re going to love evenings and night-time in Brussels! When the offices close up and the conference rooms empty, a different lifestyle begins. While some go home, others go out. This is the time to explore the soul of Brussels, soak up its cosmopolitan atmosphere and sample those cultural differences. Here, in a few short steps, you go from one ambience to another, sometimes exotic, trendy and laid back, sometimes classy, music-loving and gourmet. You won’t forget in a hurry sipping a Gueuze on the Grand-Place when it’s all lit up, an incentive evening revolving around chocolate or crispy golden chips eaten with your fingers from a paper cone. Spend some time in the casino, start dancing to rock or salsa and you won’t want the night to end.

All kinds of nigths out:

Shopping

• an exotic trail Porte de Namur, Matonge, chaussée d’Ixelles and Flagey.

Every Thursday, the shops stay open until 8 p.m. in the area around the Grand-Place and in the Saint-Géry, Dansaert, Marché aux Poissons and SaintJacques districts. www.afterworkshopping.be

• a trendy tour Place du Châtelain, rue Américaine, place Brugmann.

S IZ ED FO R YO UT H

• diving into history Grand-Place – see it again lit up in the evening – and surrounding areas. • a cosmopolitan epic Weekdays at Place du Luxembourg and Place Jourdan. • a sporty break Roller and bike parade Friday evenings in summer.

Afterwork shopping

Markets organic: Tan

Rue de l’Aqueduc 95 - 1050 Bru Open until 11 p.m. and beyond.

typical: Boeremet

Abattoirs d’Anderlecht, Rue Ropsy Chaudron 24 1070 Bru Thursdays, until 8 p.m. – gourmet stalls and various aperitifs. www.boeremet.be

Casino VIAGE

VIAGE is a complex that’s wholly dedicated to leisure activities, games and shows. An unexpected place for a sparkling experience. Boulevard Anspach 30 1000 Bru www.viage.be

Bars Flamingo

One of the latest creations of the guru of nights out in Brussels, Fred Nicolay. The biggest bar in Brussels (400 m²) with a terrace illuminated by a heliostat reflecting the light from the top of a neighbouring building. Decorated in cast iron columns and concrete formwork. Rue de Laeken 171 - 1000 Bru

Hard Rock Café

New place on the Grand-Place: a famous venue, recently renovated, with the bonus of the wellknown house style. Grand-Place 12a - 1000 Bru

Le Fontainas

Very fashionable bar in the gay-friendly Brussels environment with WiFi connection and a huge terrace area. Rue du Marché-au-Charbon 91 1000 Bru

Coco Bar

A very lively and usually packed bar on the very international Place du Luxembourg: go and feel the heartbeat of Europe. Place du Luxembourg 10 1040 Bru

Chaff

Alternative bar in the heart of the Marolles: flavoursome cuisine, full of games, exhibitions, concerts … everyone loves it! Place du Jeu de Balle 21 1000 Bru

Goupil le Fol

Bric-à-brac and French chanson. Without a care, sink into comfortable armchairs and the half-light to sip fruit wines served in large glasses. Rue de la Violette 22 - 1000 Bru

Le Tavernier

This cool student bistro puts on excellent jazz gatherings followed by wild parties. DJs every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11 p.m. Chaussée de Boendael 445 1050 Bru

Café Belga

A real icon of the Flagey district, just opposite the Ixelles ponds. A pleasant, cosmopolitan and very festive atmosphere in the evenings and a performance sometimes ! Place Eugène Flagey 18 1050 Bru

Bar du Matin

A friendly place and vvveeerrry interesting programme of music! Depending on the day of the week and the vagaries of the weather, the atmosphere moves inside and outside onto lovely big terrace area. Chaussée d’Alsemberg 172 1190 Bru

For drinking and dancing Le Café Central

Giant counter, great dance floor and terrific music: ambience guaranteed ! Rue du Borgval 14 - 1000 Bru

The Tales Café

A tale told in design, rhythm and cocktails: make up your own story there … Place du Samedi 12 A - 1000 Bru

Bonnefooi

A safe bet for nightlife in Brussels: dance until the early hours here - Amazing mezzanine and programmes that leave you openmouthed (DJ jamming session exhibition). Rue des Pierres 8 - 1000 Bru

Madame Moustache

Spirito Brussels

Slightly crazy, gypsy-style decor in this brilliant dance café, which blends styles such as lindyhop, rockabilly, swing and post-rock. Staff in sailor suits … Quai au Bois à Brûler 7-5 1000 Bru

A spiritual venue for nights out in Brussels just beneath the walls of an old Anglican church: hall for events, boudoir bar and quintessentially musical mood in an interior that takes your breath away. Rue de Stassart 18 - 1050 Bru

Café de la Maison du Peuple de Saint-Gilles

La Cueva de Pepe

Recently renovated in New York industrial style, this bar livens up the buzzing Parvis de Saint Gilles: perfect atmosphere for live music, exhibitions and parties. Parvis de Saint-Gilles 39 1060 Bru

For clubbing... Mr. Wong

Set up in the “China Town” of Brussels, this new place puts on an eclectic programme of music. Rue de la Vierge Noire 10-12 1000 Bru

A Latino discotheque which gets you moving to wild rhythms: Salsa, Merengue, Reggae ... Rue de la Fourche 49 - 1000 Bru

Night buses

These buses, called Noctis, crisscross the whole of Brussels every Friday and Saturday until 3 a.m. www.stib.be Now that you know some good places to go, you just need to know when they hold their ‘parties’ so you can be sure to be there at the right time. Follow this magic link: www.visitbrussels.be/parties

The Wood

Open since 2009, The Wood is set up in one of the old hunting lodges of Bois de la Cambre. Guests very often include DJs and party organisers, the place to be to find out everything there is to know about what’s happening now … Avenue de Flore 3-4 - 1000 Bru

Mirano Continental

The monthly “Libertine Supersport” party has set up in this old converted cinema, along with many other concepts for themed parties such as @seven, Elitist, Be chic and NextLevel. Chaussée de Louvain 38 1210 Bru

Fuse

FUSE has won the prize for best techno club in Europe! THE international benchmark that’s been popular for 17 years now. Rue Blaes 208 - 1000 Bru

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Brussels-on-jazz

russels has always attracted all the great names of jazz. It must have hints of Afro-American in its genes, prompting the craziest improvisations and leading to a longstanding love story. The Alhambra, the Hot Club, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, Django Reinhardt: places of pilgrimage and big names which have given Brussels an international standing. Nowadays, clubs, cafés, alternative podiums and festivals always reserve a big slot for this style of music, which is far from having played its last note. And we have great ambassadors for this, with Toots Thielemans, Philippe Catherine and Aka Moon, and a whole new generation of talented jazzmen.

THE CLUBS Jazz Station

Based in a renovated old railway station, this Brussels club appeals with its modern architecture and interior, which draw inspiration from the world of jazz. Tel.: +32 (0)2 733 13 78 Chaussée de Louvain 193a 1210 Bru www.jazzstation.be

L’Archiduc S IZ ED FO R JAZ Z

From 1937 this place once welcomed great names such as Nat King Cole, Miles Davis and Jacques Brel and it’s still a monument where you can listen to established or budding stars. Tel.: +32 (0)2 512 06 52 Rue Antoine Dansaert 6 1000 Bru www.archiduc.net

Sounds Jazz Club

Here, Ixelles takes on the look and sound of Chicago or New Orleans. This is one of the favourite venues of authentic jazz-lovers. Tel.: +32 (0)2 512 92 50 Rue de la Tulipe 28 - 1050 Bru www.soundsjazzclub.be

SIZED FOR JAZZ

The Music Village

A short walk from the GrandPlace, it schedules big performers: the public love it and so do the musicians. Tel.: +32 (0)2 513 13 45 Rue des Pierres 50 - 1000 Bru www.themusicvillage.com

Marni Club

A theatre that turns into a jazz club every first Tuesday of the month. Rue de Vergnies 25 - 1050 Bru Tel.: +32 (0)2 639 09 82 www.theatremarni.be

TO FIND OUT MORE:

_COVERS MINI PLAN_JAZZ_3mm.indd 3

3/08/12 17:16

addresses of cafés and bars which often play jazz: The mini-map VISITBRUSSELS SIZED FOR JAZZ Available in FR/EN & NL/DE www.visitbrussels.be/jazz www.jazzinbelgium.com

what’s on At La Monnaie

At BOZAR

At Cirque Royal

At Hall 12 of Heysel

The Brussels’ Opera House: great orchestral conductors, beautiful voices, fabulous choreography and breathtaking productions.

This place of Brussels culture is recognised on the international scene because music from all periods and places is celebrated: classic, baroque, jazz, stars of showbiz.

A real Italian-style circus with tiers of seats and the whole kit and caboodle, which has successfully adapted to the technical demands of present-day shows.

Mega multipurpose and ultra-flexible space with a capacity of up to 15,000 for shows

in 2014:

big names in 2014:

in 2014, you’ll see there: • Sinbad: A Journey through Living Flames by the composer Howard Moody • Orpheus and Eurydice, two different productions by Romeo Castelluci, inspired by Berlioz’ revision in 1859 and the music of Gluck. Place de la Monnaie - 1000 Bru www.lamonnaie.be PRESS: Claire Jesuran press@lamonnaie.be �

At Flagey

• Queen Elisabeth International Competition dedicated to singing: final from 28 to 31/05/2014 and winners’ concert on 10/06/2014 • Andreas Scholl • Jordi Saval & Le Concert des Nations: operas of Rameau Rue Ravenstein 23 - 1000 Bru www.bozar.be PRESS: press@bozar.be

At Ancienne Belgique Or the AB to its friends. A place that’s always in step with the latest music and that, nearly every evening, reverberates to the sound of rock and pop.

on the programme in 2014:

• Yes: a concert lasting 2h50: an XXL format, as in the States • Pat Metheny: American god of totally jazz rock and fusion guitar

Place Sainte-Croix - 1050 Bru www.flagey.be PRESS: Séverine Provost info@beculture.be

• The Tokyo Ballet Béjart Exclusivities Brussels Expo - Plateau du Heysel 1020 Bru www.yetix.be

Rue de l’Enseignement 81 1000 Bru www.cirque-royal.org �

At Forest National

�

This place is an exciting centre of the arts dedicated to culture in all its forms: music, films, conferences, festivals and more. And its Studio 4 benefits from some of the best acoustics in the world. • as part of Europalia: a brand new concert by Sufi Gospel Project • The Anima festival (see p. 64)

• a number of French and Belgian humorists • Gérald De Palmas on a marathon tour: great classics and new titles

in 2014:

big names in 2014:

Boulevard Anspach 110 1000 Bru www.abconcerts.be PRESS: Kevin Mc Mullan km@abconcerts.be �

A hall with a capacity of 8,000, successfully drawing fans of all kinds of music.

in 2014:

• Ballet of Romeo and Juliette by the Moscow Ballet Theatre and the National Orchestra of Russia • Disney on Ice • the extraordinary virtual installations of Woodkid Av. Victor Rousseau 208 1190 Bru www.forestnational.be PRESS: Thibault Anderlin thibault.anderlin@musichall.be �

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events 2014 SIZED FOR EVENTS

EXHIBITIONS MUSIC FESTIVALS AND OTHERS ART FAIRS HERITAGE Main events of 2014 ........................................... 62 to 73

W W W.V I S I T B R U S S E L S . B E

europalia india 04/10/2013 > 26/01/2014 All over the city This, the 24th festival, once again takes us far beyond Europe’s borders, choosing India as the star of these four very colourful months. Unveiling the vast and tremendous culture of India naturally results in a full and fascinating programme with seven main focal points to help the public get its bearings. The main themes are: the body, Indomania, arts and traditions, water, Bollywood, the diaspora and the India of tomorrow. Among the many events planned, the highlights of the festival are:

THE BODY IN INDIAN ART

5/10/2013 > 5/01/2014 - BOZAR This spectacular exhibition of 250 masterpieces explores this complex concept by presenting monumental stone sculptures, bronzes, manuscripts of magic and other ritual or sacred objects, most of them never exhibited before.

INDOMANIA

16/10/2013 > 26/01/2014 - BOZAR The whole of Europe was spellbound when Vasco da Gama returned with his ships full of spices, silks, precious stones and exotic animals. This exhibition reads like a novel that tells the gripping story of the encounter between East and West from the 16th century to the present-day.

UNVEILING INDIA

6/12/2013 > 9/03/2014 Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium Exhibitions of photographs taken by the pioneers of tourism between 1850 and 1910, including previously unpublished ones of the Taj Mahal, landscapes, scenes of cities and villages, and numerous portraits.

RAMAYANA

22/11/2013 > 18/05/2014 Cinquantenaire Museum Miniatures on loan from the National Museum of Delhi recount that classic Hindu epic that tells of the destinies of the god Rama and his wife Sita.

