Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent and Leuven

to Flanders & Brussels
www.conventionbureau.be - congres@conventionbureau.be
special destination > Art Cities
Antwerp
Bruges
Ghent
Leuven,
SPECIAL DESTINATION
Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent and Leuven
The Flemish Art and Meeting Cities
In this special feature, the congress bureau of Toerisme Vlaanderen /
Visit Flanders, also known as Flanders-Brussels Convention Bureau,
proudly presents four of the most inspiring meeting destinations
in the Flanders region of Belgium.
The historic art cities of Antwerp,
Bruges, Ghent and Leuven are all within
one hour from Brussels and reachable
by frequent inter-city trains. Leuven
houses the oldest and most famous
university in Flanders, while trendy
Ghent and fashionable Antwerp are two
more lively university towns that are not
to be outdone. And did you know that
Bruges houses the College of Europe
and the United Nations University?
The four dedicated local congress
bureaus Antwerp Tourism &
Convention, Meeting in Brugge,
Ghent Convention bureau and
Meeting Leuven will not only highlight
the distinct features of each location,
they will also be able to fill you in on
all out-of-the-ordinary dining venues
in historic buildings and each destination’s vast array of incentive ideas.
Their expertise will give you a real
feel for what’s on offer and how each
destination can work to benefit your
conference. And rest assured that their
commitment to impartiality means
you’ll be making sound, informed decisions on where to bring your business.
Antwerp will talk to you about
diamonds, fashion and MAS, while
Bruges will show you why this World
Heritage City is the perfect backdrop
for your conference. Ghent will draw
your attention to trendy venues like
the Old Fish Mine, while Leuven will
show off how the entire city will pull
together to host the perfect seminar.
The walkability of these cities’ compact
centres reduces the cost of transfers
and contributes to the CSR element of
your event.
Then there’s the personal approach of
the staff at the convention bureaus:
anticipating your every need, they’ll
introduce you to their network of local
service providers and go the extra
mile to make sure they deliver on
their promise. Meeting planners, we
are aware, have many destinations to
choose from, and yet we are convinced
that these destinations, with their
excellent price/quality ratio, are top
of the class when it comes to creating
great meeting experiences.
The Toerisme Vlaanderen convention bureau promotes all meetings
destinations in Flanders, and that
includes Brussels and Belgium’s 64 km
coastline, as well as the Flemish countryside that borders France and the
Netherlands. Really and truly at the
heart of Europe with the EU and NATO
both headquartered here, we cordially
invite you to find out why a conference
in Flanders will be an unforgettable
experience for your delegates.
To receive a copy of our Meeting Guide
2012 or to find out about individual site
inspections and familiarisation trips
through Visit Flanders, please contact
congres@conventionbureau.be
www.conventionbureau.be
www.visitflanders.com
MIM 21
special destination > Art Cities
Aesthetic Antwerp
The heritage-rich city of Antwerp is of special interest to all of
those who want to give their meetings and conventions a ‘hip’
image. Antwerp is the undisputed Flemish capital of cool! Known
as a city of fashion, Antwerp has also a long tradition as being
Belgium’s diamond city.
Ideal both for candle light diners and
business meetings, La Riva underlines
Antwerp’s historical beauty. Classically
situated next to the city’s famous harbor,
it is housed in a restored building dating
from 1908. This Flemish bar can be
partially or exclusively hired for various
events. Whatever the type of event you
are planning, this venue is available for
groups from 20 persons or more.
Hotel De Witte Lelie, a small boutique
hotel located in the centre of Antwerp, is
another culturally interesting location to
meet and sleep. Built in the 17th century, it
is one of the most luxurious 4-star hotels
in the city. There are three meeting rooms
capable of accommodating 6, 10 or 24
guests respectively.
If you look for a conference centre that
is both historical and contemporary
in its architecture, you should visit
cultural conference center Elzenveld. An
award-winning restoration in 1988 turned
this former hospital into a stylish hotel
offering both guest rooms and business
MIM 22
facilities of the highest standards.
