Bruges is a quaint medieval town with beautiful architecture and history. You can walk the whole city in about 45 minutes, so it's very manageable. We had a little less than 24 hours in Bruges, so we had to plan our visit very carefully. We started at the train station where we were given a free bus ride into the city (free because of the town's shopping day to prepare for Christmas).
From there, we walked to our hotel: Bourgoensch Hof (in the most prime location) and started our explorations. I've realized in writing this post that in Bruges, everything is around 8 Euros. So, if you need to guess the cost...it's probably safe to say about 8 Euros.
 |
| Our Hotel |
Top 5 things to do in Bruges:
#1 De Halve Maan Brewery- I have many friends who have visited this brewery and raved about it, calling it one of the best things we could do in Bruges. I have to admit that I couldn't believe it could be that great, but it was really cool and beer wasn't bad either.
During the Middle Ages Maximiliaan I (the Holy Roman Emperor) had been held captive in Bruges. Because of this, he didn't care much for Bruges, so he took away their rights to have fairs and festivals. Well, they held a festival in his honor (not sure how smart that was) and asked to be able to have fairs and festivals again and give Bruges the right to collect taxes. Not sure if it worked, but they also asked to build a madhouse and Maximiliaan was said to answer, "Close all the city gates and it is a madhouse." Giving Bruges the nickname Brugse zotten which means "Bruges fools" or "Bruges crazies". De Halve Maan Brewery has their beer named after that too: Brugse Zot.
Enjoy sipping a brew in the courtyard before your tour through the beer making process, that takes you to the rooftop of the brewery for exceptional views of Bruges. De Halve Maan brewery (6 generations of Henri Maes and their family) has been brewing beer since 1856 and it is the only working brewery within the city walls (even though you can find LOTS of beer in Bruges). The Half Moon Brewery definitely deserves a stop! 8 Euros a person.
During the Middle Ages Maximiliaan I (the Holy Roman Emperor) had been held captive in Bruges. Because of this, he didn't care much for Bruges, so he took away their rights to have fairs and festivals. Well, they held a festival in his honor (not sure how smart that was) and asked to be able to have fairs and festivals again and give Bruges the right to collect taxes. Not sure if it worked, but they also asked to build a madhouse and Maximiliaan was said to answer, "Close all the city gates and it is a madhouse." Giving Bruges the nickname Brugse zotten which means "Bruges fools" or "Bruges crazies". De Halve Maan Brewery has their beer named after that too: Brugse Zot.
#2 Boat Ride- Bruges is also known as "Little Venice" since it's made up of a series of canals. Why not explore this tiny city by boat? You can pick up a tour at the corner of Nieuwstraat and Gruuthusestraat streets near the most photographed spot in all of Bruges. It's called the Boottochten Brugge. The 30 minute tour takes you down the canals to the Begijnhof area (where the swans congregate) near Minnewaterpark and then up past where you jumped on the boat to Poortersloge, a gorgeous structure that looks like a church. The guide gives some good history of the city and information about the areas you're passing. I was so nervous that the tours wouldn't be running in December, but they were. I'd recommend doing this towards the beginning of your visit to Bruges so you can get your bearings. Cost was 8 Euros a person.
#3 Food: Chocolate/Fries/Waffles/Mussels- When in Bruges, eat! And eat well! You know a city specializes in a food item when they have a tour dedicated to it. There is both a chocolate tour/museum and a frites tour/museum in Bruges. The Choco-Story is the chocolate tour. I was very interested in this, but because of time, we were unable to participate. However, we did indulge in MANY chocolates and sent a bunch home too! An 1884 Belgian law regulated the composition of the chocolate. With a national law, you know it's good! Our favorite shop was the Pur Chocolat shop located between De Halve Maan and Church of Our Lady. In less than 24 hours, we visited at least 3 times.
Chocolate is everywhere, so take some time to enjoy. The Choco-Story is around 8 Euros, or combined with the Frietmuseum it's 13 Euros. It is said to show how cocoa is transformed into chocolate and is a source of data and history for chocolate makers.
The Frietmuseum is the only museum in the world dedicated to potato fries and explains the history of the potato and fries and different condiments they're typically served with. Don't give the French credit, Belgians should be thanked for serving potatoes this way. The Frietmuseum is housed in one of the most beautiful buildings in Bruges, so that just adds to the draw. While we didn't get a chance to tour the Frietmuseum, we did enjoy a basket-full of frites on Rozenhoedkaai (the most photographed spot in Bruges), people watching.
Belgian Waffles in Bruges, are just waffles, but they're really good! Grab one on the street, or enjoy for breakfast, like we did! There are many different ways they're served: with whipped cream, chocolate, cinnamon and sugar, fruit topping, etc.
