For the Belgians, the Venice of the North is Bruges city. The old city as from the picture.
There are many ways to get to Bruges, but the most convenient way for tourists to get there is by flying to Brussels International Airport and then by train. Brussels train station has frequent trains to Bruges. A little less than two hours drive.
Many tourists prefer to use car rental services in Belgium. The average cost of renting a car at Zaventem airport is 17 euros per day, at Charleroi airport - 18 euros per day.
And travelers immediately find themselves in a medieval fairy tale.
There is not a single modern building in the entire historical part of the city. And this is no accident, since everything is protected by UNESCO. Here the houses look like gingerbread, many of them are buried in grapes and ivy. Each house here is unique. One has turrets, the other is guarded by statues of some mythological animals, the third has formidable knights in armor. This creates a special atmosphere in the city.
The most recognizable place in Bruges is the Belford tower on the market square. The popularity of this tower, like the whole of Bruges, was brought by the popular film "Lie to the Bottom in Bruges". After this film, thousands of tourists come to this city to climb the Belford observation deck, which offers a breathtaking view of the city. The tower rises 110 meters above the square.
It is a special pleasure to walk along the winding streets of the city. Walking you can see the City Hall. The Gothic style makes it unique. It is hard not to notice the Church of Our Lady, the largest church in the city. Inside there is a sculpture created by Michelangelo - Madonna of Bruges (Virgin and Child).
Bruges has a large number of museums. There is also the Salvador Dali Museum, the Gruthuse Museum, and the Archaeological Museum. There are museums offering tastings, such as the French Fry Museum, the Chocolate Museum and the Beer Museum.
And the main beauty of the city is its canals. There are many canals in Bruges of different lengths and widths, but boats with tourists run back and forth along all of them. And really worth a ride on one of them. Ships depart for filling, quite often. During the voyage you will be offered to listen to the tour. Skating in such a city will remain in memory for a lifetime. From the water you can see not the front city, but the city where people live.
People who come to Bruges for shopping will not be disappointed. The city has many shopping streets. There you can find expensive boutiques, souvenir shops, and something more unusual. Tourists buy most of all in Bruges, and throughout Belgium, chocolate and beer. In any beer shop in the city, tourists will see hundreds of types of beer, from famous brands to piece bottles. On weekends, a flea market opens where you can buy very interesting things for little money. Everything can be found here: coins, paintings, clothes, figurines, beer glasses, antiques.
Arriving in Bruges, the traveler seems to fall into the Middle Ages. In this city, the guest can take a break from noisy cities and enjoy a calm rhythm. Canals, buildings, museums, beer, chocolate, swans, temples - this is all and much more this cozy city has to offer.