A Day in Idyllic Bruges, Belgium

 Bruges is one of the main reasons that people travel to Belgium. It is one of the most famous medieval cities in Europe - its historic buildings, charming canals and attractive streets make the entire historic center an UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was one of the places I was most looking forward to visiting on our trip to Europe last September and I can easily say I was not disappointed. This adorable little city has much to offer and we took advantage of that on our day trip here from Brussels. Come along and visit Bruges with me!

Less than an hours train ride from Brussels and a short walk to the center of the city from the train station, Bruges starts showing off from the arrive. Cobblestone streets and brick homes with lace curtains, carriages going by and church bells ringing while you're walking into the city and you realize that this truly is someplace special. After our short train ride, we headed to the Market Square to meet our tour guide for our two hour walking tour. 

Beginning at Market Square we headed straight to a family run chocolate shop where we met the congenial owners and sampled some of their delicious chocolate. Deciding not to buy anything right then as we would have to carry it around all day, we promised a return before we left Bruges. Then we were off to walk the city and learn its history. 

 We crossed the kissing bridge of St. Bonifacius - legend has it that if you kiss your lover on this bridge you'll be in love forever- and walked the silent grounds of the only convent in Bruges.( It is no longer a convent but a home for former nuns or single, older women)We saw the famous swans and stopped at the Rozenhoedkaai, the city's most famous view - made famous in the movie, In Bruges - for some photos. Ending our tour in front of the Basilica of the Holy Blood we forfeited a visit here in favor of a much needed lunch.

The narrow Prostitute Alley from the 14th century

St. Salvatore's Cathedral

Lunch was at an outdoor cafe with a Brugse Zot from the famous, and only brewery in Bruges - De Halve Maan.  And then it was time for  a pleasant canal cruise with some history and humor thrown in. (My worries of long lines didn't come true - we walked right up and got our tickets) Our captain regaled us with tales of famous residents and history in both English and German. I would highly recommend a cruise if you're visiting here - it was my favorite part of the day.

Our last stop - besides heading back to the chocolate shop to make our purchases - was at  the aforementioned De Halve Maan Brewery - a brewery in the same family for five generations and since 1856. (A really unique feature of this brewery is an underground pipeline that transports beer from Bruges, where it's brewed at 1000 gallons per hour to it's bottling plants 2 miles away)We nabbed an outdoor table and the male members of our party spent some time enjoying a beer while the females went shopping. 

The underground pipeline to transport beer

Kathe Wolfhart store

If you're looking for an adorable little city with an historic main square, carriage rides, outdoor cafes, an old brewery and quaint little shops that is walkable with good transportation options, then I'd say that Bruges is perfect. 

I used one of my favorite guides, Rick Steves, to plan our day in Bruges - his website and his guide book for Belgium

How about you? Have you been lucky enough to visit Bruges?

Linking up with: My Corner of the World at Photographing New Zealand!