 By Eve Hartridge, Follow Eve on Twitter here
Bruges is without a doubt my current favourite weekend break, it is so accessible from London yet on arrival feels like another world. I love Amsterdam and adore Prague but for some reason had never thought to investigate Bruges, perhaps it seemed too close to the UK to be so different.
Bruges is sometimes referred to as "The Venice of The North" due to it's extensive canal network from the port,. A boat trip is a fantastic way to see a snap-shot of the city and unlike Venice there is little chance of being serenaded or ripped off by a man in a striped jumper. The city centre is now a world heritage site as the majority of the stunning medieval architecture is still intact. The market square is a perfect place to sit and enjoy a beer ( when in Belgium) and take in the stunning surroundings, heavily influenced by the gothic movement, it is reminiscent of Prague. There are several notable sites in the city that shouldn't be missed. These include, The Basilica of The Holy Blood which is said to contain a relic from the crusades which is stained with the blood of Jesus and the Church of Our Lady which has a spire of over 400 feet, making it one of the tallest brick built towers in the world. If you're feel in brave you can climb the spire, alternatively seek out the sculpture of Michangelo's "Madonna and child" believed to be his only sculpture to leave Italy in his lifetime. The most famous and iconic landmark in Bruges is the 13th century bell tower, the belfry houses over 40 bells and once again if you're feeling energetic the climb is long but the view is well worth it. The city is full of museums and art galleries, displaying everything from ancient masterpieces to modern interpreations of life in the city. If you have about an hour to spare it's worth exploring my personal favourite museum, "Choco-Story" all about the history of Belgium chocolate with several free samples along the way.
 In Bruges I was lucky enough to discover a wonderful multi award winning hotel right in the centre of town. Heritage Hotel has just 24 individually designed opulent rooms and has been run the same couple for nearly twenty years. Each room has luxurious little touches like a complimentary iPad to use for the duration of your stay and a guest discount card for recommended museums and boutiques. The hotel restaurant, Le Mystique is superb and offers a selection of contemporary mouth watering dishes such as fillet of venison with cranberries and mushrooms. The hotel bar is cosy and welcoming offering morning coffee, afternoon team, late night snacks and a fantastic drinks list. Well chosen wines and stylist cocktails are the order of the day or evening.
The Heritage Hotel also organises walking tours of the city which I'd imagine are magical at this time of the year, especially as the traditional Christmas markets are starting to be set up turning the city into a fairytale winter wonderland.
http://www.hotel-heritage.com/
Travel to Bruges by ferry or plane, alternatively pick up the Eurostar to Brussels and after one change you can reach Bruges in around three and a half hours. The train journey costs around £90 but takes you through some of the lovely scenery of North Europe that is so often forgotten.
www.eurostar.com
|