INDIAN STUDIO - Johan Muyle

18/10/2013 > 17/01/2014 Centrale for Contemporary Art The artist draws inspiration from his frequent stays in Madras to present a series of monumental installations inspired by Tamil or Sanskrit writing workshops and by the painters of ﬁlm posters for Bollywood. Also on the programme: sacred dances, dance theatre, music and singing to the sound of the santur, traditional puppets, ﬁlm screenings and conferences. For all information and updated programme: PRESS: Inge De Keyser - inge.de.keyser@europalia.eu Europalia International - www.europalia.eu

STUDIO MUMBAI

> 19/01/2014 - Espace Architecture La Cambre Horta Bijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai shows the concerns of contemporary architecture within the so-called “emerging” countries: Brazil, Russia, India and China. In step with globalisation, Bijoy Jain counteracts the drifting of a country so absorbed with its growth that it sacriﬁces its resources and its culture to it, through a deliberately ecological and determinedly contemporary body of work. http://archi.ulb.ac.be - www.agenda.be

january 2014 BRAFA - 59th Brussels Antiques & Fine Arts Fair

25/01 > 02/02/2014 - Tour & Taxis This annual gathering of aesthetes and antique collectors has become a must: 120 first-rate exhibitors provide an opportunity to see… and buy unique antique, contemporary, ethnic and classic pieces. The valuation sessions held during the event attract a lot of visitors wanting to find out the value of their possessions. All in the magnificent setting of Tour & Taxis and in a friendly ambience. PRESS: Bruno Nélis - b.nelis@brafa.be www.brafa.be

Scribes of outlines

> 19/01/2014 - Cinquantenaire Museum The drawers and painters of Ancient Egypt were called “scribes of contours”, those lines around shapes and surfaces in which the colours can be represented fully. This exhibition demonstrates the importance of drawing in the civilisation of the Pharaohs by revealing the captivating talent of these artists from Ancient Egypt, their creativity and their aesthetic sense. PRESS: Bart Suys - bart.suys@kmkg-mrah.be www.kmkg-mrah.be

Ferdinand Porsche

> 19/01/2014 - Autoworld “The Heritage from electric to electric” or the story of this famous make of car over three generations. The perfect opportunity to see some outstanding vehicles from various international collections and museums in an incredible display. To think that, in the early 20th century, this funny car with the revolutionary engine was not predicted to have any future. PRESS: Patricia Raes - patriciaraes@scarlet.be www.autoworld.be

EXHIBITIONS MUSIC FESTIVALS AND OTHERS ART FAIRS HERITAGE

Victor Vasarely

> 19/01/2014 - Ixelles Museum of Fine Arts Victor Vasarely had a great influence on 20th century art by establishing a new trend: optical art. Geometric abstract works accessible to all audiences; elements that combine, fit together and exchange places to captivate the eye. His work on proportions and space generate paintings with hypnotic effects. Vasarely leaves no one cold and this brand new retrospective is an invitation to take a fresh look at this radically modern body of work. PRESS: Bérénice Demaret - berenice.demaret@ixelles.be www.museedixelles.be

Wow is now

> 30/01/2014 - Atomium “Là où l’innovation s’expose” (Where innovation is on show) an exhibition that recounts the historical and deﬁnitively contemporary development of Brussels’ most emblematic building. This construction was the result of a real technical and architectural feat. Over the course of time, it has become a place where innovation is on show. The Atomium remains that trace of heritage from the 1958 World Fair and testiﬁes to a new humanism based on science and advancing with science to create modern man. PRESS: Julie Almau - julie.almau@atomium.be www.atomium.be

The Blue Route

> 09/02/2014 - Villa Empain In this magniﬁcent, recently restored Art Deco venue, the Boghossian Foundation puts on exhibitions of great quality, always combining western artists with the wealth of culture from the east. This installations presents the Silk Road interpreted through the colour blue: the indigo-blue of the textiles, the blue ceramics of the Ottoman Empire and of Central Asia, the sculptures and jewellery in turquoise blue, lapis lazuli and sapphire, and the famous and wonderful China blue. Prepare to be dazzled. PRESS: Diane Hennebert - diane@boghossianfoundation.be www.villaempain.com

Francisco de Zurbarán

29/01 > 25/05/2014 - BOZAR An important exhibition of this master of the Spanish Baroque (1598-1664), which is characterised by a deep-rooted naturalism, a great aesthetic quality and a brushstroke imbued with poetic modernity. A chronological exhibition leads you from the works of his youth produced in Seville to his last paintings completed in Madrid. It highlights the strengths of his style, which contributed greatly to the reputation of the Spanish Baroque period, a period that was very proliﬁc in all the artistic ﬁelds, particularly painting, music and literature. This Brussels retrospective is a unique opportunity to open your eyes to the work of Zurbarán, a hugely inspired yet underappreciated artist. www.bozar.be - press@bozar.be

Will Eisner

> 02/03/2014 - Belgian Comic Strip Center Unanimously regarded as one of the masters of international comic strip, Will Eisner was ﬁrst known for having created the Spirit, that crimeﬁghter in a blue suit and trilby hat whose only reference to super heroes is a small eye mask. But Eisner is known, above all, for inventing the term graphic novel, the format of the works that he would draw in the second part of his life, telling of urban life, Jewishness and, more generally, relationships between people. Based on an extraordinary collection of original documents, the exhibition pays tribute to this brilliant pillar of modern comic strip. PRESS: Willem Degraeve - willem.degraeve@stripmuseum.be www.stripmuseum.be

february 2014 Affordable Art Fair (AAF) Brussels

07 > 10/02/2014 - Tour & Taxis With more than 90 Belgian and international galleries present on the site, this unmissable art fair conﬁrms its intention to put art within the reach of all budgets. Friendly atmosphere, dynamism and daring draw an increasingly wide public where enthusiasts just browsing and serious connoisseurs mix and mingle. PRESS: Sophie Carrée - press@sophiecarree.be www.aﬀordableartfair.be

SAX200

08/02/2014 > 11/01/2015 MIM - Musical Instruments Museum Adolphe Sax, Belgian inventor of the saxophone, would be 200 this year and this birthday will be celebrated with the help of lots of music. This exhibition will cause a sensation ! The whole of the 4th ﬂoor of the museum will be devoted to the gleaming instrument and the exhibition will revolve around several themes: the inventor, the businessman, the stages of his life and the legacy he left to music. And as always at the MIM, concerts, guided tours, workshops and other events will mark this special year. PRESS: Damien Filippi - damien.ﬁlippi@mim.fgov.be www.mim.fgov.be

14-18, c’est notre histoire ! (1914-18, this is our history !)

07/02/2014 > 26/04/2015 Royal Museum of the Armed Forces & Military History It has been dubbed “The First World War”, “The Great War” or even “The War to End All Wars”. One thing is for sure: that conflict left a permanent mark on history with a capital “H” because of its violence and the suffering of the troops caught up in it. To mark its 100th anniversary, the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces is hosting a big exhibition that will help the public to understand every aspect of this global conflict. The war and daily life in occupied Belgium make up a large part of the exhibition but there will also be a chance to find out again about the story of the mobilisation of the European States who tried to help the country, which had become a central stake in the conflict. A spectacular presentation with authentic objects, scenes, personal stories, multimedia installations, films and immersive experience sections. PRESS: Marie-Hélène Billwatsch marie-helene.billwatsch@klm-mra.be www.expo14-18.be

Michaël Borremans: Small Museum For Brave Art

22/02 > 01/06/2014 - BOZAR A big retrospective of the body of work of this Belgian artist in collaboration with the Dallas Museum of Arts. The exhibition will bring together nearly a hundred produced works for the purpose of studying and clarifying the mysterious and hallucinatory pictorial world of this remarkable creative artist. The disparate spaces of his painting, drawings and ﬁlms are uniﬁed by a great sense of upheaval. Borremans evades logical connections and foils any interpretation. He aspires to create an atmosphere beyond time, a space from where time has been erased. An approach praised on the international scene. www.bozar.be - press@bozar.be

Museum Night Fever

22/02/2014 - various museums in Brussels Twenty or so museums open until the early hours and overrun by the younger generations for an off-beat and very, very contemporary programme! Tableaux vivants, mad tours, live music and DJs in places you wouldn’t expect: highly recommended for fans of culture by another route and of ‘off-piste’ art. Meet up on a dance floor to shake away this night of museum fever and finish off with the ‘after-party’. PRESS: Pieter Van der Gheynst pieter@brusselsmuseums.be www.museumnightfever.be

Anima

28/02 > 09/03/2014 - Flagey A not to be missed annual gathering of animated film: a festival that fills the carnival holidays and that enchants kids and adults alike. More than 100 screenings, an animated night, advanced showings and, by way of grande finale, the awarding of the Cartoon d’Or. Magical and unforgettable carnival holidays. PRESS: Noémie Meert - noemie@folioscope.be www.animatv.be

To The Point

19/02 > 18/05/2014 - Espace culturel ING This exhibition initiated by the Indianapolis Museum of Art turns the spotlight, for the ﬁrst time, on the portrait in the pointillist movement, that 20th century movement characterised by the interaction between colours and the ratio of shapes and colours which become the main subjects of the work. This is an opportunity for ING to bring out its collections of opuses that embody a reﬂection on colour with creations by Richard Paul Lohse, Josef Albers, Frank Stella, Bram Bogart, Victor Vasarely, Alan Charlton and Bernard Frize. PRESS: Ilse Anne Petre - anne.petre@ing.be www.ing.be/art

The Art of the Brick

> 21/04/2014 - Brussels Stock Exchange (Bourse) The only exhibition of its kind to present works created by Nathan Sawaya with emblematic LEGO® bricks. Sawaya is an American artist brimming with imagination. Sixty surprising montages requiring more than 750,000 bricks to create and depicting real or ﬁctional characters and unbelievable objects: a new expression of modern art which turns this ordinary toy into extraordinary sculptures. PRESS: Philippe Van Lil - press@expo-artofthebrick.be www.expo-artofthebrick.be

march 2014 Année de Flore (Year of Flora)

March 2014 - Galeries Saint-Hubert The Galeries royales Saint-Hubert will be the setting for an exhibition of giant photographs, which will reveal the way 20 artists see the parks and green spaces of our capital city. The ﬁrst big date of this, a year full of exciting events and discoveries with, among other things, conferences and series of guided tours. www.anneedeﬂore.be

Traces matérielles (Material Traces)

13/03 > 08/06/2014 - Centrale for Contemporary Art A new exhibition set up in this venue raises questions about the status of the work of art. Is it a material piece? A trace? As artistic practices have evolved considerably in the world over the last ﬁfty years, the exhibition, which brings together ﬁfteen or so artists, establishes a link between the work and the person looking at it. It’s worth noting that the exhibited artists will include the Belgian Angel Vergara, who represented the country at the last Venice Biennial. PRESS: Sarah Segura - sarah.segura@brucity.be www.centrale-art.be

Eurantica 2014

14 > 23/03/2014 - Brussels Expo - Heysel Antique dealers from all over Europe come together once a year in Brussels with their best ﬁnds. From all corners of the world and all periods, rare objects will be there; looking around this fair will be collectors hoping for a good deal as well as visitors who simply like beautiful and authentic things. PRESS: Hélène van den Wildenberg info@caracascom.com - www.eurantica.be

Ars Musica

21/03 > 31/03/2014 - Various venues in Brussels Love high-quality contemporary music? Then make a note of this date! Ars Musica is one of the 10 big international festivals of the genre. In 2014, once again, this festival immerses its audience in the most inventive and current achievements when it comes to scales and notes. PRESS: Séverine Provost - info@beculture.be www.arsmusica.be

EXHIBITIONS MUSIC FESTIVALS AND OTHERS ART FAIRS HERITAGE

Constantin Meunier Retrospective

07/03 > 06/07/2014 Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium A big first-time retrospective of the realistic work of this Belgian painter and sculptor of the 19th century (1831-1905). His workers, miners and dockworkers are internationally known as icons of the industrial era and of the development of social and political life in Belgium in the late 19th century. In addition to a representative choice of paintings and bronze sculptures, a fine selection of drawings and sketches will be presented, along with a large collection of archive documents, catalogues, magazines and various prints giving a varied overview of the complete body of work of this artist. PRESS: Barbara Porteman barbara.porteman@fine-arts-museum.be www.fine-arts-museum.be

KlaraFestival

15 > 29/03/2014 - various venues in the city The Klara Festival traditionally opens the classical concert season: a fortnight of classical music through programming choices of great quality. Great international orchestras perform alongside the most beautiful voices, original new pieces and multidisciplinary productions in the best concert halls of the capital. A must of the musical season. PRESS: Ann-Katrien de Clippele ann-katrien@festival.be - www.klarafestival.be

Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour

26 > 30/03/2014 - Wolubilis The world tour of the Banff Mountain Film Festival is calling in at Brussels to the delight of all waterfall enthusiasts, who will be able to see - or see again selections from this famous mountain adventure film festival. Prepare to be left spellbound at the fantastic images of tightrope walkers, canyoning, “sliding and gliding” sports and other similar crazy things. PRESS: Patrick Toby - patrick.toby@banff.be www.banff.be

Welcome Brussels

29 & 30/03/2014 - in the Brussels districts Residents, local district committees and associations join forces and talents to organise original festive activities in the diﬀerent districts of the capital. Warm and welcoming, inventive and with an infectious enthusiasm, an aptly named event: Bruxelles Bienvenue! PRESS: Martha Meeze - m.meeze@visitbrussels.be www.visitbrussels.be

april 2014 Fashion and Art Deco

from 03/04/2014 Costume and Lace Museum Art Deco is an aesthetic phenomenon which permeated deep into daily life in the period after the Great War of 1914-18 in a profound desire to forget and to rebuild. This movement is distinguished by various sources of inspiration: for exterior architecture, a radical modernism was preferred while, in home interiors, furniture, ornamental objects, jewellery and clothing are adorned with sumptuous and exotic motifs and bold shades. The Museum of Costume and Lace has drawn from its collections from the years 1925 to 1939 to present its ﬁnest pieces for a very colourful exhibition. PRESS: Vinciane Godfrind - Vinciane.Godfrind@brucity.be www.musees.bruxelles.be

