The Princely Beguinage of Bruges, Ten Wijngaerde, is the sort of place that makes people lower their voices without being asked. White-washed houses surround a grassy courtyard planted with old trees, and in spring thousands of daffodils bloom under them. A beguinage was a community where lay women lived a religious life without taking full vows, and Flanders had many of them from the thirteenth century. This one was founded around 1245 under Margaret of Constantinople, Countess of Flanders, and the UNESCO listing of Flemish Beguinages covers it, along with Diest and others.
Today the beguinage is occupied by Benedictine nuns, and there is a small museum in one of the houses. Visitors may walk through the courtyard and the church, but silence is expected, so keep the engine off and the voices low. Right beside it, the Minnewater, often called the Lake of Love, reflects a small bridge and swans, and a stroll along it makes a calm interlude after the bustle of the Markt.
Riding into Bruges needs a bit of thought. The historic centre is a maze of one-way streets and cobbles, much of it restricted to residents and deliveries, and the best approach is to park outside the ring and walk or take a short bus ride. Brugge is a town of well over a hundred thousand, and fuel and parking are easy to find around the ring road. In summer, tourist crowds are heavy by midday, so aim for early morning or evening when the light on the canals is golden.
The Flemish countryside around is flat and open, with straight roads, poplars, canals and fields stretching to the North Sea, and the wind can be strong from the west. Take the road to Damme, along the canal lined with trees, for a gentle ride on a sunny afternoon. Belgian chocolate, waffles and fries with mayonnaise are available on every corner, and a Trappist beer in a brown café is a good way to end the day. March and April are best for flowers.