Bruges: Rated among Best!

[TLCOhio]

From the London/UK Independent last month, they had this headline: “10 best European city breaks” with these highlights for Bruges: “This tourist favourite is so pretty it’s almost a charicature of the 'perfect' chocolate box-worthy European city. The medieval centre is all canals, bridges, cobbled streets, ornate facades and 14th-century buildings. Cosy up in an estaminet (the Flanders term for pub) to sip on Belgian beer; stroll the Markt square and admire the famed 13th-century Belfry; peruse early Flemish art at the Groeninge Museum; and, of course, get your fill of beige foods - fries and waffles are both Belgian specialities.”

 

Sound great?  Loved our visit there in 2007 when doing an overnight rail from Paris.  Yes, we enjoyed the beer, fries, chocolates, etc.   Any others having very good recent visits to Bruges?

 

Full story at:

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/best-european-city-breaks-hotels-europe-b2231511.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 245,707 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[mskaufman]

We were there last summer and agree 

[TLCOhio]

On 1/14/2023 at 6:38 PM, mskaufman said:

We were there last summer and agree 

 

Yes, appreciate this follow-up from our travel neighbor in Maryland.  The "good news" about Bruges is that it does not and has not changed.  

 

It is like history frozen in a time capsule.  Right?  

 

Below are the first of two different groups of my visuals from visiting Bruges in the Spring of 2007.  Many visit here during a nearby cruise port stop.  We were staying a week in Paris and did an over-night day-trip via train up to Belgium, including Brussels, Ghent and Bruges.  We stayed overnight in Bruges, being able to sample the town in the evening.  We had lunch outdoors on the main square, super enjoying soup, bread, beer and mussels, etc.  Great setting and dining delights.   

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Sydney to NZ/Auckland Adventure, live/blog 2014 sampling/details with many exciting visuals and key highlights.  On page 23, post #571, see a complete index for all of the pictures, postings.  Now at 240,748 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

 

Waterways are a key feature in Bruges.  Take one of the canal boat tours as a way to sample, up close, the character and charm for this historic city.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

 

 

Architecture is a key reason to visit Bruges.  Below are just a couple of samples for what is here to experience and enjoy.  More design/style samples of the many buildings will be posted next.:

 

 

Many interesting shops exists in Bruges.  Below is just one sample.  Look unique and inviting?:

 

Below are a couple more visual samples from Bruges.  Notice the Belgium flag in front of this historic building on the main square?  Yes, doing a horse-down carriage is an option for touring here.  Notice the chocolate shop?  Yes, those tasty treats are amazingly wonderful here!!:

 

[TLCOhio]

Below are some more of my Bruges visuals and some historic background as to what makes Bruges so fascinating.  Please share any of your memories, tips, pictures, experiences, etc., from visiting here. 

 

From Wikipedia, here are a few highlights for additional, recent history about Bruges:   "In the second half of the 19th century, Bruges became one of the world's first tourist destinations, attracting wealthy British and French tourists. In World War I, German forces occupied Bruges. However, the city suffered virtually no damage. The city was occupied by the Germans from 1940 during World War II and was again spared destruction. After 1965, the original medieval city experienced a 'renaissance'. Restorations of residential and commercial structures, historic monuments, and churches generated a surge in tourism and economic activity in the downtown area. International tourism has boomed, and new efforts resulted in Bruges being designated European Capital of Culture in 2002. It attracts some eight million tourists annually."

