To grasp the contradictions of modern Bruges, think on this: in 1277, the Republic of Genoa founded a merchant colony here. It gave Bruges a valuable commercial link to the Mediterranean and the spice trade, and brought immense wealth that helped usher in Bruges’ Golden Age. The building that housed the Genoese delegation survives and is now home to the Frietmuseum. That’s right, one of the oldest, most significant buildings in Bruges is a museum dedicated to fried potatoes.
I have fond memories of my first visit to Bruges. It was 1988, and a friend and I were on the last leg of an Interrail trip. Aged 18, and therefore of legal drinking age and fearless, we spent the day exploring Bruges before settling down to sample a few Belgian beers. Our inexperience with very strong beer was soon exposed – we were so drunk that we almost missed our train to Calais and the ferry home. The hangover was severe.
I’m sure Bruges attracted plenty of tourists in those days, but I have no memory of the vast numbers who visit the town today. I’ve banged on about the horrors of Bruges’ mass tourism problem before, but it is still an undeniably lovely town. There’s a reason UNESCO designated the entire city centre a World Heritage Site, after all. My recent visits have shown Bruges to be more than just marauding packs of tourists and waffle shops.
There are an awful lot of waffles shops though. Luckily, not even they can compete with cobbled streets lined with centuries old gabled houses picturesquely reflected in canals, ancient churches, museums with exceptional works by the Flemish masters, and some of Europe’s grandest medieval buildings. In the heart of the old town, centuries of perfectly preserved history are just as likely to give a sense of awe as the sheer number of tourists.
Even in a town as small as Bruges, outside of the main tourist spots around the Belfort, Stadhuis, and Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk, it’s still possible to get away from the crowds and find yourself wandering quiet streets. Pretty Jan van Eyckplein and the Spiegelrei canal seem to be an invisible boundary past which many visitors don’t venture. Yet beyond here, the neighbourhoods of Sint-Gillis, Sint-Anna and Ezelstraat are glorious areas to explore.
Their relative tranquility is only one of their selling points. There may be none of the major sights, but there are canals, narrow winding streets, gabled houses, and churches, monasteries and almshouses. Not to mention nice cafes and bars. There are also fascinating museums. Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk ter Potterie, a 13th century pilgrim refuge, houses a medieval hospital that tells the story of De Brugse Belofte, The Bruges Promise.
In 1304, the women of Bruges promised to offer up a prayer to Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe ter Potterie if their husbands and sons returned home safely from the Battle of Pevelenberg. On August 15, a procession to commemorate this event still takes place to this day. The nearby Volkskundemuseum recreates life in medieval almshouses, and the Adornes Domaine tells the story of Adorno family, wealthy merchants originally from Genoa.
They built this large estate in Sint-Anna in the 15th century, it is still owned and managed by the 17th generation of the family. It’s like a little oasis from the modern world. The Sint-Gillis district on the other side of the Langerei canal seems even calmer, although it has a reputation as a neighbourhood of trendy shops and restaurants. Sint-Gilliskerk is the 13th century final resting place of famed artists Hans Memling and Pieter Pourbus.
I had spent most of my day wandering these areas north of the centre, and it felt like there was still much more to see. It was time to head home though. There was just enough time to stop in buzzing ‘t Zand, a large square close to the railway station. It’s a popular place for students and has a selection of bars offering beers at non-touristic prices.
I revisited Bruges last summer and enjoyed. it I was struck by the mass of tourists there compared to my previous visits. It’s justified by the interest of the city but it’s becoming a problem, unfortunately wider than just Bruges.
Fully agree, places like Bruges and Venice are so beautiful but this mass of tourism can’t be sustainable.
Bruges is on my list to visit! Hoping to get there next year! Thanks for sharing your travels.
It’s a great city to visit, but if you want to see the historic centre without too many crowds, come in the off season.