Brugge, Belgium: Canals, Museums, Squares, Towers, Shopping & More...
| Start Page History Museums & Art Society & Culture Itineraries Practical Tips Town by Town Photos & Videos Features & Columns Links About Contact More info at trackandtrain.com |
The Belfort Tower in the Grote Markt is lighted at night
Here is an example of the buildings on the Grote Markt
This monument stands on the Grote Markt to honor heroes in the Battle of the Golden Spurs
The Provincial Government Palace in Brugge's Grote Markt belps explain high tax rates
The way to the tourism office from Grote Markt
The Dijver is across from the Groeningemuseum; it offers great views of canalside houses
The Groeninge Museum houses important Flemish artworks including (temporarily) the Memling collection
This garden is to the left of the entrance to the Groeningemuseum
As you leave the Groeninge Museum, turn left and walk through this archway
The Hansa Hotel is a bit expensive for the budget traveler, but is well worth the price
The Tavern Curiosa is downstairs, just up Vlamingstraat from the Grote Markt in Bruges
Brugge, Belgium Photo Gallery Page
What about going to Luxembourg City, Luxembourg?
Holland Town by Town Home Page
Why should I visit small towns in Holland when I'm done in Amsterdam?
Amsterdam Itineraries and Suggestions
Brugge -- A Step Back into Medieval Times
Brugge is a must-see town for visitors to the West Flanders region of Belgium. While many other European cities depend on restoration of destroyed monuments and buildings to attract tourists, Brugge is the real thing. Brugge is an older city than most, and it was spared from destruction during WWII.The late medieval architecture is largely untouched over the centuries. The city was a thriving center of the cloth and textile trade until it's harbor silted up in the 15th century. Brugge orignally competed with Ghent for status as the largest port. While Ghent continued gowing into the impressive place it is today, Brugge went into a decline for 400 years until it was redisovered by the newly created "tour groups" in the late 19th century.
I was last in Brugge on a cold January weekend, and the town was still overrun by gangs of roving tourists. This is the only negative thing about Brugge -- it's always overpopulated. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against tourists, but I could say something positive about solitude too. Brugge is a great place to spend two days looking at attractions and walking, but it's not a place to relax and be cozy. Once you're done there, move up into Zeeland and experience Dutch gezellig (coziness) and Bourgondian cuisine in Middelburg.
Brugge has something for you, whether your tastes lean towards shopping, sightseeing, museums, chocolates, lace, breweries & beer, wine bars, genever bars, churches, canals, carriage rides, gardens, towers, town squares or windmills.
Brugge has the nicest, quaintest canal system in Northern Europe. Every corner you turn offers a chance for another picture. Go to Brugge on a weekday -- this place is always filled with tour groups. This is a town for walking, with a special charm unique to Brugge. Spelled Bruges by the French, Brugge is a quaint, romantic town.
The Flanders Province of Belgium, a.k.a. the "Dutch" Half of Belgium
I mentioned Flanders before, but you may be asking yourself, "What is Flanders?" Belgium is made of two regions in addition to the capital city, Brussels. The Walloon region is the French-speaking part of Belgium in the southeast and along the French border. Liege and Namur are the biggest cities in the Walloon Region.Brugge is in the Northwest region, Flanders. Flemish is spoken here -- it's basically the same as Dutch but according to the Flemish they speak better than the Dutch. Flanders includes Antwerp, Brugge and Ghent, it's three big cities. Ghent and Antwerp are impressive big cities, but Brugge is a small city that feels more like a town. Once you arrive at the center everything is within walking distance of the Grote Markt.
Brussels, Belgium's political and cultural capital, is officially a bilingual city not part of the Walloon and Flanders regions. Really, it's trilingual because English is usable while French or Flemish are preferred. Brussel's Grand Place is an excellent example, "Grand Place" is French for the Flemish/Dutch "Grote Markt." Everything is marked in both languages. While Brussels has excellent art, history and architecture, it cannot offer the small-town charms of Brugge.
All Tours Begin at the Grote Markt
The Grote Markt in Brugge is one of the most impressive squares in the Benelux. With Brugge's famous Belfort tower situated atop the Cloth Hall, the huge Provincial Government Palace to it's left, and the rows of buildings lining the rest of the square, being here is like stepping back in time. The only thing that confirms you're in the 21st century is the hordes of camera toting tour groups. Oh, yeah, the cars, buses and taxis offer a clue as well.The sound of horsehoofs hitting cobblestones fills the square as tourists take carriage-rides through the town. You hear the voice of the carriage driver who doubles as a tour guide explaining the sights along the way in English, French, German or Flemish. Slightly less endearing is the sound of motorized scooters rushing through the city. At various times throughout the day the bells of different churches and towers ring across the roofttops. Brugge offers quite a rich audio experience.
You can climb the 366 steps of the Belfort tower to gain a birds-eye view of the city. The stairway is narrow, steep and claustrophobic. People with health issues should not try this, but if you can climb up, be sure to take your camera. You can also tour the Cloth Hall below or the Provincial Government Building to the left.
There are important places to see in Brugge. My favorites are the windmills on the edge of town, the Beginauge, and the museums across from the Dijver. The Groeningemuseum is an important place to see Flemish primitives, and the Memling collection is temporarily houses there too (as of March 2001). You can also see the Museum Arentshuis and the Gruuthuse Museum nearby. The garden outside the Groeninge Museum and the square in between all these museums is beautiful.
Getting Your Bearings -- Tourist Information and the Tourism Office, Sites With Virtual Tours
If you walk to the left side of the Belfort building, one street goes to the left towards another square, the Burgh square. Do you see the green "Toerisme" sign at the corner?.Follow that sign to the Burgh, and in the square is an archway leading to the local tourist office. Go through the arch, then enter the office to the left. You can ask questions, buy maps, get hotel info, and store bags in lockers here.Now it's time time see the rest of Brugge. First, make sure you see my Brugge Photo Gallery page, then it's time to look at two other websites that have nice picture tours of Brugge.
| Brugge Home Page -- An excellent site to learn
more about Brugge, Belgium. Look at my Brugge information too in
my Belgium Town by Town section Visit-Bruges.com -- Another Brugge site I found, spelling Brugge the French way, "Bruges." This site has a nice map of attractions and a great virtual tour of Brugge at http://www.visit-bruges.com/tourist1.htm. |
Hansa Hotel -- Brugge
My favorite place to stay in Brugge is at the Hansa Hotel (they have a website.) This is a more expensive hotel for a few reasons. The Hansa is located directly behind the Grote Markt. They have their own parking garage and reasonable parking rates. The Hotel is very elegant inside, with an excellent breakfast every morning. I have never eaten lunch or dinner there, but everything always tastes good.Some of the rooms have nice windows that open over the street. You can relax in your room and listen to the bells chiming across Brugge. The staff is incredibly helpful and nice, and they are willing to answer all the dumb questions you or I might ask! Most of the staff is multi-lingual, speaking English, Flemish (like Dutch), German and French. The hotel owners work behind the desk at times, and they do an excellent job creating a sophisticated yet friendly atmosphere.
My favorite thing about the Hansa is the free internet access by cable modem available in the lobby. Just beware the strange Belgian keyboard!