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Venice: Loving It & Why??!!  Is one of your future desires or past favorites? See these many visual samples for its great history and architecture.  This posting is now at 100,049 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

 

The historic and scenic main town square in Bruges is super scenic and has lots of outdoor dining options, activities, etc. When Bruges was at its peak, it was considered the top commercial city in the world!  Like Amsterdam, Bruges is sometimes referred to as the “Venice of the North".  Bruges was already included in the circuit of the Flemish cloth fairs at the beginning of the 13th century. The city's entrepreneurs reached out to make economic colonies of England and Scotland's wool-producing districts.  The statue of Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck, the leaders of the uprising against the French in 1302, can be seen on the central market square.  Starting around 1500, the ship channel, which had given the city its prosperity, started silting. The city soon fell behind Antwerp as the economic flagship of the Low Countries.  Its power and wealth faded after that point until tourism came to revive and bring back its past glories.  The historic center of Bruges has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

 

Bridges are super interesting in Bruges, both during the day and at night.:

 

 

First, here is an example of the unique rooflines in the main square of Bruges. We ate at one of the outside places on this square with all of its soaring buildings.  Just super loved the setting, beer, soup, mussels, bread, etc.!  Second is another sample for the roofs and building along the canal waterways.:

 

 

Here is a closer look at the statue of Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck, the leaders of the uprising against the French in 1302.  Grab your swords!  Who would want to mess with these two?:

 

[ontheweb]

I showed your pictures to DW, and she said "I'll go there". Bruges is a stop on our London (Southampton) to Reykjavik itinerary this summer.

[mskaufman]

Here's a link to some of our pictures. 

 

Belgium France 2022 (shutterfly.com)

 

 

[TLCOhio]

From the London/UK Daily Telegraph, they had this headline: “48 hours in . . . Bruges, an insider guide to Belgium's city on water” with these highlights: “Part history, part fairy tale: Little Bruges, the perfect pocket-sized medieval city, was a Sleeping Beauty. Laced with canals, it was one of the great North European trading ports in late medieval times. The magnificently detailed paintings of its artists, such as Jan van Eyck and Hans Memling, record its wealth in clothing, jewellery and ornament. Then it fell rapidly into decline and slept until rediscovered and restored to glory in the 19th century.  Today its new riches are in tourism, so that it retains the dynamism of a living city. This is a place to walk and wonder, and there are still plenty of quiet corners to discover, where historic Bruges sleeps on.”

 

Here is an interesting trip that we did not accomplish when visiting there.  Up from this climb?  "If you can face the 366-step climb, start with a 360-degree view from above the very centre of Bruges, standing next the carillon and clock bells at the top of the Belfort, the city belfry on the Markt (the central square)."

 

Full story at:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/belgium/bruges/articles/bruges-travel-guide/

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio   

 

Barcelona/Med: June 2011, with stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Great visuals with key highlights, tips, etc. Live/blog now at 255,883 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[TLCOhio]

On 1/21/2023 at 11:46 AM, ontheweb said:

I showed your pictures to DW, and she said "I'll go there". Bruges is a stop on our London (Southampton) to Reykjavik itinerary this summer.

 

Appreciate this above follow-up.  Great to hear your wife has excellent taste and a desire to visit to Bruges.  Good link to many different visuals from our neighbor in Maryland. 

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Amazon River-Caribbean 2015 adventure live/blog starting in Barbados. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.).  Now at 70,998 views:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2076101-live-amazon-river-caribbean-many-pix’s-terryohio/

 

Below are some of my additional visuals from exploring in Bruges that reflects its varied architectural and design highlights.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

 

 

 

 

 

[ontheweb]

14 hours ago, TLCOhio said:

 

Appreciate this above follow-up.  Great to hear your wife has excellent taste and a desire to visit to Bruges.  Good link to many different visuals from our neighbor in Maryland. 

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Amazon River-Caribbean 2015 adventure live/blog starting in Barbados. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.).  Now at 70,998 views:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2076101-live-amazon-river-caribbean-many-pix’s-terryohio/

 

Below are some of my additional visuals from exploring in Bruges that reflects its varied architectural and design highlights.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

 

 

 

 

 

I just showed her these pictures, and her reply was, "Very nice, we can go there." 

