Bruges (or in Dutch: Brugge) is the biggest city and the capital of the Belgium province of West-Vlaanderen. It is famously known for its historical city centre dating back to the medieval ages, which is an UNESCO World Heritage site. We visited Bruges in December, hence forth the winter edition :)! Bruges is the most recommended Belgium city by us, and we will let you know why you have to visit this amazing place while you are in the area.
We visited Bruges in December. Of course that means only one thing, the city is transformed for the Christmas month! Even without the addition of the Christmas ambiance Bruges is worth a visit. While visiting the center of the city you will feel like you went back in time to the Medieval ages. Bruges has many streets with buildings dating back to those times, giving it its charm. A lot of squares and iconic buildings make it a joy for your eyes.
With the many canals running throughout the city, Bruges looks like the Belgium version of Venice, but than better ;-). But the most important part of these parts of Belgium? The Burgundian way of life! Bruges has a great selection of beers as well as breweries like De Halve Maan. Of course you will find a lot of delicious Waffles as well. Waffles and Belgium beers, yum! You can also visit the Chocolate museum to get a behind the scenes look of the famous Belgium sweetness. That should be enough to convince you, right?!
Be sure to visit the Rozenhoedkaai for an amazing view of Bruges with the canals surrounding the iconic buildings like the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk. The view is worth a look and will give you a great look over the city!
The most famous spot is the “Grote Markt” (Big Market). There were a lot of Christmas stalls, ice skating and decorated buildings which fuel the romance! With the Belfort standing tall it is a beautiful and atmospheric square!
After drinking some Glühwein and eating a Waffle we walked towards the Bonifacius Brug (Bonifacius Bridge). This area is great for some photo’s! It has a charismatic charm, with the stone bridge next to the Church Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk. We went at night, avoiding the crowd during the day for some great night pics :).
From the bridge we walked to the Oude Sint-Janshospitaal, a former hospital which is abandoned in 1977, dating back to the 9th century. Nowadays this building functions as a museum.
Walking towards the Begijnhof, a monastery with housing for nuns, you will come across a canal filled with Swans! There are a lot of legends about Swans in Bruges and they are a part of the rich history of the city. Plus, they also give some extra charm to the city. Just in case you needed some more ;-).
After that we explored some of the old buildings. We went to the St. Salvator’s Cathedral. Also dating back to the 9th century, this building contains the remains of old tombs found while repairing the cathedral.
There are a lot more museums and churches to visit, be sure to roam freely as you wish :).
Bruges is an amazing place to visit, especially during the holiday season! So many beautiful surroundings, good shops and historic sights make it worth to visit Bruges for a day trip.
Want to stay longer? The North Sea is pretty close, we stayed at Oostende just beside the ocean. Good to get a fresh ocean breeze after a whole day of exploring is always a good thing ;-).
Enjoy the beers, Waffles and shopping!
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