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DESTINATION GUIDES
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117
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UP TO €50
Jacques
(44, Quai
aux Briques, tel: 02
513 2762) One of
Brussels’ top fish
restaurants is set
in Ste Catherine
on the old quays of
the former port of
Brussels.The simple
interior, with tables
overlooking the wide
square, belies the
quality of the cuisine.
Try the delicious
marinated herring
filets or the very
traditional
Anguilles au
Vert
– eels served in a
sorrel-based sauce.
EXCLUSIVE
L’Ecailler du Palais
Royal
(18Rue
Bodenbroek, tel: 02
5128751)This is a
top-class gastronomic
restaurant with a
relaxed ambience in
the heart of Sablon.
Linger over the entrée
of delicate salmon
mousse, the lobster
ravioli with a subtle
curry sauce and the
lengthywine list.
Brussels
Belgium
DIALLING CODE
+32
CURRENCY
€
FLY FROM
Berlin, Geneva,
Liverpool, Lyon, Milan
(MXP), Nice,Toulouse
FROM THE
AIRPORT
Pre-bookyour taxi
at easyJet.com.
A local taxi costs €45.
Trains depart
every 15minutes.
Tickets: €5 single.
Visit the Europcar
desk for special
easyJet rates.
BON APPETIT
UP TO €15
El Vergel
(39Rue duTrône, tel:
025026930)This café
is popularwithworkers
at the government
ministries for its tasty
LatinAmerican and
Mediterranean lunches
and takeaways.The
plat du jour – served in
seriously large portions
– is€10 .
UP TO €30
Ma
Folle de Soeur
(53
Chaussée deCharleroi,
tel: 025382239)A
cosy restaurant with
a range of European
cuisine.Try the tapas
finger foodor the
entrecôte à laToscana
infusedwith the
flavours of rocket and
sun-dried tomatoes.
TAXI
AFTER DARK
LOW KEY
Cirio
(18Rue de la Bourse,
tel: 02 512 1395) Full
of character – and
characters – this bar,
with its gilt chandeliers,
comfortable velvet
armchairs,white-
apronedwaiters and
longmahogany bar,
has been a popular
local for over a
hundred years.One of
Jacque Brel’s favourite
watering holes, it
serves awide range
of beers, champagne
andwine.
LIVE MUSIC
Botanique
(236 Rue
Royale, tel: 02 218
3732) This cultural
centre, set in the
former Botanical
Gardens, is a great
venue to catch all the
latest groups in the
Belgian capital as
well as big European
bands.All tastes from
electro to house and
rock are catered for.
LATE & LIVELY
You
(18 Rue
Duquesnoy, tel: 02
639 1400) Onmost
nights, this centrally
located club is packed,
as the city’s youth
rave to housemusic
until late. Sunday
night is gay night.
THIS MONTH
SHOP
One of
the classiest and
most-respected
pastrymakers and
chocolatiers of
Belgium isWittamer.
In the cosy shop, with
its café above, you can
take your time over
themost delicious
creations, including
both edible and very
drinkable smooth,
dark chocolate (12
Place du Grand
Sablon).
SEE
TheQueen
Elizabeth International
Musical festival,
Belgium’s prestigious
international
competition for young
classical musicians,
takes place at a
variety of locations
throughout the Belgian
capital (cmireb.be,
until 26May).
GO
Wander around
theSablon area of
central Brussels,which
has an incredible
range of art galleries,
restaurants and
antique shops all within
a short distance of
eachother in a series
of pretty squares and
narrowcobbled streets.
ESCAPE
At
Ronquières, the
inclinedplane is an
extraordinary feat of
engineering. It replaced
an arduous, 14-lock,
70mclimbon the
Brussels-Charleroi
canal with a 1.5km
railway.Boat trips and
organised tours are
available. It takes 45
minutes by train to
Braine-le- Comte (voies
deau.hainaut.be).
NOWAY!
The imposing Royal
Palace of Brussels,
built in a similar
neoclassical style to
BuckinghamPalace,
has a façade 50 per
cent longer than its
British equivalent.
Nick Haslam
converted barge
located on thewater
of theHarbourside
makes theGlass Boat
one of Bristol’s premier
venues for dining.The
restaurant workswith
the best local suppliers
to create simple,
classic dishes.
AFTER DARK
LOW KEY
Watershed Media
Centre
(1 Canon’s
Road,Harbourside, tel:
0117 927 6444) For a
laid-back evening of
independentmovie-
watching andwine-
sipping head toThe
Watershed.There’s a
little terrace onwhich
to enjoy a drinkwhile
watching the sun go
down over thewater.
LIVE MUSIC
Thekla
(TheGrove,
EastMudDock, tel:
01179293301)The
Thekla isBristol’s
onlymusic venue and
nightclubon a boat,
and it plays host to the
best of the city’sweekly
clubnights.National
and international live
acts also take to the
stage eachweek.
LATE & LIVELY
The Lanes Bristol
(22 Nelson Street,
tel: 0117 325 1979)
Offering karaoke,
bowling, dining,
music and dancing all
under one roof,The
Lanes even features
a cocktail bar made
frombowling-lane
wood.
THIS MONTH
SHOP
While away
some hours in the
Old City, with its
cobbled streets and
historic lanes. Here,
St Nicholas Market
teems with stalls
selling jewellery
and art, ethnic food
and antiques: a real
eclecticmix of goods.
SEE
Aspectacular
newproduction of
AndrewLloydWebber’s
The PhantomOf The
Opera
arrives atThe
Bristol Hippodrome
thismonth.The show,
which starts on 22
May, haswon over
60major theatre
awards.
GO
Withinwalking
distance of the city
centre is North Street
in Bedminster, popular
with locals and visitors
alike who enjoy
unwinding in themany
cafés, bars, shops
and the well-known
Tobacco Factory
theatre, which has
regular livemusic.
ESCAPE
A30-minute drive east
of the city,Westonbirt,
is the National
Arboretum, home
to 3,000 different
species of trees and
more than 16,000
individual plants.
Spring is one of the
finest times of the
year to visit.
NOWAY!
The pirate Captain
Blackbeard once had
a hideaway under
St Mary Redcliffe
Church. His birthplace
and childhood home
still stands on
Bristol’s harbourside.
Anna Slade
Book theJacque-
LouisDavidSuiteat
thishistorichotel and
staywhere theartist
livedandpainted
in the 19thcentury.
From€130,book at
hotels.easyJet.com
THE DOMINICAN
HOTEL
★★★★
★
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