Once upon a time the City Council decided
to breathe new life into the monumental
1859 warehouse Sint-Felix Pakhuis, an
architectural project
beautifully executed by Robbrecht en
Daem & Grontmij Vlaanderen. A renovation that left the interior of the building
with its distinctive internal structure
almost unaltered. The building offers
several options, for example the ground
floor can be used for functions. Worth
noting is that the attic is completely refurbished: it now houses a new reading hall,
meeting rooms and conference halls.
A special venue of the classical type can
be found at AMUZ, the Augustinus music
centre which used to be a baroque monument - the former church of St Augustine
- that has been renovated to ensure you
get the funky, contemporary event space
you need in a classically historical location. The church’s conversion is unique in
Europe as it preserves this jewel of early
baroque architecture. Whatever you want
to organize, this modern concert hall
offers all the amenities you could ever
need!
Felixpakhuis Street
© Filip Dujardin Neutelings Riedijk Architecten
Not just a geographically good choice
for diamond lovers, Antwerp offers all
you need when preparing to organise
a meeting or incentive trip for your
employees. A large number of buildings
available for hire, such as the baroque
house Happaert (Huis Happaert), where
diverse events can be hosted in the
three multi-functional halls. There you
can enjoy some sunshine in the adjacent
garden that gives the place a more rustic
touch and forget for one moment that
you are still in the heart of the city of
Antwerp. And in case one of your guests
misses their train back home: there are 6
wonderfully atmospheric rooms to spend
the night in.
Then there is this 19th century church
right on the premises, with its baroque
altars and design that recalls the works
of masters such as Rubens, Jordaens and
Van Dijck. Worth noting is that, on the
ground floor of the new building, you’ll
find guestrooms, four of which have their
own private bathroom and one with a
group guestroom. On the second floor, the
venue offers another group guestroom.
MAS, which stands for Museum aan de
Stroom, is the name of Antwerp’s newest
museum located in a dockside area.
MAS
special destination > Art Cities
A Dutch team of architects created a building
based on stacked-up boxes (a 65-meter
high tower) that are rotated 90 degrees
on each floor to create an internal spiral;
escalators connecting them and floor-toceiling walls of undulating glass. MAS is not
only a museum, it is the new meeting place!
Looking like a stack of red Lego bricks with
its own Michelin-starred restaurant and a
cafe, it contains more than 470,000 exhibits
featuring contemporary artists and relating
to the history of Antwerp’s port. Treat your
colleagues to fantastic views over the city
from each of the nine floors and the rooftop
terrace. It is the only museum that offers
‘virtual meeting facilities’: simply direct
a camera around different floors of the
museum using the arrows on your keyboard
and enjoy a live tour of the MAS!
Contact
Antwerp Tourism & Convention
T. +32 2 338 81 81
mice@stad.antwerpen.be
www.antwerpen.be/visit
Marmeren zaal
Bewildering Bruges
Bruges is the most compact and walkable city of the ‘Flemish Art
Cities’. Starting with the walk from the railway station to any
venue in town, along its green city parks and its historical city
centre - any meeting automatically becomes a cultural exploration.
Did you know that the entire inner city was enlisted as UNESCO
World Heritage site in 2000?
Old and new
Entering Bruges through the gates,
the first thing that strikes you is
unmistakably the architecture.
World heritage surely, but not as
‘old’ as most of us might imagine.
Behind those majestic walls, you will
discover stunning masterpieces of
inventiveness. Every hotel, meeting
or dining venue tells its own (hi)story.
Meeting hotels Oud Huis De
Peellaert, Grand Hotel Casselbergh,
Hotel De Tuilerieën and Martin’s
Relais are good examples of the
creative wits of Flemish architects,
who managed to incorporate modern
meeting standards in 16th-19th
century houses. Entering Hotel
Navarra or NH Brugge, one can just
sense hundreds of years of hosting
Europe’s finest. Even the modern
chain hotel Crowne Plaza at the
Burgh square has a long history, since
it was built on the foundations of the
former St Donation’s church, now
incorporated in the dining rooms.
