Bruges: a city that keeps amazing

Bruges: The one and only Venice of the North

Bruges, located in the province of West Flanders, in the northwest of Belgium, is called the ‘The Venice of the North’ by a lot of people. It truly deserves this nickname since this extremely beautiful medieval town became a prominent World Heritage Site of UNESCO. Bruges, as one of the most picturesque cities in Europe, has a very rich history, going back almost 900 years ago, to 1128, when Bruges got its city charter. The name Bruges stems from the Old Norse word Bryggja, which means ‘landing stage’ or ‘port’ and may have the same origin as Norway’s Bryggen. At the early 13th century, Bruges was an important part of the Flemish cloth fairs circuit and the city’s entrepreneurship reached out to as far as England and Scotland and their wool-producing districts. The Bourse’s opening in 1309 made Bruges one of the most sophisticated mony markets of the Low Countries.

By the 1400s, the population rose to nearly 40.000 people. By the late 19th century Bruges became one of the first tourist destinations attracting mainly British and French tourists. International tourism grew steadily eversince, reaching an absolute peak in 2002, when Bruges became ‘European Capital of Culture’.

Today about 120.000 people live in Bruges, 20.000 of them still live in the historic city centre. It’s stunning how friendly the people in Bruges are and how many of them impress tourists every time with their charm and enthousiasm to show their city’s sights. You can almost sense their pride of having the privilige to be living in Bruges.

City of food & beverages

Bruges is ofcourse also an ideal city to please your stomach. After a full day of visiting the museums, enjoying the old buildings’ architecture, walking through the many little streets, or having taken a canal or carriage ride you can choose from the great variety of excellent restaurants, trendy lunch adresses, coffee bars, pubs and clubs that Bruges has to offer. Treat yourself with the rich aroma of typical Belgian chocolate and waffles, taste the different varieties of the famous Belgian beers, or have gastronomical night in one of the many high quality restaurants or hotels in Bruges. All gastronomic restaurants in Bruges and the beautiful hotels in Bruges are an absolute feast for all people who enjoy the good sides of life.

A couple examples of very good (and affordable) restaurants in the city centre are: Restaurant Aneth and Restaurant Arthies or perhaps you can take a look around on this website about restaurants in Bruges.

Hotel Patritius in Bruges: Magnificent 19th century mansion, in the centre of Bruges. Hotel Patritius in Brugge is uniquely situated and family owned and will take you right to the heart of Bruges old atmosphere, without depriving you of everything that modern comfort has to offer. Private parking, garage boxes and the interior garden of the hotel make Hotel Patritius in Bruges into one of the best in town.

Hotel De Goezeput Bruges: recommended by “The Rough Gide” and “Le Guide Rotard”, Hotel De Goezeput Bruges is the perfect spot to dive into the rich character of Bruges and its inhabitants. Located in a 18th century monastery and ideally situated at only a 5 minute walk to the Market Square, Hotel De Goezeput Brugge is undoubtedly the perfect starting point to explore the medieval city. The hotel has a modern lounge bar with a cosy open fire place, as well as a children’s corner, terrace and free internet.