Bruges Travel Guide

Bruges is one of the most charming cities in Europe. Life in the streets and in the beautiful squares is bustling, but a city break here still provides tranquility and a romantic touch. You get most of the best on foot, or in a cozy little boat that takes off on the canals.

If you are in doubt about whether to visit Bruges, watch the comedy “In Bruges” with Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell . You want to go to Bruges on the rap after that!

Bruges – Another kind of Venice

Bruges in Belgium is the provincial capital of West Flanders, and is often referred to as “Venice of the North”. So do Ålesund and Arendal, as well as a number of other cities connected to a canal. For Bruges’ part, however, the description is more apt. The most beautiful parts of the city’s cobbled center are dangling around the canals, with beautiful stone bridges connecting the neighborhoods with each other. Those who have put together the UNESCO World Heritage List have had their hands full when they visited Bruges.

Although the city center is a few kilometers inland, Bruges is considered a port city. The connection is the Boudewijn canal which empties into the village of Zeebrugge on the North Sea, and everything is within the city limits of Bruges. The connection to the sea has made Bruges an important trading place, and of course left its mark on the culture.

Recommended hotels in Bruges

• Hotel Van Cleef –Great 4-star hotel in the center of historic Bruges. Beautiful and charming facilities in a beautiful location, here you have a short way to most things.

• Hotel Relais Bourgondisch Cruyce-Fantastic hotel right in the heart of Bruges, perfect location with a short distance to absolutely everything. The hotel gets a lot of praise from previous guests.

• Hotel Prinsenhof– Elegant and beautiful 4-star hotel in the old town of Bruges. Nice rooms, good service and good feedback.

Travel to Bruges

From Oslo you can fly directly to Bruges with both SAS and Brussels Airlines. It is also easy to get there by flying directly to Brussels, combined with a train ride of about 55 minutes. Bruges is well located among many other popular destinations, and can easily be included if you want to experience more on the same city break. For example, it takes no more than 2.5 hours to get to Bruges by train from Paris or Amsterdam .

Here you should live in Bruges

Bruges’ historic center is concentrated around the Grote Markt, the large square with the Belfry tower that you have probably seen on TV or on film. The city is not that big, so if you choose a hotel in the area here you will have walking distance to most of the sights, as well as the best restaurants, bars and cafes. Many of the best hotels are located along the banks of the canals, often in buildings with historical buzz over them. Here you will find everything from luxurious boutique hotels with five stars in the book, to small and romantic guest houses with fireplace heating in the reception.

You must taste this in Bruges

In Bruges you do not count the calories! Along the streets you will see many small kitchens on wheels serving moules-frites, the Belgian variety of fish’n chips, only with delicious mussels instead of dry-fried fish. The Belgians know this, and moules frites can be found in all varieties, including many of the better restaurants. Another dish you should not miss is Carbonade Flamande, a lovely stew called stoofvlees in Belgian. Belgian waffles and chocolate are also unavoidable, whether it is for dessert, for the coffee cup, or from a small fast food restaurant on wheels. The Belgians are otherwise more than moderately proud of their beers. In the center you will find several small breweries that know their stuff, such as De Halve Maan. You will also find many pubs serving beer from an impressive number of breweries, such as’ t Brugs Beertje with its over 300 varieties.