Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

Presents with panache

Text Alison Tyler
Images Getty Images

This ye ar, don’t leave your Christmas shopping to the last minute. Take a little time on your travels to check out the trendiest shops in Europe and give your gifts that Wow! factor

For the design maven

Selling the very best of Scandinavian design from the 1920s to today, Svenskt Tenn (5 Strandvägen, Stockholm, tel. +46 (0)8 670 1600, www.svenskttenn.se) mixes old and new with ease. The eclectic store has furniture, textiles, lamps and smaller objets d’arts that make excellent gifts.

For contemporary design products – from beds to the kitchen sink and a whole lot in between – try Spain’s award-winning Vinçon store, which has branches in Barcelona (96 Passeig de Gracia) and Madrid (18 Castelló, www.vincon.com). We particularly like a set of sexy stainless steel trays designed by Azua & Moline.

With clean angular designs, muted colours and a mix of metals and leather, B&B Italia (14 via Durini, Milan, tel. +39 02 764441, www.bebitalia.it) represents the chicest Italian interior design. New for this year are modular sofas by Antonio Citterio and the return of Le Bambole, the iconic soft and bouncy furniture with the dimensions of a cloud but the support of the strongest chair or sofa.

Rue de l’Hôpital in Brussels’ Sablon district, is the hottest shopping spot in the city. Emery et Cie (27 Rue de l’Hôpital, tel. +32 (0)2 513 5892, www.emeryetcie.com) doesn’t disappoint. It’s a labyrinthine den of sumptuous velvet, wrought-iron banquettes, hand-painted Moroccan tiles, terracotta bowls, plates and pots glazed in eye-popping shades of purple, turquoise and sunflower yellow, princess-worthy beds, glass bathroom tiles, brass and copper basins, rich-hued throws, silk-screen and block- printed fabrics, groovy yet splendidly crafted standard lamps and wire chandeliers. Almost as impressive as the goods is the building itself, comprising three town houses knocked together, making the experience a complete joy as you discover room upon room and floor upon floor of new delights.

For the fashionista

Part art installation, part hot-bed for new design talent, London’s Dover Street Market (17-18 Dover Street, www.doverstreetmarket.com) is home to quirky labels that have fashion queens queuing around the block. Hot labels such as Azzedine Alaia, Boudicca, Veronique Branquinho and Commes des Garçons are stocked among the art works, while the very hip Rose Bakery makes the perfect pit-stop once you’ve satisfied your fashion cravings.

Bagging a bargain is one of shopping’s great joys. For designer labels without the huge price tag, The Mall (8 Via Europa, Leccio, +39 055 865 7775), 30 minutes outside of Florence, houses the outlet stores of Marni, Bottega Veneta, Stella McCartney, Yves Saint Laurent and Alexander McQueen, to name but a few. All of the big Italian brands are here and last season’s stock can be found for less than half price. Heaven!

One of Belgium’s most famous designers, Diane Von Furstenberg, has just opened a flagship store in Brussels (11 rue du Grand Cerf, www.dvf.com), stocking her signature wrap dresses as well as make-up, handbags and jewellery.

For the connoisseur

What’s the modern gent to do when he needs a new pair of leather driving gloves, silver cufflinks or a fine watch or pen? Make a beeline for Dunhill (Avenida da Liberdade, Lisbon, tel. +351 213 580 930, www.dunhill.com), with over 100 years of history in producing fine leather goods and accessories for the man about town. It’s a great stop for gifts, too.

Quintessential English eccentric Paul Smith (Willoughby House, 20 Low Pavement, Nottingham, tel. +44 (0)115 968 5990, www.paulsmith.co. uk) opened his very first workshop plus a boutique in his home town of Nottingham in 1970.

It remains today, alongside his newer flagship house-turned-store Willoughby House. Here you can find the menswear and womenswear collections as well as a bespoke tailoring service, accessories, children’s and homes departments.

The clothes, like the man, are quietly kooky, simple on the exterior but with hidden, flamboyant touches. Think colourful silk suit linings or floral turn-ups on cuffs of formal shirts.

Christmas wouldn’t be complete without a nice fat cigar to while away a few hours. If you’re in Prague, head to the cigar emporium La Casa del Habano (35 Dlouhá, tel. +420 222 312 305, www.lacasadelhabano.com) and pick up a Montecristo or Cohiba or whatever tickles your fancy.

