I’ve been to Belgium a few times, but this was my first time in Bruges. Everyone will tell you that this place is really beautiful – and it is!

Bruges has a very charming historical city centre, and is a good choice for a quieter weekend break.

Spend some time wandering around the centre and stop at one of the many bistros for amazing Belgian beers – the local Brugse Zot is a bit expensive, but it’s worth a try!

If the weather is nice, take one of the many boat tours and see the main sights from a different perspective.

HOW TO DO IT:

• Go: There are many options of flights from London to Brussels, where you can get a train to Bruges. Alternatively, take the Eurostar to Brussels Midi and change to a local train. Both should take about 4h depending on the connections available.
• Stay: We stayed a Martin’s which was perfectly located and had a convenient minibar for us to store our beers. We paid 90€ for a double room. There are other more affordable options around, but we were travelling with a 90 year-old and wanted something easy!
• Do: Boat tours are a must in Bruges. There are many around the canals, and a 60-minute tour costs about 8€ per person.
• Buy: Veritas is a great shop that I always look for when I’m in Belgium. They have really cool accessories, plus a great haberdashery section for the creative among us.