What I love about Bruges, is that it wears its heart on its sleeve – its lace sleeve. It was great once but sadly, no matter how hard it tried, never quite made it again!
When you visit Belgium’s favourite medieval city, make sure you take advantage of one of the several atmospheric Bruges hotels. It is brilliant being in the centre of things and it won’t take you many visits to local tourist attractions to find out that it became a city in the 12th century. Its prosperous beginnings were due to its port and it celebrated something of a ‘golden age’ throughout the thirteenth century due largely to its market place and weaving industry. Sadly, several centuries later, the port was lost when silting took place blocking the city’s access to the Zwin. Instead, Antwerp took all the merchant trade action and Bruge’s success and prosperity were lost forever.
A walk around the medieval city reveals atmosphere and architecture of the sort that has been lost elsewhere for many centuries. Bruges (or at least the centre of Bruges) is a city still stuck in its fascinating past. When exploring the outskirts of town, hire a car. When enjoying the city centre, for maximum pleasure, walk, don’t drive.
Recent Comments