87 141 105 GHENT THE COAST 57 LIMBURG 177

9 LIÈGE 197

MONS 229 215 229

9 BRUSSELS THE ARDENNES GHENT 57 241

87 BRUGES

105 THE COAST

141 ANTWERP

177 LIMBURG

197 LIÈGE

215 NAMUR

229 CHARLEROI & MONS

241 THE ARDENNES Art

Art

tip

Café and bookshop

The Wiels café in the old brewing room, where three original brewing vats have been preserved, is an open area where you can discuss the exhibition you have just visited, meet friends for an organic breakfast or a healthy lunch, or read a newspaper while enjoying a cup of Buzzing art scene A new life for industrial heritage fairtrade coffee. The Wiels ≈ ≈ bookshop next to the café The visual arts are well represented in Brussels the most significant art of its time, and exploring More contemporary art works are to be admired 1930 for the Wielemans-Ceuppens brewery offers a fine selection of with two large annual art fairs, BRAFA and a history of culture 2.0. The permanent collection at Wiels. This isn’t a museum however, because (354 Avenue Van Volxem). It is a rare example of works on contemporary Art Brussels, and numerous exciting satellite holds works by artists like Daniel Johnston, there’s no permanent collection; it’s a centre for modernistic industrial architecture in . art, photography and events. Also the many galleries and the smaller Atelier Pica Pica, Barry McGee and Nicolas contemporary art where exhibitions are held of www.wiels.org architecture. You can museums, often privately owned, provide a Karakatsanis, and the museum also hosts much national and international artists: influential also find exhibition full programme throughout the year. For a talked-about temporary exhibitions. The founders names like Helena Almeida, Luc Tuymans and catalogues, artists’ long time the city lacked a museum of modern of MIMA see art as a medium to bring people Mike Kelley, but also the younger generation editions and various and contemporary art, but after years of fund- together, and they are praised for already having represented by Leigh Ledare or David Claerbout, magazines and fanzines. raising and renovations, MIMA (the Millennium brought back a little hope back to the ill-reputed among others. Wiels also has an artist-in- Iconoclast Museum of Art) finally opened its Molenbeek district. residence programme and organises lectures, doors in April 2016, in a converted brewery along www.mimamuseum.eu meetings and workshops. The centre is housed the Canal. MIMA’s mission is to be the defining in the beautifully restored Blomme building, museum of contemporary art, by presenting named after the architect who designed it in Brussels Brussels Ghent Ghent Bruges Bruges The Coast The Coast Antwerp Antwerp Limburg Limburg Liège Liège Namur Namur Charleroi & Mons Charleroi & Mons The Ardennes 24 25 The Ardennes Hotels and restaurants we love Sleep

① Au Sanglier des Ardennes ③ La Lisière Rue Comte Théodule Rue de la Forge, Durbuy d’Ursel, Durbuy www.lalisiere.be www.sanglier-des-ardennes.be ≈ ≈ This B&B with three rooms and This hotel-restaurant is famous a self-catering cottage benefits from tip in Durbuy and far beyond, the beautiful surroundings, but especially among people who have also from the passion of the owners, Sleeping in a taste for game. It is housed in a Bénédicte Burtin and Stéphane a bubble traditional natural-stone building, Cornet, who both love architecture in a wonderful setting: from the and meeting people. Here, charm In Erezée, you can have dining rooms, you look out on and authenticity go hand-in-hand the ultimate ‘glamping’ a medieval castle and the River with a sociable atmosphere, experience in a unique Ourthe flowing at the foot of the good taste and comfort. tent. It looks very similar hotel. In the restaurant, you can to a bubble, with a large expect gastronomic cuisine with translucent section so local products to make your mouth that you actually can sleep water. under the stars. The round tent has an original décor, ② Le Cor de Chasse designed as romantic 16-18 Rue des sleeping accommodation Combattants, Wéris for two people. ≈ The bathroom lies An exquisitely beautiful and high- ① outside the bubble, some quality hotel-restaurant in a castle 15 metres away. farmstead dating from 1681. In the www.ardennes-etape.be Along the River Ourthe open kitchen, chef Mario Elias ≈ and his team prepare refined and The Durbuy and La-Roche-en-Ardenne region is ‘the caves of a thousand and one nights’ due to contemporary cuisine, rewarded one of the more popular areas in the Ardennes, the magical atmosphere and the amazing cave with a Michelin star and offering particularly for those passionate about outdoor formations, as well as the range of colours of the excellent value for money. sports, for epicureans who enjoy a plentiful rocks, from pure white through soft pink and The emphasis is on seasonal serving of local specialties, and for families. orange to bright pink. regional products. The family hotel A popular destination is the Labyrinth of ≈ offers nine rooms in various price Durbuy-Barvaux, a gigantic corn labyrinth Durbuy itself has a beautiful historic centre categories, each with a modern laid out in a different pattern every year. with medieval alleyways and a number of design that blends in harmoniously Also fascinating for both children and adults splendid buildings with charming façades. with the character of the building. alike is a visit to Wéris, another of the most It’s a touristy but amazingly enjoyable town beautiful villages in the Walloon region, but with attractive shops and appetizing restaurants above all home to a number of prehistoric that are open all year round and are run by dolmens (large oblong tombs) and menhirs. friendly people. Still more impressive ancient beauty, although www.lelabyrinthe.be this time created by nature, can be admired in www.weris-info.be the Caves of Hotton. They became known as www.grottesdehotton.be Brussels Ghent Bruges The Coast Antwerp Limburg Liège Namur Charleroi & Mons The Ardennes 248 249 Culture

