Tag Archives: fairytale

Bruges – True Belgium fairy tale…

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Rozenhoedkaai

This is the most photographed place in Bruges.

Our friends asked us astonished: „You are going to Belgium? Why?” We really didn’t have any particular reason, but if we want to see the whole world we have to go to the Belgium too, don’t we? So, we packed up our things and rush to our Belgium adventure – Bruges, Atwerp and Brussels were our stops, and of course we didn’t regret it, we loved it!

Bruges – our first stop and the town that I will tell you the story about. Everybody loves fairytales, and let me tell you, this small town on the north of the country is true fairy tale. It looks like every canal that passes through the city is telling its own story.

Most people visit this small town in West Flanders during the summer. We visited Bruges in October and it turned out like best time of the year to go there. Empty streets and a few people wandering around in the evening make this city even more special. In fact, you feel like you are all alone among these picturesque medieval buildings and small houses. Center of the city has a population of 20,000 people, but at night it seems like they all suddenly disappear. Shortly before midnight we were on the main square where you can see the bell tower 84 m high with 366 steps which leads you to the top. Believe it or not when the clock ticks midnight the lights in the city go off. At that moment the darkness embrace the whole main square and it was a perfect moment to enjoy the silence.

This belfry is the most famous monument in town, has 47 bells so you have to hear at least one melody that comes from a high tower.Those who have not had a chance to stand in front of it probably will recognize it from the movie “In Bruges”, with Colin Farrell in the lead role. Residents of Bruges, that we meet, are a bit angry because now many people associate this city only with this movie. But they have to get over it because there are a great number of tourists who had heard for that small town, in the north of Belgium, just from this film and it was their reason to visit it.

Every corner of Bruges, which is proclaimed as European capital of culture in 2002, is worth of taking a photo. We came back home with around 200 photos just because we wanted to “take” with us every part of this town. Everybody that comes here has at least one photo taken at the Rozenhoedkaai. If you are going to send the postcard from fairy tale, take the one with this motif, it will surely stir up the imagination of your friends.

Bruges is 1374 kilometers away from our hometown but we don’t regret kilometers that we had to pass just to see it. If someday I will have a list of the most beautiful cities that I visited, you will for sure find Bruges on the list too.

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Three things I love about Bruges

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If somebody ask you to tell us something about the favorite things you encuntered in any city, what will it be? Let me tell you what I love about Bruges.

Picturesque surroundings

When you are in Bruges it feels like you are part of a fairy tale where your role is to wander around and to discover everything that this small town on the West Flanders has to offer. We arrived in Bruges late at night and I think that it was perfect time because those old buildings and small houses look even more strange and mysterious. Finding ourselves on the main square when the clock ticked midnight gave us feeling that we are all alone and that empty streets are just waiting to show us where will lead us. Medieval surroundings at night impressed us so much that we didn’t really know what to expect in the morning when the sun comes up and when thousands of tourists come out on the squares of Bruges. We had morning coffee near the famous belfry and the colorful buildings that were all around us just gave the special touch to this irresistible Belgium jewel.

All kind of sweets

Is there anybody who doesn’t like chocolate? While you are exploring Bruges you will realize that on every corner you can enter in the small colorful shops that will present you all kind of nice, tasteful, imaginative chocolates. You will not be able to resist to all those candies, mignons and marzipan that are nicely stacked in display windows. In the moment you will feel like you are in the sweet wonderland so start your adventure and try some of this imaginatively decorated morsel that will melt in your mouth. Other than chocolates you should definitely try waffles. Whether they are filled with all kind of fruit, chocolate or with fresh homemade jam that will awake all your senses, it doesn’t matter, pour it with some delicious topping and you will be ready for the next chapter of your trip to Bruges.           

 

Canals of Bruges

This town is often called Venice of the north but to be honest I can’t really compare this two cities. For me Bruges is far more beautiful than this popular Italian destination. Maybe it is because it’s not so crowded like Venice and it allows you to enjoy every step that you take there. All those canals that are passing through Bruges keeps you calm. Even if it’s bad weather it doesn’t matter because rain drops that are hitting the water compose the music that creates special atmosphere. It seems like every canal is telling its own story and the bridges that take you from one side to another are so nice and small, looking like somebody painted them.

So, this is what I love about Bruge and here you can read a bit more about this small town in West Flanders!