Bruges and Ghent: 4 Days Through Medieval Flanders

Bruges Without the Crowds

The trick to Bruges is timing. Between 10 AM and 4 PM the centre fills with day trippers; before and after, the city is yours.

We walked out at 7:30 AM to Rozenhoedkaai, Belgium's most photographed corner, and had it to ourselves with canal mist and the Belfry behind.

Climbing the 366 steps of the belfry is worth it for the red-roof view, but book online: capacity is limited.

The Begijnhof at dusk, with poplars and the silence of the Benedictine sisters, is the city's loveliest and least touristy moment.

Art, Chocolate and Beer

The Groeningemuseum concentrates Early Netherlandish painting: Van Eyck, Memling, Bosch. Small, done in 90 minutes, no absurd queues.

St John's Hospital with its Memling works, and the Church of Our Lady with Michelangelo's only Madonna outside Italy, complete the art circuit.

For chocolate, skip the Markt shops: the good ones are family workshops south of the centre where you watch the product being made.

De Halve Maan brews the only beer still produced in the historic centre, with a 3 km underground beer pipeline. The tour ends, obviously, with a Brugse Zot.

Ghent: The Flanders That Lives

Twenty-five minutes by train, Ghent is Bruges' opposite: a university city, noisy, with graffiti and terraces full of locals.

The Ghent Altarpiece by the Van Eyck brothers in St Bavo's Cathedral is arguably the most influential painting of the 15th century. The augmented-reality visit is surprisingly well done.

Gravensteen castle has the funniest audio guide in Europe: narrated by a Belgian comedian who mocks his own museum.

At dusk, Graslei quay fills with students and beer while the guild houses light up over the Lys river.

Practical Tips and Budget

**Best time:** April-June and September-October. December for Christmas markets, with guaranteed rain.

**Budget per person (4 days):** - Flights to Brussels: €80-180 - Domestic trains: €25-40 - Central accommodation: €240-400 - Museums and tickets: €60-80 - Food and beer: €180-260 - **Estimated total: €585-960**

**Essential tips:** - Sleep in Bruges and day-trip to Ghent, not the other way round - The canal boat ride (€12) is only worth it outside peak hours - The best mussels aren't on the Markt but on the side streets - Bring comfortable shoes: Flemish cobblestones are merciless - Buy the Musea Brugge Card if you'll visit more than three museums