MIM 23
destination
special
destination
> subject> Art Cities
Concertgebouw
A modern touch can be found in the
ten-year-old Concertgebouw. Apart
from the design’s aesthetic and functional appeal, this is a modern building
perfectly integrated in a historic city
centre. The Concert Hall, the Chamber
Music Hall, and the various reception
rooms with their panoramic view of the
city centre can all be rented for events
up to 1,250 pax.
Industrial masterpiece and Protected
Monument La Brugeoise nowadays
serves as a spectacular special events
venue. A fabric hall in a high-tech
make-over : ‘the place to be’ for big
events. It lies just outside the historic
city centre, with plenty of space inside
as well as outside the venue.
Under the BELFRY Tower
This is a city brimming with culture and
buildings that take you on an enthralling historical passage. The Belfry Tower
recently got a major facelift. Its halls
serve as a wonderful gala and conference venue for about 1,000 delegates.
On ground level you will find the oddest
mix of old and modern art which has no
equal in the whole of Europe. MuseumGallery XPO Salvador Dalí displays a
permanent exposition in the medieval
hall, tranformed into a Dalínian showroom. Imagine your high profile gala
dinner in its ‘boudoirs’, constructed like
MIM 24
Congrescentrum Oud Sint-Jan
the octagonal chamber of Leonardo da
Vinci, painted in gold, mother-of-pearl
and shocking pink.
Another grand building is being transformed into a modern attraction, opening
this autumn. Allowing you to travel in
time with your five senses to Bruges’
Golden Age 1435, Historium Brugge will
be the meeting point, housing a beer
café with a fantastic view on the market
square, and a high-tech interactive tourist
information point. Exclusive tailor-made
nocturnal events will be the ultimate
surprise to your delegates.
Small city, big treasures
Strolling along narrow cobbled streets
you’ll find a host of glorious galleries,
such as the Arentshuis, BruggemuseumGruuthuse and the Groeninge Museum to
discover the art of Flemish masterpieces.
Next to permanent exhibit, the latter
remarkably houses Hieronymus Bosch’s
famous Last Judgement.
In the 15th century mayor’s house ‘Perez
de Malvenda’, where in those days the
Holy Blood was kept, you find a wide
range of Belgian products within the
splendid fullness of old and new architecture at 2-Be Moodshopping. After visiting
the famous ‘Beer Wall’ you can enjoy a
beer on the terrace overlooking one of
the most enchanting views of Bruges.
Medical meeting match
Bruges excels in hosting medical conferences. Not surprisingly, considering that
the renowned Memling Hospital Museum
adjoins the conference centre, which
used to be a hospital.
The Site Oud Sint-Jan is an atmospheric
venue combining a museum, a 13th
century hospital and a modern
conference center - and unmistakably
Flemish. If one had to make a SWOT
of Bruges as a ‘meetcentive’ venue, its
strengths and opportunities would be its
very weaknesses and threats to meeting
planners, because of the danger of delegates running off to explore the city in all
its splendor! It’s the whole package that
does it: architecture, hospitality, locals
on bicycles, horse-drawn carriages, the
canals, quaint curiosity shops, culture,
art and - not to forget - the gastronomic
experience.
Bruges boasts 3,505 hotel rooms,
12 special conference venues and
countless restaurants. Meeting in
Brugge regularly organises site
inspection trips. Want to join one?
Just send an email to: meeting@
brugge.be.
Contact
Philippe Lefebvre, Director of sales &
marketing
meeting@brugge.be
www.meetinginbrugge.be
© Eric de Mildt
special destination > Art Cities
De Bijloke
Magnificent Ghent
Like many of the historic cities of the Northern European Lowlands,
Ghent looks back on an impressive past and used to be one of the
most powerful towns of northern Europe. Nowadays, it is the
impressive scenery of the city with its castle and idyllic city core,
the port and the university that keep attracting tourists. The ease
and quickness with which to traverse the city in a short amount of time
makes Ghent a popular destination - everything is reachable on foot!
