Belgium Offers Visitors the Essence of Europe

Belgium has a wealth of attractions for business and leisure travelers, and its tourism industry welcomes continued investment.

Strategically located in the heart of Europe, Belgium is one of the world’s most diverse countries, with three official languages (Dutch, French and German and English is the unofficial fourth language) and varied topography that ranges from unspoiled beaches to forests and high hills.

Only a short train ride from most European capitals, Brussels has long been a favorite among European travelers for weekend getaways. Belgium’s capital is filled with cultural attractions as well as some of the world’s finest restaurants and boutiques.

Beyond Brussels, visitors can take a cruise on a canal, treat themselves with a taste of waffles, sample some of the world’s best beer and chocolate, tour castles, search for treasures at outdoor antique markets, practice all kinds of sports, visit fine museums, indulge in spas, and much more. The country is well served by train and road networks to help visitors get around.

Often called the ‘Essence of Europe’, Belgium offers great diversity in a small area. Flanders, a flat land crisscrossed by canals, is proud of its medieval art cities: Antwerp, Bruges and Ghent. In Wallonia are the rolling hills of the Ardennes, countless castles, and the historic cities of Liege, Namur, and Tournai. The city of Brussels is one of the world’s great cosmopolitan capitals, home to both the European Union and NATO, as well as a wealth of international trade and finance companies. Belgium is many countries in one.

Brussels mayor Welcomes Visitors

Freddy Thielemans, Mayor of Brussels, is very proud of his city’s role as a hub for the arts as well as the capital of the European Union and a major business base.

Asked to define what gives Brussels its charm, he says, “One example is the famous market square, where we have fantastic events year-round, for example at Christmas. The city also has many architectural landmarks and cultural venues. Brussels is truly the crossroads of Europe.”

The mayor welcomes American visitors to Brussels and believes that Belgium and the United States will continue to be strong allies and trade partners. He says, “Brussels and all of Belgium enjoy very close ties with the United States, especially the East Coast.I view Belgium and the United States as equals, and I think we can certainly learn from each other.”

Promoting Brussels’ tourism attractions

Thielemans cites the many sectors in which Belgium has developed a competitive edge and singles out tourism as one with strong growth potential. “We need to sell Belgium’s tourism appeal to the outside world, which is something we have not done in the past,” he says.

One of Belgium’s key attractions as a tourism destination is its easy access to other countries throughout Europe. The mayor says, “Europeans have been coming to Belgium for many hundreds of years.Today, there are direct flights from Brussels to many major cities in Europe, including Paris, London, Frankfurt and Amsterdam.The world is at your fingertips here in Belgium.”

Modern Car

“We have a great reputation in Belgium.”

Modern Car, associate of the Belgian Royal Warrant, is a family-owned company founded in the 1970s that has grown to become a leader in Belgium’s car-rental sector.

Modern Car provides services for individual and corporate customers as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other prominent local institutions, including the American Embassy.

For United States Vice President Biden’s recent visit to Belgium, for example, Modern Car provided most of the vehicles. Stéphane Bombeek, Owner, explains, “We have a great reputation in Belgium. We are very trustworthy and we like to prove ourselves to our customers.”

Stéphane Bombeek anticipates continued growth for the company in the coming years, and he welcomes American visitors to Belgium and to Modern Car.

les Trois Clés

“American tourists feel comfortable here.”

Les 3 Clés is strategically located in Gembloux in the heart of Belgium within easy access of France, Germany, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, and often hosts meetings and conferences.

The family-owned, 45-room property also serves leisure travelers, particularly on weekends, and is a favorite venue for banquets, weddings and other special events. Amenities include wireless Internet, a business centre, non-smoking rooms, a restaurant and bar, a garden terrace and a range of special services.

Marc Horgnies, Managing Director says that Les 3 Clés, which is part of the Best Western network, is popular with American clients, both corporate and individual. “American tourists feel comfortable here and are reassured by the Best Western brand. We hosted Lance Armstrong and Sheryl Crow during the Tour de France, and we work with Citibank and many other American companies,” he says.

Even with the global financial crisis, Les 3 Clés is doing well this year, and in 2008 it achieved revenues of€1.6 million. Horgnies welcomes American travelers to Les 3 Clés. He says, “Come to Belgium and to Wallonia because you can still have an authentic Belgian experience here.The air is clean and we have green landscapes. American people will enjoy getting to know Belgium.”

