Not Just The Old Quarter

Bruges is indeed captivating with its ancient houses and cathedrals, a must-see on any travel itinerary. But that is not the only charm of this small, lovely Belgian city.

Bruges has served as the backdrop for several films. And I just watched “In Bruges” (made in 2008) with the famous landmarks of this city as the backdrop. The film brings back memories of a trip over 20 years ago.

Currently, according to documents read, Bruges has only about 120,000 residents. This city is like a living museum, not unlike Hoi An, with well-preserved medieval buildings and cobblestone streets that have only worn down but not deteriorated. Thanks to that, it was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Also because of that, this place has become a famous destination for tourists from Brussels, the capital of Belgium.

About ten years before Covid-19, from March to October each year, Bruges seemed to endure an “invasion” of tourists. Only in the cold months do we see fewer visitors—those budget-conscious travelers—wandering the streets and squares in the city center.

Before Covid-19, with over three million tourists each year, Bruges seemed to be the most visited place in Belgium, even more than Brussels.

With Covid-19, there are fewer tourists, but perhaps that’s better for this small city.

During the severe Covid-19 outbreak in Europe, a man who identified himself as Sébastien wrote the following lines on the travel website TripAdvisor:

“We decided that the current circumstances are indeed ideal for visiting a city with a strong medieval imprint like Bruges, and it truly was…”

According to this tourist, “now is the time or never, we have to visit Bruges…”.

But let’s return to our journey back then…

My aunt, her husband, and I visited this quaint city on a chilly day in one of the months. That was a time when tourists from the East had not yet flooded in, rushing here. We left Liège, about 200 km from Bruges. After nearly three hours on the road, the bus stopped at the gate to Bruges, and we boarded a bus to the city center.

From there, take a stroll around before boarding a horse-drawn carriage to ride along a canal. (Because of its many canals, Bruges is also known as the “Venice of the North.”