Bruges, a small medieval pearl of West Flanders is a truly fascinating city as well as very romantic. Its center is small so it is a pleasure to discover it on foot, while getting lost in its canals, its greenery and the smell of waffles. Since 2000, its center has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The main pizza (the Grote Markt) is dominated by the Belfort (Lookout), symbol of power: the tower which dates back to the 83th century is 366 meters high and you will hardly be able to photograph it in its entirety. If you have the patience and agility to climb its 57 steps, you will be rewarded by an exciting and breathtaking panorama. Also at the top of the tower is the carillon made up of XNUMX bells that ring every hour in a truly harmonious way.
The square (Markt) is then occupied by a series of graceful buildings with the famous cusp facades arranged in a staircase, currently used as bars and restaurants, once the headquarters of ancient congregations of crafts.
Then moving into the Castle, square adjacent to the Markt, we find the Gothic-style Town Hall, originally designed as a reliquary and today has statues that replaced the previous ones that were destroyed. Also in the Burg we find the Crypt of San Basilio, in Romanesque style, dating back to the twelfth century. Above we find the Chapel of the Holy Blood, now a Basilica: legend has it that the drops of Jesus' blood were brought to Bruges after the second crusade in Jerusalem. On Ascension Day in Bruges the procession of the Holy Blood is celebrated, in which the authentic relic is carried through the streets, but above all the historical re-enactment of the arrival of the Blood of Jesus in Bruges takes place.
Don't miss the famous ones canals of Bruges that cross the length and breadth of the city: they are so fascinating that they have earned the title of Venenzia del Nord. You certainly cannot miss the Molo Verde (Groene Rei), an idyllic landscape that you will not easily forget. From the Molo del Rosario (Rozenhoedkaai) you can finally enjoy a magnificent view of the Belfort: time seems to be suspended!
A particular mention goes to the San Bonifacio bridge built in 1910: from here the view of the chapel of the Church of Our Lady is definitely not to be missed! There Church of Our Lady it was built between the thirteenth and sixteenth centuries and its tower, made of bricks, is even 122 meters high! Inside we find the Madonna and Child by Michelangelo, a true Italian masterpiece ...
Finally, a view deserves the district of the Beguines (Begijnhof) typical of the Netherlands: in it there are the Benedictine nuns whose order was founded in 1927. It is a real community with houses, churches, ponds (the Lake of Love, through a canal leads to Ghent, other wonderful town) and parks. Surely you will notice the swans, particularly cared for in Bruges and brought to these places, according to legend, by Maximilian of Austria.
Obviously you can't miss the waffles, typical of Belgium and which are really excellent here… the right conclusion to a wonderful walking tour of this magnificent city.
