Sitting on the train to Bruges I got chatting with a lovely Belgian woman and her two young daughters, one of whom was carrying a pet snail on a tissue. They were on their way to Knokke, a coastal town where they have a holiday home. At that moment I so wished to join them. After a month of hectic go, go, go in Paris, a seaside town seemed just the antidote I needed to slow down. This lovely lady assured me though that I would love Bruges, advising me that it was the ‘Venice of the North’, and she was right.
From the moment I started wandering the cobblestone streets I was in love. Crossing a bridge over a canal the first time, the quaint houses and the trees reflected on the surface of the water, and a little red boat bobbing next to a small pier, Bruges proved to be everything I needed.
With four days in this lovely town, the most well preserved medieval town in Belgium (and UNESCO heritage listed) I had the time to take it slow, visit the sites at my own pace, and get lost in the backstreets and alleyways. Here are the top # things I recommend doing in Bruges.
1. Boat ride along the canals
A clichéd tourist activity, it is still worthwhile taking a boat ride along the canals in Bruges. For only €8 you spend an hour seeing the town from a different angle, pass beneath old stone bridges and learn more about the buildings as you slowly pass them by. Go early in the morning so the boat isn’t full and you’ll have more space.
2. Chocolate Museum (Choco Story)
If you are interested in the history of chocolate in the world, and in Belgium, you’ll enjoy this museum. It’s fascinating to think that before the America’s were discovered there was no chocolate! The Aztecs and Mayans used cocoa beans as currency and chocolate drink in ceremonies, and it didn’t take long for Europeans to develop a taste for the sweet drink. Me either! A free chocolate to eat while walking around, and a chocolate making demonstration are also included.
3. Climb the Belfry
Probably the one thing definitely not to miss in Bruges. The climb up the 366 steps is done in stages and the views from the top over the rooftops of Bruges are magnificent. I was lucky to be up there on the hour and got to see, and loudly hear, the 47 bells singing and ringing out. Beware though, the stairs at the top are narrow and steep, and serve both upwards and downwards directions, so it can get a bit squishy. Interesting for a person with a fear of heights such as me!
4. Visit Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child
One of a very few Michelangelo sculptures to be located outside of Italy, and the only one to be removed from Italy during his lifetime, the sculpture can be seen in The Church of Our Lady. While I was there the church was being renovated and large sections blocked off, but I was still able to view this small but important sculpture, if nothing else.
5. Visit Audrey Hepburn
Well, not so much visit Audrey, but see the house she lived in while filming The Nun’s Story in 1959. Located at (address Sint-Annarei No 22). Probably only for fans of Audrey, like me.
6. Windmills
On the east side of town there are four old style windmills which are all in easy walking distance from each other. I visited them twice as they were such a quiet pleasant place to spend an hour or so in the evening, just before the sun was setting. Families picnic on the grass around the windmills and play games, and apparently at least one of them is open during the day to visit inside, but I didn’t do this.
7. Walk the path around the big canal
Surrounding the old town is one big main canal, with a walking and cycling track beside it. In the early evening the locals come out to jog, cycle, walk their dogs or stroll hand in hand. Out here you’ll pass the old town gates, which look like mini castles, and it is a quiet place to get away from the tourists in the main square.
8. Eat – frites, waffles, chocolate
Did you know that Belgian’s invented fries? You do now! This is something I wasn’t aware of, and given that it’s important to eat the local ‘delicacies’ while travelling, I ate my body weight in frites (fries), with mayonnaise, during my four days in town. This goes the same for the waffles, which are so good I actually preferred them plain (though I did try plenty with strawberries, chocolate and cream!). Of course chocolate is also an important part of the Belgian diet, so I had to try as many of the delicious truffles and pralines as I could.
9. Drink beer
If you’re eating Belgian food, then what better to wash it down with than a glass of Belgian beer! There are plenty of places to do this is Bruges. My favourite was 2Be, where the beer wall is located, and on recommendation from a friend tried the cherry beer. Yum! There are a few different beers on tap, even a coconut beer served in a coconut, and there are also plenty of bottled beers to choose from.
10. Visit the Grote market Square at night
When all the other tourists are in bed and the day trippers have left back to Brussels, the Market Square becomes quiet and pleasant and this is a great time of day to enjoy a final cone of fries when you can actually get a seat and enjoy the ambience. The surrounding streets and canals are also great in the evening, with the reflections on the dark water giving the whole town a fairytale feel to it.
11. Visit ‘In Bruges’ film locations
One of my favourite films, and my inspiration for wanting to visit in the first place, of course I had to visit some of the film locations. I watched the movie again on the night I arrived and spent the next few days enjoying recognising the various locations (that’s where Colin Farrell tried to kill himself!) and even had dinner at Cafedraal, where Colin’s character Ray takes Chloe on their first date. It was a lovely restaurant, and a welcome break from fries.
12. Get lost
This is something anyone can do. Just wander down a side street, make a few turns and voila! You’ll have no idea where you are and you’ll discover some beautiful little gems of streets that otherwise would have remained hidden. Just strolling and getting lost was my favourite thing to do in Bruges.
