Kraainem
Discover Kraainem
Kraainem is a municipality on the outskirts of the Brussels Capital Region, administratively belonging to Flemish Brabant. It began as a rural village, but the expansion of Brussels has led to a fast-paced urbanization of Kraainem throughout the 20th century, and the municipality has become a popular residence for Eurocrats and expats alike. Little is known about the early history of Kraainem, aside from a few lithic artifacts found during agricultural activities. During the urbanization of Stokkel and South Kraainem, a large concentration of artifacts was discovered in 1928 near the border with St.-Pieters-Woluwe. These finds are dated to the meso and neolithicum.
What to Experience in Kraainem
Taste of Kraainem...
Getting the taste of real Belgian fries is a must when visiting Kraainem. A fritkot is the traditional Flemish version of a street vendor specializing in fries (and other types of fast food). Another local speciality are smoutebollen, dough pastries deep fried in vegetable oil and served with powdered sugar. Bars in Kraainem still play a prominent social role in society, although their importance is declining. All bars serve a variety of warm and cold, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Some may not have a traditional menu with a listing of all the available drinks at every table, in which case you simply ask the waiter or waitress what you'd like. He/she will be happy to recommend you alternatives if your preference isn't available. There are no age restrictions for entering a bar, but minors won't be allowed to order alcoholic drinks or beverages with high caffeine content. Although tap water is safe to drink, few restaurants or bars will serve it. When ordering still water, you'll be served more expensive bottled water (Spa, Bru, Chaudfontaine, ...) instead. The popularity of ice tea as a soft drink is in Kraainem on par with Coca Cola, and widely available. When ordering ice tea, most restaurants and bars will serve you Lipton Ice Tea Lemon, a favourite among Belgians, which is sparkling unlike its variants in neighbouring countries (i.e. Germany). If you prefer non sparkling ice tea, order Nestea instead. The latter may not be universally available, however.
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Kraainem into what it is today.
Little is known about the early history of Kraainem, aside from a few lithic artifacts found during agricultural activities. During the urbanization of Stokkel and South Kraainem, a large concentration of artifacts was discovered in 1928 near the border with St.-Pieters-Woluwe. These finds are dated to the meso and neolithicum. Remains of Roman settlements were uncovered at the end of the 18th century, and a Roman villa once stood at the location of the current town hall. It was known as Villa Crainham, and gave Kraainem its name. None of the classical remains were preserved, unfortunately. It is known that Villa Crainham remained until the 11th century, from 1003 also a church is recorded in charters: crainham villa cum ecclesia. The Keulsebaan crosses through Kraainem, connecting Roman Brussels to Cologne, parts of which are still there. Most of Kraainem's current territory remained uninhabited throughout the first millenium. The northern urbanised area of Kraainem, High Kraainem, evolved from a Frankish court centered around what is now known as the Jourdain Castle. It was little more than a fortification surrounded by a few dwellings in the first half of the 9th century. A map from 1771 shows the historic division of Kraainem between a high and low area: to the west a church built upon earlier fortifications, and to the east numerous farm houses and a few smaller dwellings....
Climate
Proximity to the North Sea grants Kraainem a mild sea climate. Temperatures are between 4°C and 20°C most of the year. In winter, periods of a few successive colder days are common, when winds from Scandinavia drop temperatures subzero. Snowfall is rare and limited to a maximum of a few cm per day, so it is not necessary to bring snow boots along when visiting Kraainem in winter. Main roads are deiced quickly by municipality services, but secondary roads may remain slippery until the late afternoon. Although not formally prohibited, ice skating on the ponds of the Jourdain park should not be attempted because the ice is rarely thick enough to support the weight of adults. In summer, temperatures occasionally rise above 20°C with peaks up to 35°C. When temperature rises above 30°C, locals will seek shelter from the heat, and social life tends to slow down a bit (slower service in restaurants or bars, understaffed public services, etc.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsThe easiest way to reach Kraainem is by metro, get off at station 50.84894.45851 Kraainem (second last station on line 1 Weststation-Stokkel). Travel time is about 20 minutes from the 50.84654.35862 Brussels Central Station. Tram 92 operated by the Brussels transport company MIVB traverses Central Kraainem from west to east, get off at 50.844764.466763 station Wilderozen. Kraainem also shares an airport (BRU) with Brussels, located to the north. A taxi from 50.89594.48284 Brussels National Airport to Kraainem will cost about €22. Numerous bus lines and a tram line cross Kraainem. Keep an eye on the logo on the vehicles, as there are 3 companies operating buses in Kraainem, and their tickets are incompatible. Thus, make sure to get a ticket for the company you're traveling with. When in doubt, ask the bus driver for directions. Brussels transport company MIVB operates 2 lines, 76 (direction Oppem) and 77 (direction Hippodroom), which also stop at the metro station....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Modern Kraainem has a strongly residential outlook with a well developed road network. It has been completely mapped on OpenStreetMap, which is likely more up to date than the official maps offered by the tourist office. Kraainem has excellent 3G coverage (see also Connect) but to prevent excessive bandwidth usage and costs related to streaming map data, it is recommendable to download the Kraainem map beforehand and view it offline on a mobile device. From its total area of 5.8 km², only the northern half and centre are of touristic value, the south being residential areas without significant points of interest. With a good portable map, it is possible to cross Kraainem by foot in a single day. To most visitors, it will be most convenient to make a loop with start and end point at Kraainem metro station. From the metro station, walk east until the Grensstraat, then walk to the end until the Kapellelaan.