The ‘medieval Manhattan’ is the perfect
destination for international congresses,
high-level conferences and events of any
kind. There are several congress centres
(for 100 to 1,000 people), with large
exhibition facilities. Ghent is famous for
being a student haven (in fact, it is the
largest student town in Belgium) and
has more than 250 top class restaurants
offering anything from local specialties
to international dishes.
The number of listed monuments is
unique in Belgium. A large number of
those historical buildings are available
for meetings and events. Most of this
medieval architecture is amazingly
well-preserved which makes Ghent
not simply another corporate destination but a magical place to meet in!
The Ghent Altarpiece, or Adoration
of the Mystic Lamb, will soon receive
its second face-lift. The historical
centre, along the Graslei, where the
Guild Houses serve as a reminder of
the renaissance era, is worth strolling
around. And don’t forget to stop at
Gravensteen, the castle of the counts
built in the Middle Ages!
A host of conveniently located restaurants offer unrivalled culinary variety:
lovers of food are advised to try
local specialties like mussels, Gentse
Waterzooi or ‘Stoverij’ (tender meat
cooked in dark beer with a brown gravy)
along with the obligatory Belgian fries.
Food at affordable prices can be found
in restaurants around Korenmarkt and
Vrijdagmarkt: grab a bite at the ‘Meat
Hall’, a place offering an unusual ambiente and decoration that equals a living
menu. Beer lovers should schedule a
meeting at De Dulle Griet, a traditional
beer bar or visit the city brewery Gruut.
A truly extraordinary venue is the De
Bijloke Muziekcentrum (Music Centre)
situated within walking distance from
the historic centre. Pay special attention to the architecture here: today a
cultural ‘hotspot’, De Bijloke used to be
a hospital in the 13th century but was
recently transformed into a contemporary concert hall. A superb example of
medieval craftsmanship reviving the
spirit of the past, this venue will please
the most nostalgic lovers of history. It
has been fully renovated, and the city
succeeded in preserving much of the
building’s historic infrastructure. The
unique venue includes two renovated
former civil hospitals, both converted
into fabulously atmospheric performance spaces.
The Concert Hall and Kraakhuis (with
capacities of 1000 and 240 respectively)
have recently been joined together under one roof space that brings them
indoors - by an elegant contemporary
foyer. The good news is space can be
hired out for events of any kind.
A fashionable place to be is the Old Fish
Market which used to be a fish, meat
and vegetable market located in the
most historical heart of the city. Meet
and eat in neo-classicistic style: this
19th-century cultural historical monument has been fully renovated and now
houses a pub, a wine bar and a restaurant offering magnificent views of the
rivers, de Leie and de Lieve.
MIM 25
© Ghent Tourist Office
© Ghent Tourist Office
special destination > Art Cities
Sandton Grand hotel Reylof by night
The Flemish call it ‘De Oude Vismijn’- a
great choice of places to meet for meat
lovers and vegetarians alike as Ghent has
been named the ‘veggie capital of Europe’.
‘Oude Vismijn’ features an event hall and a
new brasserie called Bord’eau which offer
the possibility of hosting events as well.
© Tourisme Leuven
Another great place to hold both social
and business events is the Sandton Grand
Hotel Reylof. A spectacular refurbishment has transformed this monumental
18th-century building into a four-star
Hotel de luxe, offering 158 rooms and
9 meeting rooms, each with a distinct
atmosphere and a capacity of up to 65
guests per room, where you can meet in
style inside refined salons, quaint patios,
a classic garden and banquet facilities.
Interestingly, the hotel was awarded
the BREAAM (Building Research
Establishment) certification meaning
that Sandton Reylof is Ghent’s most
sustainable hotel.
Oude Vismijn from the canal
15 centuries of Flemish history come alive
here. And that’s what makes Ghent so
attractive to so many
different people: A vibrant historic
city that is at the same time contemporary.
Contact
Annick Debels
Ghent Convention Bureau
info@gentcongres.be
www.gentcongres.be
Sophisticated Leuven
With its impressive history as one of the Flemish Art Cities, Leuven
does not disappoint its visitors. Situated in the heart of Flemish
Brabant known for its green parks and gardens, it’s the ideal place
to host your next meeting, incentive, conference or event. Expect
state-of-art conference centres, medieval castles and funky museums whatever you choose, Leuven will find the right formula for you!
