After staying in Amsterdam for two nights and three days, we drove on an ultra smooth European freeway (the roads here are really the best) to Brussels, Belgium. We are staying here three nights to explore the capital of Belgium and two other nearby cities- Brugge and Ghent. Let's begin by talking about Brussels:
Founded in 979 by Duke Charles of Lower Lotharingia, the French and Flemish-speaking city is now an major international center, housing offices of the European Union and Atomium sculpture from the 1958 World Fair. It is best known for its Royal Palace, Cathedral of St. Michael and Gudela, Mannekin Pis and the beautiful medieval-style Grote Markt ('Grand-Place').
Day 1: We arrived pretty late on our first day because we stopped to bike at a picturesque little windmill town, so we decided to explore the little square and surrounding parks near our hotel. Brussels has gorgeous parks- in fact, almost 1/3 of the city is covered in greenery! We had dinner at a local brasserie.
Day 2: The next day we had some delicious Belgian espresso and walked 4 km to Grote Markt. I can't even begin to describe how gorgeous it was. The buildings are all gilded in gold and have remained untouched despite the modern chocolate shops and restaurants that they now house. In the middle of the square was a picturesque flower market filled with bright blooms. I felt like I had been transported to another, maybe even a better time in history. It was just perfect! We ended up having lunch on the square that featured traditional Flemish/French brasserie food (think french onion soup and perfect pommes frites), and then we sampled chocolates from Neuhaus- the chocolatier that perfected the praline. I would definitely recommend the milk chocolate gianduja. After, we headed to the Mannekin Pis, a 'legendary' tourist attraction which really is a two foot tall statue of a child relieving himself. The statue was tiny and surrounded by tourists. It seemed a little strange to me that something so underwhelming has become and icon/unofficial mascot for the city, but it definitely was a pretty funny statue. We walked through the main park that was filled with fountains to the cathedral to admire the gorgeous carvings and light candles. On the way, we were awestruck by the elaborately sculpted government buildings that stood in stark contrast with the ultramodern EU. After a light dinner, we walked back to our hotel to get a good night's rest before the next day's all-out excursion.
Flowers in Grote Markt!
Mannekin Pis (still don't quite get the hype...)
Day 3: I woke up at 6:45 AM to go to the gym and pick up some coffee before getting ready to head to Ghent and Brugge at 8:30. The drive was a little over an hour to our first stop, Ghent. Ghent is famous for its almost perfectly preserved medieval architecture including the Saint Bavo Cathedral, the spire, the Gravensteen castle and the beautiful buildings along the Gaslei canal/harbor.
We visited all of the above mentioned sites, but didn't stay in Ghent too long as we wanted to spend most of the day in Brugge. We did, however, have the most incredible Belgian waffles before we left. One thing I'd like to mention about Ghent before I go on is how interesting it was that the city was such a mix of old and new architecture. In most European cities I've been to, there is a distinctly "old town" and then a newer town. In Ghent, everything sort of grows together making it really relatable and contemporary. It was refreshing to see Ghent as a place where people do live and work in both modern conditions and perfectly preserved buildings. Ghent has character, and I really liked that.
Looking slightly rained-on and wind-blown at the Gaslei canal.
Finally, we moved onto Brugge. Let me just begin by saying that I'm officially moving to this fairy tale land forever. Walking into the no-cars-allowed city on cobble-stone roads next to a river that was dotted with castles and overhung by greenery was one of the most surreal experiences I've ever had. I mean, talk about feeling like a princess! We walked through a monastery-like area lined with "God Houses" where women who (confusingly) aren't nuns live in prayer and traditional white houses. We walked around the main square, where horse and buggys rattled by and I ate the most incredible hand made Dumon chocolate in the world (I think I've found actual heaven: chocolate and castles). Brugge has a slew of incredible sites including its spire, but the most notable are Michelangelo's sculpture Madonna and Child and a vial of the blood of Christ (what?! how?!). We spent the day exploring the city's history and architecture as well as popping into little stores that sold lace, traditional woodwork and ceramics.
An extremely soaked but extremely happy Ashley, standing in front of the castle of her dreams in the rain.
Exploring the shopping district of Brugges, as per usual.
So, voila! There you have it. Three perfect days in Belgium. Now I'm off to travel through Luxembourg on the way to my favorite country, France, so I can spend the night in Strasbourg before heading to Lake Luzerne in the Swiss Alps. See you soon!
xoxo