Bruges is the capital of West Flanders in the northwest of Belgium.

A medieval city known as the Venice of the north due to its canal system, Bruges is the sixth biggest city in Belgium and is famous for lace making.

470 of the 3000 castles in Belgium are in the Flanders region with 50 of them in Bruges. Belgium has more castles per square kilometer than any other country in the world.

There’s even a potato bar and the bar is made from potato crates. Sadly I didn’t get around to checking it out but something for another time.

If you’re into your free ghost walking tours then good news, Bruges is known for being haunted and you can explore the darker side of the city. Sadly I didn’t have the time to look into one and get the chance to experience something new.

Belfry Tower

Belfry Tower is a medieval tower bell in the centre of Bruges. It’s one of the city’s most prominent symbols.

The 83m high tower dates back to the 13th century. You can climb 366 steps and get a view of Bruges and the surrounding area.

On the way up you’ll pass the treasury where the city’s funds and stamps were kept in the middle ages.

Apart from not wanting to destroy my calves, I was pre occupied with the Christmas market, especially sampling a stand selling chicken with garlic sauce and cheese in a pitta bread.

Belfry Tower one of 3 iconic towers along with the Church of our lady and St. Saviours Cathedral.

Church of Our Lady

Speaking of the Church of Our Lady, it’s a Roman Catholic church that was built over a period of 200 years between the 13th – 15th century.

In the church you can find the 16th century royal tombs of Charles the Bold and his daughter Mary of Burgundy, who ruled the low countries until her death in 1482.

You can find a Michelangelo sculpture of the Madonna and child in the church. It’s one of the rare few sculptures by Michelangelo outside of Italy.

The 400ft high tower is the tallest in the city and the second tallest brick work church towers in the world.

Bruges Town Hall

One of the oldest city halls in the low countries was built between 1376 and 1421.

The gothic style building was a source of inspiration for city halls in Brussels, Ghent and Leuven. It had a major influence on the gothic style architecture in the city.

Still a beating political heart in the city, Bruges City Council still holds monthly meeting in the gothic hall. Bruges has been governed from this building for over 600 years.

The town hall is a popular place for couples to get married with it’s setting and placement on Burg Square in the heart of Bruges.

Light Experience Trail

The light experience trail is a 3.5km walk covering 10 different stops through Bruges with light installations showcasing Bruges in all its glory.

The light installations are replayed every 10 minutes so you can go at whatever pace suits you and enjoy exploring the light experience trail to your heart’s content.

The light installation displays range from anything to do with the history of Bruges to something out of a fantasy world and anything involving colour, speed and waves. It isn’t just the stops that are marked with something, you can walk along a path that’s just lit up in purple.

You don’t have to do the entire route although it’s a good way to experience Bruges. There’s even an app for it to help you maximise the experience where the stops are numbered.

I had no idea what to expect with this but it was good to experience something different.

Bruges was ok. It didn’t disappoint by any means but felt a bit meh. I don’t know if it was the hype or the over crowding.

I’m surprised a city as small as Bruges with its infrastructure can cope (if it doesn’t struggle to cope) with the huge influx of tourism during the Christmas period. Think of Lewes on Bonfire night for a rough idea.

Originally I booked a nice hotel at what I thought was a steal of a rate. A few days before I was due to arrive, I got an email saying the room got cancelled because they made a mistake with the pricing. Sadly I wasn’t offered another room or an alternative hotel and had to sort another hotel myself.

I found this out as I arrived into Belgium. I spent what was left of my evening, after getting to my accommodation in Ghent after 9pm finding something to book. I paid a fair bit more but it gave me peace of mind.

With hindsight, I’d should have stayed outside of Bruges and got a train to do a day trip or two. Accommodation prices aren’t cheap compared to other parts of Belgium.

Ghent would be the ideal place, it takes just over 20 minutes to Bruges and train tickets in Belgium are reasonable. It’s one of those things where we wish we knew beforehand but hey ho, it’s a learning experience.

Bruges is less than an hour on a train from Brussels so that’s another option to consider.

Bruges is a beautiful little place, walking through the tiny cobbled streets with its medieval architecture. They really go all out on the Christmas market.