SHORT BREAKS BELGIAN CITIES DESTINATIONS T
he easy accessibility of Brussels via Eurostar has made the Belgian capital one of the easiest weekend breaks of all – but why stop there? The Eurostar tickets to ‘any Belgian station’ cost just as much as those to Brussels, meaning you can hop on a connection and be in one of Belgium’s other fabulous – and often, grossly underrated – cities in next to no time. Bruges is by far and away the most popular of these, but it has competition from some of its lesser-known, but no less delightful, neighbours.
◗ BRUGES It would be quite possible to have a delightful time in Bruges without visiting
any one particular attraction. It is ruthlessly, unerringly pretty at every turn. Ambling along the cobbles, nipping into cafes for a Trappist-brewed beer and admiring the traditionally Flemish ziggurat-esque building tops is an absolutely legitimate way to spend a weekend. Particularly if you stop at a few chocolate shops – and seemingly every second shop sells chocolate – on the way. The two traditional ways to see the city are on the boat tours that line up by the canal, and the horse-and-carriage rides that congregate in Markt Square. This is also home to the city’s landmark 13th-century belfry – it’s a 366-step climb to the top, should you fancy the exercise and the views from the top. On the northern side of Markt, in a handsome neo-Gothic building, is the Historium. This uses a high-concept approach,
It would be possible to have a delightful time in unfailingly pretty Bruges without visiting any attractions
trying to convey aspects of Bruges’ history via a story about a day in the life of the city in 1435. It’s told via video projections in several rooms, and although there’s a bit too much focus on storytelling over the more interesting reality, it’s a decent introduction to a once all-conquering trading centre and artistic capital.
A lot of great
Flemish Primitive art produced in the 15th and 16th centuries can be found in the Groeningemuseum, which is well worth an hour of anyone’s time. But it’s the chocolates that are the modern masterpieces. Choco- Story offers a riveting history of the confectionery – from Mesoamerican ritual drink through Spanish royal court treat to modern-day chocolate bars. The demonstrations, including advice on how to spot the best Belgian chocolate by looking at the ingredients, are really illuminating. The same company also does a similar thing with potatoes at the Frietmuseum, and diamonds at the Diamond Museum. Stay: The exterior of the Hotel Dukes Palace is pure fairy-tale castle, and the interiors are suitably sumptuous as well. Doubles cost from €129.
hoteldukespalace.com
23 August 2018
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