BELGIUM - CITIES :
Brussels -
Bruges -
Ghent -
Antwerp -
Liège
BRUGES
Bruges is called : 'the
Venice of the North'. This splendid medieval city is one of Belgium's
crown jewels. In no other European city the feel and the look of
medieval times are so present as here in this city close to the North
Sea.
Today's Bruges has a population of about 45.000 people (the old center)
or 120.000 people (center together with the suburbs). These numbers
clearly show that Bruges is not a tiny miniature city. It ranks, even
today, among the important cities of Belgium. It is also the capital of
the Belgian province of West-Flanders. A lot of people take day-trips
from Brussels to Bruges, but there is to much to see here to fill only 1
day. The best way to visit Bruges is to spend at least one night in one
of the many beautiful and cozy hotels. Later in the evening, when all
the tourists have gone, Bruges finds back its charm and quiet of old
times. When one is lucky with the weather, a
stroll through the tiny
medieval streets can be an enchanting experience. Bruges is always
beautiful, in the summertime as well as in the wintertime. Lucky
visitors will never forget the city after they have seen it on a snowy
December or January day.
Bruges is unique, in the sense that here the town authorities have done
the utmost to preserve the medieval-looking image of the city. Of
course, not every stone in Bruges has come to us straight from the
Middle-Ages. The 19th century neo-gothic style is more present than one
should think. Because of these 19th century renovations, some critics
have put Bruges down as a 'fake' medieval city. Nevertheless, the
combination of old, not so old and new fascinates everyone who first
sets foot in Bruges.
