Page 163 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Brussels Bruges Ghent & Antwerp

SHOPPING  161

starting point for any antiques high quality. The three biggest
hunter. It can take time to sort chains in Belgium – Godiva,
through the various boxes Neuhaus and Leonidas – have
of items but there are definitely many outlets throughout the city.
bargains to be found. For pre- While the area around the
sorted antiques, head instead for Grand Place has many chocolate
the more expensive market in shops, it is worth visiting the Place
the Place du Grand Sablon du Grand Sablon to find La
(weekends only). Maison Wittamer, a celebrated
family-run patisserie and
chocolatier, and also the flagship
Fashion
shop of Pierre Marcolini, maker
Though Antwerp has long of exquistely designed chocolates
been regarded as Belgium’s and a pioneer in careful cocoa-
international fashion centre, bean sourcing. Look out too for
these days it is the capital city the torréfacteur-chocolatier
itself that is creating a stir. Frederic Blondeel in the adjacent
International high street names on the Rue Downtown’s Rue Antoine Rue de la Paille, or at his original
Neuve, Brusssels Dansaert (and its continuation workshop in the Quai aux Briques
into Rue Lepage) is at the heart (near Place Sainte-Catherine)
host to the exhaustive French of Brussels’ thriving fashion
book and CD emporium Fnac industry, and the principal Biscuits
and the Belgian department outlet remains Stijl. Since 1984,
store Inno. Further south on the it has sold the work of fashion Maison Dandoy, established in
same street lies Hema, graduates from the Antwerp Art 1829, is Brussels’ most cele-
a Dutch low-cost store, Academy such as Dries van brated biscuit shop, famed for
selling everything from clothes Noten, and still offers the its exquisite if unflamboyant
to kitchen utensils. Closer to best wares produced sablés, palets, macarons and
the Grand Place is Anspach by domestic talent. florentines. The beautiful little
Shopping, which includes a Further down the street, shop in the Rue au Beurre, near
casino, concert hall, peruse the beautiful the Grand Place, has been its
restaurant, a hotel and knitwear of Annemie home from 1858, but Dandoy
upmarket shopping. Verbeke, and Martin also has outlets in Brussels and
Possibly the most Margiela’s shop in Rue beyond – even Tokyo.
impressive collection of de Flandre, which
shops is the delightful offers the apparel of one Beer
Galéries Saint-Hubert, an of Belgium’s most talked
opulent 19th-century covered about designers. On Avenue Having fallen in love with
arcade – continental Louise, check out Belgium’s beers, you may want
Europe’s first – housing a A Dries van Brussels’ trendiest hat to take a few bottles home
host of upscale outlets. Noten design designer, Elvis Pompilio. with you. Most supermarkets,
such as Delhaize, Carrefour,
GB and Match, have quite
Markets and Antiques Chocolates comprehensive selections of
Brussels is blessed with a range of There are more than 80 many of the country’s finest
markets. Most weekends you can chocolatiers listed in the Brussels beers. However, for rarer finds –
find a “brocante” – a glorified car phone book – not including as well as appropriate glasses
boot sale combined with street franchise outlets – almost all of for each beer, gift boxes and
party – somewhere in the city.
These are listed in most of the
city’s free events magazines, as
are the various farmers’ markets
found across the city. Cheapest
and most extensive of the
traditional markets is the Marché
du Midi (Sundays 6am to 1pm),
near the Gare du Midi, which
reflects the tastes of the area’s
North African community.
The eclectic Marolles Marché
aux Puces (flea market) in Place
du Jeu de Balles (daily 6am to
2pm, but best at weekends)
dates back to 1873 and is the Browsers at the Marolles flea market

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