MolenDance Festival

05/04 > 26/04/2014 - various venues in the commune Molenbeek-Saint-Jean A festival that will get a whole district of Brussels moving and get all its visitors dancing. Urban choreography, modern dance, dance battle, introductions to contemporary dances – such as hip hop – and the more classic ones - such as the tango – and ﬂashmob M2014, which will conclude an itinerary danced in 10 ports of call. This festival forms part of numerous activities of Molenbeek, Métropole Culture 2014, a cultural project of a multi-faceted neighbourhood but, above all, a human experience which promotes dialogue and mutual understanding. On the programme, 20 project organisers, 60 partner associations and 30 gatherings with a whole host of events such as MolenDance, MolenCanal, MolenZik and many more besides. PRESS: Virginie Pochet - vpochet@molenbeek.irisnet.be www.molenbeek2014.be

may 2014 BIFFF 2014 - Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival

08/04 > 19/04/2014 - BOZAR The organisers of the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival definitely have an eye for tracking down cinematographic nuggets of horror, science fiction and thrillers of all kinds. Far removed from Internet piracy and illicit copies, the BIFFF is an oasis of good films which get your adrenalin pumping. The programme includes: a body-painting and fantasy make-up competition, a manga market, a zombie parade and a vampires’ ball. We’re not scared at all... honest! www.bifff.net - presse@bifff.net

Art Brussels

24/04 > 27/04/2014 - Brussels Expo - Heysel Fancy discovering new talents or admiring the works of high-calibre artists? Then, come to this contemporary art fair which, every year, selects more than 150 gallery owners from over 20 countries. Stroll from stand to stand and see the ﬁnest creations of today. PRESS: Gerrie Soetaert - gerrie.soetaert@skynet.be www.artbrussels.be

OFF-Art Fair Brussels

25/04 > 28/04/2014 - Tour & Taxis Over a space covering more than 5,000 m², 50 national and international galleries exhibit the work of young artists selected according to stringent criteria. With a welcoming Village and a Project space for sculptures, 3D and screenings. The logistics are being organised by ﬁnal-year students of the Académie des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles, and guided tours will show enthusiasts and anyone interested around. www.oﬀ-artfair.be

Royal Greenhouses of Laeken

mid-April > early May 2014 - Laeken Castle Built in 1873 by the architect Alphonse Balat at the request of Leopold II, this is a real town of glass which took more than 20 years to grow in the area around the Royal Castle of Laeken: rotundas, cupolas and galleries house magniﬁcent collections of exotic plants, trees and ﬂowers, some of which were brought back from the Congo. The greenhouses are open for one fortnight a year just when the azaleas are in full bloom; the place is magical, the setting enchanting and the fragrances captivating. PRESS: cp@kppr.be - www.monarchie.be

Kunstenfestivaldesarts

02 > 24/05/2014 - various venues The Kunstenfestivaldesarts is now part of the urban landscape of Brussels, with its events and activities which conﬁrm the cosmopolitan vocation of the city. Creative souls share their personal view of the world with their audience, which is not afraid to question itself and to broaden its perspectives. Theatrical and plastic works of art dreamed up by artists from all sides and all backgrounds. PRESS: Anne-Sophie Van Neste: annesophie@kfda.be www.kunstenfestivaldesarts.be

Fête de l’Iris (Iris Day)

10 & 11/05/2014 (subject to modiﬁcation) - Mont des Arts, Europe district and various other venues in Brussels A big occasion in Brussels life: around the iris, it’s symbolic ﬂower, the Brussels-Capital Region sends out a friendly invitation to its citizens and visitors to come and celebrate it in a very laid back way. Open doors to all the institutions and a large number of activities for all ages. These include pop-rock, jazz or classical concerts, street entertainment and organised activities and the Sunday evening mega-concert on place des Palais. PRESS: Martha Meeze - m.meeze@visitbrussels.be www.fetedeliris.be

Balkan Traﬁk Festival

03/05 > 06/05/2014 - BOZAR Every time this festival is held, it oﬀers a sample of the best of south-eastern Europe: music, theatre, cinema and workshops are on the programme during these festive days. A gathering for happy times that arise in the midst of this event. It’s both a party for the people, an exotic restaurant and an oriental bazaar … www.bozar.be - press@bozar.be

EXHIBITIONS MUSIC FESTIVALS AND OTHERS ART FAIRS HERITAGE

Europe Day

10 & 11/05/2014 (subject to modiﬁcation) Europe district and Mont des Arts Europe Day takes place every year on the same date in all the European Union member countries. It’s on 9 May, in 1950, that the declaration marking the start of the creation of the new Europe was signed by Robert Schuman. Brussels, the capital city of 500 million Europeans, is making the most of the occasion to open up all its institutions to the public so that everyone can get to know these sites and premises usually given over to important meetings. An opportunity to see and get to know Brussels from every angle of its culture, its ‘art de vivre’ and its innate sense of celebration. www.fetedeleurope.eu - www.europa.eu

Carolus Festival

from May to August 2014 - various venues A tourist programme around Charles V, that emperor who was the forerunner to European unity … even if he often fought with his neighbouring “colleagues”: Francis I of France and Henry VIII of England. That era when Europe was moving from the Middle Ages towards the modern age is full of lessons which help us to understand the European Union of today. He spent most of his reign (1515 - 1555) in Brussels where he had installed his court, and the underground passages beneath place Royale are still evidence of the pomp and ceremony with which he surrounded himself. PRESS: Martha Meeze - m.meeze@visitbrussels.be www.carolusfestival.be

Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition

14/05 > 31/05/2014 The Royal Conservatory of Music and BOZAR This prestigious international music competition was founded in 1937 to give this great music lover a showcase for talented young performers. Following the violin in 2012 and the piano last year, 2014 will be dedicated to singing. So, for almost a month, great voices will make spines tingle in Brussels before making a career for themselves far beyond our borders. As usual, the qualifying rounds will determine the 12 ﬁnalists who will be among the prize-winners depending on the conﬁdential marks awarded by a panel of specialists. PRESS: Barbara Stael - info@cmireb.be www.cmireb.be

Zinneke Parade

10/05/2014 - on the city centre boulevards When the hundreds of artists, associations and organisations from all the local neighbourhoods of Brussels combine their creativity into one huge, weird and wonderful procession, they come up with the now famous Zinneke Parade ! This genuine enterprise of urban solidarity, tinged with a gentle touch of infectious madness, has been brightening up the streets of the capital for more than ten years. Theme for 2014: “Temptation”, to give in to all your fancies, desires and passions: which foretells of great times of gaiety and jubilation. PRESS: Dis Hugghe - dis@zinneke.org www.zinnekeparade.be

Nuits Botanique

16 > 25/05/2014 - Le Botanique With rock, electro, French chanson and other unclassiﬁable styles, the Nuits Botanique (Botanic Nights) cast a magical spell on your May evenings. This high-quality festival is an event that guarantees a stimulating programme and exciting discoveries. The concerts are spread between the Art Deco Rotunda, the Orangery, a marquee erected in the gardens or at the Cirque Royal: so many surprising venues and so many stars or very talented young people who perform there. PRESS: Pascale Bertolini pascale.bertolini@botanique.be - www.botanique.be

Gay pride

17/05/2014 - city centre, Saint-Jacques district Very colourful parade full of wit, shows, concerts and surprises of all kinds. Belgian Pride is a giant ﬁesta of rainbow colours as well as an opportunity to highlight, with humour, the many prejudices that the homosexual community still has to face on a daily basis. PRESS: Alan De Bruyne - alan@thepride.be www.thepride.be

The Brussels 20 km race

18/05/2014 - Esplanade du Cinquantenaire Athletic? Then, get your trainers on! The Cinquantenaire esplanade is expecting 25,000 participants for the start of this race, which covers the loveliest avenues of the city and leads through Bois de la Cambre. See Brussels from a diﬀerent angle by running, walking or... just applauding the brave souls! www.20km.be - 20km@sibp.be

Culinaria

21 > 25/05/2014 - Tour & Taxis An impressive gathering of award-winning chefs from all over the country, oﬀering an extraordinary gastronomic experience! The greatest chefs slave over hot stoves while the public enjoy new taste sensations while admiring the brilliance of the cooks. Demonstrations, tastings, workshops and conferences to celebrate the curious palate and love of good food. PRESS: Sally Herygers - sally.herygers@pr-ide.be www.culinariasquare.com

Brussels Jazz Marathon

23-24 - 25/05/2014 - all over the city If it ain’t broke, don’t ﬁx it. The 2014 edition of the Brussels Jazz Marathon will therefore be delighting jazz lovers for the 19th time. Four open-air podiums, dozens of clubs and cafés: 3 days of musical madness with 160 concerts and 450 musicians. PRESS: Inghe Berkmoes - inghe@jazztronaut.be www.brusselsjazzmarathon.be

Titanic: the Exhibition

31/05 > 30/09/2014 - Brussels Expo, Hall 2 A reconstruction which takes us back in time and brings the legend of the Titanic to life again in a completely new way. The galleries of this fascinating exhibition include genuine objects ﬁshed out of the ocean depths, reconstructions of the cabins and all kinds of personal stories. Each of them emphasising a diﬀerent chapter that makes up the extraordinary story of the Titanic’s maiden voyage. www.titanic-expo.com

june 2014 Cervorama

from June 2014 Museum of Natural Sciences This will really get you thinking ! This exhibition is on a mission to get our grey matter working by taking us on a surprising journey through that unknown territory that is our brain. Moving freely between light and shade, organised around seven modules, we’ll be led through a discovery of the mysterious and marvellous world of the neurosciences. A brainstorming session dedicated to all ages. PRESS: Yannick Siebens yannick.siebens@naturalsciences.be www.naturalsciences.be

Cent ans dans les Balkans (A hundred years in the Balkans)

03/06 > 16/11/2014 Belgian Comic Strip Center On 28th June 1914 in Sarajevo, a Serbian nationalist from Bosnia killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. That assassination was the trigger for the First World War. A hundred years later, in this region of the Balkans with its particularly painful history, many comic strip writers show an extraordinary character and creativity. Specialist scriptwriter and chronicler Michel Dufrasne knows this bruised and battered part of Europe and its comic strip particularly well. Only a part of that comic strip has been published by West European publishing houses. This exhibition is an opportunity to get to know these exceptional comic strip artists. PRESS: Willem Degraeve - willem.degraeve@stripmuseum.be www.comicscenter.net

Roller-Bike Parade

06/06 > 26/09/2014 every Friday from June to September It all starts at 7 p.m. at Place Poelaert (Palais de Justice / Law Courts) for a big looped circuit through several of Brussels communes. The course can be covered in complete safety because the roads usually open to cars are barred to them for this event and the area is protected. On two or four wheels, beginner or veteran, inveterate or amateur: throw yourself into this adventure! PRESS: Carl De Moncharline carldemoncharline@beegroupe.be

www.belgiumrollers.com

Out Loud !

04 > 28/06/2014 - Beursschouwburg Free ﬁlms, concerts and evening events on the roof: that of the Beursschouwburg. This unusual venue looks down over the city centre, giving a diﬀerent summer perspective of the town. The audience is diverse, absorbed and friendly. Doors open from 5 p.m. onwards so you can enjoy an early evening drink and some tapas and stay there until the wee small hours. PRESS: Yasmina Boudia - yasmina@beursschouwburg.be www.beursschouwburg.be

Brussels Oriental Art Fair - BOA Brussels Ancient Art Fair - BAAF Brussels Non-European Art Fair BRUNEAF

early June 2014 - Grand Sablon Three festivals of exotic and ancient art allowing us to spend 5 days among the beautiful objects of past and present as well as from here and elsewhere in the world. Classical, Asian, African art: the galleries will be full of visitors … as will the café terraces of the beautiful Place du Grand Sablon. www.boafair.be - www.baaf.be - www.bruneaf.com

Summer of Photography

26/06 > 28/09/2014 - BOZAR - Centrale for Contemporary Art – other venues in the city An event on a truly international scale, this 5th festival, reveals the best of European photography, bringing together, in their shared passion, collectors, connoisseurs and visitors keen to learn about this unquestionably important art form. As well as the pleasure of discovering the exhibited works, the public also enjoys the various activities and conferences put on. www.bozar.be - press@bozar.be www.centrale-art.be

Couleur Café

27/06 > 29/06/2014 - Tour & Taxis A colourfully mixed, altruistic, tropical and spicy festival! A cocktail of music from here and elsewhere with more than 50 concerts in 3 marquees. Couleur Café is, above all, a gigantic ﬁesta with all the brass bands, dance competitions, creative workshops, themed exhibitions, souks, restaurants and exotic cocktails you could wish for. A multicultural and oﬀ-the-wall ambience, just like Brussels itself. We’ll “zouk” until the morning. PRESS: Irène Rossi - press@couleurcafe.org www.couleurcafe.be

Festival Musiq’ 3

27 > 29/06/2014 - Flagey A young, friendly and original event that presents a musical journey through different instruments and eras. More than 30 classical concerts lasting 45 minutes, for the chance to listen to and watch the performers who come from all backgrounds. Plus: films, workshops and even flash mobs in a relaxed and sociable atmosphere open to everyone. Isn’t culture a wonderful thing? www.flagey.be - info@beculture.be

july 2014 Ommegang

01 & 03/07/2014 - Grand-Place & Sablon This great folkloric procession is one of the most important events in Brussels history and culture. Because the Ommegang recreates a famous celebration organised in 1549 on the Grand-Place in honour of Charles V and his son Philippe II. The whole of the royal court parades before your eyes in all its ﬁnery: more than 1,000 extras in period costume, dozens of horses, carts and giants. Horse-drawn carriages and ﬂag throwers are also at the party in the magical setting of the Grand-Place. PRESS: Pia Pastorelli - info@ommegang.be www.ommegang.be

21/07 National Independence Day

Belgium is celebrating its independence (and has done so since 1830) and the whole of Brussels is in festive mood … and everything’s free from 10 a.m. to midnight. There are organised activities everywhere: games for children, merry-go-rounds and foodie stalls in Parc de Bruxelles, military parade and concert. The grand ﬁnale to this day of jubilation is a ﬁreworks display that gets more creative every year.

