Bruges or Brugge (the original Dutch name) is one of the best preserved medieval cities in Europe. The largest and the capital city of the West Flanders is packed daily with tourists from all over the world, due to its impressive historical center. This has been declared a World Heritage site of UNESCO in 2000 and since then it is one of the top attractions in Belgium.

Bruges can easily be reached from Brussels, since there are trains leaving for Bruges every 30 minutes and it takes about 40 minutes to get there. From the train station, you can get in the historical center by bus or by foot. If the weather is nice, don’t take a bus to the center but walk through the beautiful park that is right next to the train station.

You will surely not miss the Church of Our Lady, since this amazing structure has the tallest tower in the city – 122.3 meters. The details of the church were finalized during the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries. The altar has a white marble sculpture representing Madonna and the child, made by Michelangelo around 1500.

Other sights in the city center include the City Hall, in the Burg square. From there you can easily get in the Markt, the city’s main square. The tower that dominates the square is called Belfry and climbing its 366 steps is not a bad option if you want to enjoy the best view of the city.

If you love the cruises, once you get to the canal you can spend several euros to take a guided tour of the city, on water. You might wait half an hour to get on a boat, since there are always too many tourists for the boats in service. Also, expect to see the main streets and squares of the city packed with tourists.

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