EyeforFuelCells Europe 2001
The Business of Fuel Cells for Stationary Power

Brussels, 27-28 November

City Guide

Brussels - Capital of Belgium, Capital of Europe

Beer, chocolate and bureaucrats Brussels has got it all, situated in the heart of Europe with a multilingual population of one million. Easy to get to and boasting the world's densest concentration of international organizations including the European Union. Attending The Business of Fuel Cells for Stationary Applications also gives you the perfect opportunity to visit your colleagues and competitors, slip in that extra meeting to maximize your business trip and of course sample some of the world's most famous brews. A nod and a wink to the conference team will have them pointing you in the right direction to ensure a memorable stay or if you're a business consultant "a fully leveraged conference experience".

Getting there - it couldn't be simpler!

Air
Connecting flights from 70 European and international destinations. 70 international airlines regularly serve Brussels National (Zaventem) Airport. The city center is only 14 km by car or train. Trains run to the Gare du Nord, Gare Centrale and Gare du Midi every 20 minutes. Journey time: approx. 30 minutes. Fare: approx. 90 BEF.

For further information please visit: www.brusselsairport.be

Rail
With high speed trains ( Eurostar & Thalys ), Brussels is just 2 hours 40 minutes from London and Amsterdam, and only 1 hour 16 minutes from Paris. Brussels is a relatively short, comfortable train ride from most European business centres.

For rail schedules and reservations please visit: www.sncb.be

Road
With an extensive motorway network, you can arrive from almost anywhere in Europe in a matter of hours: just 310 km from Paris, 230 km from London, 230 km from Cologne, 220 km from Luxemburg, and 220 km from Amsterdam. Even your embryonic hybrid vehicle will ensure you arrive in no time at all.

What is there to see?

Brussels is the ideal city for a gentle stroll with a unique blend of art and history found on every street corner. The city has an Upper and a Lower Town, conjuring up images of important buildings and long avenues lording it over small, dark streets. The Lower Town, the old Flemish quarter, contains the city's most famous sites, including its greatest landmark, Grand Place, and the Manneken Pis. (you know, the statue of the little boy doing what little boys do best - a must see attraction for schoolboys the world over). If the little boy wasn't enough then you're in luck! His not so famous sister the Jeaneke Pis can be found taking a leak on the Rue de Bouchers.

For lovers of fine art, at the turn of this century, the sinuous architecture of Art Nouveau started in Brussels led by Henri van de Velde and Victor Horta. Horta was famed for his interiors which avoided straight lines - ceilings simply became curved continuations of walls. Stained glass and wrought iron were much used to accentuate this whiplash of lines. More importantly comics are another Belgian success with Hergé, the creator of the quiffed reporter cum super sleuth Tintin, being the mostly widely known outside of Belgium.

If it's royalty you're after, go to the Upper Town, where you'll find the King's palace, Royal squares and various Palaces from the eigtheenth-century neo-classical Austrian period. For more up to date information (who's playing with who and on which middle aged celebrities yacht) then grab a copy of the Belgian edition of Paris Match with your morning coffee.

For more information: www.trabel.com

What about Restaurants and Bars?

Belgian food is highly regarded throughout Europe - some say it's second only to British. Combining French and German styles, meat and seafood are the main raw ingredients. The Belgians swear they invented frites (chips, or fries), and judging by availability, it's a claim few would contest. And though they didn't actually invent beer or chocolate, they may as well have.

For that candle lit dinner with the P.A. Not to be missed:

Taverne du Passage - www.tavernedupassage.com
Vincent - www.resto.be/vincent/
Le Saint Laurent - www.resto.be/saintlaurent/

For further information

For more insider information, please phone the Brussels Convention and Visitors Bureau.
To call internationally, please phone: 0032 2 549 5050