Stanhope Hotel

“Our strengths are our location, history, exclusivity, and loyal employees.”

The Stanhope Hotel, Belgium’s first five-star hotel, has a long tradition of providing exceptional services, and often hosts prominent political figures and royalty.

Every room in the 108-room Stanhope has three telephones and all sorts of upscale amenities. A unique feature is that guests can stay in a town home instead of a regular room. The Stanhope is part of the Thon Hotels group, one of Brussels’ leading hotel groups, which has five other properties in the city and will open a new hotel in 2012.

Celine Batteauw, Marketing Coordinator of Thon Hotels, explains, “Our concern is to offer an unforgettable hotel experience for our guests. Our strengths are our location, history and exclusivity.” The Stanhope offers a luxurious escape to your daily life.

Silken Berlaymont Hotel

“Belgium is a lot more than beer and chocolate!”

The four-star, 214-room Hotel Silken Berlaymont, ideally located in the heart of Brussels next to the European Commission, makes an excellent base for international travelers.

The hotel offers personalized services and superb facilities as well as unique features – including an exhibit of contemporary photography – that set it apart from its competitors.

Guests can enjoy the Relax Spa, dine in the stylish L’Objectif restaurant or the convivial Jacquemotte Coffee House, and sample beers and cocktails in the News Bar. For business travelers, the hotel has state-of-the-art meeting rooms for up to 150 guests.

Frédéric Hill, General Manager, welcomes American guests to the Silken Berlaymont and to Brussels. He says, “Belgium is a lot more than beer and chocolate! It’s well worth a visit.”

la Truffe Noire

“We provide much more than food.”

La Truffe Noire, named for the famous French black truffle, has been known for 21 years for its exceptional gourmet cuisine.

Owner Luigi Ciciriello explains, “We offer fine Italian food with a bit of a French accent, or you could also say that we offer fine French food with an Italian touch. Our cuisine is unique, unlike any other in the world. When we serve a dish to our customers, they become the best ambassadors for our food. We believe in passion, class, and refinement.” Awarded a coveted Michelin star in its first year of operations, La Truffe Noire is still ranked one of the top five restaurants in Brussels.

Unique atmosphere

The recently redecorated restaurant on Boulevard de la Cambre in the heart of Brussels has become a favorite among residents and visitors to the city thanks to its special atmosphere and world-class service. “We provide much more than food, and La Truffe Noire is much more than a restaurant: it is theater. We have a wonderful team, many of whom have been here since the beginning,” Ciciriello says proudly. The restaurant regularly showcases individual artists, whose works diners can view before their meal.

La Truffe Noire’s new web site gives potential guests a chance to take a tour of the dining room and check out the menu before their visit, and customers can also reserve a table online. Groups can opt for a private dining room, and the restaurant also has a smoking room and even a Feng Shui terrace.

Dishes feature ‘black diamond from the Earth’

In addition to its specialty ingredient – black and white truffles, presented raw in salads, baked whole with a bit of port wine, or starring in sauces for all kinds of dishes – La Truffe Noire features a changing menu based on seasonal market offerings. Monthly menus are published on the restaurant’s web site. All menus include inventive dishes that bring out the best in the truffle, described by Ciciriello as “a true black diamond from out of the Earth: delicate, richly scented, both fragile and powerful.” La Truffe Noire also serves dishes without truffles and offers the daily menu of the week for only € 50.

Truffle-lovers can learn all about the truffle and how to prepare it in Ciciriello’s Truffle Academy. Groups limited to eight people are introduced to truffles and taught some fine truffle recipes that they sample together.

Ciciriello, an Italian who came to Brussels after working for a Belgian enterprise, details his experiences in the restaurant business in his book Truffles from the Heart, published in 1997 and available on the Internet as well as in the gift shop in La Truffe Noire’s second restaurant on Avenue Louise in Brussels.

Ciciriello is an enthusiastic fan of his adopted city. He praises its beauty, lively cultural scene, and proximity to Europe’s major capitals and tourist sites. He says, “More people should visit Brussels! Whenever foreigners come here, they are sure to come back, because life is sweet here. Brussels is not only one of the greenest cities in Europe; it really is the capital of Europe and because of Luigi’s restaurant also the world’s capital of the truffles.”