Say Leuven, home of Stella Artois, and
the first thing you think of is a frothy
glass of beer. Hardly surprising, given that
beer culture is a cultural characteristic
of this city… A century ago there were
more than 30 breweries and some 788
licensed premises. AB InBev and the Domus
home brewery keep this brewing tradition
alive today, and cosy cafes still abound.
Especially on the Oude Markt, the longest
bar in Europe. Leuven is doing its name as
world beer capital even greater justice this
year, because the Zythos Beer festival, the
biggest beer tasting festival in the Benelux,
MIM 26
came to town and will be organised in the
city every last weekend of April until 2017.
You can get to Leuven in next to no time.
The town is a stone’s throw from Brussels
at the intersection of two international
motorways. The train takes you to and from
the national airport in a quarter of an hour.
There is plenty of accommodation, from
large and medium hotels to charming guest
houses and budget-friendly youth hostels.
In the evenings you can allow yourself to
be carried away by the hubbub of the town
centre. Why not try a sumptuous menu
in one of the top restaurants or enjoy the
simple Burgundian cuisine?
History, architecture and art all make one in
Leuven. Symbolising this potent historical
links is the Begijnhof (Grand Beguinage),
a UNESCO World Heritage site. St. Peters
Church and City Hall on the Grote Markt
also showcase some of the city’s most
important contributions to the world of art.
And hidden behind the beautiful façade of
the world-famous Flemish guild houses, you
will discover well-equipped meeting rooms
in hotels, museums, convention centres…
and much more!
special destination > Art Cities
© Tourisme Leuven
In addition, Leuven has several conference
hotels where you can combine style with
pragmatism. Enthusiasts of 16th century
architecture will prefer to host an international meeting in a venue where cultural
legacy and traditionally modern charm
have pride of place: why not try Martin’s
Klooster hotel then?
Harmoniously integrated within the historical complex, it evokes an inspiring mixture
between the old and the new and hosts
Leuven University Library
your seminars in three plenary rooms.
But the capital of the province of Flemish
Brabant may be best known for its cultural
heritage involving the city’s object of
pride: KU Leuven, the oldest university,
situated in the centre, with its spin-offs
renowned as centres of innovation and
cutting-edge technology, At least 40,000
students take over the town every year,
with no fewer than 196 nationalities
studying, living or working there. The
university of Leuven has produced the
geniuses of Erasmus and Vesalius, and
more recently the geneticist Jean-Jacques
Cassiman, and professor Catherine
Verfaillie, an international name and head
of the Stem Cell Institute. Along with the
people of Leuven, these are true brain
boxes.
The university is an important economic
asset. Not just because thousands of
people work in the educational and
research institutions, like Imec, but
because the clever researchers lend shape
to their theories and inventions through
what are often hi-tech, spin-off companies.
There are already more than eighty, good
for a turnover of €400 million and 3,500
jobs. A few well-known examples are
Materialise and Thrombogenics.
Last but not least is the brand-new de
Hoorn, a former brewery that is being
turned into a flexible venue. There it
seems anything is possible. Creative agencies are headquartered there, but spaces
are also available for creative events. It
will give any meeting a twist, combining
retro-chic, urban and industrial influences
(de Hoorn will open in October 2012).
For all you meetings, incentives,
congresses and events in Flemish
Brabant:
Contact
Christine Verhoeven
Meeting Leuven
info@meetingleuven.be
www.meetingleuven.be
© Tourisme Leuven
One venue that Leuven rightly takes
pride is the M museum. Way more than
a museum, it is a cultural centre with an
international atmosphere, a place which
unites old and new art. M also offers worldclass event facilities. A large a number
of spaces can be rented for meetings of
any kind. M’s largest space is the so-called
‘Antechamber’, seating for up to 400
guests. And in case your event needs a
more intimate setting, there is the ‘Lounge’
that can host up to 40 guests.
MIM 27