My wife and I spent two weeks in Brugge, Paris and Brussels in June of this year. I don't want to bore everyone with a long trip report, so I will try to just mention some of the highlights. I am a little late in posting this because we spent many of our weekends since the trip completing a book documenting our travels on Blurb.com. It is just for our memories, but if you are interested, it can be viewed at http://www.blurb.com/books/1546686. We have done this for the last four major trips we have taken and it is a great way to memorialize the trip.
We loved Brugge. The weather was a little chilly but beautiful. We were happy we stayed in Brugge for three days because it gave us the ability to see the city both with the hordes of daytrippers and without.
Our highlights of Brugge were walking the canals, seeing the Markt, the Burg and the Beguinage. I was especially moved by the service at the Basilica of the Holy Blood during which they allowed you to touch a vial said to contain drops of the Holy Blood.
Our favorite meals were at Den Dyver (we ate there for lunch and dinner on differen days), 't Fonteintje, Cambrinus andCafe Terrastje.
We stayed at the Cote Canal B&B which is the nicest B&B we have ever stayed in. The rooms were lovely, but Caroline, our hostess, was amazing. The day we arrived, we were starved and Caroline - after listening to our general restaurant preferences - suggested we eat at Den Dyver. It's in a beautiful old house with a pleasant patio, although we chose to eat inside. The meal is a prix fixe which comes with several choices, accompanied by a flight of beer or wine. Knowing Belgium is famous for its beers, we both chose the former. After the meal, we spent the afternoon sightseeing in Brugge. The buildings were beautiful. The old buildings around the Markt and the Burg were amazing, but even the smaller houses were extremely well cared for. When we returned to the Cote Canal, Caroline mentioned the waiter at the Den Dyver had called to say we had left our credit card there. She offered to go pick it up for us, but we were going out later so we stopped by to retrieve it. Even so, I thought it was truly above and beyond for Caroline to offer to drop what she was doing to go pick it up. Those are the kinds of things we remember.
After three wonderful days in Brugge, it was time to take the Thalys to Paris.....
Brugge, Paris & Brussels 2010
Recent Activity
View all Europe activity »
- 1 Swiss visit - Mürren for Berner Oberland and Chur? Sargans? for Engadin hub
- 2 Best area to visit in Switzerland during October first or second week
- 3 1st, 6th or 7th in Paris
- 4 large supermarket in Munich - where?
- 5 Battlefield Tour
- 6 Schiphol to cruise port - luggage problem
- 7 Netherland -> Belgium -> West Germany for 18 days
- 8 France Cities for a 14 Day Winter Trip?
- 9 Comfortable shoes to wear in Italy this summer and not look like a tourist
- 10 Am I in an unsafe Parisian neighborhood?
- 11 Credit card CHIP in Europe
- 12 Train from London to Edinburgh
- 13
A bit of Scotland, wing mirror casualty, 7 days in London, and a Fodors GTG
- 14 Renting an apartment in Edinburgh
- 15 Help with Itinerary for Marseille/Provence trip in September
- 16 Help needed on 3 week itinerary to Croatia and Slovenia
- 17 Venice Hotel near Cruise Terminal
- 18 Chip-and-PIN cards again
- 19 Turkish Itinerary suggestions?
- 20 London on a sunny day
- 21 Seville Cordoba and Grananda
- 22 Travel from Logrono to Paris, Barcelona or San Sebastian.
- 23 Rome to Amalfie Coast-10 year anniversary
- 24 Garmisch-Partenkirchen accomodations
- 25 Rooms in Sorrento & Rome


Loved your book! Great photos! Thanks!
Thanks. Doing the books is almost as much fun as taking the trips.
Bumper: I wasn't sure how to reply to you directly, but I wanted to thank you for the Belle du Jour Inn tip at Healdsburg. It was a great B&B with excellent breakfasts too!
Great book. I know how much time it takes to get it together, but it does help you relive your trip doesn't it?
Don't know how I missed this one, bumper. Would love to read the Paris part.
I loved the book. Great!