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Lille |
Summer in Lille is all about sipping cold bière blanche on café terrasses and lounging in the park. Wander the old town's cobbled streets to buy smelly Maroilles cheese and fresh baguette for a picnic in Parc Vauban's orchard. Or see Carlos Sarrabezolles' 20th-century sculpture at La Piscine Museum of Art. There's a cute garden where you can soak up the summer sun and Art Deco atmosphere.
Nightlife: Vieux Lille is lively at night with its eclectic mix of restaurants and bars, kept youthful by the city's student community. You can drop in for casual soiree of French chansons in a cellar bar in trendy Solfe, dress up for the Opera or dance to the tune of hip DJs in cutting-edge clubs.
Hotels: Lille offers the full range of hotels set in traditional wood-and-brick townhouses to ultra-modern buildings of glass and steel in Euralille. Shoppers opt for hotels around Vieux Lille and the pedestrianised corner, while those seeking convenience can find a pied-a-terre near Lille Europe Station.
Restaurants: Lille's restaurants cater to the pickiest of palates. Sample the Flemish specialties of Waterzoli (fish or chicken stew) and Carbonnade Flamade (beef slow-cooked in beer) at the traditional taverns in Vieux Lille, or try the Thai and Itialian eateries. Was your meal down with locally brewed beer and finished off with a slice of traditional cheese, aptly named the Lille Stinker.
Shopping: The Braderie, Europe's biggest street market is held in Lille in September. Shopping in the city keeps everyone happy as you have the option of browsing through bric-a-brac at Wazemmes, visiting 19th century patisserie shops, the ultra modern Faubourg des Modes and the designer outlets at Roubaix. Right next to the Lillle Europe station is the Eurolille Shopping Centre with over 150 stores.
Sightseeing: Lille has benefited greatly from being the European Capital of Culture in 2004. State-of-the-art exhibition spaces have brought restored buildings to life, churches have received a facelift and the Opera is open once again. Admire the Goddess statue in Grand'Place, enjoy the newly created parks and wander the quaint old streets of Vieux Lille. |
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