What's so great about Bruges?

Medieval buildings on Dijver canal from Rozenhoedkaai, Bruges. Photo / Getty Images

Marianna Hunt gives a guide to Bruges, the Belgian canal city, where Flemish art, world-class chocolate and secret bars abound.

WALK HERE

Start at Markt, Bruges' medieval market square. After admiring the Cloth Hall and soaring Belfry Tower, head down Breidelstraat, passing the Bruges Beer Museum on your left. Soon you'll emerge on Burg Square with its magnificent Gothic town hall. Take a right and cross over a cobblestoned bridge, glancing back at the Basilica of the Holy Blood. Turn right again, following the canal alongside the Renaissance townhouses of Rozenhoedkaai and Dijver, until you reach the Archaeology Museum.

SEE THIS

Get acquainted with the great masters of Flemish art at Groeninge Museum (entry €12, NZ$21; visitbruges.be). Don't miss the medieval masterpieces by Jan van Eyck and Hans Memling, as well as the gallery's famous collection of Flemish expressionist paintings.

TRY THIS

Bruges is laced with a network of canals, so jump aboard a sightseeing boat at Rozenhoedkaai and take a tour of them. Trips take 30 minutes and cost around €8.

SHOP HERE

The main shopping is centred on Steenstraat. The Chocolate Line is widely considered to be one of the best chocolate shops in the world.

DRINK HERE

Descend a stone staircase on Kuipersstraat to Bruges' most secret bar. Inside the 800-year-old vaults of Le Trappiste (letrappistebrugge.com) you can choose from an impressive selection of local brews from around €4.

EAT HERE

Tucked away just off Markt Square, De Stove (restaurantdestove.be) is a great introduction to the best of modern Belgian cuisine. Specialities include mussels in coconut cream with lemongrass. Expect to pay around €28 a head.

OFF THE MAP

Pick up a bike from one of the city's many rental stands (around €10 for four hours) and follow routes 23, 60, 10 and 6 for a picturesque cycling trip. Twenty minutes of canalside road will take you to medieval Damme, with its gabled houses and crumbling churches.

STAY HERE

The Hotel Dukes' Palace is the only five-star hotel in Bruges: smart, central and polished. Doubles from £155 (NZ$303). More homely is 't Geerwijn, a long-standing B&B in elegant, traditional style. Rooms from £71.

Checklist

GETTING THERE
Emirates flies from Auckland to Brussels, with return Economy Class fares from $1859.

DETAILS
visitbruges.be/en

— Daily Telegraph