National Ball (Bal National)

Place du Jeu de Balle On 20th July, with the family or among friends, get together for a good time, with no fuss or formality, at place du Jeu de Balle in Brussels. The formula is simple: a lot of high spirits, a touch of madness, a good swig of humour and a determination to have fun together. www.balnational.be

Resto National (National Restaurant)

Come and get it everyone ! Place du Jeu de Balle, in the working-class heart of Brussels, is the place to go for a giant serving of mussels and chips at a mini price, ﬁnishing oﬀ with songs, and dancing until late into the night. book your place at www.restonational.be

EXHIBITIONS MUSIC FESTIVALS AND OTHERS ART FAIRS HERITAGE

Royal Palace of Brussels

Late July to early September 2014 When they go away on holiday, it’s a tradition for our monarchs to leave the doors of their palace wide open, and King Philippe and Queen Mathilde have no intention of departing from that rule. Marble floors, crystal chandeliers, period furniture, not to mention the ceremonial room with the ceiling decorated with the elytra wings of scarab beetles. Magnificent reminders of the past and of contemporary artists are found side by side in this palace, the King’s “office”, which is a must-see of the summer. PRESS: cp@kppr.be www.monarchie.be

Bruxelles les Bains (Brussels-on-Sea)

04/07 > 10/08/2014 - Quai des Péniches Just imagine: a beach of ﬁne sand, coconut palms, pétanque areas, cocktail bars, straw huts… and yet you’re in Brussels. This urban beach looks so like the South of France that its nickname is La Croisetteke. Adults soak up the sun while the kids have a great time joining in the organised activities, sports games and enjoying the fountains. Some evenings are open for live music beneath the starry skies: almost a month of seaside atmosphere and pleasurable idleness in the heart of the capital. PRESS: Marina Bresciani - m.bresciani@bitf.be www.bruxelleslesbains.be

Brosella Folk & Jazz festival

12 & 13/07/2014 - Théâtre de Verdure Parc d’Osseghem This festival is a compendium of goodies! Not only is it free but it’s also held in a place full of charm: an open-air theatre right beneath the Atomium. Jazz, folk and other kinds of exhilarating music resonate on these summer evenings spent in the light of paper lanterns. And the little ones haven’t been forgotten either: numerous activities are organised just for them. www.brosella.be - press@brosella.be

august 2014 Carpet of Flowers

14 >17/08/2014 - Grand-Place Since 1971, every 2 years, the Grand-Place has been carpeted with flowers covering hundreds of m², each time with brand new motifs and more original from year to year. Laid flower by flower (begonias) by horticulturalists from Ghent, directly onto the cobblestones of the square, it’s also illuminated and adorned with fountains. This tapestry of plant life can be admired from the balcony of the Town Hall, which is open to visitors. PRESS: Annette Katz - a.katz@visitbrussels.be www.flowercarpet.be

Brussels Summer Festival

08 > 17/08/2014 - Place des Palais - Mont des Arts When Manneken-Pis picks up his guitar, everyone starts rocking’n’rolling in Brussels during the BSF! This one-of-a-kind festival takes over the city, which has a great time in all kinds of ways and at great prices. A giant stage beneath the windows of the Royal Palace and another at Mont des Arts as well as more than 30 indoor concerts and after-parties. PRESS: Marina Bresciani - m.bresciani@bitf.be www.bsf.be

Classissimo

08 > 17/08/2014 For ﬁve years now, Classissimo has been taking on the challenge of incorporating a classical section into the Brussels Summer Festival. And, in view of the success it’s achieved, will, once again, be on the programme of concerts in churches, public buildings or museums to the delight of music-lovers. Because ‘highbrow’ classical music isn’t the sole preserve of well-informed music-lovers. It’s composed for all ears that want to enjoy beautiful harmonies. PRESS: Marina Bresciani - m.bresciani@bitf.be www.classissimo.be

Fiesta latina

22/08/2014 (subject to modification) Bois de la Cambre Soak up la cultura latina! The Bahamas, Mexico, Honduras, Puerto Rico, Curaçao … On hearing these names, who doesn’t dream of hot rhythms, colours and flavours? A sizzling night for singing, dancing, eating and having fun just as they do over there: concerts, parties, terraces and mercadillos. Congas, rumba and mambo until the early hours. www.fiesta-latina.be

Brussels 14-18

21/08 > 31/12/2014 - Maison du Roi, Grand-Place On 20th August 1914: Brussels was at war ! For 50 long months, the people of Brussels would survive and hold out by applying some of their greatest qualities: shrewdness, resourcefulness and toughness. This exhibition shows numerous photographs, objects, audio-visual documents, posters and press extracts. Not forgetting remarkable caricatures passed around clandestinely: precious evidence today to help us grasp the mind-set of civilians during this troubled period. PRESS: Vinciane Godfrind - Vinciane.Godfrind@brucity.be www.museesbruxelles.be

september 2014 Belgian Beer Weekend

05 > 07/09/2014 (subject to modiﬁcation) Grand-Place In the days when Brussels did its own thing, every village around the city had its own brewery and, although there aren’t as many of them today, the masters of the brewer’s oar still form a respected brotherhood. And to celebrate this brewing tradition with the pomp and ceremony worthy of the occasion, the lagers, the white beers, the amber ones, the fruity ones and the strong beers, all these daughters of the hop parade on the Grand-Place for a weekend of (preferably sensible) enjoyment. www.belgianbeerweekend.be sven.gatz@belgianbrewers.be

Comic Strip Festival

05 > 07/09/2014 (subject to modiﬁcation) Mont des Arts, Place Royale, Place des Palais and main avenues As centre of the 9th art, Brussels decided to celebrate it and, so, every year, lays on a wonderful feast and has a great time with its favourite heroes. Markets, tours, a parade: on the walls or in 3D in the sky when they’re inﬂated with helium, the characters descend on the city. And to end on a high note: a gigantic sound and light show which turns Place Royale into a comic strip panel for one fantastic evening. Highly recommended to children from 7 to 77. PRESS: Martha Meeze - m.meeze@visitbrussels.be ww.comicsfestival.be

Bruxelles, ma Bulle (Brussels, my speech bubble)

09/09/2014 > 01/03/2015 Belgian Comic Strip Center Saluting and marking both the 25th year of the Brussels-Capital Region and its own anniversary, the Belgian Comic Strip Center has set oﬀ in search of the city’s image in the comic strip of these past 25 years. Inhabitants for ever or a day, among the classic authors and the more contemporary ones alike, the creators of the 9th Art reinvent the image of Brussels according to the sensibility and imagination of each of them, for a cheerful melting-pot of cultures and inﬂuences. And comic strip – and this exhibition – portrays an enticing version of that. PRESS: Willem Degraeve - willem.degraeve@stripmuseum.be www.comicscenter.net

Hugo Pratt

12/09 > 23/11/2014 - BOZAR Corto Maltese is much more than a comic strip hero, he’s a true literary legend born from the imagination of an author smitten with adventures and travels, Hugo Pratt. On the occasion of the Comic Strip Festival, BOZAR is dedicating an exhibition to him where visitors will become aware, if they’re not already, of the esoteric, mysterious and delightful range and signiﬁcance of a body of work that continues to make generations dream. See it, free of charge, at the Palais des Beaux-Arts. www.bozar.be - press@bozar.be

Eat ! Brussels

11 > 14/09/2014 (subject to modiﬁcation) Bois de La Cambre A gastronomic gathering arranged for all food lovers and gourmets whether natives of Brussels, Belgians or tourists. This cosmopolitan, bustling and creative city, the capital of Europe, invites them to discover a hundred or so diﬀerent food outlets: restaurants, bars, sweet and savoury stalls, demonstrations by great chefs for enjoying a quick bite and lifestyle revelations. With the family or among friends: an experience not to be missed. PRESS: Martha Meeze - m.meeze@visitbrussels.be www.eatbrussels.be

Heritage Days

20 & 21/09/2014 The streets of Brussels are a real jigsaw of stunning façades and outstanding buildings of all styles. But how can you find out what’s hidden behind those walls? For a whole weekend, the general public can, at last, explore these interiors with their unexpected decor and ingenious fixtures and fittings. Based on the chosen theme which serves as the unifying thread each year, some usually private places invite the public in, to the great delight of the inquisitive among us. Two good tips to help you view as many historic or unusual places as possible: an itinerary carefully selected from a programme that always has so much to offer, and … comfortable shoes! PRESS: Brigitte Vander Brugghen jdp-omd@mrbc.irisnet.be www.monument.irisnet.be www.journeesdupatrimoine.be

EXHIBITIONS MUSIC FESTIVALS AND OTHERS ART FAIRS HERITAGE

Design September

01/09 > 30/09/2014 - various places in Brussels This platform for Belgian and foreign designers to meet up generates a hundred or so events around the world of design. Accessories, furniture, cars, graphic design and architecture, this industrial art concerns nearly every ﬁeld and is of interest to a wide public. Plenty to please with visits to workshops, city walks and ﬂea markets. PRESS: Delphine Vercauteren - delphine@best.be www.designseptember.be

Brussels Design Market

26 & 27/04/2014 - 13 & 14/09/2014 - Tour & Taxis Founded in 2002, the Brussels Design Market is a ﬂea market exclusively dedicated to design and, in particular, to output ranging from the ﬁfties to the early eighties. A hundred or so exhibitors, from the trade and amateurs and from all over Europe display furniture and objects in a relaxed spirit of a big second-hand market. PRESS: Delphine Vercauteren - delphine@best.be www.brusselsdesignmarket.be

Rubens and his Legacy

25/09/2014 > 04/01/2015 - BOZAR A retrospective which assembles some 120 works by Pierre Paul Rubens, the most illustrious of the Flemish painters, gathered together in the greatest international collections. An heir to Titian and to the Venetian painters, Rubens opts for the art of suggestion, illusion and poetry. His pearlescent ﬂesh tints seem tangible and accentuate the sensuality of nakedness ; his shaded outlines give his subjects a vitality that was previously unknown. An ambitious exhibition organised around seven chapters: violence, power, desire, pity, elegance and peace: you’ll come away dazzled. www.bozar.be - press@bozar.be

october 2014 Treasures of Costa Rica

01/10/2014 > 30/01/2015 Cinquantenaire Museum Costa Rica: a volcanic country wedged between two oceans and covered with tropical jungles, which is made up of small communities that have remained independent. The focus will be on its cultures and the wonders of its Pre-Columbian art, with 350 exhibits and multimedia celebrating the fauna and ﬂora. Stone statues depicting warriors or hybrid creatures, jewellery of blue-green jade or obsidian black, and its famous golden objects representing various frogs, bats, snakes and birds. A treasure chest of an exhibition ! PRESS: Bart Suys - b.suys@kmkg-mrah.be www.kmkg-mrah.be

Brussels Museums Nocturnes

every Thursday in autumn 2014 various museums in Brussels To enjoy a diﬀerent kind of autumn evening, why not experience a personal remake of the ﬁlm “Night at the Museum”? Minus the scary bits, plus the culture… Every Thursday from September to December, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., half a dozen museums open up their doors, workshops and behind the scenes for you: tailor-made guided tours to please inquisitive minds. PRESS: Mieke Deceuninck - mieke@brusselsmuseums.be www.brusselsmuseums.be

Skoda Jazz Festival

October / November 2014 - Several venues in Brussels Things are going well for this jazz festival, which is one of the top 3 in Europe. Its success is thanks to the famous names which are on the billing every year, including Ray Charles, Miles Davis, Nina Simone, Oscar Peterson, Dave Brubeck and our very own, national and international, Toots Thielemans, who celebrated his 91th birthday last year. PRESS: Inghe Berckmoes - inghe@jazztronaut.be www.skodajazz.be

november 2014 Paul Delvaux Unveiled

23/10/2014 > 18/01/2015 Ixelles Museum of Fine Arts The Nicole and Pierre Ghêne collection reveals itself to be extraordinarily rich and fascinating. It highlights the work of Paul Delvaux. A great study of the evolutionary work of one of the masters of surrealism and a small exhibition that promises ﬁrst-class, original new pieces. Go and unveil them! PRESS: Bérénice Demaret - berenice.demaret@ixelles.be www.museedixelles.be

Storie di Siena

10/09/2014 > 25/01/2015 - BOZAR In a great celebration of Italy’s European presidency, BOZAR presents sixty or so outstanding works completed between the Gothic and Renaissance period, which testify to the development of Italian painting in this glorious Tuscan city: the town of the Palio. In collaboration with the Pinacoteca of Sienna and the Musée des Beaux-Arts (Fine Arts Museum) of Rouen, this history of Sienna invites you on a journey through time and space. www.bozar.be - press@bozar.be