 

Yes, she has excellent taste, though I often wonder how she could have fell in love with me and remained in love with me so long. Bruges will be early on our cruise; later on our cruise on a sea day, we will celebrate our 46th wedding anniversary.

[TLCOhio]

1 hour ago, ontheweb said:

I just showed her these pictures, and her reply was, "Very nice, we can go there."   Yes, she has excellent taste, though I often wonder how she could have fell in love with me and remained in love with me so long. Bruges will be early on our cruise; later on our cruise on a sea day, we will celebrate our 46th wedding anniversary.

 

Congratulations for your upcoming 46th wedding anniversary.  This past June, we celebrated our 50th!!  In early May, we did a week with our two grandsons and the rest of our family at Disney World and Universal Studios as our guests.  Great fun!!  But, not cheap.  

 

Start preparing for something super special for your 50th.  Need ideas?

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, TLCOhio said:

 

Congratulations for your upcoming 46th wedding anniversary.  This past June, we celebrated our 50th!!  In early May, we did a week with our two grandsons and the rest of our family at Disney World and Universal Studios as our guests.  Great fun!!  But, not cheap.  

 

Start preparing for something super special for your 50th.  Need ideas?

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

Thanks, and congratulations on 50 years.

 

I am sure we will plan something. On our 20th, the first where our son was old enough to leave alone, we did an AI in Jamaica. Our first cruise, a Western Mediterranean, was on our 25th anniversary. On our 30th, we did a Baltic cruise. On our 35th we did another Western Mediterranean cruise. On our 40th we did an escorted land tour going to Prague, Budapest, and Vienna. I consider this next cruise a belated 45th. When we saw the itinerary in 2021 and both fell in love with it, I did not realize the ship had not yet been built and the cruise was for this year. The cruise actually starts in London (Southampton) and in addition to Bruge has Amsterdam, 3 stops in Norway, and finally 3 in Iceland ending with an overnight in Reykjavik before disembarking there.

 

Funny, I used to have a joke that a successful date meant the young lady and I were still friends afterwards. And that is sort of how I met my wife. I had a date a coworker who was her friend. And she decided that she really did not want to have a one on one movie date with me and asked my future wife along as a chaperone. To make a long story short, DW and I were married within a year afterwards, and then had our son one year, one month and one day after the marriage. We really did not know each other, and it should not have worked, but it did.

[TLCOhio]

On 2/13/2023 at 12:09 PM, ontheweb said:

Thanks, and congratulations on 50 years.   Funny, I used to have a joke that a successful date meant the young lady and I were still friends afterwards. And that is sort of how I met my wife. To make a long story short, DW and I were married within a year afterwards, and then had our son one year, one month and one day after the marriage. We really did not know each other, and it should not have worked, but it did.

 

Appreciate your kind comments and follow-up details.  YES, life is an interesting "journey".  Glad things have worked well with your DW as you plan for the future.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

[TLCOhio]

From US News magazine this past week, they had this headline: “Free Things To Do in Bruges” with a highlights for Rozenhoedkaai: “Considered one of the most photographed areas of Bruges, Rozenhoedkaai, or Quay of the Rosary, is a picturesque spot where the Dijver and Groenerei canals meet. Sit back and relax while enjoying the lovely canals, beautiful old buildings and charming bars, restaurants and hotels.  Visitors also recommend checking out Rozenhoedkaai during the evening hours and say it's a great spot to hop on a boat for a canal tour.”

 

For its historic center, they noted: "Since 2000, the Historic Centre of Brugge has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Regarded as one of the best-preserved examples of a medieval European settlement, the historic center is among the first places you should visit in Bruges, according to past visitors. Take time to wander the cobblestone paths or a hop on a boat ride through the canals that lead to the Gothic and neo-Gothic buildings that make up this historic city. Once a bustling metropolis of trade, this area was also a hub of the Flemish Primitive style of painting."

