Bruges is a fairy-tale town, filled with colourful guild buildings, horse drawn carriages, sidewalk cafes and shops, cobblestone passageways as well as a network of canals. It transports one to a magical medieval town. Here are some unique things in Bruges that you must visit on your next trip

1. Bell Tower (Belfry of Bruges):
   Gaze up at the majestic Belfry of Bruges, the tallest tower in this city dominating its skyline. Climb its ancient steps for a panoramic view of the charming city below. Listen to the enchanting melody of this gigantic music box housed within this building, as it starts playing music every hour of the day. As you stroll the city on a weekend during the summer months, get mesmerised by the music played by a musician with the bells on the top of the tower.

   

2. Canals of Bruges:
   Embark on a leisurely canal cruise and experience Bruges from a unique perspective. Drift beneath arched bridges and past medieval buildings, as the gentle ripples of the water carry you through the heart of the city. Admire the picturesque scene unfolding along the banks, from colorful facades to lush greenery reflected in the shimmering waters. Also, keep an eye out for Bruges iconic white swans gracefully gliding along the boats.

   

3. De Halve Mann (Half Moon Brewery):
   Immerse yourself in Bruge’s rich brewing history by making a visit to De Halve Mann brewery. Here, know about the story of the underground pipeline built to send brewered beer outside of the city to a bottling plant. When this pipeline was planned, many residents joked that they will just connect the pipeline to their home and have unlimited beer. The company, inspired by this joke found an ingenious solution. They asked the residents to crowd fund in their project and whoever contributed got free beer for life!

   

4. Michelangelo’s Madonna at the Church of Our Lady
   Discover the rare beauty of michelangelo’s masterpiece, the Madonna and the Child is now housed in the Church of Our Lady. It was the first sculpture to leave Italy during Michael Angelo’s life. Here’s a podcast talking about this sculpture

   

5. Food

   1. Waffles - Indulge your senses with the delicious taste of waffles, served with chocolate, fresh cream and strawberries. Checkout House of Waffles, our favourite Waffle shop in Bruges
   2. Chocolates - Treat your taste buds to delicious artisinal chocolates crafted in Bruges. There are a plenty of chocolate shops and if you want to find authentic ones, do look out for the Chocolate Guild sign outside their door. This signifies that the chocolates are actually made in Bruges as a lot of other shops import the chocolates from elsewhere.
   

In Bruges, every corner tells a story, every sight ignites the imagination, and every experience leaves an indelible mark on the soul. So travel along to the heart of Belgium and discover the iconic city of Bruges - a city where the past meets the present.

We would love to hear about your experiences in Bruges in the comments below.