Bruges

Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country.

Once you have arrived at Bruges station, it is an easy walk into the centre of town and the main squares - Markt and Berg. Central Bruges is largely pedestrian only, so exploring is fairly easy. There are canal boats for sightseeing tours, and taxis and buses are available at the train station.

Visitors come to wander the city's stunning examples of Flemish and Renaissance architecture. There are also a few interesting museums - Arentshuis, Gruuthuse and Groeninge Museums.

Bruges has a variety of shops selling jewellery, fashion and art but the best shops are the numerous chocolateries. The main commercial street is Steenstraat, but the city is so compact and its numerous winding alleys will lead you to discover lots of hidden gems.

Note: shops may close for lunch between noon and 2pm.

Belgium is famous for its rich beers. Learn how they're made at De Gouden Boom's malthouse and brewery museum.

Belgian chocolate and handmade Belgian lace make good souvenirs.

Popular dishes in Belgium include 'moules-frites' (mussels cooked with onions and celery served with fries), 'waterzooi' (a rich stew/soup of chicken or fish), 'gegratineerd witloof/Chicons au gratin' (a gratin of chicory in béchamel sauce with cheese) and 'kip met frieten en appelmoes/Poulet frites-compote' (chicken, French fries and apple sauce).

Ships dock at either the commercial port of Zeebrugge, about a 20 minute ride from Bruges, or at Antwerp, a 1¾ hour drive. There are no facilities at the dock area at Zeebrugge.

At Zeebrugge, most cruise lines provide either a transfer to Bruges or a drop off at Blankenberg station where trains run numerous times throughout the day. At Antwerp Central Station, journey time into Bruges takes around 1 hour 20 minutes.