Bruges

Our 4 star hotel was set just back off the main square, so it was an ideal position to be within walking distance of all the sights. The hotel staff were very friendly and helpful and the hotel was very clean and comfortable, it also had free WiFi.

The Chocolate Museum is a great place to visit, you get to see how chocolate is made and have a little nibble too!

We took a horse and cart ride which takes you around the quaint little back streets and this gives you a good bearing on the city.

By the train station there was a fantastic Ice Sculpture exhibition which was amazing, lots of statues of warlocks, princesses, castles, it was very impressive, they even had an ice slide which you could go down, so we did.

It is worth going behind the main square to eat as the prices can be very expensive and the food quality is not that great either. It is best to find some nice restaurants and cafés in the back streets at half the price and with better service.

Bruges is another place that surprised me with the amount of shops and people were Christmas Shopping in their droves. I have to say I was not particularly impressed with the Christmas markets, they were not open in the evening, which you would think they would be and we walked around them both in about 20 minutes.

There is a large Ice Rink that they construct in the middle of the square, so I did rent some skates and have a go. I thought I would be better than I was, but the ice is not forgiving, but at least I didn’t fall over!

I would recommend Bruges for a 2 or 3 day break as it is not too far to go for a change of scenery.