The Essential Tips about Bruges
Do you believe in hidden secrets? I bet you’ve never heard of Bruges. When you visit it, you’ll wish you had known about it years earlier. This city, or rather this small town will take much more time than its size suggests – though small-and you can walk from end to end in 30 minutes; you will need a day and a half or two days to do it justice.
Bruges has beautiful churches, canals, medieval buildings, great museums and a tragic history (the sea passage got silted) and the population dropped by 75% in the 17th century. The golden age passed, but the gilded palaces and ornate churches and buildings remain.
Belfort, on the northern side of the square, is a medieval rocket like a church spire, 83m in height. Visitors can climb the 366 steps to the top for panoramic views of the towns red-tiled roofs. The Belfort has a 47 bell carillon that’s still played manually like a piano, usually on weekends and Wednesdays.
Groeningemuseum is the most visited and popular art gallery in Bruges and has a rich collection of Flemish Primitive and Renaissance paintings depicting the riches of the city. The more modern works include cubists, expressionists and surrealists artists.
Heilig-Bloedbasiliek is a basilica which was built to house a vial containing a few drops of Christ’s blood brought to the city after the 12th century. The door to the right leads to an upstairs chapel, with a tabernacle behind which the relic is kept. The vial is brought out daily at 2 pm for veneration.
Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk is a 13th-century church with a massive tower. This church houses a Madonna and Child statue made by Michelangelo. The treasury section has some fine 15th & 16th-century art, including the stone and bronze tombs of Karel de Stoute and his daughter Mary of Burgundy.
Frietmuseum honors the Belgian potato fries and is the only museum of its kind. You can trace the spuds history from its origins in Peru to the frying pans of Bruges. Freshly fried Belgian (similar to the French) fries are served in the basement cafeteria.
Bruges is often referred to as the Venice of the north and has canals as well as the River Reid. The views and perspective that you will get from a boat will be very different. There are 30-minute tours that are all alike and they have 5 different embarkation points. Take any; they are quite economical and rewarding.
If you love chocolate, then you probably know and appreciate Belgian chocolates, and in Bruges, you will need to take frequent breaks at the tempting delights you will see on display.
If you feel tempted to visit Bruges, spend a couple of days at least. The city may be small but it’s very picturesque and packed with history. Book early and get all the benefits that come with it. For all your travel expenses, depending on EbixCash World Money Forex and its Multi-Currency Card, valid worldwide at all Visa outlets. The card comes with pin/chip security and has 24x7 customer support.
