Death by chocolate.. and waffels, frites, truffels, custard filled croissants, beer and cream puffs ...

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Brugge has such a good reviews with all who visit, so we were keen to see if it lived up to its reputation.

We weren't travelling alone this time. In tow were the parents who are visiting from NZ, so the proximity to London and small size, made Brugge an ideal place to visit with the oldies.

In the 11th Century, Brugge was an international commercial centre as it had direct access to the sea. Traders came from all over Europe to exchange goods such as cloth. While it's prosperity has risen and fallen throughout the ages, it is now a fully fledged tourist destination and visited by millions every year.

Brugge has been beautifully preserved. The medieval streets are spotless and the canals wind perfected past lovely historical buildings. The historic city centre is a World Heritage site. The parents of course loved it and obviously we did too!

My only criticism of the place is that it was almost too perfect - a little bit over the top and completely geared to the tourist industry with prices to match. At times I felt like was on the 'It's a small world' ride at Disneyland. The lovely streets are best viewed early morning before the crowds descend in their thousands to wander from one lovely (expensive) shop to another. We made the most of our time and walked around the perimeter of the town where old windmills tower above the canals.

The local markets and atmospheric churches were probably one of the nicest surprises in Bruges. The local market on Saturday (get there early!) is a foodie heaven - the roasted chickens, chocolate and pastries are awesome and much cheaper than those in the tourist shops.

We visited two Churches during our trip. The Church of Our Lady and St Saviour's Cathedral were a nice contrast to others we have visited. These were particularly dark and moody - photos just cannot capture the mood of the full choir and gothic architecture. The first church has a marble sculpture of Madonna and Child by Michelangelo that is worth seeing.

Overall Brugge was a lovely place to spend a few days. We headed back on the Eurostar with bags packed to the brim with lovely foodie things and enough chocolate and goodies to choke donkey.

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Photos

Stained glass windows
Inside St Saviour's Cathedral

Brugge by bike
Local transport

More stained glass windows
Inside St Saviour's Cathedral