Next stop~ Bruges (English) Brugge (Dutch) Bruges (French) Brügge (German)

In the market-place of Bruges stands the belfry old and brown;

Thrice consumed and thrice rebuilded, still it watches o'er the town.

                         The Belfry of Bruges   ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

No matter how it's spelled, Bruges is a charming city of medieval buildings, canals, chocolate and Flemish art. One of Bruges' most famous landmarks is its belfry, housing a municipal carillon of 48 bells. The city still employs a full-time carillonneur, who gives free concerts on a regular basis.  It was added to the market square around 1240 when Bruges was an important center of the Flemish cloth industry.  

Because of its strategic location in the trade routes, Bruges was included in the Flemish and French cloth fairs at the beginning of the 13th century.  The weavers and spinners of Bruges were thought to be the best in the world at one point in time.   This was also where the new Flemish-school, oil painting techniques became well known.  The first book in English ever printed was published in Bruges in 1475.     

Market Square in Brugge

The Markt is the center of town where jousts and public executions took place.  It was big entertainment in medieval times.   Today the 17th century houses have been turned into restaurants and cafes.

Town Hall of Brugge

   Our first stop after we checked into our hotel was a little bar called De Garre.  The beer was fantastic (and I'm not a beer lover) and it was a great way to start our weekend in The Venice of the North.  One of the best things about this bar is that the alley where it is found is such a narrow alley that it is hard for tourists to find it.   It was a nice break from what can be a very touristy town.

Enjoying a Belgian beer at De Garre

The bed and breakfast where we stayed was charming. The views from our hotel room looked out onto a canal.  On Sunday morning I caught a glimpse of a horse and carriage going to work in the village square.  I felt like I was back four hundred years with no cars in sight and cobblestone pathways.

view from hotel room with early sun on the buildings. 

organ grinder on the street in Bruges

This is the organ at Sint-Salvatorskacathedraal, which is Bruges' official cathedral. The organ dates from the late 17th century and is a beautiful example of a Baroque organ.  

No trip to Bruges is complete without a boat ride through the canals.  We were lucky to get on a boat on a quiet, somewhat rainy night so we had the canals to ourselves!

On our final morning before returning to London, we took a bike ride around the outskirts of Bruges and admired this quaint Medieval city at a leisurely pace.
Our bike ride was the perfect ending to a long weekend in Belgium.