Bruges is charming old world European city that has a lot to offer for the visitor. First and foremost is the medieval architecture; the center of town was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the year 2000. Beautiful old buildings are at the heart of this city and if you visit in the summer you are sure to see colorful flowers dripping from the window sills of many of the buildings. In addition to being a visually appealing city Bruges offers a plethora of shopping from clothing, shoes, paintings and of course, Belgian chocolateries. Bruges has been called the “Venice of the North” because of the canals that run through the city.
A popular pastime is to take a river boat ride on the canals although if visiting in the summer get here before 11am to miss most of the lines. The unique, “In Bruges” was of course filmed here and many of the backdrops in the movie can easily be visited including the Belfry which played a prominent role in the movie. This has sat over the main square for centuries; buy a ticket and walk the circular narrow steep steps to the top for excellent views overlooking the red roofed city. For more information visit: www.brugge.be
I am from Belgium and ever since we went to Bruges on a school trip in middle school, it is one of my favorite cities. It really is a fairytale city. Too bad it’s always crowded with tourists!
Thanks Bram – I am familiar with your site – keep up the good work! Yes, Bruges is very very touristy during the summer months. Not sure about winter – probably also a nice time to visit. I have another article from one of our contributors about Belgium coming out later this morning or tomorrow. Thanks for dropping by. ~ Dave