Hotel Le Chantecler

Sainte Catherine, situated just a 10-minute walk northwest of the Grand Place, has come a long way from its days a medieval shipping port. The neighborhood’s street names still reflect the products—wood, bricks and the like—that were once sold here, but these days Scandinavian furniture is much more common tha firewood. This is a fast-changing neighborhood where you might see a rundown townhouse holding out against a wave of boutiques, galleries and restaurants.

Underneath the veneer of gentrification, the neighborhood’s original charm is undeniable. The medieval cathedral of Saint Catherine (patron saint of firefighters and guardian against sickness) is an imposing sight, and the alleys radiating from the church provide a delightful respite from the hectic tourist zone by the Grand Place.