You know those wonderlands we all read about in books as children, of cobbled streets, beautiful houses, flowery window sills, blue skies and music floating in the air, Bruges is that place in flesh and blood.

Bruges isn’t really a secret anymore so you can well expect thronging crowds especially in the center. But walk down a side alley and it feels like a different world. There is a certain romance and charm to this city that I find tough to put into words – it’s like a fairy tale in motion right before your eyes, every tiny piece of it perfection, a place fitting enough for happily ever afters, dreamy and unreal.

Where I stayed

Hotel Aragon – On a quiet street just 5 min walk from the markt, this is a pretty good hotel with a decent breakfast. We could get a room for 3 which was great.

Good places to eat

The Olive Tree – A family run Greek restaurant with super friendly staff and scrumptious food.

Gran Kaffee De Passage – An old fashioned art deco style bistro with hearty food which isn’t too heavy on the pocket.

Things to do

• Explore the markt and the surrounding streets on foot. You don’t need a map or GPS, just follow your instincts ;-). It’s a very small city and you will find your way around
• If you feel like some shopping, the streets to explore are Steenstraat and Nordzandstraat
• Buy lace – it’s extremely intricate and expensive, but it’s a specialty
• Canal Tour – it is very touristy but it is still fun to see the city from water along with endless swans floating around
• Have Belgian street food on the go – Waffles and Frites(fries) are not to be missed
• Try some hand rolled chocolates – I especially like Dumon Chocolatier (pictures ahead)