Brussels Marathon & Half Marathon

05/10/2014 - Esplanade of the Cinquantenaire Some sportsmen and women maintain that the Brussels Marathon is one of “the 101 races to run before you die”! Perhaps not everyone’s experience of it is quite so thrilling but one thing is certain: every participant makes his race an occasion of fun and sharing (or.... of pain too), some running for themselves, others as a group or for a good cause. The Half Marathon appeals to the runners with not quite so much stamina and is run over a shorter distance. And if your stride’s a little more reluctant, cheering on alongside the route is also appreciated. ww.ingbrusselsmarathon.be

Emilio Lopez-Menchero

28/11/2014 > 28/02/2015 Centrale for Contemporary Art This is the first exhibition in this place dedicated to this multi-faceted artist from Brussels. Emilio Lopez-Menchero excels both in painting and drawing and in photography and sculpture. An architect by training, he’s never stopped incorporating his own story into his constant reflection on society and the world. The urban environment continually says something to him, and his integrating works and performances in different places in Belgium (Gare du Midi in Brussels, La Louvière...) and abroad have helped him to gain an international name for himself. An opportunity to find out about an important name in the momentum of the contemporary art of Brussels. PRESS: Sarah Segura - sarah.segura@brucity.be www.centrale-art.be

Late-night opening in Sablon

28 > 30/11/2014 - Sablon District The some 150 traders in the Sablon are inviting the public to (re)discover the charming Place du Grand Sablon and its neighbouring streets with their gorgeous Christmas decorations. Open days, previews, exhibitions: so many opportunities to look around the special heritage of this historic heart of Brussels, while at the same time enjoying the variety of high-quality shops and restaurants. Ride on romantic barouches through these very special surroundings. Food-lovers will also enjoy becoming acquainted with “Gourmet Sablon”, which unites the great local restaurants. www.sablon-bruxelles.com - asblsablon@gmail.com

december 2014 Année de Flore (Year of Flora)

December 2014 - Halles Saint-Géry An exhibition dedicated to that most mysterious of flowers: the orchid. A floral celebration which forms part and parcel of this year full of events and discoveries, including conferences and series of guided tours. www.anneedeflore.be

Festival of ice and snow sculptures

Mid-December 2014 > early February 2015 (subject to modiﬁcation) - city centre Being held in Brussels this festival won’t leave anyone cold ... despite its name. Enormous piles of snow will be sawn, drilled, cut, hammered and chiselled by the creators of this ephemeral art. Their sculptures have to be kept at a temperature of -6°C. Apparently, some of them even polish them with a clothes iron! A mystery central theme to be revealed just before the event will form the common thread of this very diﬀerent kind of exhibition. PRESS: Martha Meeze - m.meeze@visitbrussels.be www.visitbrussels.be

Winter Wonders

28/11/2014 > 04/01/2015 Grand-Place, Bourse, Place Sainte-Catherine and Marché aux Poissons The City of Brussels came up with the idea of Winter Wonders to console those of us who suﬀer from winter blues! The magical illumination of the GrandPlace, the Christmas market of the European regions in the heart of the city, the merry-go-rounds on Place Sainte-Catherine, the big wheel and the ice rink at Marché aux Poissons, dozens of stalls for stocking up on gifts and treats. An explosion of delights follows in quick succession over 2 km. Come with the family and gaze in wonder at the baroque merry-go rounds or whizz down the toboggan –run at top speed. People like the concept of a trail that leads through the city between shops and stalls giving them the opportunity to treat themselves to Christmas specialities from all over the world and to track down original gifts. Winter Wonders is the perfect name for it! PRESS: Marina Bresciani - m.bresciani@bitf.be www.winterwonders.be

EXHIBITIONS MUSIC FESTIVALS AND OTHERS ART FAIRS HERITAGE

Events: the great classics of Brussels • Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival - April • Royal Green Houses of Laeken – late April to mid-May • Zinneke Parade – in May every 2 years (even years) • Brussels Jazz Marathon - May • Kunstenfestivaldesarts - May • Festival Couleur Café - June • Bruxelles Les Bains – early July to mid-August • Tour of the Royal Palace – late July to early September • Brussels Summer Festival – mid-August • Carpet of Flowers - 15 August, every 2 years (even years) • Floralies of the Town Hall - 15 August, every 2 years (odd years) • Comic Strip Festival (early September) • Heritage Days – mid-September • Design September - September • Art Nouveau Biennial – October weekends, every 2 years • Europalia – October to February, every 2 years • Winter Wonders – late November to early January

practical information SIZED FOR YOU

Guided tours................................................................76 Hotels.............................................................................78 Youth hostels ..............................................................87 Guest-house rooms ..................................................87 Camping........................................................................87 Hotels index................................................................ 89 Coaches ....................................................................... 90

W W W.V I S I T B R U S S E L S . B E

Official carrier www.brusselsairlines.be

guided tours On your own, with the family, with a group ? Fancy exploring Brussels on foot, by bike, bus or even by boat ? Want to ﬁnd out more about the history, the monuments, try the cuisine and discover the folklore of Brussels ? Let the best ambassadors of Brussels guide you wherever your passions call … One platform now centralises more than 80 guided tours associations and opens the pages of its Website to you, including a menu for searching by theme, date, languages or key words to help you set oﬀ on the trail that suits you best.

Go to www.visitbrussels.be/guides

A few trails for you to follow: • Architecture, town planning, monuments and local districts • Art Nouveau and Art Deco • Brussels and gastronomy • History and archaeological traces • The arts in Brussels • Folklore and life’s pleasures • Woodlands, parks and gardens • Brussels and famous ﬁgures • The capital of Europe • Unusual and Surrealist Brussels • Brussels and Industry • Laws, philosophies and religion • Brussels and its resting places • Multicultural Brussels • Brussels on the water • Comic strip

But for yet another way of seeing Brussels:

Brussels by bus (for individuals)

Brussels by bike

Brussels City Tours

Pro Velo

A pleasant and active way of exploring the city with neither windscreen nor roof in your way, giving you a completely unimpeded view. Rue de Londres 15 - 1050 Bru Tel.: +32 (0)2 502 73 55 www.provelo.org - info@provelo.org

Once upon a time in Brussels

Unusual guided tours of Brussels, without breaking sweat but with the wind in your hair on an electric bicycle, for a better understanding of the city, how it has evolved and its current multiplicity, glimpsing its many diﬀerent facets and delving into its mysteries and some of its myths. Tel.: +32 (0)2 850 60 90 www.onceinbrussels.be - info@onceinbrussels.be

Cactus & Co

In small groups and a peaceful atmosphere, let’s set oﬀ in search of the stories, great and small, that go to make up Brussels. What matters to us is that you discover the city with your own eyes. Tel.: +32 (0)486 12 43 50 www.cactus-co.be - info@cactus-co.be

Rue du Marché-aux-Herbes 82 - 1000 Bru Tel.: +32 (0)2 513 77 44 www.brussels-city-tours.be info@brussels-city-tours.com

Open Tours Hop on - Hop Off

Double-decker buses set oﬀ hourly to criss-cross the city, from Gare Centrale (central railway station) to various public transport stops. Two diﬀerent routes. www.citysightseeingbrussel.be TICKETS: VISITBRUSSELS - Town Hall Grand-Place - 1000 Bru - info@visitbrussels.be

Brussels by Segway Brussels Segway Tour

Discover or rediscover the centre of Brussels and its more unusual places with “Segway”. Rue des Trois Rois 78a - 1180 Bru Tel.: +32 (0)2 678 03 91 www.belgium-segwaytour.be info@belgiumsegwaytour.be

Brussels by boat

Audio-guides

Brussels By Water/ River Tours

D TOURS

Every week, Brussels by Water organises guided boat trips and day excursions in Brussels and from Brussels to other cities and regions of Belgium. Boats are a unique means of transport that let you explore Brussels and the surrounding areas in an unusual way. Quai des Péniches 2bis - 1000 Bru Tel.: +32 (0)2 218 54 60 / +32 (0)2 201 10 50 www.rivertours.be - www.scaldisnet.be info@rivertours.be

La Fonderie

An original approach that highlights the work and daily lives of the people of Brussels. Their studies and programmes evoke the economic, social and industrial life of Brussels. The present and future of the region and its inhabitants are considered on the basis of historical analysis. The “Fonderie” trails combine urban and port routes, which present an original point of view and access to unusual places. Rue Ransfort 27 - 1080 Bru Tel.: +32 (0)2 410 99 50 parcours.lafonderie@skynet.be www.lafonderie.be

An audio trail, colourful and historic, comical and curious, entertaining and dream-like in the working-class district of the Marolles, on the history of the GrandPlace or the delightful Place Sainte-Catherine district. Now available to download on the website www.visitbrussels.be - www.d-tours.org

Archi-Audio

Walk around Contemporary Architecture in the life of a city district between Molenbeek and Brussels. All explained in a fun way by a guide who will take the controls of your MP3 player! Download free from www.archi-audio.be or podcast http://archi-audio.podomatic.com/rss2.xml www.archi-audio.be hire of players and headphones: VISITBRUSSELS- Town Hall – Grand-Place 1000 Bru - info@visitbrussels.be

Editions Jacques Brel

A trail with audio guide along the streets and on the squares of Brussels city centre, in the footsteps of Jacques Brel. Wherever your steps, his songs, extracts from interviews and commentary from his wife Miche and his daughter France take you. Place de la Vieille-Halle-aux-Blés 11 - 1000 Bru editions@jacquesbrel.be

GRAND-PLACE & SURROUNDINGS

Hotel Amigo  173 ROOMS

Rue de l’Amigo 1-3 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 547 47 47 hotelamigo@hotelamigo.com www.hotelamigo.com Gare Centrale

Best Western Premier Carrefour de l’Europe  65 ROOMS

Rue du Marché-aux-Herbes 110 1000 Bru T +32 2 504 94 00 info@carrefourhotel.be www.carrefourhotel.be Gare Centrale

Le Meridien Brussels 

224 ROOMS

Carrefour de l’Europe 3 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 548 42 11 info.brussels@lemeridien.com www.lemeridienbrussels.com Gare Centrale

Hotel Centrale  47 ROOMS

Rue des Colonies 10-12 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 504 99 10 reservations@centrale-hotel.com www.centrale-hotel.com Gare Centrale

Metropole  305 ROOMS

Place De Brouckère 31 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 217 23 00 info@metropolehotel.be www.metropolehotel.com De Brouckère

hotels

ith hotels, guesthouses and youth hostels, there’s a great constellation lighting up the very starry sky of the hotel industry in Brussels: great classics, ultramodern, designer or loft style, spacious rooms, numerous services and very competitive prices. Hotels here tend to be very booked up during the week but more available at weekends and at even more attractive prices. Many hotels create discovery packages for their guests, based on the main assets that Brussels has to oﬀer: its creativity, its rich heritage and the many festive events that give rhythm to life in the capital. Hotel bookings online: www.visitbrussels.be - book your stay

Le Dixseptieme  24 ROOMS

Rue de la Madeleine 25 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 517 17 17 info@ledixseptieme.be www.ledixseptieme.be Gare Centrale

Royal Windsor Hotel Grand Place  266 ROOMS

GREEN LABELS FITNESS WI-FI POOL RESTAURANT AIR-CO PRM LIFT

Rue Duquesnoy 5-7 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 505 55 55 resa.royalwindsor@warwickhotels.com www.royalwindsorbrussels.com Gare Centrale

Exe Grand Place Hotel  54 ROOMS

Boulevard Anspach 159-163 1000 Bru T +32 2 512 81 00 reservations@exegrandplacehotel.com www.exegrandplacehotel.com Bourse

NH Grand Place Arenberg 

Scandic Grand Place  100 ROOMS

155 ROOMS

Rue d’Assaut 15 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 501 16 16 nhgrandplace@nh-hotels.com www.nh-hotels.com Gare Centrale

184 ROOMS

Rue du Marché-aux-Herbes 100 1000 Bru T +32 2 514 40 40 H1046@accor.com www.ibishotel.com Gare Centrale

The Dominican 

Novotel Brussels Off Grand Place 

150 ROOMS

132 ROOMS

Rue du Marché-aux-Herbes 120 1000 Bru T +32 2 514 33 33 H1030@accor.com www.novotel.com Gare Centrale

Rue Léopold 9 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 203 08 08 info@thedominican.carlton.be www.thedominican.be De Brouckère

Alma



37 ROOMS

Radisson Blu Royal Hotel  281 ROOMS

Rue du Fossé aux Loups 47 1000 Bru T +32 2 219 28 28 info.brussels@radissonblu.com www.radissonblu.com/royalhotel-brussels

Gare Centrale, De Brouckère

Sandton Brussels Centre  70 ROOMS

Rue des Paroissiens 15-27 1000 Bru T +32 2 274 08 10 brusselscentre@sandton.eu www.sandton.eu/brusselscentre Gare Centrale

Rue d’Arenberg 18 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 548 18 11 grand.place@scandichotels.com www.scandichotels.com Gare Centrale

Ibis Brussels Off Grand Place 

Rue des Eperonniers 42-44 1000 Bru T +32 2 502 28 28 info@almahotel.be www.almahotel.be Gare Centrale

Aris 

55 ROOMS

Rue du Marché-aux-Herbes 78-80 1000 Bru T +32 2 514 43 00 info@arishotel.be www.arishotel.be Gare Centrale

Floris Arlequin Grand Place  92 ROOMS

Rue de la Fourche 17-19 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 514 16 15 arlequin@florishotels.com www.florishotels.com De Brouckère, Gare Centrale