Culture

tip

Théâtre de Liège This theatre programs prestigious international productions and has quite an impressive modern repertoire Cultural hotspot ’s music capital of its own. It’s housed ≈ ≈ in L’Émulation, Liège has undergone quite a change in recent preserved, as well as the tiled edges and the stairs. From grand opera to innovative hard rock in have spawned successful alternative ‘do it a neo-classical building years, holding on to the ambition to finish some Below the former Olympic pool a 260-seat theatre underground bars, Liège is the place to be for yourself’ pop/rock bands like My Little Cheap from 1939 which prestigious architectural projects to boost the was installed, with a roof made out of black tiles on music lovers in Wallonia. There’s the Théâtre Dictaphone or Malibu Stacy. Another place to was transformed city’s metamorphosis from a raw and industrial- what used to be the water level. That level is now an Royal on Place de l’Opéra: a neo-classicist be is L’Escalier (on Rue Saint-Jean-en-Isle 26), by architects Pierre feeling place to a fresh and interesting destination, exhibition space. structure (built in 1820) with plush seats, a nightclub-café-turned-concert venue, Hebbelinck and Pierre ready to face the future. One of those projects is ≈ a giant chandelier, gilded woodwork and founded by Fabrice Lamproye in 1992. de Wit in 2012. They the new use of a former swimming pool, Les Bains The Cité Miroir is the heart of the cultural hotspot ceiling paintings (dating back to 1903). It has Lamproye is also the mastermind behind used a lot of wood, de la Sauvenière. It was built in Art Deco ocean of Liège, the Place Xavier Neujean. It’s where not lost any of its 19th-century splendour, Les Ardentes. First held in 2006, this Liège concrete and glass to liner style around 1938 and was quite impressive you’ll also find Cinéma Sauvenière, a cool, however, the building has kept up with pop/rock festival can boast A-list names like create a space of 7,800 at the time, with (among other things) a pool hall beautiful, alternative cinema housed in a quirky, modern times: following extensive Pavement, 50 Cent, Patti Smith and Morrissey, square metres with of 80 metres long and more than 10 metres high! contemporary building with four screens. The bar/ renovation in 2012, the roof now features a as well as successful Belgian artists like dEUS, a stripped-down but And impressive it still is, now that it has been brasserie with its courtyard terrace is the perfect giant, state-of-the-art cube, allowing large- Trixie Whitley and Arno. The annual event warm atmosphere. transformed into one of the most beautiful cultural place for a drink and serves as a cultural meeting scale operas to be staged. takes place in the first half of July at Parc Astrid www.theatredeliege.be spaces in the country. La Cité Miroir (‘Mirror City’ point. Also on the Place Xavier Neujean you’ll find ≈ (Coronmeuse) and welcomes 60,000 festival- in English) is a place for education, debate and a concert venue (Reflektor) and a bookshop (Livre It takes a little longer to find the best rock and goers. Liège welcomes festival-goers that are culture, with theatre, music, conferences and two aux Trésors). pop: for that, you will either have to go into jazz as well by the way, namely during the permanent exhibitions, all against the backdrop www.citemiroir.be to small bars with young patrons, or to annual international jazz festival in May. of what’s considered one of the most important www.grignoux.be underground clubs like Cupper (Rue St www.operaliege.be examples of the architecture of the Interbellum. www.reflektor.be Bartelemy) or La Zone. This is where you will www.lesardentes.be The turquoise tiled floor of the pool has been www.livreauxtresors.be experience those typical Liège dynamics that www.jazzliege.be Brussels Brussels Ghent Ghent Bruges Bruges The Coast The Coast Antwerp Antwerp Limburg Limburg Liège Liège Namur Namur Charleroi & Mons Charleroi & Mons The Ardennes 206 207 The Ardennes More hotels we love Sleep

