One thing I’ve learned while in Belgium is that all the cities can be reached within hours. We flew into Brussels International but decided to skip the city. From what I heard, it really wasn’t worth it and besides we picked a more charming city to start our trip, Bruges. Located just an hour and half northwest from Brussels International, Bruges is known as the Venice of the North. Beautiful artificial canals with the backdrop of authentic Flemish architecture. Oh and did I mention that Belgium is also famous for its beer and chocolate!

The train ride from Brussels to Bruges is relatively easy. All we had to do was make sure we got on the right train which was the only difficult part. There was no train that labeled it was going to Bruges and the train station never showed Bruges as it’s ending stop. We had to ask which train to board, change in Brussels and then find the right train for Bruges.

On the train we passed beautiful Belgian country side and adorable cities like Ghent. Bruges is located near the coast of Belgium which would be along the North Sea. What was noticeable about Bruges was the weather was chilly and rainy, making us whip out our sweaters even in June. Also the weather was variable with off and on drizzle and rain for the 2 and half days we were there.

From the Bruges train station to our hotel was kind of a hike but I heard that taking a taxi was expensive. So we saved some money and rolled our bags through the narrow, cobbled streets for 30 minutes. In that walk alone we already saw much of Bruges, which will tell you that this city is not very big. Once at the hotel, we left our things to explore, relax and eat.

First impression, beautiful architecture everywhere! Every angle and every view of Bruges could be on some postcard. Some Belgians and tourist call this city too touristy but in reality, Bruge is a UNESCO heritage site because it wasn’t destroyed during the war and has maintained its attractiveness thanks to years of restoration. I think surviving the war is reason enough to go to Bruges and I can fully understand why tourists would come. Just because it’s touristy doesn’t mean that it’s “unauthentic.”

The 3 Bruges Musts

There are essentially 3 things that must be done when visiting Bruges as well as Belgium.

The first two would be to drink plenty of Belgian beer and trust me it’s very good. Even people who say they hate beer will fall in love with Belgian beer. On the very first night in Bruges we tried Duvel beer which is the beer of choice for most Belgians. I can honestly say that it truly was one of the best beers I’ve had and one of the most alcoholic.

While sipping on our beer we made sure to find some fantastic Belgian waffles, the 2nd Belgian must. Whipped cream with strawberries, nutella and powdered sugar all above a Belgian waffle; could we ask for anything better? Not sure if it was the beer or the actual waffles but they were in fact the best I’ve ever had.

The 3rd must is chocolate. I’m not even sure how Belgium became famous for its chocolate but in Bruges it’s everywhere. There are a variety of chocolate shops within walking distance and they pretty much sale the same types of chocolate. Some come in big chocolate bars while others come in beautiful packages and tins. Obviously they are a perfect gifts and souvenirs or for you to enjoy yourself.

Bruges Sights and Activities

So outside of the 3 musts what are some of Bruges sights and activities? Well first can we talk about the people especially Belgian men. All are very polite and most can speak English and of course Flemish which is basically Dutch. Because I’m gay I tend to look at the men more and I can say that Belgium definitely has some attractive men! Right when we sat down at our first restaurant we had this hot waiter and it just continue with every guy from there. Didn’t know Belgium had such attractive people who were very pleasant to be around. Also there is definitely one gay club, which was nice to see in a small town like Bruges.

Another obvious must while in Bruges are the canals. Like I said earlier, Bruges is called the “Venice of the North,” and for good reason. Bruges is entwined with graceful canals that curve through the city and gives it its distinctive look. Most of the canals are located on the fringes of the city and to view them all you need to do is start walking around the city. One of the best places to view the canals and have an attractive picture is on the northeastern part of the city, where there are windmills and a bigger canal. We actually got to climb up some windmill but surprised to find them to be steep!

Market square or Grote Markt is where Bruges converges and will be fairly obvious to discover. It has the impressive Belfry of Bruges, Provincial Court, and so many cafes. It really is the perfect place to grab lunch or get some coffee which is what we did for most of our days in Bruges. We actually went to the top of the Belfry Tower (only open until 6), and got a splendid view of Bruges. It was 8 euros to go up but I think well worth it.