Mozart  47 ROOMS

Rue du Marché aux Fromages 23 1000 Bru T +32 2 502 66 61 hotel.mozart@skynet.be www.hotel-mozart.be Gare Centrale

La Legende 

The Moon 

Rue du Lombard 35 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 512 82 90 info@hotellalegende.com www.hotellalegende.com Bourse, Gare Centrale

Rue de la Montagne 4b - 1000 Bru T +32 2 508 15 80 info@hotelthemoon.com www.hotelthemoon.com Gare Centrale

26 ROOMS

Windsor 

Rue de la Montagne 22-24 1000 Bru T +32 2 513 29 73 info@hotel-la-madeleine.be www.hotel-la-madeleine.be Gare Centrale

Place Rouppe 13 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 511 20 14 windsor.hotel.bxl@gmail.com Bourse

52 ROOMS

Saint-Nicolas 60 ROOMS

Rue du Marché aux Poulets 32 1000 Bru T +32 2 219 04 40 reception@st-nicolas.be www.st-nicolas.be De Brouckère, Bourse

Grande Cloche (A la)  37 ROOMS

Place Rouppe 10 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 512 61 40 info@hotelgrandecloche.com www.hotelgrandecloche.com Bourse

24 ROOMS

La Vieille Lanterne  6 ROOMS



37 ROOMS 

La Madeleine 

Matignon

17 ROOMS

Rue de la Bourse 10 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 511 08 88 hotelmatignon@skynet.be www.hotelmatignon.be Bourse

Rue des Grands Carmes 29 1000 Bru T +32 2 512 74 94 lavieillelanterne@hotmail.com www.lavieillelanterne.be Gare Centrale

Saint Michel  15 ROOMS

Opera  49 ROOMS

Rue Grétry 53 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 219 43 43 reception@hotel-opera.be www.hotel-opera.be De Brouckère

Grand-Place 15 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 511 09 56 info@hotelsaintmichel.be www.hotelsaintmichel.be Gare Centrale

DANSAERT & MARCHÉ AUX POISSONS Brussels Marriott Hotel  218 ROOMS

Rue A Orts 3-7 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 516 90 90 brussels.reservations@marriotthotels.com

www.marriottbrussels.com Bourse, De Brouckère

Astrid 

100 ROOMS

Place du Samedi 11 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 219 31 19 info@astridhotel.be www.astridhotel.be De Brouckère, Sainte-Catherine

Atlas  88 ROOMS

Rue du Vieux-Marché-aux-Grains 30 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 502 60 06 info@atlas.be www.atlas-hotel.be Sainte-Catherine, Bourse

Citadines Bruxelles Sainte Catherine  169 ROOMS

Quai au Bois à Brûler 51 1000 Bru T +32 2 221 14 11 stecatherine@citadines.com www.citadines.com Sainte-Catherine

LOUISE

Hotel George V  17 ROOMS

Rue T’Kint 23 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 513 50 93 info@hotelgeorge5.be www.hotelgeorge5.be Bourse

Ibis Brussels Centre Sainte Catherine  236 ROOMS

Rue J. Plateau 2 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 513 76 20 H1454@accor.com www.ibishotel.com Sainte-Catherine

Novotel Brussels Centre Tour Noire  217 ROOMS

Rue de la Vierge Noire 32 1000 Bru T +32 2 505 50 50 H2122@accor.com www.novotel.com Sainte-Catherine

Saint-Géry Hotel  24 ROOMS

Place Saint-Géry 29-32 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 204 06 20 info@hotelstgery.com www.hotelstgery.com Bourse

Brussels Welcome Hotel  17 ROOMS

Quai au Bois à Brûler 23 1000 Bru T +32 2 219 95 46 info@hotelwelcome.com www.hotelwelcome.com Sainte-Catherine

Noga 

19 ROOMS

Rue du Béguinage 38 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 218 67 63 info@nogahotel.com www.nogahotel.com Sainte-Catherine

Le Châtelain Boutique Hotel  107 ROOMS

Rue du Châtelain 17 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 646 00 55 info@le-chatelain.com www.le-chatelain.com Louise

Soﬁtel Brussels Le Louise  169 ROOMS

Av. de la Toison d’Or 40 - 1050 Bru T +32 2 514 22 00 H1071@sofitel.com www.sofitel-brussels-le-louise.com

Louise

Steigenberger Grandhotel  269 ROOMS

Avenue Louise 71 - 1050 Bru T +32 2 542 42 42 brussels@steigenberger.com www.steigenberger.com Louise

Paciﬁc Cafe Hotel 

Four Points by Sheraton Brussels  128 ROOMS

Rue P. Spaak 15 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 645 61 11 reservations.brussels@starwoodhotels.com

www.fourpointsbrussels.com Louise

Izán Avenue Louise  80 ROOMS

Rue Blanche 4-6 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 535 95 00 avenuelouise.reservations@ izanhoteles.es www.izanhoteles.es Louise

Mercure Brussels Center Louise  201 ROOMS

Chaussée de Charleroi 38 - 1060 Bru T +32 2 533 66 66 H7863@accor.com www.mercure.com Louise

13 ROOMS

Orts Hotel  14 ROOMS

Rue Auguste Orts 38-40 1000 Bru T +32 2 450 22 00 info@hotelorts.com www.hotelorts.com Bourse

Rue Antoine Dansaert 57 1000 Bru T +32 2 213 00 80 info@hotelcafepacific.com www.hotelcafepacific.com Sainte-Catherine, Bourse

Cascade Louise  92 ROOMS

Rue Berckmans 128 - 1060 Bru T +32 2 538 88 30 info@cascadehotel.be www.cascadehotel.be Hôtel des Monnaies

Floris Louise  36 ROOMS

Rue de la Concorde 59-61 1000 Bru T +32 2 515 00 60 louise@florishotels.com www.florishotels.com Louise

NH Brussels City Centre  246 ROOMS

Chaussée de Charleroi 17 - 1060 Bru T +32 2 539 01 60 nhbrusselscitycentre@nh-hotels.com

www.nh-hotels.com Louise

NH Stephanie 

Aqua Hotel 

Brussels 

Rue J. Stas 32 - 1060 Bru T +32 2 537 42 50 nhstephanie@nh-hotels.com www.nh-hotels.com Louise

Rue de Stassart 43 - 1050 Bru T +32 2 213 01 01 info@aqua-hotel.be www.aqua-hotel.be Porte de Namur

Avenue Louise 315 - 1050 Bru T +32 2 640 24 15

The Hotel 

Argus 

Capital 

Boulevard de Waterloo 38 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 504 11 11 book@thehotel.be www.thehotel-brussels.be Porte de Namur, Louise

Rue Capitaine Crespel 6 - 1050 Bru T +32 2 514 07 70 reception@hotel-argus.be www.hotel-argus.be Louise

Chaussée de Vleurgat 191 - 1050 Bru T +32 2 646 64 20 info@hotelcapital.be www.hotelcapital.be Louise

Beau Site 

Catalonia Forum Hotel 

68 ROOMS

431 ROOMS

Thon Hotel Bristol Stephanie  142 ROOMS

Avenue Louise 91-93 - 1050 Bru T +32 2 543 33 11 bristol@thonhotels.be www.thonhotels.be/bristolstephanie

Louise

97 ROOMS

41 ROOMS

67 ROOMS

reservations@hotelbrusselsbelgium.com

www.hotelbrusselsbelgium.be Louise

99 ROOMS

Avenue Louise 381-383 - 1050 Bru T +32 2 649 98 00 res.warwickbarsey@warwickhotels.com

www.warwickbarsey.com Louise

53 ROOMS

Avenue Louise 212 1050 Bru T +32 2 644 29 29 H8915@accor.com www.accorhotels.com Louise

38 ROOMS

Rue de la Longue Haie 76 1000 Bru T +32 2 640 88 89 info@beausitebrussels.com www.beausitebrussels.com Louise

Best Western County House  101 ROOMS

Square des Heros 2-4 - 1180 Bru T +32 2 375 44 20 info@countyhouse.be www.bestwestern.be/countyhouse Louise

Rue de Namur 82 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 548 99 10 reservation@hotel-chambord.be www.hotel-chambord.be Porte de Namur

154 ROOMS

Beverly Hills

38 ROOMS

28 ROOMS

Rue de Florence 6-8 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 539 00 31 louise@hotel-agenda.com www.hotel-agenda.com Louise

Rue du Prince Royal 71 - 1050 Bru T +32 2 513 22 22 beverlyhills@infonie.be www.hotelbeverlyhills.be Louise



49 ROOMS

Rue Veydt 40 - 1050 Bru T +32 2 537 40 33 info@madeinlouise.com www.madeinlouise.com Louise

Av. de la Toison d’Or 61-63 - 1060 Bru T +32 2 543 53 53 toison@citadines.com www.citadines.com Louise

29 ROOMS

Rue Dejoncker 45 - 1060 Bru T +32 2 533 99 80 info@vintagehotel.be www.vintagehotel.be Louise

10 ROOMS

Rue Berckmans 124 - 1060 Bru T +32 2 534 39 83 info@bluets.be www.bluets.be Hôtel des Monnaies

Rembrandt  13 ROOMS

Odette En Ville  8 ROOMS

Rue du Châtelain 25 - 1050 Bru T +32 2 640 26 26 bruxelles@chez-odette.com www.chez-odette.com Louise

69 ROOMS

Citadines Toison d’Or  Agenda Louise 

Made in Louise 

80 ROOMS

Avenue du Haut-Pont 2 - 1060 Bru T +32 2 340 34 00 forum@hoteles-catalonia.es www.hoteles-catalonia.com Louise

Vintage Hotel 

Les Bluets 

62 ROOMS

Chambord Brussels  Warwick Barsey Hotel Brussels 

Ibis Styles Brussels Louise 

Pantone  59 ROOMS

Place Loix 1 - 1060 Bru T +32 2 541 48 98 info@pantonehotel.com www.pantonehotel.com Hôtel des Monnaies

Rue de la Concorde 42 - 1050 Bru T +32 2 512 71 39 rembrandt.be@gmail.com www.hotelrembrandt.be Louise

SABLON/ MAROLLES

Exe Sablon Hotel  32 ROOMS

Rue de la Paille 2-8 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 513 60 40 reservations@exesablonhotel.com www.exesablonhotel.com Louise

NH Hotel Du Grand Sablon  193 ROOMS

Rue Bodenbroek 2-4 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 518 11 00 nhdugrandsablon@nh-hotels.com www.nh-hotels.com Louise

ROGIER/ BOTANIQUE

Best Western Royal Center  73 ROOMS

Rue Royale 160 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 219 00 65 reservation@royalcentre.be www.royalcentre.be Botanique

Crowne Plaza Brussels Le Palace  354 ROOMS

Rue Gineste 3 - 1210 Bru T +32 2 203 62 00 info@cpbxl.be www.crowneplazabrussels.be Rogier

Husa President Park  297 ROOMS

Bd. du Roi Albert II 44 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 203 20 20 info.president@husa.es www.husapresidentpark.com Rogier

Sheraton Brussels Hotel 

Hôtel du Congres  61 ROOMS

533 ROOMS

Place Rogier 3 - 1210 Bru T +32 2 224 31 11 reservations.brussels@sheraton. com www.sheratonbrussels.be Rogier

Marivaux Hotel 

Le Dome 

135 ROOMS

125 ROOMS

Bd. du Jardin Botanique 9-13 1000 Bru T +32 2 218 06 80 info@hotel-le-dome.be www.hotel-le-dome.be Rogier

Rue du Congrès 38-44 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 217 18 90 info@hotelducongres.be www.hotelducongres.be Madou

Thon Hotel Brussels City Centre  454 ROOMS

Avenue du Boulevard 17 - 1210 Bru T +32 2 205 15 11 brusselscitycentre@thonhotels.be

Boulevard A. Max 98 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 227 03 00 reservations@marivaux.be www.hotelmarivaux.be De Brouckère, Rogier

www.thonhotels.com/brusselscitycentre

Rogier

Hilton Brussels City  283 ROOMS

Place Rogier 20 - 1210 Bru T +32 2 203 31 25 res.brusselscity@hilton.com www.brussels-city.hilton.com Rogier

Hotel BLOOM !

