Light bulb moments

8:00am Wednesday 6th February 2008

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By Nick Elvin

"How does a city acquire an image?" asks an advertisement for a book on Eindhoven.

Because, as any scientist or photographer will tell you, you need light to make an image, then this particular place shouldn't have any problems. Eindhoven is the self-declared city of light.

In 1891, a man named Philips had a spark of inspiration and opened a factory to mass-produce the incandescent light bulb, no doubt encouraged by the earlier efforts of a man of Dutch descent, Thomas Edison.

Today, Eindhoven's appearance is functional and smart, rather than elegant, but that adds to the city's tradition of innovation. It's a place that has the future in mind. Fans of post-war architecture will be in their element here, and although architecturally Eindhoven is neither Paris nor Amsterdam, that's not to say what was rebuilt after extensive wartime damage is ugly.

That's evident when you see the Evoluon, the 1960s flying saucer shaped conference hall you pass en route from the airport, or the cutting edge Vestedatoren apartment block, a more recent addition to the skyline.

For a city of light Eindhoven is surprisingly dark at night, which makes a pleasant contrast to Britain's light-spewing cities. However, each November, Eindhoven sparkles when the Glow festival takes place, with light installations all over town. You can tour the city by night and marvel at laser beams, films projected on to the sides of buildings, waterfalls of light and much more.

Furthermore, there's a good selection of museums and galleries, which allow free-thinking visitors plenty of opportunity to form their own conclusions about this city of innovation and technology.

The addition of more than a few eateries and nightlife options (you can't complain when the city has the longest street of bars in the Netherlands), will ensure that long after you go home, memories of Eindhoven will burn brightly in your mind.

A positive image indeed.

GETTING STARTED:
Ryanair flies daily from London Stansted to Eindhoven. Fares are from £10 one way, incl. taxes, fees and charges. On arrival you can buy bus tickets for central Eindhoven from the airport information desk. Buses leave every 15 minutes and a one-way ticket costs around £1.35.

TOURIST INFORMATION:
For tourist information on Eindhoven visit www.vvveindhoven.nl (www.holland.com for Netherlands information). The city's main tourist office is located next to the central railway station, at Stationsplein 17, telephone: +31 (0)40 297 91 00. The tourist office can arrange accommodation. For example, a night at the three-star Sandton Hotel costs from around £55 per room per night, based on two sharing. Guesthouse rooms in the centre of the city cost from around £30 per night for two sharing.

CULTURAL HIGHLIGHTS:
Eindhoven is easy to explore on foot or, in true Dutch style, by bike. Lovers of modern and contemporary art may well like the Van Abbemuseum. Recent exhibitions include an exploration of Dutch cultural identity and an insight into the role artists have played in social change and resistance. It also houses works by the likes of Picasso and Kandinsky. It's also worth a visit just to see the building.

The Design House demonstrates the link between design, art and technology. There's a gift shop full of stylish stuff for the home.

An interesting outdoor work of art is "Flying Pins", in Kennedylaan, close to the station. It depicts a bowling ball, 6.5 metres in diameter, at the moment it strikes ten enormous yellow pins.

LIGHT UP YOUR VISIT:
In 1891, Gerard Philips chose Eindhoven as the location for the mass production of the incandescent light bulb - a product he saw a bright future for. Thus the Philips Incandescent Lamp Factory came to be. Part of the original factory survives, its chimney still a well-known landmark, although thanks to its growth into other areas of technology Philips is now located in larger, more modern buildings nearby.

A fascinating guided tour of the atmospheric old factory shows you exactly how light bulbs were made over the years, step by step. The adjoining museum, the Artificial Light in Art Centre (Centrum Kunstlicht in de Kunst) has a number of striking works which demonstrate - as you may have already guessed - how artificial light has been used in art.

From a waterfall of light covering the entire side of a building, to a single laser beam spanning the darkened interior of a church, Glow is a festival that lights up the dark nights of November. You can walk around the city visiting the various installations - self-guided for free, or on a guided tour. For highlights of the 2007 event, log on to www.gloweindhoven.nl.

SHOPPING:
The Bijenkorf department store, as well as the Piazza and Heuval Galerie shopping centres are places to start. For second hand shops, boutiques, bookshops and galleries, head to De Bergen, a charming old area of central Eindhoven. The city centre hosts a second hand curiosities market every Saturday, while if you're looking for designer labels, head to the Hooghuisstraat.

FOOD AND DRINK:
The market square (Markt) has a selection of Grand Cafés where you can begin the day watching the world go by over a coffee, or pop in later for lunch. For a mid-morning snack, you could try the Bijenkorf department store, which is renowned for its homemade pastries and cakes.

For dinner, Restaurant Fens (address: Keizersgracht 6), is a charming restaurant offering three courses for around £22.

If you're thirsty, Eindhoven has just the place. Stratumseind is the Netherlands' longest pub-filled street. There are more than 40 bars, so you're bound to find at least one you like. Bavaria and Dommelsch are among the local brews. Then, if you get the munchies, you could visit one of the many takeaways known as friettents, and order a "frietje met" - chips with mayonnaise.

For further information about eating out and nightlife in Eindhoven, log on to www.vvveindhoven.nl/en/nightlife. Guided culinary tours of the city can also be booked through the tourist office.