Bruges Travel - Coffee and Countries

I was 17 when I traveled abroad for the first time. No it wasn’t with parents, neither was it a vacation. It was through an exchange program called ‘Europe meets India’ where a bunch of us from college were taken to Belgium for couple of weeks to stay with Dutch families and go to school there to share our Indian experiences. 

Who knew it was going to change me as a person forever. Initially, the excitement was only about going to Europe, but in no time it became about finding a new home, a new family, new friends, new culture and most importantly being outside of your comfort zone and learning to enjoy it. 

My visit to Bruges was with my super-awesome host family – the Van den Enydes and they made sure that my experience was no less than how the Dutch would experience it. 

Bruges is one of Europe's most delightful medieval towns with cobbled streets and canals. It will be fair to call it the venice of the north. Personally, I think by the look of it, Bruge and Amsterdam are quite close - though the feels are nothing that you can compare. But apart from it's beauty and tranquility, Bruge is a chocoholic's Mecca. Waffles, chocolates and fries - that’s what makes me fall in love with Bruges.

I am confident that there are more than 50 chocolate shops I could have crossed in less than 30 mins of walking in Bruges. Listing a few of my favourites/top 3 below.

• BbyB - Top-end chocolate gallery whose name stands for "Babelutte by Bartholomeus," for the Michelin-starred restaurateur who owns it, lines up its pralines in a minimalist display case like priceless jewels, each type identified by number. 
• Dumon - Perhaps Bruges' smoothest, creamiest chocolates are at Dumon, just off the Markt. Nathalie Dumon runs the store with Madame Dumon still dropping by to help make their top-notch chocolate daily and sell it fresh.
• The Chocolate Line - Locals and tourists alike flock to The Chocolate Line to taste the gastronomique varieties concocted by Dominique Person — the mad scientist of chocolate. His unique creations mix chocolate with various, mostly savory, flavors. Even those that sound gross can be surprisingly good (be adventurous). Options include Havana cigar (marinated in rum, cognac, and Cuban tobacco leaves — so, therefore, technically illegal in the US), lemongrass, lavender, ginger (shaped like a Buddha), saffron curry, spicy chili, Moroccan mint, Pop Rocks/cola chocolate, wine vinegar, fried onions, bay leaf, sake, lime/vodka/passion fruit, wasabi, and tomatoes/olives/basil. The kitchen — busy whipping up 80 varieties — is on display in the back. Enjoy the window display, refreshed monthly (between Church of Our Lady and the Markt at Simon Stevinplein 19).

If you have only 1 day to spend in Bruges - here’s how you should go about it.

We took a train from ‘Westerloo’ – the place where I stayed. But there are trains from all stations like Brussels, Antwerp etc which directly take you to Bruges. They are economical, fast and easily available in all cities and smaller villages with great connectivity.  For traveling in Belgium I highly recommend checking out all the different rail pass options from ACP Rail! There is definitely one to fit your itinerary, whether you’re staying in one country for a week or traveling all over Europe for a few months!

1. Markt

One of Bruges’ largest central squares, Grote Markt was everything I had envisioned and dreamed about. Nineteenth century colourful buildings edge three sides of the square, the fourth side flanked by the impressive Belfort. Now, unfortunately charm does not come cheap these days. The carriages were expensive and so were the restaurants. But since you’re on vacation, you may as well enjoy the exquisiteness of the open sit down restaurants 

Tip:  On a Wednesday morning, the Grote Markt Square is taken over by a market which offers cheaper food and drinks that what you’ll usually find

For families with kids and also chocolate lovers:  A little on the north of the Markt is Choco-Story which is essentially a chocolate museum. It is what you'd expect it to be - History/origins, production, wrappers, fashion etc and a lot of free chocolate for the ongoing tour

2. Bruges City Hall

One of the oldest city halls in the entire region. It holds significance for the Flemish because this is where they were ruled for about 600 years. Personally, its not required to do a detailed indoor tour of the city hall. But for all you tourist enthusiasts, entry fee for adults is about 4 Euros.

