Bruges, Belgium!

Today's adventure takes us to Belgium! The charming city of Bruges is where I started my solo trip!

Bruges is the capital city of West Flanders though it's rather small making up only 117,000 residents. This country has 3 official languages: French, German, and Dutch. In Bruges, they speak Flemish, which is very similar to Dutch. I took a free walking tour, and I thought our guide explained Belgium's history quite well.

He surprisingly called it a "fake" country. West Flanders is divided from the southern part that speaks French, and divided from the far side that speaks German. He compared it to if France and Spain combined to become one country. Even though they are together, they still have their roots of being separate places and pride of their individual cultures and languages. Therefore, West Flanders still identifies as separate even though they are a part of Belgium.

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Things to Do:

Markt Square/Belfry Tower
This is a very touristy area, but there are a few brightly colored, traditional-style houses. These housed different speciality shops throughout the history of the city until before becoming cafes. This area also hosts the Belfry Tower. It costs 10-15 euros to enter, and you must climb over 360 steps. Honestly, I would bypass it. The view was nice, but save your euros for some chocolate;)

View from the Belfry Tower. A beautiful day out in February! 

Walk the Canals! 

This was one of my favorite spots -- I walked quite a bit from the city center, but happily stumbled upon this gem! It was so quiet and tranquil sitting by the water. The only sounds heard were the locals pedaling by on their bikes, some birds arriving early for spring, and the water moving downstream. I grabbed my polaroid to capture this incredible reflection on a nice, sunny day. 

The picture below is the most photographed spot in Bruges, according to our tour guide. However, it's ALWAYS crowded! So trying to take a picture here is rather tricky plus it's right next to a busy street. It is beautiful, but for overall experience, I prefer my tranquil spot I found on my own. 

© Hans Hillewaert

Get Chocolate!!
This should be obvious! There's 83 chocolate shops in Bruges so hopefully you'll find something that satisfies your sweet tooth!
Local tip: Look for the official plaque outside the shop to show it's hand made, not factory produced and therefore better quality overall. 

Certified!

What's better than chocolate? Melted chocolate!! Go to Tea Room de Proeverie to get a real cup of hot chocolate, from a local's recommendation. They bring out a cup of steamed milk and chocolate on a wooden spoon to stir in to melt creating the perfect cup of wonderful goodness (Plus more chocolate on the side? Yes!). You should go to Belgium for this alone;)

Hot chocolate from Tea Room de Proeverie

Books & Brunch
I love this place!! On day 2, I went to this cute brunch place for a yummy omelet and fresh orange juice, while sitting outside to soak up some rays and dive into a book. This cafe is also a book store so you can always read one of their books or bring your own! The inside is adorable, but I loved my little table outside :)

Free Walking Tour

I definitely recommend!! Our guide, Louis, was great! You not only learn the history, but you'll learn lots of fun tips and even get some discounts at the end of the tour!

Some fun facts: 

• Warning--this one isn't a "fun" fact...  From what our guide said, the French came forcing the Flemish to speak French, eventually the Flemish retaliated and killed 8,000 French. They went to each house and had them say "I am Flemish" in the Flemish language. The French weren't able to create a certain sound and pronounce the words correctly, therefore showing they were in fact not Flemish, killing them on the spot! 0_o
• The Flemish were very superstitious and tried to make beer before or after a full moon but never on a full moon. So when I saw this Brewery sign, it made sense!

This brewery is the first to export their beer outside of the city through underground tunnels they built!

Bourgogne de Flandres
I ended up not trying this, but was recommended to head here for the famous sherry beer! I was told by others that it's a bit sweet, and all the ladies love it!

Begijnhof 
I found the history behind this area to be surprising! It was created in 1245 for Beguines, emancipated women who stayed single and weren't particularly a part of the clergy. Today nuns live in these little white houses along with several Bruges women who decided to remain unmarried. The key to this area is no men were allowed in except in the front house. Maybe that's why it's so peaceful hehe ;)
You'll find many swans in the water just outside too!

Such a beautiful day to stroll through the garden. The flowers were already starting to bloom in February!

Stroll in the evening
Finally walk around the city in the evening. Bruges has such a romantic charm, and it really comes out with the evening light.

Have more time? Here's some more spots to check out!
Choco-Story, Beer Experience/museum, Torture Museum, Frietmuseum


Have you been to Bruges? What were your favorite spots? Let me know!

Check out my YouTube channel for interactive travel guides :)

bisous,
Lyndi


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