 

Full story and links at:

https://travel.usnews.com/Bruges_Belgium/Things_To_Do/Free/

https://travel.usnews.com/Bruges_Belgium/Getting_Around/

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

AFRICA?!!?: Fun, interesting visuals, plus travel details from this early 2016 live/blog. At 53,975 views. Featuring Cape Town, South Africa’s coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

[TLCOhio]

From Condé Nast Traveler magazine last month, they had this headline: “Best Places to Spend Christmas Around the World" with this sub-headline: "Some celebrations are worth the price of a plane ticket.”

 

Here are their reporting highlights for Bruges: “Why we go: Europe’s best-preserved medieval city oozes charm year-round, but especially during the holidays. It’s hard to imagine a place more magical as you wander the cobblestone streets, admire the shimmering lights, and warm up with mugs of Belgian hot chocolate in cafés.  The one thing to get you in the spirit: Follow the Winter Glow light trail with stops at 10 installations through the historic part of the city center, including lights at the Church of Our Lady Tower and a projection at Gruuthuse.    Stay here: Grand Hotel Casselbergh (steps away from the Markt) has inviting touches like exposed wooden beams in the rooms, a lobby bar with a fireplace, and a wellness center located in a 16th-century cellar.” 

 

Full story at:

https://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2015-12-08/copenhagen-to-quebec-14-cities-that-do-christmas-best?utm_source=nl&utm_brand=cnt&utm_mailing=CNT_Daily_AM_122523&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_medium=email&bxid=5db3f99524c17c23c34ecf3e&cndid=6657468&hasha=e1ca3019f9f535a4b98389997c63b892&hashb=7daf2541a0de702392cfe60ed513a5c2d1d23598&hashc=f541a9e649534cc2931bd57d58d8c2cac2bb8c5d298f722bad5b05cc8ad5ece2&esrc=IDCONDENAST_REGGATE&utm_term=CNT_Daily

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio   

 

Sydney to NZ/Auckland Adventure, live/blog 2014 sampling/details with many exciting visuals and key highlights.  On page 23, post #571, see a complete index for all of the pictures, postings.  Now at 247,560 views. 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1896175-solstice-live-australianzhawaii-many-pix’s-jan-20-feb-3/

[ski ww]

The pictures really made us look forward to our visit in Aug.

[travelbuds]

On 1/14/2023 at 4:38 PM, mskaufman said:

We were there last summer and agree 

Will anything there be open there on a Sunday? Thanks.

[Chocolate Teapot]

From experience, yes, there will be shops and places to eat and drink open. If the weather is good, I recommend a boat tour on the canals, and there are several different points you can take the tours from. (You will arrive back at the same embarkation point)

[travelbuds]

1 hour ago, Chocolate Teapot said:

From experience, yes, there will be shops and places to eat and drink open. If the weather is good, I recommend a boat tour on the canals, and there are several different points you can take the tours from. (You will arrive back at the same embarkation point)

Do you have a boat tour company recommendation? Will credit card be accepted? Thank you.

[mskaufman]

All the boat tours have the same route. You can pick up a boat at many places along the water.

[Chocolate Teapot]

On 2/28/2024 at 9:35 PM, travelbuds said:

Do you have a boat tour company recommendation? Will credit card be accepted? Thank you.

 Not sure about credit cards, since the last time I did a boat tour (with a friend who had never visited Bruges before) we paid cash. We took the tour from the bridge at the end of Wollestraat, which is a good shopping street for gifts and souvenirs. 

[Senga]

@mskaufmanThat looks like a pretty small, uncomfortable boat!

[gnome12]

1 hour ago, Senga said:

@mskaufmanThat looks like a pretty small, uncomfortable boat!

I think that they are all of similar size.

[Senga]

@gnome12We’ll definitely give that a miss!  The canal boats in Amsterdam were great.

[mskaufman]

They are all the same.  Don't remember it being uncomfortable.

 

 

[BuckeyeMark]

Who's got the best waffle in Bruge?