When Traveling Europe Be Sure to Visit Brugge, Belgium

While living in Belgium, we traveled to Brugge numerous times, sometime by car and others by train. No matter how you arrive, or how often you have seen it, when you enter the center of Brugge you are taken aback by the beauty of the city. First you see the architecture, the amazing shops, and restaurants, mixed in with the museums and churches, and the cobblestone paths that lead to each. There is a canal running through the city that offers boat tours with a guide pointing out historic sites throughout the city. Another way to enjoy your surroundings is on one of the horse drawn carriages that takes you through the city streets. Brugge is full of old world charm and gives you that beautiful glimpse of medieval times. Upon arrival we would usually stop at one of the many quaint restaurants and have Belgian Waffles and Hot Chocolate. Many of the restaurants offer indoor and outdoor seating, and in the winter, they have many heating elements throughout the facilities. Some even have huge fire pits in the middle of the restaurants. If you arrive later in the day, there are many different restaurants to choose from and all have an assortment of beverages. Some of the pubs offer more than a hundred varieties of Belgian Beers.

One of my favorite lunchtime sandwiches is the Croque Monsieur and I absolutely love the soups that they serve in Belgium; My favorite being the creamy tomato with meatballs. If you would like to extend your stay, there are many hotels available, some in the city square and others overlooking the canals. Most European hotel rooms are smaller than what we are used to in America, but the atmosphere makes up for the size! Food and lodging aside, Brugge is a wonderful place to go shopping! Offering a myriad of shops throughout the city with everything from Belgian lace and souvenirs, to tea and wine shops, Brugge has many wonderful finds for every type of shopper. There are also different street markets offered weekly, such as the fish market and the flea market. There are walking tours that you can take, guided or on your own, as well as tours of areas surrounding the city. Throughout Brugge there are museums and churches that you can tour, as well as parks to relax in. A short trip outside of Brugge will take you to Zeebrugge, a small seaside resort town, where you can take in the local sights or relax on the beach. Regardless of what you are looking for Brugge can offer you a fantastic look at traditional Europe and all of the beauty it has to offer.

Another beautiful Belgian city is Brussels. Where Brugge is small and quaint, Brussels has the hustle and bustle of a big city, with tremendous architecture and history on every street, but that is another story.