Breathtaking Bruges

• Climb the 366 stairs to the top of Brugges belfry for an outstanding view. It's winding and dizzy but well worth it! (Cover your ears when the clock chimes!)
  
• Visit the Bastillica of the Holy Blood (40F) to see where it is thought to be the final resting place of Christ's blood.
  
• Stroll along the canals visit the Lake of Love. Often the hostels will give you sheets of mapped out walking tours.
• Take a look at Sint-Janshuysmolen, the stilt windmill.
• Sample beer at the Straffe Hendrik Brewery.
• Wander the grounds of the Beguine's House, a convent. You will get to walk through fields of festive flowers.
• Sample Belgian chocolates. We felt it wasn't fair to sample just one kind, so we tried as many as we could!

  Quick Tips:

  I remember when I first laid eyes on the center of Bruges. We had been traveling all day, first on a train and then on a local bus to get to our hostel. The bus route took us by the center of Bruges and my jaw fell open. It was stunning-everything that I imagined a European city to look like. Cobblestone streets, brighly colored shops, little old couples holding hands and eating homemade Belgian chocolate. I couldn't wait to explore this perfect little city.

  Best Way To Get Around:

  Without a doubt, the best way to get around Bruges is to walk. It is so quaint and charming, it would be a shame to miss!
  There are buses available and a train station to get you to Bruges but no subway/underground.
  If you have a little extra money, you could take a mini bus tour or a carriage ride.
  

  Bruges has a public transportation website located here.

Our room wasn't horrible-it was clean, with a closet and a table. It was dark and damp however and it made me nervous that it was ground level.

The walls were thin and we could hear our neighbours come home late and night and anything else they chose to do-if you get my drift.

Bathroom is located in the hallway and seemed to be clean. There was no kitchen but a restaurant with great food. You could get breakfast for a small fee.

We paid $47 Canadian for our private room here.

Their webpage is located here.

The private rooms are a set of bunkbeds, as is usual with hostels. We had a shower in our room but it was freezing and a bit scary. The dorm rooms were located where we had to walk through the bar every morning to access the showers. A definate plus was that they have a kitchen so you can cook your own meals. A big money saver. Located in a very central location where you can walk to the Main Square, the Belfry etc. There is a pub on the main floor that opens in the evenings. Breakfast (rolls and coffee) available for a small fee.

This was outstanding food - there is no other way to put it! I think we ate here just about every night because we were so impressed. It is a small student-run resturant that provides daily specials, vegetarian food, Bauhaus salads, steaks and pizzas, grills and more. I loved the salad I had, it was fresh and satisifying. The pizza I got the next night was the same-delicious crust. The food is plentiful and inexpensive. The dishes start at 250 Belgian Francs and the menus start at 350 BF. The mood is warm and inviting, you can have a meal or just a drink. You won't go wrong trying this place!

The location of the central market in European towns shows how it used to be the heart of the city. Now it's alive with people browsing the shops, sitting on the stairs in the sun or having tea in a coffee shop. The Grote Markt is the center square of Bruges. This is where you can climb the Belfry for astounding red roofed views. No traffic is allowed in the Square and if you are awake early enough on weekend mornings, you can find a food market selling everything imaginable. It's gone before noon though, when street cleaners come to wash away the leftovers and leave it looking pristine once again. Grote Markt is truly one of the most beautiful main squares in Europe.

Possibly one of the top highlights in our 7 month, 17 country European adventure. An absolutely incredible tour by an outstanding, knowledgeable guide. You visit the WW1 battlefields, abandoned trenches, craters, bunkers, the city of Ypres, the Menin Gate Memorial etc. Your guide will point out ammunition found by farmers in their fields (they find 200 tonnes a year of ammunition!), will show you dressing stations nearly still in tact, and you will visit a small WW1 museum. The tour begins at 9 and you are back at 4:30pm. They also offer bike tours and a Triple Treat (Belgium beer, waffles and chocolate) tour.