Location Reviewfrom a Life by Richard Calvocoressi
BRUGES: THE VENICE OF THE NORTH

BY MIKE MCDONNELL CPAGB

If you are a chocaholic photographer with a taste for medieval history and sampling a wide range of modern-day beer, there’s only one place for you to go – BRUGES, nicknamed ‘The Venice of the North’.

Bruges, situated in northern Belgium about 90 minutes drive from Calais, is the best preserved medieval city in Europe. The comparison with Venice is due to its network of canals which are used to ferry tourists on their sightseeing expeditions.

The city itself is mainly based around 2 major squares, Markt and Zand, which are surrounded on all sides by historic and very ornate buildings. In the middle ages, Bruges was a very important trading city and became the diamond centre of Europe. There are still many jewellery shops but they are now outnumbered by chocolate shops. Lace making is still a major industry and in many places you can see women demonstrating this craft on the pavements outside their houses.

The streets of Bruges are quite narrow and not well suited to modern transport. Since most of Bruges’ main attractions are within walking distance, this is not generally a problem. For the less mobile, there are many horse-drawn carriages available, carrying up to 5 people. If you are walking around it is best to be aware of kamikaze cyclists.

Among the sights worth seeing is the Church of Notre Dame with its 122 metre spire. The most famous exhibit in the church is Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child, his only work displayed outside Italy. The Groeninge Museum houses many Dutch and Flemish masterpieces by Jan van Eyck and Hans Memling. The Basilica of the Holy Blood dates from the 12th century and is reputed to contain a vial of Christ’s blood. In the City Hall, there is a painting of Napoleon meeting the Mayor of Bruges during a visit prior to the Battle of Waterloo. The Belfry towers 270 feet over the market square and you can get a panoramic view by climbing the spiral staircase – only 366 steps.

Food in Bruges is excellent with a large number of really good restaurants as well as the ubiquitous fast food chain outlets. There are also street vendors selling chips and mayonnaise.

Several travel companies run coach tours to Bruges and include an excursion to Ypres at no extra cost. A tour of the local ‘Straffe Hendrik’ brewery is also worth doing especially with its free samples at the end of the tour.

If you haven’t already been to Bruges, I would highly recommend a visit. Photographically there is a great deal to see and capture. You won’t be disappointed.

Please send any comments to mike