First Time in Brussels
An insider’s guide to Europe’s de facto capital
WORDS | RENÉE CORDES
Photography: © Corbis
POPULATION: 1 million
VISITORS PER YEAR: 5.3m (foreign 4.5m, domestic 726,000 ; measured in terms of overnight stays, 2008)
LANGUAGE: French, Flemish
CURRENCY: Euro (€)
STREET-VENDOR WAFFLE: €1.50
ONE-BED FLAT IN CITY CENTRE: €85,000+
Brussels could be the world’s most global village. Unassuming, relatively affordable and compact, the capital of Belgium and the EU boasts all the advantages of a large metropolis yet retains its quaint provincial feel in parts. It has always been a cultural melting pot, having been ruled by the Austrians, the Spanish, the French and finally the Dutch, before Belgian independence in 1830.
One in four residents is foreign, mainly due to Brussels’ status as European capital. There is some truth to its dull, bureaucratic image but there is also a kaleidoscope of fascinating neighbourhoods, each with its unique character and flavour.
Brussels is divided between a Lower Town, where most sights are concentrated, and a more spacious Upper Town, which stretches from the hard-knock Marolles district to the genteel Place Royale; the latter is home to the new Magritte Museum, which contains more than 200 works by the Belgian surrealist artist, René Magritte.
All first-time visits start at the grandiose Grand Place, with its Gothic town hall and gabled buildings, all restored medieval guild houses. The city centre screams old-world cute, from the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert shopping arcade to the Toone puppet theatre and pub.
In the centre, the St Jacques neighbourhood is Brussels’s answer to New York’s Greenwich Village, full of funky bars, eateries and secondhand bookstores, while St Géry attracts glamorous under-30s with its cluster of upmarket watering holes. There is no financial district as such: government is the main business here, and most of it gets done in the EU buildings concentrated around the Schuman metro stop and the Place du Luxembourg – some of it over expense-account lunches – and at Nato headquarters near the airport.
Brussels is a serious gourmet destination, so one need never search far for a Michelin-starred restaurant or the nearest frites or waffle stand. Traditional Belgian fare can be hearty and heavy, but there are plenty of innovative young chefs catering to contemporary palates. The top seafood restaurants are concentrated around the Place St Catherine, where fishing boats used to dock in the days when a river ran through Brussels; just follow the bright neon lobster signs and take your pick.
HOTELS
WHITE HOTEL
Very zen, ultra-modern design; with bike and scooter rentals. From €75. 212 Avenue Louise, +32 (0)2 644 2929, www.thewhitehotel.be
LE DIXSEPTIÈME
Old-world luxury in the swanky Sablon antiques district. From €180. 25 Rue de la Madeleine, +32 (0)2 517 1717, www.ledixseptieme.be
SHERATON BRUSSELS
Dependable four-star in city centre with top-floor pool, fitness room and sauna. From €109. 3 Place Rogier, +32 (0)2 224 3111, www.sheratonbrussels.com
RESTAURANTS
COMME CHEZ SOI
The crème de la crème of haute cuisine in a gorgeous Art Nouveau dining room; ringside views of chef Lionel Rigolet and team from kitchen tables. 23 Place Rouppe, +32 (0)2 512 2921, www.commechezsoi.be
AUX ARMES DE BRUXELLES
Hearty bruxellois fare in a bustling brasserie. 13 Rue des Bouchers, +32 (0)2 511 5550, www.auxarmesdebruxelles.be
CAFÉ DES SPORES
Boho gastro-wine bar where every dish is made from mushrooms. 103-108 Chaussée d’Alsemberg, +32 (0)2 534 1303, www.cafedesspores.be
FASHION
There is more to Brussels clothes shopping than Tintin ties and EU-blue boxer shorts. The Rue Antoine Dansaert (near the Bourse) is a Who’s Who of Belgian fashion and design, from Olivier Strelli (No. 44) to Barbie-doll worshipper Nicolas Woit (No. 80).
ART NOUVEAU
In the early 1900s, Brussels was a flourishing centre of Art Nouveau architecture. Feast your eyes on some real gems in the St Gilles neighbourhood, starting with the former home and studio of architect Victor Horta, now a museum (bus 54 or trams 81, 91, 92 or 97 to Place Janson).
A BRIEF HISTORY
AD 979: Bruocsella (“the swampy place”) founded when Lambert of Leuven inherits land from Duke Charles of Lower Lotharingia.
1696: French army bombards Brussels for two days in retaliation for attacks on French Channel ports. Grand Place completely rebuilt within five years.
1831: Leopold I sworn in as first King of the Belgians, at St Jacques-sur-Coudenberg church.
1958: Skyline forever changed with the Atomium, built for the World’s Fair.
1960s onwards: Brussels becomes the de facto capital of Europe and hundreds of thousands of square metres of office space are built.
CHEERS
Belgium may be known for its beer, but wine bars are sprouting up everywhere. Try Oeno TK, a loft-like space in the trendy Chatelain district. 29-31 Rue Africaine, +32 (0)2 534 6434, www.oenotk.be
BUSINESS TIPS FOR BRUSSELS
Steven Maisel, President of the British Chamber of Commerce in Belgium, shares his knowledge
• Look on Belgium as three distinct markets. Flanders is the business powerhouse and home to six of the country’s 10 million inhabitants. This is the Dutch or Flemish speaking part of the country. It’s OK to speak French here if you’re a Frenchman, but not necessarily if you’re Belgian. English is acceptable if you’re a Brit. Wallonia, the southern half, is Francophone. In Brussels the main language is French and the second is English, not Dutch.
• Though it’s the capital of Europe, office space is still reasonably priced. You can expect to pay considerably less than in Amsterdam, London or Paris; around €150 per square metre is quite usual.
• Hotel rates and availability are strongly influenced by the European parliamentary year. Travel during the annual recesses, around Christmas and in high summer, and you’ll get great deals.
• Employment law is stacked in favour of the employee and the rate of income tax is high. However, there is a special expatriate tax status for incoming workers; this brings the rate down to a much more manageable level. www.britcham.be
