Bruges — a haven for waffles, chocolate and fries

Are you in need of a weekend getaway? Are you tired of neighboring countries that are packed with tourists? If you feel the urge to get away from the warm weather and head to some place cold, then you should go to Bruges in Beligum.
The first thing that comes to mind when you hear of Belgium is chocolate. Chocolate covered fruit, chocolate covered candy, chocolate waffles, chocolate everything. As treasured as chocolate is to everyone, it’s just a common everyday thing in Belgium. The city of Bruge, or Brugge, is a unique city unlike other modern European cities; named the “Venice of the North” and the capital of fries or as the locals call it “frites”, yes you heard it, fries, this city is a hidden gem an hour away from Brussels and just two away from Amsterdam.
At first glance, Bruges seems to be untouched by modernization; it seems as if the city has been frozen in medieval times. The city is located on the North Western area of Belgium, a Flemish territory and is a canal based city, with a romantic vibe to it.
Bruges appears to be a Flemish Disneyland, with serine European architecture, 17th and 18th centuries stone houses and buildings, horse carriages and even cobblestone streets. Having kept the medieval structures intact, some of their famous structures include a church by the name of “Church of Our Lady” and the Belfry or Belfort, which dates back to the 13th century. Special requested concerts are available all day long and a full time free carillonneur (bell ringer) enchants visitors by playing the bells.
Three to four days in Bruges is suffice as the beautiful city is small and almost all the sights are within a walking distance of each other. Taking a stroll across the city’s cobblestones, you will encounter chocolatiers on almost every street corner, abundant frites carts, small cafés spread around the city and award winning restaurants serving dishes from Flemish delicacies to modern international cuisines.
Bruges has more than 50 chocolatiers that test the boundaries of a chocoholic’s taste buds. Belgium is known for their chocolate, but Bruges is significant due to its history of chocolate making and many flock to the city just to try out the new heavenly creations.
One of the city’s best well-known secrets as described by famous connoisseurs is the “Spegelaere Chocolaterie”. This family-run business is one of the oldest and longest family traditions, renown even in a city filled with competitors. Another delicious stop for chocolate is “Sweertvaegher”, a business that has been around for over 50 years, creating delightful sweet assortments, including truffles, white chocolate and pralines.
For a taste of local cuisine try the Flemish stew, which is served with tender beef stew with a side of fries. The meat in the stew melts in your mouth as it has been cooked in a slow cooker for hours.
Another local specialty is frites, served with mayonnaise (ketchup is not commonly used in that area), a must have as you walk along the cobblestone streets.
An unfortunate downfall to Bruges is the weather. Even by Belgian standards, the weather is considered too cool for summer and very cold during the winter. The best time to visit would be during the spring or summer seasons, as the sights are nicer to visit during these months.
The best way to explore the city is either by foot or bicycle, as there are many tours conducted by bicycles that take you all over the city. You don’t have to worry about cars since the city is pedestrian friendly and there are multiple routes to ease traffic. Buses are also available at all times. Canals are a significant aspect of Bruges; a boat tour is a great way to discover some of the areas that are unreachable by foot. The city also has a beautiful panoramic view that can be appreciated in an air balloon.
During the winter, the city takes on a different and calmer ambiance, as many Christmas and winter festivals take place and the whole city twinkles with small lights hanging everywhere from roof hedges and lamp poles. An important note to travelers to expect severe cold weather during the fall and winter; layer up, invest in good thermals and puffy down feather jackets to keep warm.
Many houses seem to be new but the truth of the matter is they are only slightly renovated because they are truly centuries old. The city is full of gardens surrounded by these houses just as they were for hundreds of years.
Many visitors have noticed the number of church towers spread around the city, a pride for Bruges as it was quite an old and quiet city with many religious residents. Some churches have turned into museums as well, housing some of Michelangelo sculptors.
The nerve center of Bruges is the historic Market, which is a large open square area surrounded by medieval styled buildings, open air restaurants and horse-drawn carriages. It’s a good starting point for your foot tour. The Belfry is also close by and easily accessible by foot.
The city of Bruges was considered a hidden gem in Belgium’s own standards, yet a movie starring Colin Farrell in 2008 put the city in the spotlight. Since then, tourists have been flocking profoundly into the city. Bruges proves to be a great place to escape to for a few days, and a great way to break away from the hustle and busy world.

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