Progress  57 ROOMS

Le Plaza Brussels  190 ROOMS

Boulevard A. Max 118-126 1000 Bru T +32 2 278 01 00 reservations@leplaza.be www.leplaza-brussels.be Rogier

Belmont  31 ROOMS

Boulevard d’Anvers 10 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 227 15 40 info@belmont.be www.hotel-belmont.be Rogier

Rue Royale 250 - 1210 Bru T +32 2 220 66 11 info@hotelbloom.com www.hotelbloom.com Botanique

Queen Anne  60 ROOMS



305 ROOMS

Rue du Progrès 9 - 1210 Bru T +32 2 205 17 00 info@progresshotel.be www.progresshotel.be Rogier

NH Atlanta  241 ROOMS

Boulevard A. Max 7 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 217 01 20 nhatlanta@nh-hotels.be www.nh-hotels.com De Brouckère, Rogier

Best Western City Centre



49 ROOMS

Square Victoria Regina 9 - 1210 Bru T +32 2 219 06 61 info@citycentre.be www.citycentre.be Botanique, Rogier

Boulevard E. Jacqmain 110 1000 Bru T +32 2 217 16 00 info@queen-anne.be www.queen-anne.be De Brouckère, Rogier

Siru Brussels Hotel  101 ROOMS

Colonies (Hôtel des)  95 ROOMS

Rue des Croisades 6-10 - 1210 Bru T +32 2 205 16 00 info@hotel-des-colonies.com www.hotel-des-colonies.com Rogier

Rue des Croisades 2 - 1210 Bru T +32 2 203 33 03 info@hotelsiru.com www.hotelsiru.com Rogier

MIDI/ LEMONNIER

Villa Royale 

Prestige 

Cascade Midi 

De Fierlant 

Rue Royale 195 - 1210 Bru T +32 2 226 04 60 villa.royale@skynet.be www.villaroyale.be Botanique

Rue du Méridien 70 - 1210 Bru T +32 2 211 40 30 info@hotelprestigebrussels.com www.hotelprestigebrussels.com Botanique

Avenue Fonsny 57 - 1060 Bru T +32 2 533 10 90 infomidi@cascadehotel.be www.cascadehotel.be Gare du Midi

Rue De Fierlant 67 - 1190 Bru T +32 2 538 60 70 hoteldefierlant@gmail.com www.hoteldefierlant.be Gare du Midi

Albergo 

Theater Hotel Brussels 

Floris Avenue 

Euro Capital 

Rue Van Gaver 23 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 350 90 00 info@theaterhotelbrussels.com www.theaterhotelbrussels.com Yser

Av. de Stalingrad 25-31 1000 Bru T +32 2 548 98 38 avenue@florishotels.com www.florishotels.com Gare du Midi

Avenue Fonsny 9 - 1060 Bru T +32 2 535 17 00 info@ec-hotel.com www.ec-hotel.com Gare du Midi

45 ROOMS

14 ROOMS

Sq. Victoria Regina 11-12 - 1210 Bru T +32 2 218 70 53 info@hotelalbergo.be www.hotelalbergo.be Rogier, Botanique

Albert  19 ROOMS

Rue Royale Sainte-Marie 27-29 1030 Bru T +32 2 217 93 91 info@hotelalbert.be www.hotelalbert.be Botanique

Bentley  30 ROOMS

Avenue Rogier 51 - 1030 Bru T +32 2 242 52 95 reservation@hotel-bentley.com www.hotel-bentley.com

Hotel Espérance  12 ROOMS

Rue du Finistère 1-3 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 219 10 28 info@hotel-esperance.be www.hotel-esperance.be De Brouckère

Funkey Hotel  36 ROOMS

Rue Artan 116 - 1030 Bru T +32 2 733 23 53 sales@funkeyhotel.be www.funkeyhotel.com

17 ROOMS

9 ROOMS

Maxhotel  63 ROOMS

Boulevard A. Max 107 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 219 00 60 max@3sh.be www.maxhotel.be Rogier

La Potinière  34 ROOMS

Rue F-J. Navez 165 - 1030 Bru T +32 2 242 78 73 hotel@lapotiniere.be

99 ROOMS

40 ROOMS

142 ROOMS

Place Marcel Broodthaers 3 1060 Bru T +32 2 535 14 00 info.brussels-midi@ rezidorparkinn.com www.parkinn.com/hotel-brussels Gare du Midi

49 ROOMS

47 ROOMS

Floris Ustel Midi  Pullman Brussels Midi

Park Inn by Radisson Brussels Midi 



237 ROOMS

Place Victor Horta 1 - 1060 Bru T +32 2 528 98 00 H7431@accor.com www.pullmanhotels.com Gare du Midi

Agenda Midi  35 ROOMS

Boulevard Jamar 11-13 1060 Bru T +32 2 520 00 10 midi@hotel-agenda.com www.hotel-agenda.com Gare du Midi

Bedford  313 ROOMS

Rue du Midi 135 -137 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 507 00 00 info@hotelbedford.be www.hotelbedford.be Gare du Midi, Bourse

Scandinavia Hotel  48 ROOMS

Chaussée de Mons 115-117 1070 Bru T +32 2 221 02 00 info@scandinaviahotel.be www.scandinaviahotel.be

114 ROOMS

Square de l’Aviation 6-8 1070 Bru T +32 2 520 60 53 ustelmidi@florishotels.com www.florishotels.com Gare du Midi

Ibis Brussels Centre Gare Du Midi  225 ROOMS

Rue d’Angleterre 2-20 - 1060 Bru T +32 2 541 44 44 H3152@accor.com www.ibishotel.com Gare du Midi

Van Belle Hotel  110 ROOMS

Chaussée de Mons 39 - 1070 Bru T +32 2 521 35 16 reservation@hotelvanbelle.be www.hotelvanbelle.be

Aristote  25 ROOMS

Avenue de Stalingrad 5 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 513 13 10 info@hotelaristote.be www.hotelaristote.be Gare du Midi

EUROPE

Mirabeau  30 ROOMS

Place Fontainas 18-20 1000 Bru T +32 2 511 19 72 info@hotelmirabeau.be www.hotelmirabeau.be Gare du Midi

Eurostars Montgomery  63 ROOMS

Avenue de Tervueren 134 1150 Bru T +32 2 741 85 11 reservations@ eurostarsmontgomery.com www.eurostarsmontgomery.com Montgomery

New Prince De Liège  32 ROOMS

Chaussée de Ninove 664 1070 Bru T +32 2 522 16 00 hotel@onpl.be www.onpl.be Gare de l’Ouest

Barry



Soﬁtel Brussels Europe  149 ROOMS

Place Jourdan 1 - 1040 Bru T +32 2 235 51 00 H5282@sofitel.com www.sofitel-brussels-europe. com Schuman

Boulevard Charlemagne 50 1000 Bru T +32 2 230 00 10 reservation@firsteuroflathotel.be www.firsteuroflathotel.be Schuman

Thon Stanhope  108 ROOMS

Rue du Commerce 9-13 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 506 91 11 info@stanhope.be www.stanhope.be Arts-Loi, Trône

Best Western Premier Park Hotel Brussels  54 ROOMS

Avenue de l’Yser 21-22 1040 Bru T +32 2 735 74 00 info@parkhotelbrussels.be www.parkhotelbrussels.be Merode

Hotel 322 

Rue d’Idalie 35 - 1050 Bru T +32 2 626 81 11 info.brusselseu@radissonblu.com www.radissonblu.com Trône

Avenue Lambermont 322 - 1030 Bru T +32 2 242 55 95 info@lambermonthotels.com www.lambermonthotels.com Schuman

Renaissance 

Aloft Brussels Schuman 

Rue du Parnasse 19 - 1050 Bru T +32 2 505 29 29 renaissance.brussels@ renaissancehotels.com www.renaissancehotels.com Trône

Place Jean Rey - 1040 Bru T +32 2 800 08 88 reservations.brussels@ starwoodhotels.com www.aloftbrussels.be Schuman

Silken Berlaymont Brussels 

Aspria Royal La Rasante 

262 ROOMS

111 ROOMS

Rue du Luxembourg 35 1050 Bru T +32 2 511 18 28 reservations@hotel-leopold.be www.hotel-leopold.be Trône

Martin’s Central Park

Radisson Blu EU  149 ROOMS

133 ROOMS

Leopold 

32 ROOMS

Place Anneessens 25 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 511 27 95 hotel.barry@skynet.be www.hotelbarry.com Gare du Midi

First Euroﬂat 



100 ROOMS

214 ROOMS

Boulevard Charlemagne 80 1000 Bru T +32 2 230 85 55 mcp@martinshotels.com www.martinscentralpark.com Schuman

hotel.berlaymont@hoteles-silken.com

Bd. Charlemagne 11-19 1000 Bru T +32 2 231 09 09

45 ROOMS

147 ROOMS

19 ROOMS

Rue Sombre 56 - 1200 Bru T +32 2 609 19 02 (Airport) info@royallarasante.be www.royallarasante.be Montgomery, Tomberg

www.hotelsilkenberlaymont.com Schuman

Chelton  53 ROOMS

New Hotel Charlemagne  66 ROOMS

Bd. Charlemagne 25-27 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 230 21 35 brusselscharlemagne@newhotel.be www.new-hotel.be Schuman

Thon Hotel EU  405 ROOMS

Rue de la Loi 75 - 1040 Bru T +32 2 204 39 22 eu@thonhotels.be www.thonhotels.be Maelbeek

Rue Véronèse 48 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 735 20 32 info@chelton.be www.chelton.be Schuman

HEYSEL

Holiday Inn Brussels-Schuman  47 ROOMS

Rue Breydel 20 - 1040 Bru T +32 2 280 40 00 info@hibrusselsschuman.com www.holidayinn.com

Lambeau  24 ROOMS

Avenue Lambeau 150 - 1200 Bru T +32 2 732 51 70 info@hotellambeau.com www.hotellambeau.com Montgomery

Schuman

Ramada Brussels Woluwe  165 ROOMS

Avenue des Pléiades 67 - 1200 Bru T +32 2 775 31 80 (Airport) info@ramadabrusselswoluwe.be www.ramadabrusselswoluwe.be Roodebeek

Best Western Hotel Expo  49 ROOMS

Av. Houba de Strooper 598/600 1020 Bru T +32 2 476 15 14 info@bestwesternhotelexpo.be www.bestwesternhotelexpo.be Roi Baudouin

Monty Small Design  18 ROOMS

Bd. Brand Whitlock 101 - 1200 Bru T +32 2 734 56 36 info@monty-hotel.be www.monty-hotel.be Montgomery

Frederiksborg  30 ROOMS

Avenue Broustin 118 - 1083 Bru T +32 2 425 14 22 (Basilique) lefrederiksborg@skynet.be www.frederiksborg.be Simonis

Plasky Hotel  30 ROOMS

Auberge Du Souverain  6 ROOMS

Av. de la Fauconnerie 1-3 1170 Bru T +32 2 672 16 01 info@souverain.be www.souverain.be Herrmann-Debroux

Derby  27 ROOMS

Avenue de Tervueren 24 1040 Bru T +32 2 733 75 81 hotel.derby@belgacom.net Merode

Avenue Eugène Plasky 212 1030 Bru T +32 2 733 75 30 info@hotelplasky.be www.hotelplasky.be

Ibis Brussels Expo-Atomium  81 ROOMS

Chée. Romaine 572 1853 Strombeek-Bever T +32 2 461 00 21 H2846@accor.com www.ibishotel.com Heysel

Le Centenaire  15 ROOMS

Av. Jean Sobieski 84-86 1020 Bru T +32 2 479 56 00 info@lecentenaire.be www.lecentenaire.be Roi Baudouin

AROUND BRUSSELS

AIRPORT

Courtyard By Marriott Brussels 

Holiday Inn Brussels Airport 

Avenue des Olympiades 6 - 1140 Bru T +32 2 337 08 08 courtyard.brussels@courtyard.com www.courtyardbrussels.com

Holidaystraat 7 - 1831 Diegem T +32 2 720 58 65 info@hibrusselsairport.com www.skoj.be

Crowne Plaza Brussels Airport 

NH Brussels Airport 

191 ROOMS

315 ROOMS

Da Vincilaan 4 - 1831 Diegem T +32 2 416 33 33 cpbrusselsairport@whgeu.com www.ichotelsgroup.com/ crowneplaza

Golden Tulip Brussels Airport  125 ROOMS

Bessenveldstraat 15 1831 Diegem T +32 2 713 66 66 info@goldentulipbrusselsairport.be www.goldentulipbrusselsairport.be

Gresham Belson Hotel Brussels  135 ROOMS

Chaussée de Louvain 805 - 1140 Bru T +32 2 708 31 00 resa@gresham-belsonhotel.com www.gresham-hotels-brussels.com Montgomery

310 ROOMS

234 ROOMS

De Kleetlaan 14 - 1831 Diegem T +32 2 203 92 52 nhbrusselsairport@nh-hotels.com www.nh-hotels.com

Sheraton Brussels Airport Hotel  294 ROOMS

Brussels Airport - 1930 Zaventem T +32 2 710 80 00 reservations.brussels@sheraton.com www.sheratonbrusselsairport.com

Express by Holiday Inn 

Château Du Lac 

Gosset 

Berkenlaan 5 - 1831 Diegem T +32 2 725 33 80 info@hibrusselsairport.com www.hiexpress.com

Avenue du Lac 87 - 1332 Genval T +32 2 655 71 11 cdl@martinshotels.com www.martins-hotels.com

Gossetlaan 52 1702 Groot-Bijgaarden T +32 2 466 21 30 info@gosset.be www.gosset.be

Mercure Brussels Airport 

Dolce La Hulpe Brussels 

Ibis Brussels Waterloo 

Chaussée de Bruxelles 135 1310 La Hulpe T +32 2 290 98 00 info-lahulpe@dolce.com www.dolcelahulpebrussels.com

Boulevard Henri Rolin 5a 1410 Waterloo T +32 2 351 00 30 info@ibiswaterloo.be www.ibishotel.com

Martin’s Grand Hotel 

Kasteel Gravenhof 

Chaussée de Tervueren 198 1410 Waterloo T +32 2 352 18 15 mgh@martinshotels.com www.martins-hotels.com

Alsembergsestw. 676 1653 Dworp T +32 2 380 44 99 info@gravenhof.be www.gravenhof.be

Best Western Hotel Brussels 

La Vignette 

87 ROOMS

120 ROOMS

Avenue Jules Bordet 74 - 1140 Bru T +32 2 726 73 35 H0958@accor.com www.mercure.com

