Brussels Flights
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Belgium celebrated its 175th anniversary of statehood during 2005, but the history of the nations capital goes back much further. Brussels was already a thriving trade centre by the Middle Ages. The Bruxellois have inherited the wisdom of ancestors who lived under Roman, Spanish, Austrian, French, Dutch and German domination their country winning independence only in 1830. Today, Brussels boasts a highly skilled and adaptable workforce. Despite the population of Belgium numbering only 10.2 million, with Brussels itself just under a million-strong, the Bruxellois have the ability to compensate for their small numbers with skilled diplomacy, compromise and negotiation. These striking traits are followed closely by a highly intellectual and offbeat sense of humour, underpinned by a strong sense of the bizarre. This may help explain why the Surrealist art movement, pioneered by René Magritte, took off in Brussels. A playful and irreverent approach to life is also manifest in the Belgian love affair with the comic strip, popularised worldwide with Hergés boy hero, Tintin.
Language is a complex and serious issue in bilingual (French and Flemish) Brussels, as well as being a focus of communal tensions, more of which surfaced in the early part of 2005. Some 85% of native Bruxellois speak French as their first language. Ironically, Brussels is also capital of Flemish-speaking Flanders. However, the fierce linguistic debate also takes a lighter form, with constant puns and word games forming a complex web. For instance, while a top-notch restaurant is called Comme Chez Soi (Just Like Home), a less prestigious establishment calls itself Comme Chez Moi (Just Like My Home), with more than a twist of irony.
Yet the image of the city suffers abroad, due to its very diversity, as well as the self-effacing nature of its quirky inhabitants, too modest to blow their own trumpet. Brussels has no symbol to rival the sky scraping Eiffel Tower, aside from the tiny but famed Manneken-Pis, a statuette of a urinating boy.
The first visit to Brussels, uncoloured by expectations, is therefore all the more rewarding. Narrow cobbled streets open suddenly into the breathtaking Grand-Place, with its ornate guild houses, impressive Town Hall and buzzing atmosphere. It would be difficult to find a more beautiful square in the whole of Europe. Bars, restaurants and museums are clustered within the compact city centre, enclosed within the petit ring, which follows the path of the 14th-century city walls.
The medieval city is clearly defined by its narrow, labyrinthine streets, making it easy to distinguish the later additions, such as Léopold IIs Parisian-style boulevards (Belliard and La Loi) today lined with embassies, banks and the grand apartments of the bourgeoisie and close to the glitzy new EU quarter. The working class still congregates in the Marolles district, in the shadow of the Palais de Justice, although this area is on the up-and-up. New immigrant communities are settling in the rundown area around the Gare du Nord. Neighbouring communes, St-Gilles and Ixelles, draw an arty crowd with their in shops and restaurants. These are worth the trek, if only to glimpse some of Brussels finest Art Nouveau buildings, the style developed by Bruxellois Victor Horta, the son of a shoemaker.
With a pleasant temperate climate (warm summers and mild winters) and a host of sights and delights to entertain, Brussels offers the visitor a great deal more than just beer and chocolate (although excelling in both).
Belgian Tourist Office
Address: Rue du Marché-aux-Herbes 63, 1000 Brussels, Belgium, (UK Address: 217 Marsh Wall, London, E14 9FJ)
Email: info@belgiumtheplaceto.be
Phone: +32 (0) 2 504 0390 (for UK +44 (0) 20 7531 0390)
- Belgian Centre of Comic Strip Art
The Belgian Centre of Comic Strip Art is dedicated to the nation's great love of the cartoon, and celebrates artists such as Georges Remi, otherwise known as Herge, the creator of one of the most famous comic book series - Tintin. - Marché du Midi Market
The Marché du Midi is Brussels' largest food market, a haven of fresh fruit, vegetables, North African herbs and spices, olives, cheese and fish, big enough to provide a whole Sunday morning's entertainment. - Brussels on Stage
In the vaulted chambers beneath the Galerie de la Reine, Brussels on Stage reveals the city's vivid past and rich cultural heritage with a series of exhibitions and shows. From the Mannekin Pis to mussels, this slightly wacky concept invites visitors to step back in time and discover the Belgian capital's hidden corners... - Maison Cauchie
Designed and built by Paul Cauchie, the Maison Cauchie demonstrates the influence of the Roman art of the fresco as well as specific Art Nouveau traits. Newly renovated, it is a must-see for architectural enthusiasts and art historians. - Mirano Continental
Known as Brussels' most exclusive club, the Mirano - a converted cinema - remains a favourite if you can actually get through the door. Music is a blend of house and garage. Unlike equivalent clubs in Paris or London, entry does not depend on looking like you've just stepped out of Vogue - if anything, a clean-cut outfit and no trainers is the best policy.