Less than an hour’s drive from Seville is Spain’s Sherry triangle, between the towns of Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlucar de Barramda and Puerto de Santa Maria. You can buy (and taste) the fortified wines direct from the bodegas in the region. In Jerez itself, try González Byass (12 Calle Manuel Maria González, tel. +34 956 357 016, www.bodegastiopepe.com), the makers of Tio Pepe, the top-selling fino in the world; or Domecq (3 San Idelfonso, tel. +34 956 151 500) and Williams & Humbert (Ctra. Nacional IV, km 641, tel. +34 956 353 406, williams-humbert.com).

For the foodie

What Italians don’t know about food isn’t worth knowing, so where discerning Italians go to stock up on porcini mushrooms, Parma ham, olive oil, wine and other necessities definitely is worth knowing about. In Milan, Peck (9 Via Spadari, tel. +39 02 802 3161, www.peck.it) has been an Italian institution for more than 100 years. It’s a temple to all things edible spread over three tempting floors. On the top floor – for those who can’t quite wait to go home before indulging – there’s a café and a superb patisserie.

It should come as no surprise that Europe’s biggest beer shop is to be found in Brussels. Beer Mania (174-176 Chaussee de Wavre, Ixelles, tel. +32 (0)2 512 1788, www.beermania.be) stocks more than 400 traditionally brewed beers, which you can try over lunch or at one of the tasting sessions. They will even gift-wrap your brew to take home.

Jams, preserves, fine teas and dainty pastries have been the staple of Fortnum & Mason (181 Piccadilly, London, tel. +44  
(0)20 7734 8040, www.fortnumandmason. com) for 300 years. A recent revamp has made room for fresh fish delivered daily from Cornwall, aged beef on the butcher’s block, artisan pork pies, charcuterie and local cheeses.

A Viennese gourmet mecca since 1862, Julius Meinl (19 Graben, tel. +43 (0)1 532 3334, www.meinlamgraben.at) sells more than 16,000 delicacies from across the globe, including Tasmanian honey and single plantation coffee, as well as local cakes and sausages.

You can find the best Andalucian wines, brandies, oils and vinegars at Club del Gourmet (El Corte Inglés, 14 Plaça de Catalunya, Barcelona, tel. +34 933 063 800, www.elcorteingles.es). Other delights include Serrano and Iberian hams, dozens of varieties of plump juicy olives and deli-tapas treats including potato croquettes, chorizo and albondigas.

Christmas markets

Looking for an alternative gift? Try a Christmas market – they’re more fun than fighting your way around the shops

Strasbourg

You’ll find nativity plays, parades and one of Europe’s longest-running Christmas markets in Strasbourg, one of the prettiest cities in Alsace, France. From 24 November until New Year’s Eve, the cobbled streets around the cathedral are filled with the scents of mulled wine, sweets and spicy cakes. The traditional wooden stalls are decorated and illuminated with Christmas lights and sell specialities including bredle (biscuit-like cakes), spicy sausages, toys, jewellery and ceramics. Across town, on Place Broglie in front of the Opera House, there are more stalls and a small funfair for children. www.noel-strasbourg.com

Bruges

While the Christmas market in Brussels is busy and sprawling, just 45 minutes north is a more compact version in the picture-perfect town of Bruges. The market sets up on the Gothic Grote Markt (Market Square) and Simon Stevinplein from 24 November to 31 December. It sells toys, local hand-crafted lace, clothes and, of course, delicious handmade Belgian chocolates – head to Sukerbuyc (5 Katelijnestraat) for the best in Bruges. With its quaint cobbled streets, charming architecture and pretty canals, this medieval town offers traditional surroundings complete with outdoor ice rink lit by fairy lights and based around a Christmas tree. There is also an ice sculpture festival on Station Square from 23 November to 13 January. Couples can take a horse and cart ride around town, hire a boat with a guide and cruise along the picturesque city canals, or get cosy with waffles and a hot chocolate at one of the cafés around the square. www.visitbelgium.com

Copenhagen

Prepare to be dazzled by thousands of lights at the Tivoli Christmas Market from 16 November to 30 December, housed in the city’s famous old amusement park. As well as the market, which sells everything from Royal Copenhagen porcelain and Christmas decorations to spices and sweets, there’s also an outdoor ice rink, reindeer and an Elf Train. Elsewhere in the city, there is a traditional Danish Christmas market along the pretty Nyhavn canal off Kongens Nytorv, featuring ideal gifts from chocolate and honey hearts to glass and ceramics (16 November–22 December). www.visitcopenhagen.com

