Sign in with Facebook"Bruges/Brugge - take your choice :)" Brugge by unaS
Brugge Travel Guide: 2,686 reviews and 7,159 photos
Brugge/Bruges, Belgium 1 - 4 April
Because I travelled on a Sunday I had to take the train from Amsterdam Centraal to 's Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch), and change there for the Antwerp train and then again for the Brugge train.
Thanks to the help of Noel nhoolb and others I was prepared for the changes and had no problems. In fact I met up with a couple of my own age on the train and became their guide :).
In Antwerp there was a train leaving within a few minutes of our arrival, but we couldn't have found it on time. There is a train every hour. The only complication was where/when to change…Antwerp Centraal or Antwerp-Berchem. Having received conflicting advice, when I heard an announcement on the train to change for the Brugge train at Centraal, I did just that, dragging the newly met couple after me. We went to the train information office to find which track we needed for the Brugge train, then rested. I stepped outside for a cigarette (or two) and got some nice photos of the station.
The whole trip, with breaks as I did it, took 4 1/2 hours, cost €40.80.
At Brugge, Monique, the owner of the B&B I was staying at met me as arranged. An extraordinarily kind person, she also took my newly met friends to their hotel despite road works requiring a long detour. Details of the B&B in Tips.
Arrived in Brugge to find it drowning in tourists, but it was a Sunday and a beautiful day so that was to be expected. By the time I was settled into my room and went for a walk, about 1700, they were all gone. I was able to have a pleasant quiet walk, enjoy my first exposure to the town and relax. Walked to the Market Square, rubber necked like any tourist and explored some side streets. There were plenty of nice places to eat at a reasonable cost once I left the Grote Market area.
Saw the horse drawn carriages that someone recommended, but decided against it. The horses were not properly cared for imho. They were forced to go at a fast clip and came in sweating and with laboured breathing from every trip. They were not covered even in the chill of the evening while standing and waiting for the next customer.
Real cobblestones here, not brick as in most of Amsterdam. Flat shoes with thick soles very much recommended!
Next morning took the Quasimodo "Triple Treat" tour. Nice trip, small group (9 people including me) with a good included lunch – and real Belgian waffles!! Yum!! Saw almost too much to detail here; included some beautiful Chateaus, a castle, the countryside and back roads of West-Flanders and a walking visit to Damme. One of the interesting stories the guide related – and which we saw - was "the bridge to nowhere", a political fiasco that wasted millions of Euro. Learned lots of history and about the culture of this area. Interestingly, as opposed to Amsterdam, the Catholics continued to rule here due to the Spanish occupation. The culture, the religion and the architecture are very different.
Was an all day trip. Got back to the flat only at 1800. Well worth the cost. Nice relaxing day too after all the walking I did in Amsterdam! Later went out to eat, only to find most of the restaurants closed all ready! Had to eat in an expensive place – good food, but not a lot of it for the price. Bistro Den Huzaar, Vlamingstraat 36.
Tuesday was cloudy and drizzling. Took the number 6 bus from Striven Square to the Kruispoort Gate and the windmills; lovely ride. Walked back to the city centre from Dampoort Gate along Potterierei and Genthof streets. I wanted to get to the Du Phare restaurant there, which was highly recommended but I got lost and never found it :(
Ate instead in the Burg Square at Tom Pouce – excellent chicken waterzooei! I was really lucky – just as I sat down to eat it began to really pour, by the time I was finished eating the sun was out for the first time all day :)
The Basilica of the Holy Blood in Burg Square is definitely worth a visit. Some parts of it are from 1100. Fascinating. Saw some people going up to view the holy relic.
Burg Square is said to be the earliest settlement in this area. A fortress was built here as protection against the Vikings, possibly where the memorial to Charles the Good stands today.
Visited the Memling Museum, the Beguinage and the Minnewater – gorgeous swans and a duck with 6 newly hatched goslings.
A bit chilly in the late afternoon so I took the City Bus tour. It made me realize just how small Brugge really is. Then I was naughty and had me a sit down hot coffee and waffle with whip cream on Grote Market.
My one unpleasant memory of Brugge remains, I'm sorry to say, the horse carriages and the poorly treated horses. I actually saw one driver feeding the baby ducks on the Minnewater banks while her own horse steamed uncomfortably in the cold, uncovered, breathing too heavily and totally ignored.
On Wednesday left for Antwerp with a 4 hour stop in Gent.
- Pros:A lovely town best seen after 1600
- Cons:Horse carriages and lack of proper care of the animals.
- In a nutshell:A beautiful place. Glad I chose to spend 3 nights there. Would happily visit again.
Reviews (4)
Get out of the city
Things to Do
(1)
Beautiful and marvelous as Brugge is, it is also nice to get out of the city for a day. I took a marvelous day trip to... more travel advice
DON'T eat on the Grote Markt
Tourist Traps
(1)
Even the frites are overpriced and then they charge an additional fee for the sauce! Go out any of the exits and the... more travel advice
Do try the chicken waterzooei
Restaurants
(1)
One of a line of four restaurants on Burg Square near to the Holy Blood Church. Pleasant waiter, good food, nice... more travel advice
B&B Monique Den Hert
Hotels
(1)
A few minutes pleasant stroll from Grote Market, Burg Square and the centre of town. Located on a narrow residential... more travel advice
unaS's Related Pages
Brugge Travel Guide
Member Travel Pages
- "Brugge - The promise of things to come"
- "Bruges Beyond Kitsch"
- "BRUGES"
- "Brugge"
- "Brugge, Venice of the North"
- "Charming just Charming"
- "Brugge die Schone"
- See All...
Badges & Stats in Brugge
- 4 Reviews
- 19 Photos
- 25 Forum posts
- 17 Comments
- 1,329PageViews
- See All Stats
- See All Badges (35)
Have you been to Brugge?