There is also a Bruges pass where you can go into as many museums and famous Bruges sights for a set price but we didn’t even bother buying some. The only reason we were there was to look at the pretty Flemish architecture, eat Belgian food, look at Belgian men, and relax for the first part of our trip. It’s true that museums do get old after a while.

The Béguinage or Begijnhof is a famous 13th century building where sisterhoods of the Roman Catholic Churh=ch in the low countries sought to serve good without retiring. Nuns still actually live in the buildings and we happened to walk up on the building by accident. It’s next to the Minnewaterpark, a large green area with a canal as well as swans (close to the Bruges train station).

The Basilica of the Holy Blood is a 12th century Basilica in the Burg square, which is just off the Market Square, and is famous as the repository of a venerated phial said to contain a cloth with blood of Jesus Christ, brought to the city by Thierry of Alsace after the 12th century. I didn’t go in and pay to see it but the outside is beautiful and remains virtually unchanged since the 12th century.

The Stadhuis is also in the Grote Markt and is Bruges City Hall. It is actually one of the oldest still intact city halls, from 1376, and has been in use ever since then.

If you’re tired and need a break from walking on the cobbled stone streets just stop into one of the many coffee shops or restaurants that serve coffee or tea. Honestly some days we pushed ourselves too much and need a much needed break. Our feet can only take so much and sometimes it was raining. So we mostly frequented the cafes and restaurants around the Grote Markt and had little espressos, tea or “American” coffees as the Europeans call them.

Restaurants and Hotels

Let’s talk about some food, restaurants and hotels. We stayed at the Hotel Biskajer, only a short walk from the Grote Markt. The staff was friendly and we got free breakfast every morning. It was expensive but everything is in western Europe, so you kind of have to adjust to European prices if you want decent to great quality.

Besides waffles, Belgian food is actually quite tasty. It’s northern European food so of course it’s more filling and fatty. They eat a lot of bread, doughs, butter, meats and creams. I really wasn’t complaining and everywhere I went I tried a Belgian specialty.

Of course with every serving of food you’re also going to need beer. There are hundreds and hundreds of types of Belgian beer and I recommend a place called The Half Moon or De Halve Mann in Flemish in central Bruges. Typically we paid around 10 euros to as high as 25 euros for two people to eat and drink. When you translate that to American dollars it sounds expensive and it is. Make sure you have a budget and you save when you come to Europe or learn to not eat in sit down restaurants and only places that are between 5 – 10 euros for each meal.

Also make sure you have some Euros on you instead of a card. Usually most Belgian establishments accepted our card but sometimes we did need cash. In Belgium we probably only used like 30 – 50 euros of cash and the rest were paid on credit card. I also have a credit card, Chase Sapphire, that doesn’t charge for foreign transaction fees so that saves a ton.

If you need some good chocolate shops I recommend the Choco-Story, Chocoholic, Pur Chocolat, Dumon Chocolatier, and the Old Chocolate House. Honestly most of the chocolate shops will be great places to find chocolate for gifts and souvenirs.

Recommendations

Bruges, Belgium is full of charm and is one of the best intact old European city I’ve ever been to. I would put it on your western European itinerary and budget around 2 – 3 days exploring the city. Bruges is surprisingly small so it won’t take you that long to see all the main sights. If you have more time to spare then why not spend your time in such a distinct, charming city.

Make sure to do the 3 musts while in Belgium and to also leave time for relaxing. I hate when I travel and I leave no time to sit down at a café and enjoy a European cup of coffee, while looking at beautiful architecture. After some time traveling that is all you’ll want to do and that’s okay.

Bruges has notoriously bad weather so don’t be surprised if you get cloudy, sweater weather days along with rain. That is just part of being in Belgium. There is plenty to do inside as well as outside and just make sure to pack an umbrella like we did.

Have fun and enjoy this wonderful city. It has all the charms that you would want to see from a European city and has the food, people and sights to back it up.

Stay tune for videos of my time in Bruges. I’m in the midst of editing and will post them on YouTube as well as this page.

images by: shawnvoyage