Munich

This traditional Christmas market, held on and around Marienplatz in the heart of the city, dates back to the 14th century. A few paces away on Rindermarkt is the hugely popular Kripperlmarkt section, one of the largest in Germany, specialising in nativity scenes, cribs and accessories. Live Alpine music is played every day on the balcony of the town hall and there are free children’s activities. But best of all is the Glühwein (mulled wine) and traditional Lebkuchen (halfway between a cookie and a cake). Lasts from 30 November to 24 December. www.munich-tourist.de

FR » Des cadeaux classe

Pourquoi ne pas profiter de vos voyages pour trouver les cadeaux de Noël les plus somptueux? Pour des articles de maison éclectiques, réalisés par des designer essayez Swenskt Tenn à Stockholm, Vinçon, le magasin couronné de prix avec des filiales à Barcelone et à Madrid, le über-stylish B&B Italia à Milan et la cave d’Alladin, le magasin à plusieurs étages d’Emery et Cie à Bruxelles.

Les marques les plus branchées de vêtements se trouvent à Dover Street Market à Londres ou dans The Mall à Leccio près de Florence – un filon pour les grands noms de stylistes à des prix d’usine. Et ne ratez surtout pas le magasin phare de madame Diane Von Furstenberg à Bruxelles.

Pour les hommes, vous trouverez de sublimes cadeaux dans la boutique Dunhill au centre de Lisbonne, chez Paul Smith, dans son fief de Nottingham, et chez Andalucia à Prague, le spécialiste des cigares cubains La Casa del Habano. Les mets les plus délicats sont à votre portée chez Peck, à Milan, le paradis des gourmets italiens; chez Fortnum & Mason, une maison vieille de 300 ans à Londres; chez Julius Meinl am Graben, la Mecque de la gastronomie à Vienne; ou au Club del Gourmet, dans El Corte Inglés à Barcelone. Comme alternative, achetez quelques bouteilles de bière brune brassées selon la tradition, chez Beer Mania à Bruxelles.

Les marchés de Noël sont aussi une agréable façon de flâner autour des magasins lorsque vous êtes à la recherche des objets les plus inattendus. Parmi les plus remarquables, nous avons épinglé ceux qui se tiennent dans les ruelles autour de la cathédrale de Strasbourg, sur la Place du Marché dans la sublime ville de Bruges, à Copenhague dans les jardins de Tivoli et aussi le long du canal Nyhavn, et enfin dans le centre de Munich, sur Marienplatz et aux alentours.

NL » Coole cadeaus

Benut je trips om originele kerstcadeaus te kopen. Ga voor verrassende designer-huishoudartikelen naar Swenskt Tenn in Stockholm, naar het bekroonde Vinçon met vestigingen in Barcelona en Madrid, naar B&B Italia in Milaan of naar de schatkamer van Emery et Cie in Brussel.

De hipste klerenmerken vind je op Dover Street Market in Londen of in The Mall in Leccio bij Firenze, het walhalla van de factory outlets voor topmerken. En spring zeker binnen bij Diane Von Furstenberg in Brussel.

Fantastische adressen voor mannen zijn: de Dunhill winkel in hartje Lissabon, de winkel van Paul Smith in thuisbasis Nottingham, de specialist van Cubaanse sigaren La Casa del Habano in Praag of een van de beroemde sherryhuizen in de straten van Jerez de la Frontera in Andalusië.

Shop voor fijne etenswaren in het Milanese luilekkerland Peck, in het 300 jaar oude Londense Fortnum & Mason, in het Weense mekka voor foodies, Julius Meinl am Graben, of in de Club del Gourmet in El Corte Inglés in Barcelona. Of ga voor enkele traditioneel gebrouwen flessen goudbruine nectar langs bij Beer Mania in Brussel.

Kerstmarkten zijn een leuk alternatief voor winkelmarathons om originele cadeaus te vinden. Enkele topmarkten vind je in de straatjes rond de kathedraal van Straatsburg, op de Grote Markt in het bekoorlijke Brugge, in de Tivolituinen en aan het Nyhavnkanaal in Kopenhagen, of in het centrum van München op en rond de Marienplatz.

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