Where to Stay
Finding cheap lodging in Kraainem may be difficult in the touristic summer season. A convenient alternative is to find accommodations in Brussels and visit Kraainem by Metro (see "Get In") for a day. If you opt to stay in Kraainem, it is recommended to search for lodging offered by locals (B&Bs, guest houses, apartments etc.) to avoid high hotel prices. A small camping site is located on the border between Kraainem and Wezembeek-Oppem. However, Belgian weather can be very unpredictable and wet, even in summer, if you consider camping. Under Belgian law, camping is only allowed on officially recognised camp sites, and camping in public parks or forests may result in a fine between €60 and €200. Telephone boxes have been phased out, and Kraainem's last telephone box on the Wezembeeklaan was torn down in 2015. In case of emergency, local inhabitants or businesses will happily lend you their land line if necessary if you urgently need to make a call.
Money & Budget
ATMs can typically be found at banks, and are available to tourists without any surcharge. However, exchanging another currency for euros will often either require an account at that bank, or the exchange rate will be particularly unfavourable for you. At the intersection of the Koningin Astridlaan and Wezembeeklaan another bank office can be found, Belfius, but this bank has a poor reputation and has been involved in numerous corruption scandals. Make use of their services at your own risk. It is advisable to walk 200 m further down the Koningin Astridlaan to the Crelan office instead. Businesses do not expect gratuity, although it is customary to round the amount in restaurants to the nearest bill (€5) if the service and food was good.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
Kraainem is usually safe, both during the day and at night. The dangerous Belgian traffic probably poses the most significant risk to visitors, so take care when crossing streets. Jaywalking is not a criminal offence in Belgium, but that does not mean drivers will slow down either, unless you're crossing on a marked pedestrian crossing. Beware of pickpockets in shopping areas and on public transport. Groups of youth are known to hang around the Kraainem metro station in the evening and harass travellers, so it is advised to avoid the immediate area around the station at night or travel in groups. There are few health hazards to worry about in Kraainem. Tap water in Kraainem, and most of the rest of Flanders, is drinkable, and as healthy as bottled mineral water. Fountains and wells on the other hand are not suitable for human consumption. In summer, ticks are routinely encountered in the region, and are known to carry Lyme disease, which can be deadly if left untreated.
Glimpses of Kraainem
Blijf in uw kot - Restez chez vous - De politie waakt...
Blijf in uw kot - Restez chez vous - De politie waakt...
Blijf in uw kot - Restez chez vous - De politie waakt...
Blijf in uw kot - Restez chez vous - De politie waakt...
Blijf in uw kot - Restez chez vous - De politie waakt...
Blijf in uw kot - Restez chez vous - De politie waakt...
Blijf in uw kot - Restez chez vous - De politie waakt...
Blijf in uw kot - Restez chez vous - De politie waakt...
Blijf in uw kot - Restez chez vous - De politie waakt...
Blijf in uw kot - Restez chez vous - De politie waakt...
Blijf in uw kot - Restez chez vous - De politie waakt...
Blijf in uw kot - Restez chez vous - De politie waakt...
Blijf in uw kot - Restez chez vous - De politie waakt...