Just about every time Nate and I told people we were headed to Belgium, they immediately asked whether we were headed to Bruges, followed shortly by: “Have you ever seen In Bruges?”

It wasn’t in our immediate plan — I was headed to Brussels for work, so really, Brussels and chocolate, chocolate, CHOCOLATE! was all that was on my mind — but when I kept hearing rave reviews about Bruges, and how it was considered the “Venice of Belgium,” with all of its canals, we knew we had to make a trip. It’s only an hour’s train ride from Brussels, so you can easily squeeze in both during a stay in the country.

Here are some of our favorite spots:

FOOD:

Head to Market Square for a Waffle.
Or a rotisserie chicken, some sausages, fresh fruit, flowers — or whatever you want. This open market is the heart of the city, and it’s bustling with activity, whether you’re interested in shopping or people-watching. (But seriously, have a waffle.)

Sample Some “Pringles” Chocolates at Chocolate OE.
This shop specializes in incredibly fresh, Pringles-thin and Pringles-shaped chocolate discs. Don’t miss them. (Sadly, we devoured ours long before we could take a photo, so please accept the above photo of truffles as an apology.)

FUN:

Take a Boat Tour Around the City.
The city is crisscrossed with canals, so what better way to see it all than in a boat?

Visit the Historium.
Bruges, particularly the Market Square, seems frozen in the 1700s, which is what makes it so surprising to find the Historium at the center of it all. It’s like something a team of Disney Imagineers would dream up; part video, part animatronics, with scents and a soundtrack to match. You walk through the “ride,” which consists of seven rooms, telling a story of an artist’s apprentice who falls in love with a model, and must scour the city when he loses a subject of his boss’s next painting, a parrot. Plus, when the ride’s over, you can hang out on a balcony with the best panoramic view of the city.

FULFILLMENT:

Scope Out the Salvador Dali Museum.
We didn’t have time to visit, but if we head back to Bruges, it’ll be a first stop. Dali’s surrealist paintings and illustrations will have you looking at the world in a whole new way.

Explore the Historic Churches and Buildings.
Just wandering down the cobblestone streets will transport you through time, but the buildings aren’t to be missed, either, and some offer tours for a small fee. There’s so much history around every corner.

 

Considering a trip to Brussels too? You’ve got to see our guide to the city.