Young, multicultural, artistic and trendy, Ixelles is still one of the liveliest localities in Brussels. Thoroughfares of shops and stores and perfectly-sited outside tables happily coexist in the mix of local community atmospheres. In the middle, the Saint-Boniface district, loyal to its good food establishments in unfailingly original settings, borders on the highly colourful Matongé quarter. Its inhabitants, who are mainly Africans, open up their doors and sunny terraces.

Farther along, Ixelles’ Museums of Architecture and Fine Arts flit non-stop between retrospectives and avant-gardism. In possession of the biggest collection of Toulouse Lautrec posters, the latter also displays works from the leading names of Fauvism and of the Cobra movement.

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 And then, right at the bottom end of Ixelles, there’s Flagey, the old radio broadcasting centre, which has genuinely resumed service by offering a specialised and varied schedule over the last two years. Festivals and concerts follow one after the other there all year round. Whether it’s for cinema, song or visual arts, it’s always tempting to go and discover something there. And the more inquisitive can go further, along the edge of the ponds, to admire a myriad of Art Nouveau houses.
The sight of Fauvist masterpieces, the smell of exotic scents, the sound of world-famous acoustics, the taste of exquisite flavours or the touch of a friendly embrace, Ixelles appeals to all 5 of our senses! |