Nine things to do in Bruges

Introduction:

Bruges

About an hour's train ride away from Brussels is the beautiful town of Bruges, the capital of the west Flanders in the north west Belgium. Cobbled roads, colourful buildings of medieval architecture, canals, narrow lanes and back alleys characterise this quintessential Belgian town.

Getting Here:

Trains and buses from Brussels depart for Bruges. It's about an hour's ride.

Getting around:

Horse cart ride

Take a walk down the cobbled road, or bike through the lanes and alleys and let the medieval charm of Bruges cast it's spell on you. When your legs feel tired, take the canal ride: sit back and relax as your driver guides you through the history of the buildings on your either sides. If you wish to, ride down the pathways in a horse carriage and get transported back in time.

Things to do:

1. Take the Bruges Boat Tour

The one hour canal tour costs around 8 Euros (year: 2017). Enjoy the architecture and history of the buildings on your sides as you make your way through the canals.

Boat Tour

2. Go chocolate tasting (and buying.. a lot)

Belgian chocolates need no introduction. But it is said that Bruges is home to some of the creamiest of the lot. I surely felt so at the Dumon Chocolatiers. Other famous chocolatiers would include The Chocolate Line, Chocoholic and Chocolaterie Jan De Clerck

Dumon Chocolatier

3. Visit The Beer Wall

A wall decorated with different beer bottles and the glasses in which they are to be served: The Beer Wall is just next to the 2be, where you can enjoy some drinks and chill a while.

4. Take a brewery tour

Not far from the 2be is Brewery Bourgogne des Flandres. Their house ale has alcohol content of 5% and has a very rich and creamy finish. It is a blend of the mild Den Bruinen Os, which is brewed on site with an aged lambic - following a typical Flemish beer blending tradition of blending old and new beer. The lambic is brewed in the world's oldest lambic brewery, Timmermans near Brussels.

A complimentary glass of house ale comes with the brewery tour

5. Bike through the narrow lanes and bylanes

Biking is a classic way of exploring this lovely town.

Bikes and bikers characterise the roads

6. Ride a horse cart

Wish to get into rhythm with the medieval charm of Bruges? Ride a horse cart and feel the time rewind itself.

Ride a horse cart

7. Walk across the bridge of love by the Minnewater

They tell the story of a young and pretty girl named Minna, who was deeply in love with Stromberg, a warrior from the neighbouring tribe. When her father forced her to marry a groom of his choice, Minna escaped and ran into the forest. When Stromberg came back from the war, he searched for Minna. When he finally found her, she died in his arms of exhaustion. The lake was named after her: Minnewater. The bridge by its side became the bridge of love, in her honour. It is said that if you walk over the bridge and kiss your loved one, it will become eternal love.

Minnewater

8. Enjoy trappist beer

Silent monks of Trappist Order brew some of the best beers in the world. There are eleven such monasteries around the world, with six in Belgium itself. Although you cannot access the breweries, but you can enjoy the beer in different places in Belgium, the best ones being Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp and the capital, Brussels. Chimay, Westmalle, Westvleteren, Achel, Orval, Rochefort are the Belgian trappist beers.

Chimay - A Belgian Trappist beer

9. Take a walking tour

There are many free walking tours available in Bruges, departing in morning and afternoon batches. Join one, or you can even explore the town by yourself on foot.

Ideal Time Commitment:

Although a day's trip to Bruges is doable, it is better to make it a weekend trip to enjoy the essence of the town to its fullest.

Bruges