Bruges offers a fairytale, picturesque medieval experience ideal for romance and history, while Ghent provides a more vibrant, less touristy, "real city" feel with a lively student scene, great food, and street art; choose Bruges for classic charm and Ghent for urban energy, but ideally visit both as they're easily connected by train.
Overall, Bruges is more memorable, the tourist zone is bigger with more to do, and the food is better. Ghent has one small area that is breathtaking...but it's small and can be seen in about two to three hours. Beyond that, it's not nearly as picturesque as Bruges. Save Ghent for your second trip to Belgium.
❣️Bruges is the most beautiful city in Belgium. When you come to Bruges, you will be attracted by its long history. There are many ancient buildings and charming streets here.
Bruges is called the "Dead City" primarily because of Georges Rodenbach's influential 1892 novel Bruges-la-Morte (Bruges-the-Dead), which portrayed the decaying, melancholic city as a perfect setting for a widower's obsessive grief, making it a symbol of death and lost glory for Symbolist artists and a morbid tourist attraction for romantics seeking atmosphere, even as the city's importance declined historically due to its silting Zwin channel.
Bruges is beautiful, there's no doubt about it, and some of the most beautiful streets are a little harder to find than the popular tourist hotspots. To find the real Bruges, just wander off the tourist trail with no map and no destination. After all, getting lost in a city is often the best way to see it.
Should you visit Ghent or Bruges? 🇧🇪 | Exploring Flanders Belgium
What is the 30% rule in Belgium?
Belgium's "30% tax ruling" refers to a special tax regime for expatriates and inpatriates, allowing employers to reimburse certain recurring relocation costs tax-free, generally up to 30% of gross remuneration, capped at €90,000 annually, plus other specific costs like school fees, replacing older schemes for many. This regime aims to attract international talent, exempting these allowances from tax and social security, with conditions like minimum salary thresholds (€75k for non-researchers) and a 5-year duration (extendable).
As Bruges city centre is small, it's the ideal city to explore when you're short on time. We only had 6 hours here, as it was one of the stops on our Northern Pearls cruise. Even with just 6 hours, we managed to cram in lots of sight seeing! 1-2 days here would be ideal.
Legend has it that Count Thierry of Alsace, after an adventurous Second Crusade, brought the Holy Blood to Bruges in 1150. He received the relic as a gift from Jerusalem, as a treasure for the city and a sign of his heroism.
In Bruges is a 2008 black comedy-drama crime thriller film directed and written by Martin McDonagh in his feature-length debut. It stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson as two London-based Irish hitmen hiding in Bruges, with Ralph Fiennes as their boss. The film is set and was filmed in Bruges, Belgium.
The Grand-Place in Brussels. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and Brussels' central plaza, the Grand-Place is an exceptional example of Belgian architecture and history. ...
In terms of population, Antwerp is twice the size of Ghent so if you are looking for a city with an intimate feel, Ghent might suit you better. Ghent is also more picturesque than Antwerp. However, if you are looking for lots of things to do and the buzz of a big city, Antwerp ticks these boxes.
Torgny. Torgny, the southernmost village in Belgium, is often called the prettiest — and I could see why. With its Provence-like charm, ochre stone houses with red tiled roofs, vineyard-friendly microclimate, and lush greenery, it felt like an idyllic rural escape and a true hidden gem!
In Belgium, the price of your meal or taxi ride includes the service charge. As a result, you do not have to leave a tip. However, you may if you received good service. You can give cash to your waiter or taxi driver or ask them to round the amount up to a higher figure if you are paying by card.
Michelangelo's masterpiece Madonna and Child is at home in Bruges. The sculpture has been admired in the Church of Our Lady for hundreds of years. A unique artistic highlight in the historic heart of the city.
This Jewish form of punishment (prescribed in Deuteronomy 25:1-3), said that under no circumstance was anyone to be flogged more than forty times. So just in case they made a mistake in counting, the terminology used was "forty lashes minus one." Beaten with rods three times. (
It is the blood of Jesus. Legend says that Jesus' disciple Joseph of Arimathea, who had prepared Christ's body before burial, originally collected the blood. It is believed the relic was brought to Bruges by crusaders after the fall and looting of Constantinople in 1204. Today you can venerate the relic.
Say hello to moules, fries, waffles, chocolate and beers galore! It has been difficult to pick among all the cute little places in Bruges, believe me! However, we think these are the places to eat traditional Belgian food in Bruges. Along with where the best pubs in Bruges are, to wash it down with a Belgian beer.
