Bruges

Bruges is the best-preserved medieval city in Belgium, a UNESCO fairytale of dreamy canals, cobbled squares, step-gabled brick houses and a great belfry that climbs above it all. Once one of the richest trading cities in Europe, it fell quietly asleep for centuries and woke perfectly preserved, its lanes, bridges and boat trips along the canals earning it the name the Venice of the North.

History

The first fortifications in the Bruges area were built after Julius Caesar's conquest of the Menapii in the first century BC, and the Viking raids of the ninth century led Count Baldwin I of Flanders to strengthen them. The town is first described around 1042, in the Encomium Emmae Reginae, as full of merchants and with ships reaching it straight from the sea; in 1089 it became the capital of the County of Flanders, and on 27 July 1128 it received its city charter, after which new walls and canals were built. A storm in 1134 opened a channel at the Zwin that restored its access to the sea, the first Genoese merchant fleet arrived in 1277, and the Bourse that opened in 1309, most likely the first stock exchange in the world, grew into the most sophisticated money market of the Low Countries in the 14th century (Wikipedia, Bruges).

What to look for

• The Belfry - the great medieval bell tower, climbable for a view.
• The Markt and Burg squares - the historic central squares.
• The canals - the dreamy waterways, best seen by boat.
• The Beguinage and lake of love - the tranquil convent and Minnewater.

When to go

Spring to autumn for the best weather and canal boats; December brings a lovely Christmas market. It is an easy day trip from Brussels, but staying overnight lets you enjoy the town once the day-trippers leave.

What to expect

It is very popular and the centre fills with day-trippers, so it can feel crowded and a touch like a film set by day; early morning and evening, once the crowds thin, are magical. It is compact, seen in a day, though an overnight rewards you with quiet.

Nearby

Ghent is a short train ride; the Flanders coast and the fields of Flanders are close.

Key facts