122 ROOMS

264 ROOMS

48 ROOMS

100 ROOMS

Novotel Brussels Airport  209 ROOMS

Da Vincilaan 25 - 1831 Diegem T +32 2 620 04 33 H0467@accor.com www.novotel.com

Ibis Brussels Airport 

79 ROOMS

26 ROOMS

98 ROOMS

Van Der Valk Brussels Airport  184 ROOMS

Culliganlaan 4b - 1831 Diegem T +32 2 277 20 00 brussels@valk.com www.hotelbrusselsairport.com

Campanile Brussels Airport  59 ROOMS

Excelsiorlaan 2 - 1930 Zaventem T +32 2 720 98 62 brusselsairport@campanile.com www.campanile.com

Bessenveldstraat 17 b 1831 Diegem T +32 2 620 04 32 H1090@accor.com www.ibishotel.com

Thon Hotel Brussels Airport 

16 ROOMS

E40 Brussels-Ostend 1702 Groot-Bijgaarden T +32 2 466 68 80 hotel.brussels@autogrill.net www.bestwestern.be/hotelbrussels

Leuvensesteenweg 12 1970 Wezembeek-Oppem (Tervueren) T +32 2 767 83 56 info@lavignette.be www.lavignette.be

Erasme Hotel 

Leonard Hotel Wavre 

Route de Lennik 790 - 1070 Bru T +32 2 523 62 82 info@hotelerasme.be www.hotelerasme.be Erasme

Rue de la Wastinne 45 1301 Wavre T +32 10 41 13 63 info.wavre@leonardo-hotels.com www.leonardo-hotels.com

39 ROOMS

100 ROOMS

Berkenlaan 4 - 1831 Diegem T +32 2 721 77 77 brusselsairport@thonhotels.be www.thonhotels.be/brusselsairport

74 ROOMS

102 ROOMS

GUEST-HOUSE ROOMS

YOUTH HOSTELS

Martin’s Lido  27 ROOMS

Auberge de Jeunesse Jacques Brel

Rue du Limalsart 20 1330 Rixensart T +32 2 634 34 34 lelido@martinshotels.com www.martins-hotels.com

Rue de la Sablonnière 30 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 218 01 87 brussels.brel@laj.be www.laj.be www.gitesdetape.be

Martin’s Lodge 

Bruegel - IYHF

Centre Vincent van Gogh (CHAB)

Rue Traversière 8 - 1210 Bru T +32 2 217 01 58 info@chab.be www.chab.be

MORE INFORMATION: www.hostelsinbrussels.be

29 ROOMS

Chée. de Tervueren 198 1410 Waterloo T +32 2 352 18 15 mlo@martinshotels.com www.martins-hotels.com

Martin’s Manoir  12 ROOMS

Avenue Hoover 8 - 1332 Genval T +32 2 655 63 11 mdl@martinshotels.com www.martins-hotels.com

Rue du Saint-Esprit 2 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 511 04 36 brussel@vjh.be www.jeugdherbergen.be

Auberge de Jeunesse Génération Europe

Rue de l’Eléphant 4 - 1080 Bru T +32 2 410 38 58 brussels.europe@laj.be

Auberge des 3 Fontaines

Chaussée de Wavre 2057 1160 Bru T +32 2 663 24 32 contact@auberge3fontaines.be www.auberge3fontaines.be

Sleep Well Espace du Marais

Rue du Damier 23 - 1000 Bru T +32 2 218 50 50 info@sleepwell.be www.sleepwell.be

MORE INFORMATION: Bed & Brussels info@bnb-brussels.be www.bnb-brussels.be

CAMPING

Bruxelles Europe A ciel ouvert

Chaussée de Wavre 205 - 1050 Bru T +32 2 640 79 67 A camping site for tents only, only in July and August. http://cielouvertcamping.wordpress.com

Dansaert & MarchĂŠ aux Poissons

Heysel

Rogier / Botanique

Airport Europe Sablon / Marolles

Grand-Place & surroundings

Midi / Lemonnier

Louise

hotels index  5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

HOTEL Château du Lac Eurostars Montgomery Hotel Amigo Le Châtelain Boutique Hotel Le Méridien Brussels Métropole Royal Windsor Hotel Grand Place Sofitel Brussels Europe Sofitel Brussels Le Louise Steigenberger Grandhotel Thon Stanhope

DISTRICT Around Brussels Europe Grand-Place & surroundings Louise Grand-Place & surroundings Grand-Place & surroundings Grand-Place & surroundings Europe Louise Louise Europe

4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

Best Western Premier Carrefour de l’Europe Best Western Premier Park Hotel Brussels Best Western Royal Center Brussels Marriott Hotel Cascade Hotel Louise Cascade Midi Courtyard by Marriott Brussels Crowne Plaza Brussels Airport Crowne Plaza Brussels Le Palace Dolce La Hulpe Brussels Exe Grand Place Hotel Exe Sablon Hotel First Euroflat Floris Avenue Floris Louise Four Points by Sheraton Brussels Golden Tulip Brussels Airport Gresham Belson Hotel Brussels Hilton Brussels City Hotel BLOOM! Hotel Centrale Husa President Park Izan Avenue Louise Le Dixseptième Le Dôme Le Plaza Brussels Leopold Martin’s Central Park Martin’s Grand Hotel Mercure Brussels Center Louise New Hotel Charlemagne NH Atlanta NH Brussels Airport NH Brussels City Centre NH Grand Place Arenberg NH Hotel Du Grand Sablon NH Stephanie Novotel Brussels Off Grand Place Pullman Brussels Midi Radisson Blu EU Radisson Blu Royal Hotel Renaissance Sandton Brussels Centre Scandic Grand Place Sheraton Brussels Airport Hotel Sheraton Brussels Hotel Silken Berlaymont Brussels The Dominican The Hotel Thon Hotel Bristol Stephanie Thon Hotel Brussels City Centre Van der Valk Brussels Airport Warwick Barsey Hotel Brussels

Grand-Place & surroundings Europe Rogier / Botanique Dansaert & Marché aux Poissons Louise Midi / Lemonnier Airport Airport Rogier / Botanique Around Brussels Grand-Place & surroundings Sablon / Marolles Europe Midi / Lemonnier Louise Louise Airport Airport Rogier / Botanique Rogier / Botanique Grand-Place & surroundings Rogier / Botanique Louise Grand-Place & surroundings Rogier / Botanique Rogier / Botanique Europe Europe Around Brussels Louise Europe Rogier / Botanique Airport Louise Grand-Place & surroundings Sablon / Marolles Louise Grand-Place & surroundings Midi / Lemonnier Europe Grand-Place & surroundings Europe Grand-Place & surroundings Grand-Place & surroundings Airport Rogier / Botanique Europe Grand-Place & surroundings Louise Louise Rogier / Botanique Airport Louise

 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

HOTEL

DISTRICT

Brussels Agenda Louise Agenda Midi Alma Aloft Brussels Schuman Aqua Hotel Argus Aris Aspria Royal La Rasante Astrid Atlas Beau Site Bedford Belmont Best Western City Centre Best Western County House Best Western Hotel Brussels Best Western Hotel Expo Beverly Hills Campanile Brussels Airport Capital Catalonia Forum Hotel Chambord Brussels Chelton Citadines Bruxelles Sainte-Catherine Citadines Toison d’Or Colonies (Hôtel des) De Fierlant Erasme Hotel Euro Capital Express by Holiday Inn Floris Arlequin Grand-Place Floris Ustel Midi Gosset Holiday Inn Brussels-Schuman Hotel 322 Hotel du Congrès Hotel George V Ibis Brussels Airport Ibis Brussels Centre Gare Du Midi Ibis Brussels Centre Sainte Catherine Ibis Brussels Off Grand Place Ibis Brussels Waterloo Ibis Styles Brussels Louise Kasteel Gravenhof La Vignette Leonard Hotel Wavre Made in Louise Marivaux Hotel Martin’s Lido Martin’s Lodge Martin’s Manoir Mercure Brussels Airport Mozart Novotel Brussels Airport Novotel Brussels Centre Tour Noire Odette en Ville Orts Hotel Pantone Park Inn By Radisson Brussels Midi Progress Queen Anne Ramada Brussels Woluwe Saint Nicolas Saint-Géry Hotel

Louise Louise Midi / Lemonnier Grand-Place & surroundings Europe Louise Louise Grand-Place & surroundings Europe Dansaert & Marché aux Poissons Dansaert & Marché aux Poissons Louise Midi / Lemonnier Rogier / Botanique Rogier / Botanique Louise Around Brussels Heysel Louise Airport Louise Louise Louise Europe Dansaert & Marché aux Poissons Louise Rogier / Botanique Midi / Lemonnier Around Brussels Midi / Lemonnier Airport Grand-Place & surroundings Midi / Lemonnier Around Brussels Europe Europe Rogier / Botanique Dansaert & Marché aux Poissons Airport Midi / Lemonnier Dansaert & Marché aux Poissons Grand-Place & surroundings Around Brussels Louise Around Brussels Around Brussels Around Brussels Louise Rogier / Botanique Around Brussels Around Brussels Around Brussels Airport Grand-Place & surroundings Airport Dansaert & Marché aux Poissons Louise Dansaert & Marché aux Poissons Louise Midi / Lemonnier Rogier / Botanique Rogier / Botanique Europe Grand-Place & surroundings Grand-Place & surroundings

 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

Scandinavia Hotel Siru Brussels Hotel Thon Hotel Brussels Airport Thon Hotel EU Van Belle Hotel Villa Royale Vintage hotel

HOTEL

DISTRICT Midi / Lemonnier Rogier / Botanique Airport Europe Midi / Lemonnier Rogier / Botanique Louise

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Albergo Albert Aristote Auberge du Souverain Bentley Brussels Welcome Hotel Derby Frederiksborg Funkey Hotel Grande Cloche (A la) Hôtel Espérance Ibis Brussels Expo-Atomium La Légende La Madeleine Lambeau Le Centenaire Matignon Mirabeau Monty Small Design New Prince de Liège Noga Opéra Pacific Café Hotel Plasky Hotel Prestige The Moon Theater Hotel Brussels Windsor

Rogier / Botanique Rogier / Botanique Midi / Lemonnier Europe Rogier / Botanique Dansaert & Marché aux Poissons Europe Heysel Rogier / Botanique Grand-Place & surroundings Rogier / Botanique Heysel Grand-Place & surroundings Grand-Place & surroundings Europe Heysel Grand-Place & surroundings Midi / Lemonnier Europe Midi / Lemonnier Dansaert & Marché aux Poissons Grand-Place & surroundings Dansaert & Marché aux Poissons Europe Rogier / Botanique Grand-Place & surroundings Rogier / Botanique Grand-Place & surroundings

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Barry La Potinière La Vieille Lanterne Les Bluets Maxhotel Rembrandt Saint Michel

Midi / Lemonnier Rogier / Botanique Grand-Place & surroundings Louise Rogier / Botanique Louise Grand-Place & surroundings

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Auberge de jeunesse « Jacques Brel » Auberge de jeunesse Génération Europe Auberge des 3 Fontaines Bruegel - IYHF Centre Vincent Van Gogh (CHAB) Sleep Well - Espace du Marais

Rogier / Botanique Dansaert & Marché aux Poissons Around Brussels Sablon / Marolles Rogier / Botanique Rogier / Botanique

coaches T

o enable visitors to make the most of the Capital, the Brussels-Capital Region and the City of Brussels, in consultation with the Belgian Federation of Bus and Coach Operators and Travel Organisers (FBAA), organise parking for tourist coaches in Brussels.

Parking spaces and length of stay: • short-stay (maximum 30 minutes) Rue Cardinal Mercier and Boulevard du Centenaire. • medium-length stay (under 5 hours): visiting a place of interest, an attraction or taking part in an event. Rue Ducale, Bruparck, Boulevard Pacheco, Avenue de Madrid, Quai de Willebroek and Boulevard de l’Abattoir-Poincaré. • Long-stay (more than 5 hours, including night time) Avenue de Madrid and Quai de Willebroek. A manned car park with 10 to 20 spaces open 24/24h is situated at the Avant-Port de Bruxelles. MABRU - Quai des Usines 22/23 - 1000 Bru - Tel.: +32 (0)2 215 51 69 - www.mabru.be

Coach hire in Brussels Autocars De Boeck: www.autocars-de-boeck.be Autocars Renard: www.renard.be Capitale Cars: www.capitalecars.com Fun Cars: www.fun-cars.be Modern Car: www.moderncar.com Open Tours: www.citysightseeingbrussel.be

The largest parliamentary visitors’ centre in Europe and the ﬁrst to be fully operational in 24 languages, it uses an impressive array of interactive multimedia tools to give citizens, tourists and local residents a unique insight into the European Parliament and the other European institutions. Visitors are able to get closer to politicians through interactive multimedia displays, take a virtual tour through Europe on a 3D map, see what the European Union has done for each country along the way, learn about the role of the European Parliament… and much more. The Parlamentarium is family-friendly and warmly welcomes adults and children from Belgium and all other countries. The Parlamentarium includes a role-play game for secondary school students wishing to take a crash course in the workings of Europe’s democratically elected parliament. PARLAMENTARIUM Rue Wiertz 60 Wiertzstraat | B-1047 Brussels | T +32 2 283 22 22 parlamentarium@europarl.europa.eu | www.europarl.europa.eu/parlamentarium

SUPPORTED BY

Ville de Bruxelles/ Stad Brussel

Commission communautaire franรงaise

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

OUR NETWORKS

UIA

SIZED FOR TOURISM & MEETINGS