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.

When you want to make a trip to Belgium, Bruges has, as well as Brussels, Ghent & Antwerp, all the aspects to make your stay exhilirating. Almost all hotels in Bruges are situated in old cobbled carless streets and alleys and offer views on romantic canals everywhere you look. The perfectly going together of age-old and brand new intrigues everyone who visits Bruges for the first time. The best way to spend your time in Bruges is to stay at least one night in one of the many fine Bruges hotels.

The reason why Bruges architecture is so amazing is because the authorities have done their absolute best to preserve the medieval image of the town. Many of its buildings are famous worldwide, including the Church of Our Lady, one of the world’s highest brick towers. Some other examples are: The 13th Century Belfry Tower, The Burg and The Beguinage. You can still hear the 47 bells, as the full time traditional bell ringer puts on regular free concerts for everyone around. There are a few hotels brugge that can be found in the shadow of the Belfry. Bruges is not only worth the visit for its old culture. At the newly built Concert Hall, one of the most prominent music complexes in Flanders you can enjoy high quality contemporary culture on a daily basis. .

Don’t let it get to you when it rains or when it’s freezing: Bruges is beautiful all the year round! One could hardly forget their stay in Bruges once they have marveled at it on a snowy day in December or January. Ofcourse, Bruges can be very crowded during the day but late at night, when the majority of tourists are sleeping in one of the many charming hotels in Bruges, the city truly recovers its charm and quiet of the old days. If you want get away from the busy streets during daytime, try walking towards the north of the city centre, up to the ‘Vesten’ (ancient fortifications surrounding the egg-shaped city). Endless lawns and old trees or even some traditional windmills can be seen there.