This post is a valuable resource for anyone planning a visit to the charming medieval city of Bruges, Belgium. With the help of Sofia, a resident of Bruges for over two decades, you’ll gain access to insider knowledge and hidden gems that are often overlooked by tourists. Sofia works at a pharmacy and has opened her nutritionist office, Herbs & Nutrition, in Bruges.
A little background: the artistic film “In Bruges” was filmed in Bruges, which added to the popularity of this medieval city. The idea for the film came to Martin McDonagh after he visited Bruges and experienced two conflicting emotions: profound delight and terrible boredom.
In order to create a sense of the holiday season, Christmas decorations were kept on some streets of the city of Bruges until the end of March. The city council made an official announcement to the people of Bruges explaining the reason.
So, Bruges, a small but very charming town in Belgium, as told by Sofia:
Many dream of being ‘In Bruges,’ but not everyone knows what to see in this little medieval town, and what places the director of the film captured. I will tell you about them now.
We happened to sit in a bar with the director during the filming of the movie, but unfortunately, I was too shy to take photos at that time.))
The film brought immense fame and good publicity to our city; since then, the city has been at the same level in terms of the number of tourists per year as Amsterdam and Paris, as written in “Kommersant”: “..Martin McDonagh’s film is a case where the city is not just a backdrop to the action, but a full-fledged character of the film.”
The city’s architecture, preserved by a German officer from bombing raids (after the war, he was awarded the title of honorary citizen of the city), is in itself an open-air museum. There is a huge variety of styles and periods in the buildings. By the way, in Bruges (in the center), if you buy a house that is under state protection (and every third one is), then repairs are possible under strict control of the city administration. For example, if you want to move the bathroom to another room, you will not be allowed to do so. And everyone obeys. If you violate something, you will be fined, and they may even stop the repair work until you rectify the “unauthorized” changes.
But let’s return to our Ray and Ken, who, after a failed mission, flee to the Belgian town of Bruges to escape. Finding themselves in the ancient Belgian town, Ray flirts with a local beauty out of boredom, while Ken enjoys life and an unexpected vacation.
The Belfry Tower on Markt Square is the first place Ray and Ken visit during their unplanned vacation. In the Middle Ages, the Belfry Tower was a strategic object: it served as a watchtower, documents were stored within its walls under nine locks, and the carillon and 47 bells of the octagonal Gothic bell tower alerted the city’s residents to events.
The square was the center of trade, gathering of townspeople, and a place for entertainment and executions (nearby there is an execution museum and next to it the best Belgian waffles – it’s better to eat waffles before visiting the museum).
It’s advisable to climb the Belfry only in sunny weather.
Rozenhoedkaai Square is the most photographed place in Bruges. It’s best to come here early in the morning or late in the evening to see the swans passing by before the tourist boats start operating. Each house along the quay is a monument of architecture.
I strongly recommend taking a boat ride; the city looks even more impressive from the water, revealing other perspectives of the beauty of the city on the water. After all, there’s a reason why we are called the northern Venice (sorry, St. Petersburg)).
The Hospital of Saint John is the oldest medical institution in Europe; it was founded in the 12th century by Augustinian monks for the poor and pilgrims and operated until 1976. In the hospital’s chapel, works by the artist Hans Memling are exhibited (come visit, and finally I will visit this museum with you;))), Yep, I still haven’t been there and not even in the oldest pharmacy, which is my thing, after all, I’ve been a pharmacist with experience in Belgium for almost 18 years.
Next, we go to eat at Zwart Huis, the interior is done in dark tones, high ceilings, typical beams, sometimes live music, but as for culinary masterpieces – alas, this is not my choice. Yes, it’s not bad there, but clearly for tourists.
I’d rather go with you to the oldest café “Vlissinghe” (dating back to 1515), where chef Bruno cooks, and cooks well, making typical Flemish food with fresh ingredients.
And the interior is still the same as… years ago). And you can also visit the “de Halve Maan” brewery with a tasting of Bruges beer.
The Groningen Museum and the Gruuthuse Museum are must-visits. In Groningen, our heroes examined one of Hieronymus Bosch’s famous paintings, “The Last Judgment.” The museum houses the richest collection of Flemish Renaissance masterpieces: works by Jan van Eyck, Hans Memling, and Pieter Bruegel the Younger.
Jan van Eyck Square, where the world’s first stock exchanges appeared, ships carrying silks and goods for trade from different countries docked here, and Portersloge was the commercial capital of the Middle Ages, where arriving ships paid duties. And it was on this square that the Academy of Arts was located, which was the most famous in Europe in the Middle Ages.
Ray and Ken also walked on the ancient bridge of Bruges, Perdenbrug, near which horses were previously led into the water and washed.
The oldest bridge is located 100 meters away – Meebrug. And the next bridge connects Vismaarkt with the Burg Square, where the registry office building is located. You also can meet there the mayor of the city. The Basilica of the Holy Blood in the corner of the square is a must-visit, “Heilige Bloed Processie” procession in honor of which will take place this Thursday, May 9, 2024.
They didn’t talk about this in the movie, but I’ll tell you about this procession in a separate post.
Those who are up for it, be sure to come and see. The very first mention of the ceremonial procession with the relic (it is carried out in the Basilica of Saint Basil between 12-16 pm) in Bruges dates back to 1297 and is described in a document by Philippe le Bel. Unfortunately, there are no records of the procession before 1291, as all archives stored in the Belfry Tower were destroyed in a fire in 1280.
All these and other attractions are located within two minutes of the apartment we offer to our guests. For all inquiries about sightseeing in Bruges and especially addresses for food enthusiasts, write to me by email sophia.bond16@gmail.com
From Bruges, it’s 20 minutes to the North Sea coast, where towns like Knokke, De Haan (my favorite), Ostend, De Panne – an amusement park for children called Plopsaland, and near Bruges is Damme. You can also take a bike ride to neighboring Holland – everything is nearby.
Photo Credit: Sophia Bond
