Bruges is the second most visited city in Belgium and is known as the Venice of the North. This medieval city is very quaint and beautiful whatever season you decide to visit it! The street are swarming with tourists in the summer but this astonishing city should also be visited throughout autumn and winter as its charm never leave the city whatever time of the year! Along with its amazing architecture, Bruges offers wonderful canal cruises enabling you and your family to see all the sights as it crosses the middle of the city. With all its pedestrian, cobbled streets, Bruges is a wonderful city to visit on foot. You will be able to go down the small roads, hiding away some wonderful shops selling traditional souvenirs as well as gastronomic shops which will offer you the wonders of Belgium chocolate and beers! Bruges is most definitely a city not to miss if visiting Belgium!
Transportation in Bruges
By Car: Bruges can be reached by the N31 from Zeebrugge and the E40/N34 from Brussles. Bruges lies a short distance from the main E40 motorway connecting Brussels with Ostend and Calais, and the E403 from Lille and Kortrijk to Zeebrugge.
By Train: Tourists are encouraged to reach Brugge by train. Bruges' railway station provides at least hourly trains to all other major cities of Belgium. Belgium is connected to France, Holland and Germany via the TGV Thalys service with up to 3 trains daily from Paris to Brussels. It takes about one hour to get to Brussels Central Station from Bruges.
By Ferry: Bruges' ferry port is called Zeebrugge (literally 'Sea Bruges'). Regular services run from Hull in Northeast England and Rosyth near Edinburgh in Scotland. Nearby ports include Calais, Dunkerque and Ostend with regular services running from Folkestone, Dover and Ramsgate respectively.
By Air: Bruges Airport is in nearby Ostend. Ostend Bruges Airport can easily be reached using highway E40. Services are however much more frequent to Brussels airport.
Neatly marking the city centre is the Market, overwhelmingly medieval in character this cobbled square houses some of Bruges’ impressive gothic and renaissance buildings including the 13th century Belfort (Belfry). Offering unrivalled views of Bruges and beyond, be sure to climb the 366 steps to the top where a picture postcard perfect panorama awaits you. Bruges’ other beautiful square is the Burg which once again contains architectural treasures but also features many pavement cafes and bars which are the perfect spot to take in the atmosphere and watch Bruges go about everyday life. Burg square also houses the Basilica of the Holy Blood, named after its prize relic; a phial containing a few drops of Christ’s blood which found its way to Belgium about 1,000 years ago. Meanwhile, The Church of our Lady is one of the city’s most interesting churches containing many works of art, most notable being Michelangelo’s Madonna with Child marble. On Dijver Street you will find Bruges’ premier art museum the Groeninge Museum its displays concentrating mainly on Dutch and Belgian art. For a light-hearted outing head to Choco Story Museum where Bruges celebrates its love of chocolate with a fascinating account of the history of chocolate!
