Bruge is a wonderful place to visit and luckily, English is used as a language of communication alongside the mother tongue, Dutch. The center of the city is mainly the Chowk, Marct or Groot market.
In 1983 the square was used as an open-air market for more than eight hundred years and was also a place where protesters were heard and announcements were made. Nowadays the market with its restaurants and bars consists of square, luxurious Flemish gabled buildings, which convinces the modern visitor.
Best view
One of its landmarks is Bell tower. For a fascinating view of the energetic city, you can sprint up the 366 steps of the Belfort Tower. (Entry £ 1.60 per adult). After this excursion, hold your breath and let yourself be carried away quickly by the breathtaking Flemish architecture that surrounds the neighboring mountain square.
Places to look
Less attested visits
These well-run tourist recreational activities are extremely enjoyable, but there are other lesser-visited places that are not to be missed. For example, the 13th century Church of Our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk) has a landmark 400 miles upstream from this Gothic church. Inside, surrounded by greystone columns, is an exquisite white marble sculpture of Madonna and a child created by the famous artist Michelangelo. This is real behavior as his works are rarely seen outside of his Italian homeland. In the choir are the graves of Mary of Burgundy and her father Karl. Be sure to visit us before you close for the fair at 11.00 a.m.
Looking for love
If you are looking for love, you should go for a walk on the Minnewater – Lake of Love (‘Minne’ means ‘love’ in Flemish). The lake is said to have powers that will help you find the love of your life if you wish. Certainly the romance of the sliding swans helps reinforce this story. Ironically, the lake leads to a 13th-century building known as the Beguinage. Although it is now run by 2,000 Benedictine women, it was once used as a home for unmarried or abandoned women with physical substance. The order was founded by Beguinage – women themselves – but the last of the Beguinage died in 1930.
Art lover
Where to shop
Bruges has some interesting shops that can be found in its quaint, unspoilt streets. For example, smart fashion lovers can get great designer clothes at great prices on Troc (Korte Zilleverstraat 12). Chocolate lovers have a very good choice, but a particularly good chocolate dummon (Earmatt, 6), where pralines are a specialty. Other Belgian gastronomic specialties include sausages, pétes and cheese, as well as interesting palates that should head to Dixmuides boteruhis (Geldmuntstrat 23).
Where shall we eat
At some point, hunger pangs will inevitably make you want to eat. You can opt for a cheerful but still historic „frietkoten” van that sells pieces of chips with mayonnaise for 1.5 euros. These street vendors have been setting up their stands for over 100 years.
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