Brugge

The day after seeing the sights of Brussels, I took a train to Brugge about an hour north of Brussels and 15 miles from the coast. This 13th century city was definitely the highlight of the trip. It was a beautiful all around. Traffic is very restricted so that makes it nice for pedestrians. A canal runs through the middle of the city with buildings coming right up to the water. It also has a basilica called Holy Blood Basilica which contains the alleged relic of a piece of cloth with the blood of Christ on it. Supposedly, it was used by Joseph of Arimathea to clean him up following crucifixion. I don't know what to think for certain about the veracity of this but the cloth has been there since at least the 1200s. There is also an authentic windmill which dates from 1770 within Brugge. Brugge seems to be a veritable lace capital of the world. Lace shops abound throughout the town in addition to the ubiquitous chocolate stores. Horse and carriage seemed to be a popular mode of transportation to check out the city but I declined in favor of my own hoofs.


Canal

Waffle

Brugge Canal

Brugge Street

It is highly recommended to check out additional pictures of this beautiful city here.