september2014
FLYTO
brussels
frommorethan50europeandestinations.
brusselsairlines.com
SLEEP
Justmetres from theGrandPlace, the
BestWesternPlusAlizé
(PassageSaint-Pierre
34, (0)56561561, hotelalize.be, standardsingle
from€100) offersall themodconsa traveller
needs– indoor parking, freewi-fi, air
conditioningandacontinental breakfast.
EAT
For heartyBelgiandishes, showup
earlyandbaga tableat
LaCloche
(Ruede
Tournai 9).Hugelypopularwith localsand
tourists, thecosyatmosphereandgenerous
portionsat thisgastropubwillmake for
amemorablemeal.
CULTURE
The
Fêtede laMain
(PlaceonMain
7711, Dottignies) isagreat little folklore festival
happeningover threedays from20-22
September. There’ll bedeliciousstreet food,
markets, hot air balloon rides, liveconcertsanda
colourful parade through thevillage.
SHOP
Youcan’t visitMouscronwithout dropping
by the
Mall of theDolphins
(4RueFather
Damien). Thismid-rangeshoppingcentrehasan
H&Mstore, aPizzaHut andapet shopcalled
Maxi Zoo, but sadly, nodolphins.
LATER
Right on theBestWestern’sdoorstep
is theGrandPlace, linedwithbarsandclubs.
LeBrasseurMouscron
(GrandPlace 17) isone
of thebest, serving loadsof deliciousBelgian
beerson tap. If theweather’snice, everyone
spillsout onto the footpath.
TIP
ThebalmySeptemberweather isperfect
for astroll in thebeautiful
Parc deMouscron
.
MartinaDanelaite
TRAIN
Theairport
trainstation is
locatedbelow the
terminal atBasement
level-1.Thereare four
trains toBrussels-
Nordeveryhour,
whereyoucanchange
to theBelgian
Railwaysdirect
service toMouscron.
The journey takes
90minutesand
asecond-class
singlecosts€21.20.
TAXI
A taxi from
Brusselsairport costs
approximately€160
and the journey takes
about90minutes.
TOURIST INFO
mouscron.be
/
info
10,449,361 +32 20°C
Euro (EUR)
mouscron
belgium
114kmfrombrussels
LaCloche isa
friendlygastropub
servingexcellent
regional dishes
Eat adozendifferent
stylesof oysters
atDeMosselbeurs
SLEEP
Perched right on theboardwalk,
the
ThermaePalace
(KoninginAstridlaan7,
(0)59806644, thermaepalace.be, rooms from
€99) offers roomswithseaviewsandgood
restaurants.
HotelMondo
(LéonSpilliaertstraat
1, (0)59700806,mondohotels.eu, rooms
from€89) isa three-star art deco-style
art hotel ashortwalk from thebeach.
EAT
Traditionalistseatmusselsonly from
September toApril, and thebusy
De
Mosselbeurs
(Dwarstraat 10) servesup
more thanadozenversions, frombasic to
Thai-style, spicedwithcoconut, curryand
coriander.Otherwiseheaddown to
Ostend
Queen
(Westhelling 12),whereyou’ll feel
likeyou’vesteppedaboardacruise liner
that servesexcellent seafood.
CULTURE
From 12-20September, catch
previewsofBelgianand international filmsat the
Film Festival
(filmfestivaloostende.be).
SHOP
Stockupon local delicaciesat the
outdoormarket on the
Wapenplein
every
Monday, ThursdayandSaturday.
LATER
Choose from500 typesof beer and
50kindsof
genever
(aBelgian juniper-flavoured
spirit) at theEnglishpub-style
CaféBottelje
(Louisastraat 19) or throwshapeson the
dancefloor at
TaoBar
(Langestraat 24-26).
TIP
Download the ‘Midnight LoveTour’ app from
the tourist office–a two-hour audiovisual tour
ofMarvinGaye’sOstend (thesinger lived
here in theearly 1980s).
RenéeCordes
TRAIN
FromBrussels
Central Station,
a train journey to
Ostend takes
a littleover an
hour;most trains
aredirector require
a transfer inBruges.
A round-trip ticket
costs€33.60.
CAR
Ostend isabout
115kmnorthwestof
Brussels.Rent acar
atBrusselsZaventem
Airport and take
theE40highway
to thecoast.
TOURIST INFO
visitoostende.be/en
/
info
10,449,361 +32 14°C
Euro (EUR)
ostend
belgium
115kmfrombrussels
64
