In the first of a new series looking at the tastes, sights and sounds that make a getaway great, Liz Marcy explores the pride of Belgium.
Fine Dining
This is a city of enthusiastic eaters.Thankfully, though, gourmets as well as gourmands are catered for. Comme Chez Soi is one of Europe's top restaurants, despite its location in a rather uninteresting square (place Rouppe). Bonsoir Clara on rue Antoine Dansaert
is younger and trendier, with a modern European menu and chic, Mondrian-esque decor. Next door, Kasbah is all low-level seating and north-African-influenced food.
Shopping
There's great shopping in to be had in Brussels. You'll find classic designer boutiques on avenue Louise, while rue Antoine Dansaert is good for edgier fashion and interiors. The streets around place du Grand Sablon feature top interiors and antiques shops, and even shopaphobes will enjoy the architecture of the elegant arcades at the galeries St Hubert.
Sightseeing
Brussels' most famous monuments are certainly idiosyncratic.The Atomium was designed for the 1958 World Fair to represent the atoms in a molecule. You can take in the city views from the top, or daydream amid its space-age globes. The Mannekin Pis, the statue of a urinating little boy whose image is, you might say, number one on Belgian postcards, is a little underwhelming in reality. It's tucked away on a side street and, if it wasn't for the crowds of tourists, you might miss it entirely.
The Grand Place
Rebuilt by the Brussels guilds after the French destroyed it in 1695, the Grand
Place is one of the finest squares in Europe. Providing a natural centre to the city, it's a good starting point for a tour, as you can reach most of the main attractions on foot.
Beer
Brussels has beers and bars to suit every taste. Enjoy a hoppy blonde, a sourish geuze, or a fruit-infused lambic in the sedate atmosphere of Le Greenwich, or, for a younger scene, pop next door to Fin de Siècle. A la Morte Subite is smoky, lively and has an air of
faded grandeur. A la Bécasse is a charming, wood-panelled tavern where the drinkers share long tables and a cheery atmosphere.
Frites
The Belgians know their chips. Fried twice so they reach a perfect crispness, they're then dressed with sauces that are mostly variants on mayonnaise. There are small shops and stands all over the city - a couple near the centre are Friteland, on rue Henri Maus, and the Snack Café Mary, just around the corner on rue du Midi.
Tea Shops
If you know your first flush from your tippy, you'll appreciate Brussels' numerous tea shops. The brew is generally served loose in a silver diffuser or a cotton bag, so it can
be taken out at the desired strength, and is often enjoyed alongside snacks. Try AM Sweet in rue des Chartreux for its charming, slightly rickety interior, or Maison Dandoy on rue au Charles Buls, a long-established biscuiterie with its own tea-room.
Museums
The Musées Royaux des Beaux Arts de Belgique are a pair of cleverly interconnected museums, one representing art ancien and the other moderne. Effective colour-coding allows selective viewing of the works on display. There are several good Magrittes here, and real enthusiasts can visit the artist's house in nearby Jette, which is now a museum.
Art Nouveau
Although many fine Art Nouveau buildings were destroyed by city planners in the 1960s, there are still good examples of the style in the city's back streets. Victor Horta was one of the movement's finest proponents, and his former home and offices now form the must-see Musée Horta. If you prefer your architecture over a few beers, there are several bars with notable Art Nouveau interiors such as Le Falstaff, which is just beside the Bourse.
Graphic Art
Brussels takes its graphic arts seriously. The city is dotted with vivid, cartoon-decorated buildings, which add splashes of colour even when the weather is grey. It also boasts lots of comic shops as well as a highly regarded comic museum, the Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinée. It's worth a visit for its busy café and splendid interior, even if you think that cartoons and comics are for kids.
Easy Access
One of the great things about visiting Brussels is that it's just so darned simple. Jump on the Eurostar at Waterloo and you'll be there in about the time it takes to have
a glass of Champagne and read the paper. The city offers hotels for every budget, from cheap and cheerful to the sort of glamorous establishment you would expect of a major European capital. Perhaps the best located of all is the Hotel Amigo, which glories in a prime spot just behind the Grand Place. This is one of Rocco Forte's chic and comfortable hotels, and makes a great base from which to explore the city.
Moules
Rue des Bouchers is lined with shellfish restaurants, such as Aux Armes de Bruxelles and Chez Léon. But locals tend to head for the cafés at St Catherine instead, where you're less likely to get accosted by touting waiters. Try the charming Chez Jacques, where the menu is as simple as the interior.
Street Snacks
Enjoy traditional dishes such as witloof (chicory wrapped in ham and smothered
in cheese sauce) and waterzooi (a creamy stew, usually with chicken or fish) at 't Kelderke
on the Grand Place. Waffles are to be had from stands and small shops throughout the city such as Belgaufra in the rue Tabora.
Chocolate
The shopping districts of Brussels are full of displays of chocolate indulgence. The stylish Wittamer and Pierre Marcolini are both on place du Grand Sablon, while the renowned Neuhaus and Godiva on the Grand Place are also musts. For something a little funkier, try Planète Chocolat on rue du Lombard.
Festivals
Brussels hosts festivals ranging from music (rock, jazz and classical) to theatre, dance and film. If you plan to visit the city later in the year, you'll find a great Christmas market at St Catherine. The main tourist office is in the H�tel de Ville on the Grand Place.
Eurostar operates up to nine daily services to the heart of Brussels from the centre of London with fastest journey times only 2 hours 20 minutes (one hour less from Ashford in Kent). Fares start from only £59 return. All tickets sold to Brussels are valid for travel to/from any station in Belgium within 24 hours of Eurostar travel. For further information or to book please visit www.eurostar.com or call 08705 186 186.
(Check with AUDE on Tel: 020 7922 9831)
Save 60 per cent on a luxury stay in the heart of Brussels
If these ideas have inspired you to visit Brussels, why not take advantage of a special rate to stay in city-centre luxury? The Hotel Amigo is offering WFI readers deluxe accomodation for the price of a standard room.You and a partner will pay just €195 (£135) a night for stays on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights at the Amigo, above
and below, the elegant hotel just off the Grand Place, one of Europe's most beautiful squares. Your upgrade from standard to deluxe means a huge saving of more than
60 per cent on the usual nightly rate of €510 (£353), and also includes a full buffet breakfast.
To find out more or to book, call 00 32 2 547 4766, quoting 'Waitrose Food Illustrated'. For more information about the Hotel Amigo and other Rocco Forte Hotels,
log on to roccofortehotels.com.
This offer is subject to rate availability, prices are based on two sharing.