And Mussels are also a Flemish specialty. Apparently, it's best to pair them with fries and use the white wine broth in the bottom of the bowl to dip your fries in. Neither Kevin or I are big mussel eaters, so we skipped this dish.
The Frietmuseum is the only museum in the world dedicated to potato fries and explains the history of the potato and fries and different condiments they're typically served with. Don't give the French credit, Belgians should be thanked for serving potatoes this way. The Frietmuseum is housed in one of the most beautiful buildings in Bruges, so that just adds to the draw. While we didn't get a chance to tour the Frietmuseum, we did enjoy a basket-full of frites on Rozenhoedkaai (the most photographed spot in Bruges), people watching.
#4 Church Tours- There are a few churches in Bruges that have some draw, depending on what's important to you. We chose to visit Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk (Church of Our Lady) on the corner of Gruuthusestraat and Mariastraat. Behind it is where you can find the famous "love bridge" also known as the Bonifacius Bridge. The Church of Our Lady houses Michelangelo's sculpture of the Madonna and Child. We did have to pay to go back and see this, but I would recommend doing that! This is Michelangelo's only work that has crossed the Italian Border. The church was beautiful!
The Basilica of the Holy Blood is a small Roman Catholic Chapel believed to house a vial of the Holy Blood of Christ, brought to the city after the Second Crusade. Each year, the relic is paraded through the streets with many dressed as medieval knights or crusaders. We walked by this church...it is very ornate on the outside...but we didn't go inside. If this is your thing, go for it! Not sure when else you can be near the blood of Christ.
#5 Belfort/Belfry and Markt Square- You can't miss the Belfort. It rises above everything else in the center of town and was originally used to spot fires and other dangerous activities about town. While we didn't climb it, we did walk through it's courtyard at night to get some great shots. If you do climb its 366 stairs, don't watch In Bruges before you climb..don't say I didn't warn you! The 360 degree views from the top are said to be spectacular!
Markt Square, behind the Belfort is a bustling area in the middle of the old town filled with people and horse-drawn carriage rides. It's surrounded by medieval-style buildings and the Provinciaal Hof (Provincial Palace) where the government of West Flanders used to meet. While we were there, they had a Christmas Market set up, but during the year, they host open air markets on Wednesdays. This is a great area to stroll, people watch, and grab something to eat from a street vendor or a restaurant.
Bruges is quaint and romantic. It's almost like stepping into a fairy-tale! If you're in town with a romantic partner, you must visit "Lovers Bridge" behind The Church of Our Lady. The bridge is locked at night, but we found it very romantic as we chased the sunrise.
Minnewater Park is also very romantic. Legend says a young girl named Minna was in love with a warrior in a neighboring community. Minna's father didn't believe in her love and had arranged for her to marry someone else. She ran away to find her true love and when she finally found him, she died in his arms from exhaustion. The lake was named in her honor. Medieval belief also said that Minnen means "water spirits" and they live under the bridges. Visit the banks of the water and walk the bridges. Check out the gun powder tower and stroll with your love.
Walk through the Begijnhof (Beguinage). It's a peaceful area where nuns reside. Keep your voices low and enjoy strolling past the whitewashed walls and the large trees in this tranquil retreat.
Our food highlights:
We had a delicious dinner at a Chinese Shanghai restaurant the first night. The food was filling and fresh and delightful! I always love to get Chinese food abroad...there's a spot in Rome we visited two nights in a row after we tired of pizza, pasta and wine.
A restaurant called Chips and Ice was on my list of places to visit. We stopped just before grabbing our bags to head out of town. We ordered meat and cheese croquettes that came with fries and a salad for a very reasonable price. Croquettes are another popular dish in Belgium. They are food rolls containing a meat, mashed potatoes and sometimes cheese. They're breadcrumbed and fried. And they are DELICIOUS!
Visit Bruges! And when you do, bring home lace and chocolate. Lace making is still a very popular craft in Bruges. Most lace makers are women and there are some spots where you can see demonstrations and get a private lesson. We purchased lace, but I'd love to take a lesson if we're ever back! While 24 hours is a short amount of time, I have no regrets about our visit. I'd love to go back some day and continue the explorations of this beautiful city! If you're in the area, don't miss Bruges.
Our food highlights:
We had a delicious dinner at a Chinese Shanghai restaurant the first night. The food was filling and fresh and delightful! I always love to get Chinese food abroad...there's a spot in Rome we visited two nights in a row after we tired of pizza, pasta and wine.
Visit Bruges! And when you do, bring home lace and chocolate. Lace making is still a very popular craft in Bruges. Most lace makers are women and there are some spots where you can see demonstrations and get a private lesson. We purchased lace, but I'd love to take a lesson if we're ever back! While 24 hours is a short amount of time, I have no regrets about our visit. I'd love to go back some day and continue the explorations of this beautiful city! If you're in the area, don't miss Bruges.
 |
| A map of the city made of lace. |
