Less than two hours apart by train, the contrast of London and Bruges are worlds apart. Despite both being rich in history and popular with sightseers, Bruges town has been astonishingly preserved, as just that, a wonderful and quaint historic town. Aboard the coach organised from Lille to Bruges, my knowledge Tour Manager explains why this is the case which mealy increased my intrigue about the town. Even coaches are unable to enter the town unless dropping off baggage protecting the clean and cobbled streets. Don’t fear due to the town’s size, everything is accessible on foot or bicycle.
After arriving at the perfectly located Martin’s Bruges Hotel, we dropped our bags and as a group meandered across the main square to establish our bearings. I was amazed by the choice and smells of the independent dining establishments. With so many restaurants and so little time, I took to the advice once again of the Tour Manager. The local Flemish Stew at various traditional restaurants is a must try in Bruges. The locals in Bruges truly are welcoming and friendly, and as a lone female on this trip I have never felt so safe exploring unknown territory in the dark. With it being a quiet Wednesday in October, I opted for an early night ready for what would be a sombre trip to Tyne Cot and Ypres the following day.
As part of the Bruges by Eurostar break, all excursions are optional, although unsurprisingly the coach was once again full and we were all keen to pay our respects to those who lost their lives in the Great War. Hannie, the Tour Manager prepared us all for what to expect throughout this excursion day. First stop was Tyne Cot Cemetery where almost 12,000 soldiers are buried making the largest Commonwealth military cemetery in the world. Disturbingly many of the headstones were nameless and there was a memorial wall surrounding the cemetery of tens of thousands of soldiers who have no known grave, a poignant remember of the events of a century ago.
We moved onto Ypes, a town destroyed in WW1 and later incredibly restored to how it was prior to the war. I chose to visit two museums to understand more about the war and the conditions, ‘Sanctuary Wood’ where there were trenches used in the war.
With rain this particular day, the trenches were extremely muddy, which is when the living conditions of the soldiers really sunk it. We then moved onto the more modern and interactive ‘In Flanders Field’ which walked through the developments of the war from 1914 through to the end and beyond.
On returning to Bruges that evening I reflected on the day overlooking the canals from the set of ‘In Bruges’.
The following day, in order to see Bruges by day we were taken on a boat and a walking tour to really appreciate the medieval history. We walked up quite a thirst, so joined the optional excursion to Bruges last remaining brewery ‘De Halve Man’.
Before departing for home on the final day, I went along to one of Bruges famous chocolatiers to find out how my favourite guilty pleasure was made. It was all very interesting but my senses took over with the incredible rich smells!
With the fabulous excursions and Hannie’s insider knowledge, it really took away the hassle of organisation, enabling me to see and enjoy as much as possible in three days. Having thoroughly adored this intriguing and beautiful town, I feel I could comfortably return with friends and be their tour guide.