Airport Guide
Brussels Airport
Airport Information
Country
Belgium
Address
Brussels International Airport Company (BIAC), Brussels Airport, B-1930 Zaventem, Belgium
Country Code
32
Telephone
0900 70000 (within Belgium) or (0)2 753 7753 (outside Belgium)
Fax
(0)2 753 4250
info@biac.be
Website
www.brusselsairport.be
Location
The airport is located 12km (8 miles) northeast of Brussels
Time Zone
GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October)
Number of Terminals
1
Driving Directions
The airport is easily accessible from both the Brussels inner and outer ring road (follow signs for the Airport or Zaventem).
Car Parking
Both short- and long-term parking is available 24 hours a day. NV Interparking SA (tel: (0)2 715 2110) offers three short-term car parks with direct access to the terminal, and two long-term car parks. The Lock Park (tel: (0)2 715 2128) has security long-term parking facilities and is located next to the terminal, while Car Hotel (tel: (0)2 753 0110; website: www.carhotel.be) provides a shuttle service to/from the terminal, as well as valeting service. Spaces in the Car Hotel should be reserved 48 hours in advance. VIP parking is also available (tel: (0)2 715 2123).
Car Hire
Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, National/Alamo and Sixt are all represented at the airport.
Public Transport
Rail: Airport City Express trains to the city go to Brussels’ three main stations (Gare Centrale, Gare du Nord and Gare du Midi). Direct trains are also available to Ghent, De Panne and Quievrain/Quevy. Further information is available from Belgian Railways (tel: (0)2 528 2828; website: www.b-rail.be). Road: Taxi: Metered taxis are available outside the Arrivals hall. Taxi Hendriks (tel: (0)2 752 9800) has taxis for wheelchair users. Bus: De Lijn buses go to the city centre. MIVB/STIB express buses link the airport to NATO, the European Commission area and the city centre. Coach: Scheduled coaches run to Antwerp, Brussels and Eindhoven.
Information and Help Desks
An airport information desk is available in the Departures area. There is also an Information Call Center (tel: (0)2 753 7753).
Airport Facilities
Money and communications: Facilities include a bank and post office, bureaux de change and ATMs. Mobile telephones can be hired from Locaphone in the Arrivals hall. Internet, data ports for laptops and wireless connection are available at the Communications Center in the Arrivals hall. Eating and drinking: There are several bars, cafés, restaurants and vending machines available. Shopping: There is a wide variety of shops, including duty-free. Luggage: Porters are available on request (tel: (0)2 753 4117 or 6914). There are lockers on level 0. Passengers should contact the airport authority (tel: (0)2 753 6820) for lost property. Other facilities: Baby-changing facilities are situated throughout the terminal building.
Conference and Business Facilities
The Regus Skyport Meeting Centre (tel: (0)2 714 0200; website: www.regus.com) offers ten meeting rooms, secretarial services and wireless Internet connection. Airport Forum (tel: (0)2 714 0770; website: www.airport-forum.com) provides welcome desks and lounges, as well as facilities for telecommunications, secretarial and other services. The Sky Hall Reception Room (tel: (0)2 280 8410) has event space for up to 1,500 people.
Disabled Facilities
Disabled toilets, lifts and ramps are available. Passengers requiring special assistance should inform their airline prior to travel and arrive at the airport at least two hours in advance. There is a designated pick-up and drop-off zone for disabled passengers. Front Park 1 and 2 both provide disabled parking spaces.
Airport Hotels
There are some 13 hotels in the area, including the Hotel Formule 1 Brussels Airport (tel: (0)2 725 6900) and the Sheraton Brussels Airport Hotel (tel: (0)2 710 8000), which is located at the airport. Hotel reservations can be made in the Arrivals hall, either at the reservations panel or through Open Tours (tel: (0)2 753 2242; website: www.open-tours.com).
City
Brussels
Full Airport Name
Brussels Airport
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