Basilic of the Holy Blood (Heilige Bloed Basiliek), Bruges

Advantages: Very pleasant, easy to visit, excellent food and beer
Disadvantages: None

...and cafes and these are all very reasonably priced. I always try to get my usual portion of Moules and Frites (cost about 495BEF less than £8) and have never been disappointed. Of course as I was driving I had to be careful with the local beers but it was a warm day so I had to have one. In the centre of the Market Place there is a statue of Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck who fought for independence from the French in 1302. A pleasant part about Bruges is that it s all flat and level so you cn walk around the town to see without excessive exertion. From the Market Square I walked through to the Stadhuis (Town Hall) but unfortunately it is being renovated at the moment so the façade is not visible. Next door is the Basilica of the Holy Blood which is in an ornate casket in a small church shrine. The tourist information and some useful public... Read review

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Advantages: Lots of charm, character and class...and great beer
Disadvantages: Crowded during the day, canals were a little 'ripe'

.... Bruges is quite a small. compact city and so lends itself well to a tour by walking or by horse-drawn carriage. As it's sometimes known as The Venice of the North, there are lots of companies offering canal-boat tours. There are also tours by mini-coach and it's possible to hire bicycles. We walked. •• MARKT -- The Belfry dominates the main city square - where markets were held from 1200 until 1983. The Belfry tower is 86m high, has 366 steps and leans southeast. It has a 4-octave carillon of 47 bells which marks the quarter hour - that gets old fast. -- You can climb the tower for some spectacular views across the city...you can, we didn't. •• BASILLICA of the HOLY BLOOD -- A double chapel with Saint Basil's Chapel (1139-1149) on the ground floor. The upper chapel was rebuilt (19thC) in neo-gothic style. A museum displays the reliquary... Read review

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Advantages: Scenery, Great hotels, food and shopping
Disadvantages: Can be crowded in Summer

...I have visited Brugge or Bruges to the French, in the Flanders region of Belgium many times. I have to say it is probably my favourite European city. There are two parts to Brugge, the new and the main residential exterior area, and the old walled medieval town and haunt for the many tourists that are drawn to it. Brugge dates back hundreds of years but detailed history of it starts around the 13th century, hence there is some marvellous architecture to observe, including the 272 foot high Belfry, located in the central Markt and main square. If you fancy the exercise, scale the 370 odd steps to gain a superb view of the town. There are great and inexpensive places to eat and drink in Brugge. If you like Belgian beer, try the local golden ales, that in some cases will literally blow your head off. The beers are served to you... Read review

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