When I was a little kid, the son of a mother who immigrated from England to the USA, I always dreamed of visiting England. I told my mum, and she said, “Well, if you think you’ll like that, there’s also Scotland and Ireland, which are beautiful, but you could also visit so many other countries. Europe has so many extraordinary places to visit, where people eat different things, have different cultures, and even speak other languages.” I remember being in awe, flipping through books, magazines, and National Geographic to learn more.
As the years went by, I had the chance to visit England, and I loved it. But I couldn’t help thinking about those words she’d said so many years before, about the history, the beauty, the culture, and so much more that the rest of Europe had to offer.
Now, at 43 years old, living in Europe, Spain to be exact, and ever since my residence card was approved, I’ve made it my mission to see as much of Europe as possible. While I can’t travel every week, I’ve recently been lucky enough to visit Sardinia (part of Italy), Copenhagen (Denmark), and now, most recently, the beautiful city of Bruges, in Belgium.
Earlier this month, we took the just-over-2-hour flight from Valencia to Brussels, hopped on the train for about 75 minutes from Brussels North to the whimsical, historic city of Bruges, then a quick bus ride from the station to our home for the next two days: Molenmeers Boutique Guesthouses, a stately mansion tucked right on the canal.
As we checked in, we were greeted by a lovely host who told us about the area, pointed out her favourite spots on a map, and showed us around the stay. It was gorgeous and so quaint. The rooms accessible to all guests, the breakfast room overlooking the canal, and a cosy library, were full of antiques and individual character, the kind of place where you feel like you’re staying in someone’s beautifully kept home rather than a hotel. Breakfast was served in that same room with stunning canal views, a quietly romantic way to start each morning, and the little touches, a shared lounge, an honesty bar for a pre-dinner drink, made the whole stay feel personal rather than transactional.
Once settled in, we freshened up and made our way out to take in some sights, grab dinner, and call it an early night, since we wanted to make the most of the next day. Which we did.
Along the way, of course, we had great food, including waffles, which you genuinely couldn’t avoid even if you tried. There were endless places to get them, and no matter where I went, I could smell their sweet scent in the air. We took a guided boat cruise down the canals, saw beautiful historic architecture, including stunning B&Bs, houses, manors, churches, and some very old stone bridges. We wandered through parks, smelled the flowers, saw windmills, and even stumbled across the city’s second annual Pride festival, which we ended up staying at for a while just to take it all in.
Here’s what stood out about our visit:
Food
Breakfast: We sat in the sun on the back patio at Benedict Café with a coffee and the Brekkie toast, the perfect way to start the day.
Dinner: JACOBIN was fantastic, the food was out of this world, the atmosphere chill and cozy, the service great. I was obsessed with the pissaladière waffle and the Korean fried chicken. Bistro Christophe was a little more formal, probably skews to an older crowd, but the dinner was lovely, and the deer pâté with red beet chutney was fantastic.
Snacks: Try the waffles. We can’t tell you which one is the best since we didn’t try them all, but from high-end to cheap-and-cheerful, you’ll find the right one for you.
Experiences
The canal boat tour was well worth it, cute, cosy, and full of information about the city while cruising past all the beautiful historic buildings. There were also gorgeous horse-drawn carriages making their way around the city, which looked like a lovely, slower way to take it all in.
Sights
Rozenhoedkaai (Quay of the Rosary), where the Dijver and Groenerei canals meet, is one of the most photographed corners of the city, and for good reason. We wandered the Beguinage (Begijnhof), a UNESCO World Heritage site of whitewashed homes around a tree-shaded park, home to a community of women since the 1200s, peaceful in a way that’s hard to describe until you’re standing in it. Nearby, Minnewater (“the Lake of Love”) and its park, shaded by willow trees with an old stone sluice gate and powder tower framing the far end, is lovely any time of day. We also crossed the Coupure and Groenerei, two of the prettiest, quieter stretches of canal in the city, lined with old mansions and almshouses; St. Anne’s Church, tucked into a calmer residential pocket of town; Koningin Astridpark (Queen Astrid Park), a perfect place to slow down for a bit; and De Markt, the lively central square that’s been the heartbeat of Bruges since the 1200s.
Stay
Molenmeers Boutique Guesthouses. Centrally located, walkable to nearly everything, and run by hosts who genuinely seem to love sharing their city with you. If you want a stay that feels like part of the experience rather than just a place to sleep, this is it.
Would I go back to Bruges? Yes. Was it even more enchanting than I thought it would be? Also yes. Should you visit if you get the chance? Absolutely.
BRUGES QUICK REFERENCE
Stay: Molenmeers Boutique Guesthouses, canal-side, central
Eat: Benedict Café (breakfast), JACOBIN (dinner), Bistro Christophe (dinner)
See: Rozenhoedkaai, Beguinage (Begijnhof), Minnewater
Do: Canal boat tour, wander Coupure and Groenerei, horse-drawn carriage ride
Best time to visit: Late spring to early summer. Warm enough for the canals, before peak crowds.
markmunroe
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