Top Reasons to Visit

Top Reasons to Visit

Walk Back in Time. The planning laws in Brugge have been very strict for many years (it was the first city in Europe—in 1972—to get cable TV, which dispensed with those unsightly antennae), meaning there are few new buildings to spoil the illusion that you've waltzed back to another age.

Float on By. The canals that cut though the center of Brugge are among the most beautiful you will find anywhere. Take a boat trip and travel down them at a pace that befits their grandeur.

A Land in Miniature. If you're looking to experience every cliché about Belgium in one tidy package, Brugge is the place to find it: chocolate, lace, waffles, fries, beer, and Flemish stepped gables. All within steps of one another.

Streching Your Legs. One of the great joys of a trip to Flanders is strolling in the cool, early morning before the crowds amass, or late in the evening when lighted buildings shimmer like gold along the narrow waterways.

Sand Between Your Toes. Belgium may only have 67 km (42 mi) of coastline, but what little there is consists almost exclusively of sandy beach. Resorts like Knokke are the ideal places to take it all in.