This guide to Bruges has been a long time coming! I visited in 2011 - before I started Travel Notes - but was already in the mindset of taking hundreds of photographs and noting down things to do, eat, and see.
I wrote an article for my local newspaper about how, when I first arrived, Bruges didn't meet my expectations of a chocolate box city. This was entirely based on the rather 70s-ish concrete building where the coach dropped us off, and once we started walking further into the city, I started to feel like we were going back in time.
There was something quaint around every corner: ivy-covered turrets, rows of pretty houses, leafy canals and beautifully decorated entrances.
And of course, there was ale.
I hope you enjoy this short and sweet guide to Bruges!
THINGS TO SEE
Belfort
The city's bell tower looks over the market square, where the buildings below look like rows of dainty little dolls houses. Beware the climb to the top - it's 366 steps!
Markt 7
bezoekers.brugge.be/en/belfort-belfry
Markt 7
bezoekers.brugge.be/en/belfort-belfry
Canal tour
Bruges is great for walking, but don't miss out on a canal boat tour - it's one of the best ways to see the city. It was well worth the 7 euro ticket price (this may have gone up since our visit) for a 30 minute tour weaving around the network of waterways and passing under several of Bruges' 35 bridges. Be ready to duck - some of them are pretty low!
Basilica of the Holy Blood
This Gothic basilica is tucked away in a corner of Burg. Its piece de resistance is a precious vial which is believed to hold the blood of Jesus Christ.
Also on the square is the impressive Stadhuis (town hall). The square itself is busy during the day but at night, when the tourists disappear, it's a perfectly romantic spot for a stroll (or smooch!)
Burg 13
Also on the square is the impressive Stadhuis (town hall). The square itself is busy during the day but at night, when the tourists disappear, it's a perfectly romantic spot for a stroll (or smooch!)
Burg 13
THINGS TO BUY
2be
Naturally, there are lots of beer shops in Bruges - the above picture shows only a tiny selection of what's on offer. You can buy the appropriate glass to go with whatever you choose - I brought home an Orval kit.
Dille et Kamille
If you are a lover of trinket-y kitchen bits then this is the store for you: there is every kitchen gadget you could imagine. I brought home teeny little spoons and some olive picks (there's also a branch in Amsterdam).
A BITE TO EAT
Bistro de Pompe
We found this quiet little bistro off the main square and feasted on a bowl of plump moules frites (much, much better than the unremarkable ones we had on the main square!).
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Kleine Sint Amandsstraat 2
De Visscherie
We had only one night in the city and hummed and ahhed all day over where to dine. We'd already had mussels for lunch but were still on a seafood roll, so we chose De Visscherie. What ensued was an amazing crustacean-fest: there were oysters, a bowl of mixed seafood, a complimentary amuse bouche of fried turbot and 'marshmallow of monkfish', and for mains we had grilled monkfish and waterzooi (a local seafood and cream stew). After this we retired to the small drinking room out the back and had a glass of port, with only the oysters in the tank for company.
Vismarkt 8
visscherie.be
Vismarkt 8
visscherie.be
WHERE TO STAY
Hotel Casselbergh
This hotel is just a stone's throw from Burg and Markt. The bar was a perfect place for a cocktail (I love it when drinks come so expertly prepared, and with a dinky little tray of nibbles)
Hoogstraat 6
Hoogstraat 6