Bruges: a city full of wonders

Bruges: The Venice of the North

Bruges, located in the province of West Flanders, in the northwest of Belgium, is called the ‘The Venice of the North’ by a lot of people. It truly deserves this nickname since this extremely beautiful medieval town became a prominent World Heritage Site of UNESCO. Bruges, as one of the most picturesque cities in Europe, has a very rich history, going back almost 900 years ago, to 1128, when Bruges got its city charter. The name Bruges stems from the Old Norse word Bryggja, which means ‘landing stage’ or ‘port’ and may have the same origin as Norway’s Bryggen. At the beginning of the 13th century, Bruges was already part of the circuit of Flemish cloth fairs and the city’s entrepreneurs reached out to make economic colonies of England and Scotland’s wool-producing districts. The opening of the Bourse in 1309 turned Bruges into the most sophisticated mony market of the Low Countries. By the 15th century, the population rose to 40.000 inhabitants. By the late 1800s Bruges became one of the first tourist destinations attracting tourists worldwide (mainly British and French). Since then, international tourism grew steadily over the years, culminating in Bruges becoming ‘European Capital of Culture’ in 2002.

Nowadays some 120.000 people live in Bruges, of which 20.000 live in the historic centre of the city. All residents are enormously proud to be living in Bruges and are always very friendly and try to impress you every time with their charm and enthousiasm to show you around the city.

Making a trip to Belgium, Bruges definetely has to be on your list, as well as other beautiful Flemish cities like Brussels, Ghent & Antwerp. Bruges has all the aspects to make your stay unforgettable. All notable hotels in Bruges can be found in the countless old cobbled pedestrian-only streets and alleys. The perfect match of the new and the old fascinates everyone who visits Bruges for the first time, whether you’re British or Chinese. The best way to spend your time in Bruges is to stay at least one night in one of the many fine Bruges hotels that offer views on romantic canals everywhere you look.

Don’t be sad if you’re not lucky with the weather: Bruges is always beautiful! No one would ever forget their visit to Bruges once they have seen it on a snowy winter day. Ofcourse, as one of the most fascinating tourist attractions in Europe, Bruges can be very crowded but late at night, when most of the tourists are sleeping in one of the many fine hotels in Bruges, the city finds back its charm and quiet of old times. If you want to escape the crowdiness during the day, try walking along the streets and canals to the north of the city centre, up to the ‘Vesten’, the ancient fortifications that still surround the city. Apart from endless lawns and old trees, some traditional windmills can be spotted there.

When you want to make a trip to Belgium, Bruges has, as well as Brussels, Ghent & Antwerp, all the aspects to make your stay exhilirating. Almost all hotels in Bruges are situated in old cobbled carless streets and alleys and offer views on romantic canals everywhere you look. The perfectly going together of age-old and brand new intrigues everyone who visits Bruges for the first time. The best way to spend your time in Bruges is to stay at least one night in one of the many fine Bruges hotels.

Picture: Brussels cathedral

City of museums

Apart from its wonderful medieval architecture, Bruges is also well known for its museums that can be find, without exaggerating, around every corner. The greatest quality of Bruges’ museums is the huge diversity, ranging from the Flemish Primitives to contemporary art, from the classic ‘fine arts’ to archeological excavations, furniture, silverware, folklore, etc Various ‘Flemish Primitives’ Masters, such as Hans Memling and Jan van Eyck considered Bruges to be their home and spend almost their entire life here. Even Michelangelo is represented here, with the only work of art made by his hands to have left Italy during his lifetime: a marble statue of Our Lady, to be seen in the Church of Our Lady. A visit to the Groeningemuseum, with 600 years of different style paintings, is also worthwile, as well as the Memling Museum, the Museum of Folklore, the Gruuthusemuseum, the Guido Gezelle Museum, St. John’s House, the Old St. John’s Hospital (an absolute must-see), the Basilica of the Holy Blood (displays an ampul supposedly containing Christ’s blood), the Diamond Museum, etc. All hotels in Brugge are only a stone’s throw away from the museums in the city centre.

City of food & beverages

If you’ve had enough off all the buildings and culture, it’s time to sit down and relax. Bruges ranks very high when it comes to excellent restaurants, lunch adresses, coffee bars, pubs or clubs. Fill your stomach with typical Belgian chocolate and waffles, or the countless varieties of famous Belgian beers, or let yourself go gastronomically in one of the many restaurants or hotels in Bruges. A lot of the restaurants in Bruges and the romantic hotels in Bruges are a must-do for everyone who likes to look on the bright side of life.

A couple examples of very good (and affordable) restaurants in the city centre are: Restaurant Aneth and Restaurant Arthies or perhaps you can take a look around on this website about restaurants in Bruges.

Hotels in Bruges

After a long day filled with pleasure, it’s time to chill out and to go back to your hotel. Bruges offers a very wide diversity of small and bigger hotels. In general, Bruges hotels appeal to practically every visitor, whether you come alone or bring your entire family. Most hotels in Brugge are cosy family hotels with under 30 rooms. Also, most Brugge hotels can be found in the historic centre, making all the architectural and artistic treasures very closeby.

Hotel Karel de Stoute Bruges: Due to its unique historical value Hotel Karel de Stoute Brugge is on the Flemish Heritage List. The authentic structure and elements of the Burgundian time take you back more than 600 years. Although Hotel Karel de Stoute Bruges is located just off the main squares, it breathes a certain calm and lies in a very quiet neighbourhood. Apart from its age-old character Hotel Karel de Stoute Brugge is nowadays also famous for its warm hospitality and personal guest attention.

Hotel Fevery Bruges: This recently renovated, 10 hotelrooms counting Hotel Fevery is only a 10 minute walk form the city centre and only a couple hundred meters away from those stunningly beautiful canals in Bruges. Hotel Fevery is family runned and has more than 40 years of tradition.

Hotel Botaniek in Bruges: 18th Century Mansion, elegantly renovated into the charming hotel Botaniek. Very well known for its quiet atmosphere and located next to one of the most beautiful romantic canals. The tastefully decorated breakfast room, together with a quiet sitting room (that clearly reminds the visitor of the Louis XV era) make up for a very pleasant stay in Bruges. The icing on the cake can be found on the top floor of the hotel Botaniek, which offers the visitor a unique view on the medieval city centre.

Hotels in Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent or Leuven

Departing from Bruges, it’s an absolutely recommended to extend your stay in Belgium and also visit the other beautiful cities like Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent or Leuven. Since Belgium/Flanders isn’t really that big, journeys by train e.g. usually take less than 1 hour. Hotels in Brugge are in general very comparable to hotels in Antwerp, hotels in Brussels, hotels in Ghent or hotels in Leuven, although hotels in Bruges are usually likely to be a little smaller in size. Hotels in Brussels normally are a bit further away from the city centre than hotels in Bruges. On the other hand, the distance to railway stations is the same for hotels in Bruges than for hotels in Antwerp, hotels in Brussels or hotels in Leuven.