Hotels in Bruges

Second visit to this beautiful city and I cannot wait to return in August/September 2015. If you don't mind climbing the 366 steps to the top of the Belfry then it is well worth doing. The stairs get very clostrophobic towards the top but when you get to the bell house the views are stunning! There are plenty of beer shops to visit and there are some lovey beers on sale and on draught! I recommend the tour of De Halvemaan brewery this was very interesting and you get a free pint at the end which is as enjoyable as the tour! We also paid €44 for a horse and carriage tour of the city which was interesting although I feel very expensive. However, it's worth doing as its not something you can do every day. There are many, many chocolate shops in Bruges and we found one that was 'the best place to drink hot chocolate' upstairs is a restaurant for all types of hot chocolate and waffles and excellent value for money (the waffles are huge!). Again, not cheap but you get a good amount for your money and being on holiday it was worth it to me. Bruges is a very expensive place and I think 3 nights would be more than enough for anyone. As much as there is to do, you will run out of money very quickly. We stayed for 2 nights so didn't get to experience all the place has to offer. On the plus side, it has given me a lot to look forward to for my next visit with the lads. Overall this is one of my favourite European cities, followed by Prague. The bonus is of Bruges is its only 280 miles away from my house and is very easy to get to by car. If you're thinking of visiting, DO IT!!

Bruges is possibly the best city I have ever travelled to. The quaint, beautiful cobble roads lead to some amazing little cafes, fancy restaurants and spectacular sights. The rivers that run through the city are gorgeous and lined with beautiful traditional houses, all well preserved in the classic, Belgian style. Everything is cared so well for: the buildings are kept pristine-looking and all seem so well-ordered and fluent. The main squares are bordered by some incredible architecture - a type of neo-gothicism. The lights strung up so neatly around and within the squares are so christmassy and cute! Everything looks entirely welcoming and cosy and I really recommend a trip in a boat around the rivers to explore the beauty Bruges has to offer. Also try out the niche cafes you may be able to spot down sneaky side roads. I did not experience a single bad taste during my stay and every person I met was perfectly friendly. Oh my goodness and get yourself a waffle from one of the market stalls. They are big bites of heaven. Go, go, go!

Just stroll around, you'll find something I promise you. Talk to the locals, who appears more than happy to help and give an insight into a city that they clearly adore and are rightly proud of. I'd recommend: - Blackbird cafe for something tranquil on a Sunday morning. - Bones, for amazing Ribs just off the main square. - The Torture Museum for a stark reminder of how brutal we can be. - Groot Vlaeneren - Excellent bar, good bar snacks, a bit cheaper than other places (the beer anyway), and a nice atmosphere. Quite small so get there earlier if you can. - Just stroll. The shopping streets are good, but can get busy. A small step off the main streets and you'll find the best delights, but it's almost better if you just stumble across things rather than read them in a review. Be mindful of: - Many places closing at times on Sunday so you might get caught out (like we did) and not be able to get into the place you want. - It's not the cheapest city, though there are some hidden gems. - Watch the beers in the Trappiste bar. I think I went through every emotion that night. - You'll probably miss something - Choco Story is exactly what it says on the tin. Don't do this instead of something else, but it's better for kids. - The whole city is a lot smaller than I thought, and everything is easily walkable. We visited in January and it was very quiet, but I wouldn't want to visit when it's busy as I don't think you'd get a real feel for the place..

Beautiful city, great architecture and culture. You need to visit this place at least once in your lifetime. The chocolate shops are amazing, the bars and restaurants great! The people are all quite friendly and happy to help you. We couldn't get a boat tour as they are shut throughout winter, but the city is small enough to walk around comfortably, or cycle around. Keep to the medieval old city and you'll have plenty to see and do. Try and avoid going to the restaurants located on the market square as they're overpriced and, in comparison to the rest of the city, the staff are quite rude. We did 2 museums, the torture museum, and the beer museum. The torture museum was small but interesting, and the beer museum was a little underwhelming. We bought the ticket for the museum followed by 3x taster beers. That made it worthwhile, but you can just go to the bar without doing the museum. There's also a great deal of shopping on the main shopping street, lots of selection for everyone. To eat, no shortage of places. Everything catered for, there is traditional Belgian food, fondue, Chinese, Italian etc etc. Mussels are everywhere!! Get a hot chocolate!

I think it is mostly about the atmosphere in Bruges. Lovely buildings lovely people. There is generally a good number of people who speak English. I found speaking a little German helped as people who don't speak one speak often speak the other. A Dank U Wel (pronounced Dank oo Vel) or Bedank is appreciated though :) It is a chocolate lovers paradise. Chocolate can be found in many shapes sizes and types. Some are rather amusing (or embarrassing possibly for some) I highly recommend hiring a bicycle for the day. Great for seeing more of the city, beware the cobblestones if you do though, my wife may never walk quite the same again ;) We intended to try some traditional Flemish fare but instead ended up at an Argentinian Steakhouse (same as last time we visited) fantastic rib eye steak cooked rare, yum. If parking is required then park next to the train station as this is also a park and ride 3 euros 50 gets you 24 hours of parking and bus travel all day you can also rent a bicycle nearby.

It is a really charming very small town with many canals, great for couples on romantic get aways. We went in December in the hope of exploring the Christmas market, but that part was rather disappointing - the two markets we have found were small with hardly anything to look at. There are tonnes of chocolate in all shapes and forms all over the town - it is truly is the chocolate capital of the world. They also call it the Venice of the North, which is partly true. I guess the city is really lovely in the spring and summer, but probably also crowded. Also it's a bit of a hassle to get there. Plan for two days maximum to spend there. If you've got more time, go to Ghent, half an hour train ride away.