My Honeymoon in Bruges

I have fond memories of this enchanting city as I recently went there for my honeymoon. It’s the perfect destination for a couple of nights away and getting there is easy too - we travelled via Eurostar from London to Brussels, and then hopped on another train to get to Bruges itself.

Thanks to Google maps, we navigated our way on foot from the station to our central hotel in about 25 minutes rather than taking a taxi or bus – it saved us money and we got to see some of the sights along the way. I recommend staying in a hotel near to the Markt (Market Square) for a fantastic central location - we stayed in Hotel Navarra, a 4 star hotel just 150 metres walk from the Market Square and shops.

Bruges is a wonderful destination for both couples and families looking for culture, beautiful architecture, fantastic shopping and relaxation – all can be squeezed into the perfect 2 night stay. Enjoy the scenic views the city has to offer by taking a romantic but fun canal ride under the low bridges and through the historic waterways, soaking up the sights. We really enjoyed a traditional horse-drawn carriage ride setting off from the market square through the cobbled streets, clip-clopping down narrow walkways past the beautiful old buildings, with a few local facts and stories from our enthusiastic guide along the way. A trip to Bruges wouldn’t be complete without sampling the local food and drink. What I really mean by that is chocolate, waffles, beer and frites (chips)! We discovered that the traditional tea rooms sold the best waffles with a huge choice of accompaniments like cream and melted Belgium chocolate drizzled over – heavenly! Our favourite tea room was called “de Medici” - if you go here make sure you sit upstairs as it’s very pretty.

Once you’ve tried the waffles and chocolate you might like to wash it all down with a local beer. There are plenty of places to find a good beer in Bruges but our favourite is ‘Cambrinus’ which had a choice of 400 beers and great food to accompany it. Another personal recommendation is ‘De Garre’ but you’ll need to keep your eyes peeled as it’s hard to find – a real hidden gem!

There is so much to choose from, you can tailor-make your Bruges experience to suit you. Whether it’s sampling the famous local cuisine, taking a photo from the ‘Rozenhoedkaai’, visiting the famous Basilica of the Holy Blood, or climbing the 366 steps of the Belfort (Belfry) in the market square, there really is something for everyone here. This fairy-tale medieval town is not to be missed and certainly worth a visit (or two!).