We left Rotterdam on a train heading south to Belgium. It was the longest train ride of our trip, with a connection in Brussels en route to be In Bruges. We spent the majority of this commute talking to a wonderful couple from Bruges who shared many suggestions on places to visit. We did visit a cocktail bar and pub that they recommended!
Our train arrived at our final destination in the late afternoon and we made our way into the city centre. We immediately became aware that we were seeing something that was almost unbelievable.
The centre of Bruges has been largely untouched since medieval times. The narrow cobble stone roads are lined with buildings that exude history.
It was as though we were walking in a fairytale.
There were places that we had visited that felt old, but this place felt ancient. Those places we had visited previously were always around the corner from something more modern, like a building from the twelfth century surrounded by buildings from the eighteenth century.
Bruges was not like that. Every street we turned down was just as old as the last. It is incredible that this city has stood the test of time.
Despite many wars and storms, it has maintained its charm since the tenth century. After winding our way through the streets and alleys, we arrived at our hotel. The aged exterior was very quaint, but the inside had all the modern amenities that you would expect.
After a quick refresh, we ventured out to explore the area.
Markt Square (yes, that is the correct Flemmish spelling) is at the heart of the city where you can find the twelfth century Belfry and the Provincial Court. This replacing the Waterhall (the trade hall on the river where boats were unloaded) when it was demolished in the late 1780s.
It really was surreal to think that this area has been occupied for over a thousand years.
We were able to tick quite a few sights off the list that we had, that afternoon.
This time around, we had decided to visit points of interest without a strict itinerary as we had during our trip in 2019. It allowed us to enjoy the sights without having the feeling that we were running on a schedule.
We ate delicious waffles from Otto Waffle Atelier (gluten free, of course). Then, took a stroll through Minnewater park and over the Lake of Love on the Lover’s Bridge. Where we of course stopped for a kiss.
According to local legend this marks our love for eternity. While this story (true or not) sounds very romantic, it ends with the tragic death of Minna. She basically threw a tantrum over an arranged marriage and ran into the forest. Only to die from exhaustion in the arms of her true love.
We walked through Ten Wijngaerde, a gothic beguinage (a place where like minded religious women lived) that was built in the late 16th century.
We enjoyed an excellent meal at Mozart’s, a lovely restaurant serving all-you-can-eat ribs. After that we made our way over to Groot Vlaenderen (mentioned to us by the couple on the train). We were on the hunt for some post dinner cocktails. Groot Vlaenderen has been a licensed establishment since 1879, but the bartender informed us that it had likely been serving guests long before that licensing came into effect.
We met a small group of young locals who came in and sat next to us.
There were several rounds ordered as we talked to them until last call. The conversations were engaging and they showed as much interest in us and our story as we had in theirs.
It was incredible to meet someone who was able to speak five languages (the official language in Belgium is Flemish, but Dutch and French are both prominent). I asked if English was taught in school. It is not ; they learned from watching TV with subtitles! This is particularly funny as we have to watch some programming in the U.K. with subtitles, to understand a language that we speak…!
The next day was a full day in Bruges.
We enjoyed a quick breakfast before venturing back to the city centre. Our plan was to tour the sights we were unable to get into the previous day.
The first stop was at the Basilica of the Holy Blood, a Romanesque church built in 1134.
This Basilica stands almost completely unchanged since its construction and houses a relic of the Precious Blood (a glass vial said to contain a piece of cloth with blood shed by Jesus while on the Cross).
The interior of this church was dark and very, very quiet. Its stained glass windows and ornate interior made us feel as though we had stepped back in time several hundred years.
Next, we climbed the 366 stairs to the top of the Belfry, the most prominent symbol in the city.
Belfries played a major part in the day to day life of the citizens. This one not only boasted a clock, but the bells sounded, marking the beginning and end of a work day, mid day break and also alerts for potential invasion.
It was obvious while climbing the steep stairs that the people at the time of the build (approximately 1240) were much shorter and had small feet, as it was a tight squeeze at times and the stairs were definitely not made to current day code.
It is no secret that heights make me uncomfortable, but I felt safe enough with the steel netting to get a good look out over the city.
We took a boat tour through the canals.
Neither of us particularly enjoy being on boats, but it was slow and the “captain” was full of excellent information about the city. After, we made our way to the opposite end of the city centre limits and walked the river while taking in a few windmills that were once used to mill corn.
A short walk brought us back into the centre where we ate dinner at Rose Red Cafe. It was a delightful little restaurant with great food and a bartender who was more than willing to take the time to chat with us (mostly about beer, cocktails and tattoos).
We ended our busy day at ’t Brugs Beertje
(No, I still cannot pronounce that), also a recommendation by the lovely couple. This local pub boasts several hundred different beers, most of them bottled. I was informed that I must let go of the North American notion that beer on tap is better.
We spent a couple of hours tasting the different beers they had and having conversations with the other patrons. These genuine interactions are part of what fuels my desire for travel. For me, it’s about making meaningful connections. We shared our story, listened to theirs and enjoyed the beer. Let me say, Belgians take their beer very seriously (a light beer is 6.5% ABV……).
The night ended and we returned to the hotel to prepare for the next day. Ghent was next, but Bruges had most certainly made a lasting impression on us.
It was truly a day in a fairytale, In Bruges…