Bruges, a fucking fairytale city, and a great spot for a weekend trip away. The northern Belgian town is situated around an hour away from Brussels and is easily accessible from the UK by car, plane or Eurostar. Full of history and virtually untouched by modern architecture, Bruges is a popular beauty spot with people from across the globe, and it's easy to see why.
The bustling medieval town is absolutely brimming with things to do, and no end of tourists willing to pay to do them. But with so many attractions in the city, it's hard to know what's genuinely worth your time and what's just a tourist trap.
Bruges at night
So I've popped together a list of things you need to do in Bruges and some things you just need to avoid...
- Things to do in Bruges -
Take a boat trip along Bruges beautiful canals
Walk to the top of the Belfry of Bruges
The Belfry of Bruges is likely the most popular tourist attraction in all of Belgium, but for a very good reason. Not only is the Belfry beautiful to look at from the ground, but it also offers visitors the option to see Bruges from the sky. From the top of the tower, you will be treated to the most stunning view across the city, and if you time your visit right you will also be able to see the bells chiming from the ceiling above. You will need to carry yourself to the top however as there is no lift.
Enjoying a cheap boat trip in Bruges
The boat trip ventured along the most popular canals in Bruges
Visit the Beer Wall
Find the Beer Wall and you will find tourist central, but don't let that put you off. Whilst the beer wall and the adjoining bar will be busting with visitors I would still say it's still worth a trip. Here you will find hundreds of bottles and glasses on show which makes it a perfect photo opportunity. I'd also recommend visiting the shop next door which is a bit of a labyrinth, but great fun to walk around!
Take a tour of De Halve Mann Brewery
No city break is complete without a visit to the local brewery, and in Bruges, you have a few to choose from. I would recommend a trip to De Halve Mann brewery however as this is where the famous Zot beer is made. Whilst the brewery tour is pretty standard it is a great way to learn some of the history of Bruges before indulging in the freshest of fresh beers.
View from the first floor of the Belfry of Bruge. Bruges Market square can be seen below.
View from the top of the Belfry of Bruges
Try a Merveilleux
A Merveilleux is a cream-filled meringue cake native to the Flander region of France and Belgium. Whilst you can buy these beauties in select stores in Paris and London, nothing beats devouring a Merveilleux cake where they originated. Merveilleux come in several different flavours however I'm quite partial to an original milk chocolate covered cake which tastes like it was created by the angels themselves.
Tasting the local Zot Beer at De Halve Mann Brewery in Bruges
View from the top of De Halve Mann Brewery in Bruges
-Things to avoid in Bruges -
As someone who grew up being able to smell the original Cadbury factory from their house, I always knew doing a chocolate museum tour would be underwhelming but this was a different level of disappointment. Not only was the museum harder to find than any tourist attraction should be, but there just wasn't that much of interest there in my opinion.
Frietmuseum
Similar to the chocolate museum, the Frietmuseum (chip museum) was also pretty dull. This one is a little more fun for children, but for any adult wanting to spend a cultural weekend in beautiful Bruges, I'd steer clear.
A giant Easter Egg inside Chocostory in Bruges
The Blood Of Christ
Housed in the stunning Basilica of The Holy Blood Chapel, the blood of Christ almost made the things-to-do list as I was quite intrigued by it. The cloth features the blood of Jesus Christ on it and is kept in a vial, only displayed at certain times of the day. Ignoring the fact that it's likely not the actual blood of Christ, the object may still be of interest to both Christians and non-Christians alike, however the queue to see this piece of history will likely be enough to put you off visiting as it was for me. Maybe it's worth the wait to some, but anyone visiting Bruges with a strict schedule might want to skip this one.
Torture Museum
The Torture Museum in central Bruges is jam-packed with torture devices from every century, and whilst I did find it interesting, I couldn't help but feel that I was wasting my precious time here. I did enjoy learning about some of the most brutal man-made instruments imaginable, but while I was in there I only longed to be outside exploring the winding medieval streets of beautiful Bruges.
A chocolate covered Merveilleux cake
Very happy with my choice of cake in Merveilleux De Fred in Bruges
So those are the things I think you absolutely need to do in Bruges and those you should probably avoid.
All of this is based on my own taste and opinions and whilst some of you may well enjoy the likes of the chip museum, I've travelled enough to know these kinds of places only exist because tourists will pay to visit virtually any kind of museum when they're on holiday.
Thanks for reading!
x
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