Page 234 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

232  FR ANCE AND THE L OW C OUNTRIES

Shopping & Entertainment Brussells’ famous Marché aux
Puces is held daily on the Place
Belgium is an ideal place to shop for luxury goods, from fine du Jeu de Balle, though the
chocolates and cutting-edge fashion to mounted diamonds. biggest assortment of items
As a virtually duty-free zone, Luxembourg attracts tourists in can be found on Sundays.
search of cheap cigarettes and alcohol. For relatively small
cities, Brussels and Luxembourg City offer a wide range of Bookstores
cultural events. Those who prefer outdoor activities will find In Brussels, Waterstones sells
plenty to entertain them. The flat Flanders region in Belgium English-language magazines
is ideal cycling country, while the hilly Ardennes and the and books. For international
Petite Suisse area of Luxembourg are popular with hikers. newspapers, go to the Librairie
Louis d’Or or Sterling Books.
English-language books and
newspapers can be bought in
Where to Shop
a fall in the number of people Luxembourg City at Chapter 1.
For luxury items and gifts, one entering the trade in recent
of Brussels’ best shopping years has resulted in a shortage Entertainment Listings
arcades is the Galéries Saint- of authentic, handmade goods.
Hubert. It houses several Before purchasing an item, The principal sources of
jewelry stores, the Belgian make sure it has not been entertainment information
leather-bag maker Delvaux, manufactured in the Far East. in Belgium are The Bulletin,
fine chocolate stores, and Places to shop for authentic published weekly online, and
smart boutiques. The Galéries Belgian lace include Maison F. the Agenda listings magazine.
d’Ixelles is full of tiny ethnic Rubbrecht in Brussels and the Details of events in
shops and cafés, while the Kant Centrum in Bruges. The Luxembourg are available
quaint Galérie Bortier is the latter also has a museum of online via the www.visit
place to shop for antiquarian lace-making. luxembourg.com website.
books and maps. Specialty Belgian beers can be
Top fashion designers are bought at Brussels’ Beer Mania, Opera, Classical Music,
well represented in Brussels. while Little Nemo and Utopia
Their outlets can be found on specialize in comic-strip and Dance
Avenue Louise and Boulevard memorabilia. If you plan to Brussels’ Opera House, La
de Waterloo. For the original invest in diamonds, or simply Monnaie, is among Europe’s
creations of the Antwerp Six wish to gaze and admire, finest venues for opera. The
and of new-wave designers, Diamondland in Antwerp is a season runs from September
try Rue Antoine Dansaert. good place to start. through June, and most
Less expensive, mainstream Among the best buys in productions are sold out many
stores, including Belgium’s Luxembourg are fuel, tobacco, months in advance.
only department store, Inno, and alcohol, due to the low rate Designed by Victor Horta in
are located in the Rue Neuve. of duty imposed on such goods. 1928, the Palais des Beaux-Arts
Inno is not spectacular by One of the country’s most is home to the Belgian National
British or American standards. famous manufacturing names Orchestra and boasts the city’s
The principal shopping areas is Villeroy & Boch, makers of largest auditorium for classical
in Luxembourg City are the fine porcelain and tableware. music. The main concert season
Grand Rue and its side streets, Their flagship store is in the lasts from September to June.
and the Auchan shopping center, Rue du Fossé in the capital. Regular performances of
which is found on Kirchberg. There is also a factory outlet contemporary dance take place
northwest of the city center at the Art Deco Kaaitheater and
where you can buy seconds the Halles de Schaerbeek.
What to Buy at a 20 percent discount. Luxembourg’s Printemps
Belgian chocolate is considered Musical is a festival of classical
by many to be the finest in the music concerts and ballet
world. Among the internationally Markets that takes place in the capital
renowned “grandes maisons de From 9am on Saturdays and throughout April and May.
chocolat,” with stores in Brussels, Sundays, Brussels’ Place du Principal venues include the
are Godiva and Wittamer. The Grand Sablon is the site of a fine Conservatoire de Musique
sweet-toothed will also be antiques market. Also worth de la Ville de Luxembourg
tempted by the edible visiting is the huge, vibrant and the Grand Théâtre de
chocolate sculptures produced market around the Gare du Midi Luxembourg. The City Tourist
by Pierre Marcolini and by the (Sundays, 6am to 1pm), with its Information Office on the Place
wares of fine-biscuit specialist mix of North African and home- d’Armes is able to provide more
Dandoy. Another famous grown delicacies, including oils, information and assist with
Belgian export is lace, though spices, and exotic herbs. ticket reservations.

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