① ④ Sleep De Witte Lelie Kaai 11 16 Keizerstraat 11 Sint-Michielskaai www.dewittelelie.be www.kaai11.be ≈ ≈ Steven Spielberg, Madonna and A stylish place to stay on the river Naomi Campbell are just a few with several apartments on different of the celebrity guests who have levels of an house. The chosen this beautiful and luxurious rooms are furnished in a luxurious boutique hotel for their stay in modern style, with small kitchens. ③ Antwerp. It has 11 rooms situated The rooms at the front have in three 17th-century houses, sweeping views of the . and includes a 70-square-metres presidential suite featuring a ⑤ Au lit Jerôme fireplace with gold-leaf detailing. 129 Amerikalei ≈ ② The Soul Apartments A gorgeous B&B in a town house & Studios with lofty stucco ceilings, marble 14 & 15 Marnixplaats fireplaces and antique furniture. www.soulsuites.com The friendly hosts have added to ≈ the charm with quirky touches like These luxurious apartments and fireplaces filled with books, stuffed studios in the trendy Zuid quarter animals and old bathtubs. Breakfast are the ideal place to spend a few is served in a room overlooking the nights, or enjoy an extended stay. garden. Designed in a modern eclectic style Hotel Julien they offer complete comfort and ≈ privacy. The owner also runs an ③ Mouche Van Hool, founder of Hotel Julien intimate hair spa and the café with at 24 Korte Nieuwstraat, transformed a 16th- healthy foods and drinks on the century property into a luxurious boutique ground floor. hotel with two Mediterranean patios and a spa in its vaulted basement. It is a small hotel with ③ Maison Nationale the intimate atmosphere of a B&B but offering 49 Nationalestraat full hotel service. Interior design has always www.maisonnationale.be been Mouche Van Hool’s hobby. Thanks to her ≈ unique touch, Hotel Julien has become one of the A sublime neoclassical townhouse most beautiful hotels in Antwerp with a trendy, with four suites located in the hip creative and contemporary style, combining fashion quarter. The rooms are modern design furniture with a historical setting. decorated in a pure minimalist style, On the walls are photos from the Antwerp gallery with white brick walls, slate grey Fifty One (see p. 151). There is a roof terrace fabrics and little potted plants. overlooking the cathedral. Hotel Julien was You can go for breakfast in the café named the best hotel in Antwerp by TripAdvisor. on the groundfloor. www.hotel-julien.com Brussels Ghent Bruges The Coast Antwerp Limburg Liège Namur Charleroi & Mons The Ardennes 172 173 BRUGES

Bruges is perhaps the ‘brightest side of well preserved, and they stand on picturesque Belgium’: a beautiful city, everyone would squares or on the banks of enchanting agree, with numerous shining examples of waterways, the canals. Some of the buildings splendid medieval buildings, a wealth of historic are now museums where a treasure trove of art, luxury shops and a high quality of life for historic art can be admired, such as the truly its inhabitants. Those who are interested in inimitable work of the Flemish Primitives. Other trendy, edgy boutiques, in hip design previews buildings house shops that, as a rule, represent or in what is hot and happening in the art world quality and refinement in their particular sector might find it difficult to satisfy their appetite in (clothes, food, etc.), or extremely tasteful Bruges. But those who love history, grandeur, hotels and B&Bs. In addition, many Belgian peace and quiet, the finest chocolate, luxury top chefs choose Bruges as their base, where and a hint of laid-back mellowness will fall in the sophisticated and well-to-do clientele that love with Belgium here. Certainly, visitors from enjoys their culinary creations can be found. relatively new countries will be amazed at what As a tourist, you will not be alone here, but in they see in Bruges, just by walking through the the narrow streets just beyond the centre, streets: the houses here are centuries old and a delightful, tranquil peace prevails. Architecture More buildings we love Architecture

② ② ① Boekentoren (Book Tower) ② Vooruit Arts Centre De Krook St Peter’s Abbey 9 Rozier 23 Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 1 Miriam Makebaplein 9 Sint-Pietersplein www.boekentoren.be vooruit.be dekrook.be sintpietersabdij.stad.gent ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ In 1933 architect Henry van de Velde This ‘opera for the workmen’ was The design of the brand-new The Sint-Pietersabdij used to proposed his design for this new designed with the prospect of the De Krook library building, house monks, but now organises university library. The 64-metre- 1913 World Exhibition in Ghent. by Coussée & Goris, is both beautiful exhibitions (often on photography) high building in the shape of a Greek It’s a showpiece of the eclectic style, and revolutionary. It resembles that are certainly worth visiting. cross was built as a landmark on housing amongst other things a café, an inverted glass tower, with The abbey has a lovely garden with the highest point of the city. It’s a a restaurant, a library, a theatre and a horizontally-layered steel beams a vineyard, a herb garden and an modernist masterpiece which above ballroom. Displayed above the stage on the outside. Actually, it is just orchard, with here and there a ruin all excels in its sobriety; only the in gilt letters are the words ‘Kunst one element in a comprehensive city that adds an extra touch of charm impressive belvedere contains veredelt’ (Art refines). The Vooruit renewal project, which also includes to the whole. Art Deco decorations. The tower has building is now an internationally a complete makeover of continued to house the university reputed arts centre but, more the old Winter Circus building library right up to the present and importantly, it arguably has the and the construction of two public ① contains more than three million best terrace in town where you can squares and a summer terrace along books, some 48 kilometres! have a drink and grab a bite to eat in the water. For a nice view of the new summer. De Krook library and a delicious bowl of soup, we recommend lunch at Soepplus. Everyone loves this cool ④ ② white soup bar. On sunny days, the outdoor terrace is also a great spot to sit and watch people passing by in the public square.

62 63