Time Out European Breaks

Time Out European Breaks, March 2003

Eindhoven

The symbiotic relationship between Eindhoven and the Philips electronics company that began around the turn of the twentieth century turned what might have otherwise been a nondescript town into a still-evolving city. Close to Belgium, Limburg and the German border, Eindhoven works well as a touring base.

Most visitors arrive into the Stationsplein, the combined bus-train terminal. Fronting on to it is 18 September Plein, a busy tangle of bike and car routes. The main thoroughfares of the compact centre fan out behind it, becoming ever more pedestrianised and easier to negotiate. Major arteries, like Vestdijk, Geldropsweg and Keizergracht, are clearly marked along the way by arrowed signs.

In mid-January, the city’s major cultural attraction, the Van Abbemuseum (Bilderdijklaan 10, 238 1000, www.vanabbemuseum.nl) reopened. Not so much renovated as reborn, the museum’s prestigious collections of Picasso, Chagall and Kandninsky have been augmented by large-scale installations by Joseph Beuys and Rebecca Horn, making it now one of the best venues in Europe to see contemporary art in Holland. The expanded building itself is an aesthetic triumph, its staggered floors and high-ceilinged whiteness a talking point for visitors.

The paintings and sculptures in The Artificial Light in Art Centre (Emmasingel 31, 275 5183, www.kunstlichtkunst.nl) play around with the idea that artifical light has become an unnoticed part of modern life. That theme is echoed by the centre’s location: Philips’ first lamp factory (297 9106 www.philipsfabriekje.nl ), where light bulbs were first made in 1891. At that time, Eindhoven was a village of around 5,000 people.

From May through to September, this is festival city, an annual organised program of four – jazz-blues, folk, reggae and dance (Shine) – being the musical centrepiece of the season. Updates appear on www.summerfestivals.nl. Tickets for some jazz events are free, on a first-apply basis. Hard rock-blues a la the 1960s/70s can be heard at the Café Wilhelmina (see www.cafewilhelmina.nl) on Sunday afternoons; it’s a short taxi ride from the city centre.

Two auditoriums with dazzling programmes of opera, drama, classical and popular music are the Stadsschouwburg (Elzentlaan 50, 211 1122, www.schouwburgeindhoven.nl) and the Muziekcentrum Frits Philips (Heuvel Galerie 140, 244 2020, www.muziekcentrum.nl).

Eating and drinking

Eindhoven's modest selection of eateries are clustered around the centre,
particularly down Kleine Berg, just outside the ring of pedestrianised
streets. The Grand Café Berlage (Kleine Berg 16, 245 7481) is a landmark café-restaurant, tastefully decked out. The confusingly similarly named Grand Café Centraal (Markt 8, 245 2689) has a sedately low-key restaurant on the first floor and a grand tabled terrace out front.

For two distinctly Eindhoven eateries, try Hoogste Tijd (Vrijstraat 38, 296 2488) -- a hip retro (70s-80s) place where at the weekends the tables are cleared away for DJs and dancing – and De Vooruitgang (Markt 11, 243 3995), an authentically blue-collar clienteled restaurant-bar-café whose building goes back to 1890. In a similar vein, the Café Carousel (Markt 40, 245 3890) has great big lunches for under 10 euros.

Bon viveurs and nightpeople should go down the Stratumseind, though be aware too that some of the 40-and-more bars are studenty rough ‘n’ ready. Exceptions are De Rechter (‘The Judge’) (Stratumseind 32, 244 3877), a bar, restaurant and live venue set in old law courts. Two fun bars along the street are Van Mol where you are cordially allowed to dance on the billiard table and 't Mulderke, a softer-mood café-bar for 30-plus folks. Bars are open until 4am on Fridays and Saturdays; until 2am all other days.

Where to stay

If you haven't booked ahead, check out the VVV tourist office (hotel
booking line 297 9115) opposite Centraal Station. The staff can not only reserve rooms/B & B for a nominal charge but also organise top-class accommodation at considerably reduced weekend rates.

Of the four-star business hotels in town and on the outskirts, the
friendliest and most convenient is the Mandarin Park Plaza (Geldropseweg
17, 212 5055, www.parkplaza.com, 91-350 euros), with an indoor
swimming pool, Finnish saunas and three Oriental restaurants. Down a notch is the three-star Tulip Inn Eindhoven Centre (Markt 35, 245 4545 , 128-164), comfortable and centrally located, with parking facilities next door. The Corso (Vestdijk 17, 244 9131, 45-80) is a simple and popularly cheap option.

Shopping

The Heuvel Galerie 100-unit mall and the De Bijenkorf department store, respectively in the de Markt and Septemberplein precincts, are particularly good for fair-value fashion, books and lifestyle shopping. Try the Tuesday outdoor market, which takes place all around the main streets across from the station, for its old-style stalls atmosphere and instant chicken and fish snacks.

Getting around

Centraal Station is a short walk from the Markt. Buses run on the strippenkaart system, meaning the fare depends on your journey length. It’s only wise to take a cab if the journey would mean say a 45-minute walk; that’s because you may end up paying 20 euros to merely go down the road. The airport bus is due to be superceded in September by an electic bus taking just 20 minutes; until then, be prepared for the mini-safari around housing estates that is the existing service trip.

In the area

Maastricht, a one-hour train ride away has enough hot-fashion stores, very chic cafés and art to keep the most discerning traveller occupied (see www.vvvmaastricht.nl). Another possible day trip from Eindhoven, this time taking two hours, is over the border to Antwerp (www.visitantwerpen.be). Eight miles north of Eindhoven is Neunen, where Van Gogh lived and worked for two years. Some of the details in his drawings are from the area. The medieval town of Den Bosch is worth a visit.

Contacts
Net access
Bibliotheek, Emmasingel 22 (260 4260).

Police station
0900 8844.

Post office
TPG Post

Stationsweg 1

Train-Bus Station

Taxis
252 5252.

Tourist office
VVV, Stationsplein 17 (0900 112 2363, www.vvveindhoven.nl). Open
10am-5.30pm Mon; 9am-5.30pm Tue-Thur; 9am-6.30pm Fri; 10am-5pm Sat.

Websites
www.psv.nl