Bruges, Belgium
To do: Bruges is well worth an overnight and perhaps two. Highlights for us were the architecture, chocolate, and museums. We spent a good deal of time just walking random streets–sometimes along the canals–admiring the doors which open on the canals, gardens or facades. The shopping is good with many high-end brands, but also lots of antiques and well-curated collections of whatnot.
Old homes which back to the canal have doors permitting water access.
The obvious things to do in Bruges include climbing the Belfort (Belfry) and admiring the buildings of the main square. The Belfort has 366 stairs, so wear your comfy climbing pants. The view from the top is good, but the view of the bells is even more interesting and if you are in the right room when chiming happens it’s really neat to watch the mechanisms for the bells. When we climbed there was a family of 5 in front of us, with all children 10 and under. They climbed the whole thing just fine; the youngest (about age 4) got carried down. In other words, this can be a good attraction for children. There is a video about how the bell mechanism works which is very good, and seeing it all up close is fascinating for any age.
We went to 3 museums off the main square which were wonderful. The lace museum and folklore museum were both worthwhile. In the afternoon, visitors can see students at work making lace at the lace museum. We did not expect to like this museum as much as we did. It was a great history lesson. There is also a private store very close by which is like a lace museum itself.
The folklore museum is a good choice if you like seeing how people lived in days of old. Each room is devoted to a different profession and there are many, many rooms. This is also a good choice for families with children; exhibits include one with interactive space for very young kids and the museum has an outdoor space with several old-fashioned, hands-on games. Sometimes, there are live candy demonstrations. There is a video of the candy-making for those who miss the live show. Another nice visit in this area is the Adornes Domein–an authentic medieval house and church. It has been owned by the same family for 600 years. Seeing how the landowners provided homes for poor widows was very interesting and the church within the domain is beautiful.
Our first trip to Bruge was 20 years ago, in the winter with three young children. I only remember cute cobble stone streets and the ice palace. If you are here in the winter with kids (or without), the ice palace is a wonder.
To Eat:
Chocolate: two standouts are Chocolate Line and BbyB Chocolates. Prices at both for craft chocolates are more reasonable than in the US, at about 1 Euro per piece. Chocolate Line is the product of a star chef. They have a display on the entry and some products that made us feel like we were in a show or theme park. The chocolate is good and there are unusual flavors if that is what you like: spicy, bacon, as well as more predictable flavors. BbyB had good quality chocolate with strong, interesting flavors. Like other smaller-scale chocolate shops, they are happy to provide a sample before you buy.
Patisserie: At Aux Merveilleux, bakers can be seen through the window, squeezing out the meringues for the day. This is a beautiful place to sit with a cup of tea, coffee or chocolate and a pastry. The second floor offers table service and the view of the bakers and giant chandelier will make you feel like you are living the good life. Our favorite here were the waffles–rather like stroopwaffles in that there is a sweet filling between two layers, but these are pliable. You can buy a to-go pack of 6 for about 6 Euro to repeat the experience at home.
To Stay:
We chose Hotel Prinsenhof (now called the Dukes’ Palace Residence), which is the little sister of the Dukes’ Palace. The Dukes’ Palace is–yes–a palace turned into a hotel. It has lots of gold on the outside and many tourists take pictures of it. It is also located right off a main street. Unless you want a canal-view room, you can’t get better I think than this location (although all of Bruges is quite compact). The Duke’s Palace costs more than 300 euro a night on the weekend, but only half of that on the weekdays. Prinsenhof was 160 euro on the weekend. The room was large and very clean with a beautiful bathroom, linens, and products. It’s off an interior courtyard outfitted with a few chairs.
We’re already planning a return trip and next time we want to attend the fish market and try two restaurants which were already booked–the staff letting us know that on a Saturday night, even during COVID times, there is no availability without reservations in advance: De Pepermolen and Den Gouden Karpel.
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