Share Your TravelsLatest Activity in Brugge
- Posted in Travel Forum "Re: A call for suggestions from..."
- updated a Brugge Travel Page "Bruges/Brugge - take your choice :)"
- Commented on one of Rixie's Brugge travel pages
- Wrote a Review Get out of the city in Brugge Things to Do
- Uploaded a Photo to "DON'T eat on the Grote Markt"
Photos in Brugge
See All Photos (19)
Top 10 Pages
-
Jerusalem
Intro, 18 reviews, 88 photos, 6 travelogues
-
New Zealand
Intro, 22 reviews, 77 photos, 1 travelogue
-
Australia
Intro, 23 reviews, 57 photos
-
Sevilla
Intro, 18 reviews, 46 photos
-
Top 5 Page for this destination
Plovdiv
Intro, 15 reviews, 39 photos
-
Barcelona
Intro, 10 reviews, 37 photos
-
Granada
Intro, 12 reviews, 33 photos
-
Madrid
Intro, 14 reviews, 30 photos, 1 travelogue
-
Sofia
Intro, 14 reviews, 29 photos
-
Jerez de la Frontera
Intro, 12 reviews, 30 photos
Friends
See All Friends (56)
Budget Travel
Seniors
SinglesLatest Brugge hotel reviews
- Hotel De Tuilerieen Brugge
- 577 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Jun 17, 2013 - Martin's Orangerie Brugge
- 90 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Jun 9, 2013 - Relais Oud Huis Amsterdam H&P
- 208 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 30, 2013 - Etap Hotel Brugge Centrum Station
- 516 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Jun 17, 2013 - Boat-Hotel De Barge
- 111 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Jun 14, 2013 - Holiday City Centre
- 3 Reviews & Opinions
- Brugge Parkhotel
- 107 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 30, 2013 - Relais Bourgondisch Cruyce
- 377 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Jun 16, 2013 - Best Western Premier Hotel Weinebrugge
- 59 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 19, 2013 - Snuffel Sleep-In
- 58 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Jun 9, 2013 - Flanders
- 514 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Jun 17, 2013 - Academie
- 409 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Jun 17, 2013 - Exclusive Duc De Bourgogne
- 68 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Jun 14, 2013 - Kasteel Ten Berghe
- 72 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Jun 2, 2013 - Premier Hotel Navarra
- 530 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Jun 17, 2013
Comments (18)
I am sorry to read your review on the horses in Bruges.
They are my job and my life.
1. If you knew much about horses, you would know that sweating is not
necessarily a sign that a horse is suffering or overworked. Each horse has it's
own pace. Some walk/run faster, some slower. How did you know that the driver
was FORCING his/her horse to go the pace it went? Did you see him/her beat it?
Or did you just assume that that was the case, since the horse was going a
certain pace?
I'm thinking it must be the latter, since I don't see my colleagues using the
whip on their horses for that purpose...
2. A horse that has sweated should NEVER be covered immediately, because if you
do that, the blanket will get wet on the inside and the horse will never dry up.
It is therefore best (and advized by veterinaries) to let the horse damp for a
while, and then cover them up. If the horses only stand still for 10 minutes in
between rides, it is absolutely no use and even bad for the horses to cover them
with blankets.
3. If you would have bothered to talk to one of the drivers and ask them about
the working conditions of our horses, or even to take your time to look before
jumping to conclusions, you would have learned that:
- these horses work maximum twice a week, most of the horses I work even just
once a week.
- the horses get a 10 minute break on every 35 minutes journey. They get fed and
watered there.
- We use high quality blankets to cover our horses WHEN THEY NEED IT (each
driver has a blanket-why would we not use them if our horses need it?)
- they are all looked after by a veterinary, get their shots every year, get a
yearly break (apart from the 5-6 das a week they don't work, they also get a
complete month off ever year), are properly fed, stabled and go out in the
fields whenever the weather conditions allow it. What exactly do you refer to
when you say they are not properly cared for?
I have been working with some horses for 14 years. The easy accusations you
make, without being bothered by any knowledge on horses or on keeping horses,
upset me. You have the right to be convinced that horses should not work in a
city, and that that is not natural for them. I accept some people feel that way.
I personally don't find it natural for people to live in large flat buildings in
city centres, but I do not go around accusing the owners of those buildings. If
you want to write about places you visit, at least try to inform yourself before
you judge.
I am quite sure that the tone of my mail might have upset you. The tone of your
review upset me also.
I know that what I am telling you is true and I can back it up with more
information and pictures, should you think I am making all this up...
I hope you might think twice before judging the next person you meet.
Sincerely
Korngold's opera "Die tote Stadt" ("The dead city") takes place in Bruges, which is why I have always wanted to go there. Sounds like you had a good time and saw a lot on the tours.
Really liked this city. The b&b sounded like a good find for you!
Though it's been awhile since we visited Brugge, I have great memories of this wonderful picturesque town. I also loooove Belgian frites with a huge dollop of mayonnaise. mmm lekker - that's Dutch for yummy.
I've been back to Bruges over the years and it didn't disappoint. I love it. I went to Damme too but on a hired bike and it was a headwind all the way back :(
Had a look here while waiting for Taxi -nice page Una .I jotted down a few exrtra tips.
i always gladly pay for a bit of sauce ! - not read your stuff before, but after this i'll be reading more
Looking forward to experiencing Brugge myself in June. Thanks for the tips ;-)
Brugges is nice to visit..but that is indeed a sad story about the maltreated horse --- I hope the horse is okay now...
Lovely Brugge page with beautiful photographs and excellent restaurants tips. Thanks for sharing. Thanks also for visiting our Spain page. ~ho & pang