Opening hours – 9.30 am to 5 pm

3. Belfry of Bruges

This one is my personal favourite especially for its panoramic views. Climb 366 steps to reach the top of the 83 meter tall bell tower. On the way to the top of the tower you can stop on different levels to see displays of old bells, plus admire the big bell and see the carillon in action. Today there are 47 bells making up the carillon which rings out in song every quarter hour. The belfry dates back to about 1240, when Bruges was quite prosperous thanks to the Flemish cloth industry. A bit of an unlucky place, the tower has fallen victim to fire three times, the last of which destroyed the wooden spire in 1741. It has never been replaced.

For the non-touristy, teen poppers – Between Markt and Belfry is your Beer Museum - Museum where visitors learn about beer history, sample ingredients & taste brews of varied styles. Book your tours here

4. St Salvators Cathedral

The Sint-Salvator Cathedral, the main church of the city, is one of the few buildings in Bruges that have survived the onslaught of the ages without damage. The mighty gothic tower rises from this 1300s cathedral, with Flemish art and carvernous interiors

5. Church of Our Lady

Commonly visited since it houses one of Michelangelo’s noteworthy statue. Its tower, at 115 metres (377 ft) in height, remains the tallest structure in the city and the second tallest brickwork tower in the world (the tallest being the St. Martin's Church in Landshut, Germany).

6. Groeningemuseum 

Collection of Flemish primitive art. Can be missed. Added to the itinerary for inclusiveness.

When to visit:

‘’Most visitors arrive in spring, when the Tour of Flanders cycling race (Apr) starts off from Markt square, and summer (Jul-Aug), when weather is warm-to-hot, and the Cactus Festival music fest takes place (Jul). Though winter (Oct–Mar) can be cold, Dec is another popular time to visit, when the Christmas market opens, with an ice rink and stalls selling gifts and food ‘’

The non-touristy’s crave:

Jazz at t’Zwart

Bruges is nowhere near as renowned as Brussels for its music scene, yet ‘t Zwart Huis (or the Black House), a protected monument and five-century-old merchant house, is a must for any jazz and blues fan visiting the city. You will not find a more soulful setting than the authentic bar-room with its ancient fireplace for listening to great live music.

The Minnewater (Lake o f Love)

Starting off on a romantic note, Bruges has a small body of water dubbed ‘Minnewater’ or ‘the Lake of Love’. Legend goes that the beautiful sailor’s daughter Minna died in the arms of her star-crossed lover at this very spot. They say that the young couple’s eternal love still radiates on those crossing the lake’s bridge, making it the go to attraction for the romantically inclined. Not too far from the little Minnewater Lake and its adjacent park you can bump into some visual poetry by Robbert Ritmeester on the white-walled Bargehuis. On the left side, a question reads: “If you leave, will you be coming back?” Somewhat further down the road, the plea is answered thoughtfully by another question: “If I come back, will you be here?”

Don't miss out on :

• Bruges Card – This card entitles you to free entry to 27 museums and attractions in Bruges as well as the cruises on the canal. You can also get 25% off a variety of concerts, dance and theater, and rental bicycles. If you are going to do many of the things listed on the card, this pass is going to save you money!
• Canal tour – Take a canal trip down the arteries of Bruges. A half hour boat trip on the waterway takes you around secret gardens, picturesque bridges, and ornately designed medieval buildings. This is a perfect way to capture the magic of the city, which costs around 8 EUR

• Gorge on chocolate – With 49 chocolate boutiques, the chocolate museum, a chocolate trail, and a chocolate fair, this city is a chocolate-lovers paradise. You will find more of the higher end, refined chocolate in this city.
• Drink beer – A trip to the Brewery De Halve Maan entitles you to a guided tour through this family run brewery and a chance to sample the beer at the end. If you don’t want to do a brewery visit, head to Snuffel Hostel as they have a bar with a huge variety of Belgian beer to choose from.

• Belgian lace – Lacemaking is a big part of Belgium’s heritage. While needle lace is more common throughout Brussels, you are likely to see bobbin lace all over. There are many lace shops in the city as well as workshops and street artisans. 
• Explore by bicycle – Owing to its smaller size, Bruges is a great city to explore on bicycle. Be sure to get out into the countryside, too, if you have the time. Rentals are around 8 EUR for half day, and 12 EUR for a full day