Move over, Prague. We just may have a new favorite place: Bruges, Belgium.
Yes, we had heard that Bruges was pretty, interesting, intriguing, and it was also the site made popular as the setting for the movie In Bruges. But we weren’t sure the city could live up to its reputation.
Immediately upon arrival, however, all accolades were confirmed.
The area now known as Bruges has been a region/city since Roman times. But the name Bruges probably didn’t appear until the 9th century. The name may have been derived from “brugj,” a word that means “mooring” (visitbruges.be). With its lovely network of canals and waterways running through it, we were ready to anchor down and stay awhile.
It’s no wonder that the city of Bruges as a whole was named a UNESCO Heritage Site in 2000.
Here’s a taste of what we loved best.
Canals of Bruges
Part of the beauty of Bruges lies in its smallness (only 20,000 people) and limited size. You can see much of the city from the comfort of a canal boat while listening to a guide point out architectural and cultural details. He’ll also let you know when to duck as you pass under the low bridges. Be sure to line up for a trip — it’s the best way to see the city and its waterways.
Flemish Architecture
And while you’re in that canal boat, get your camera ready. You’ll love the rooflines of Bruges — fabulous stair-step gables, overlapping tiles, wonky chimneys, steeples, and inset sculptures.
A tour on foot with an informed guide will give you quite a lesson in what all these insets have to offer, but for us, it was enough just to appreciate the art forms.
The variations were magnificent — from facades bearing the date of construction (sometimes early 1600s even) to the mixture of rooflines that look great in almost any light. We couldn’t hold back on taking pictures!
Church of Our Lady
This 13th century church reminded us of Antwerp’s place of worship by the same name. Even down to signature black and white interior.
But this one — Church of Our Lady in Bruges — boasts the tallest spire (112 meters) in Belgium and a glorious sculpture of Virgin and Child by Michelangelo. Build in extra time to stroll, read about the people buried there, and observe the beauty of the art forms within the structure.
The Princely Beguinage Ten Wijngaarde
The placid white-washed exteriors of Beguinage established in a lovely, quiet place in Bruges was home to beguines — women who lived a pious life without taking the usual vows associated with religious orders. Today it houses the Order of St. Benedict and other women who choose to live alone. We loved it for the quiet glimpse it gave us of a monastic life amid a very touristy city.
The comings and goings in Bruges
From bountiful markets to horse-drawn carriage rides, people were on the move in Bruges. We loved the colorful, touristy vibe of the city even though there were plenty of quiet moments available near the canals and beyond the popular spots.
We dipped in and out of chocolate shops, eating gooey treats, and we listened to music by a local band performing classics. It’s a city bustling with activity but one that offers a respite from the “bigness” associated with other glorious versions like Paris, Brussels, Prague, etc.
Hotel Heritage
The quiet, tasteful atmosphere of Hotel Heritage started our day with a gourmet breakfast and ended with plush, luxury bedding. If you’re going to treat yourself to Bruges, you might as well do it in style!
Arranged by Lauren Gunnels of Ortelius Travel Advisors, our tour of Bruges included relaxation in a classy hotel yet much time to see the beauty of this lovely, old-world city.
Be sure you’ve put Bruges on your list of must-see cities in Europe. You’ll love what you see!
Travel beautifully,
Rusha & Bert
If you’ve been following our series on Holland & Belgium, please know that our Viking cruise portion of our trip ended in Antwerp. Thanks to Ortelius Travel Advisors, we had a personal guide who accompanied us on the additional sightseeing opportunities in Bruges, Ghent and Brussels. We can highly recommend this travel mode as we learned as much from our guide as we did from seeing the notable places and points of interest he shared with us.
heartbreak airlines
I love the photos! Im glad you loved it, went in 2018 myself and its a very pretty city. Your photos are so beautiful
Oh, the Places We See
Thank you so much. Isn’t Bruges a marvelous place to see? We’d go back in a heartbeat!
heartbreak airlines
I find it to tiny and fantasy-esque for my liking but it was amazing when I went in 2018
Latitude Adjustment: A Tale of Two Wanderers
Ah, is right!! Love the history and how well preserved the buildings are.
Oh, the Places We See
It’s a miracle, I suppose, that Bruges wasn’t bombed, but we are the beneficiaries of this lovely view. Thanks for taking a look.
WanderingCanadians
Bruges looks so charming with all those canals and historic buildings. I’ve heard it’s beautiful in the winter too with all the Christmas markets.
Oh, the Places We See
You mean I need to go back?!!!!
kzmcb
You’ve sold me. If I get a windfall, this cruise will be my intro to Europe.
Oh, the Places We See
You won’t be disappointed!
Toonsarah
We’ve not yet got around to visiting Bruges despite living so close. Everyone says how lovely it is and you’ve certainly proved that!
Pat
What enticing photos and you do a very masterful job of presenting information the support the photos. Thanks so much. I’m going to keep this in mind for a future trip.
Amy
Enjoyed this tour through your beautiful images, Rusha. We were there years ago, I didn’t take photos like you did.
Sue
A place I have never been to, sadly!
Oh, the Places We See
It’s definitely worth a trip!
Sue
😊
philosophy through photography
Thank you for the rich information.
Clicks are lovely.
Oh, the Places We See
Thanks for taking a look at one of our now-favorite cities. Would love a repeat visit and more of that gorgeous scenery.
philosophy through photography
It’s a beautiful city.
People are friendly.
One is at home.
Thank you friends.
thehungrytravellers.blog
Inexplicably we’ve never visited Bruges even though we’ve lived in England’s south east corner for 30-odd years making Bruges the merest skip away. We must put that right!
Oh, the Places We See
You have got to go there. It is not, however, an unknown city. Tourists love it. But we found that even though it was relatively crowded, there’s room for everyone. And our wait for a canal boat was only a few minutes. Please go. It’s a treat.
Armando
I could not agree more with your assessment of Bruges. When we spent one very rainy day there in 2017 we fell in love with the city and could not wait for our second visit. Sorry we did not run into you while we were there. By the way, we’d never even heard of beguines until this trip!
Oh, the Places We See
I’d love a return trip. More scenery, more chocolates, more boat rides!!
beth
after I saw the film ‘in bruges’ I have always wanted to visit, and this did not disappoint
Oh, the Places We See
We haven’t seen the movie, but we absolutely loved the city. One of Europe’s finest.
Nemorino
Glad you had such a great visit to Bruges. My main blog post on Bruges (aka Brugge) follows the route of the novel “Bruges-la-Morte” by Georges Rodenbach: https://operasandcycling.com/the-dead-city/