Bruges was once one of the richest cities in northern Europe, a trading hub where merchants from Italy, Germany, England and Spain bought and sold wool, cloth, spices and luxury goods. Its wealth came from its access to the sea through an inlet called the Zwin, and when that silted up in the fifteenth century, trade moved to Antwerp and Bruges slowly fell asleep. For centuries it was a quiet, poor town, and that is why its medieval centre survived almost intact. In the nineteenth century, writers and painters rediscovered it, and Georges Rodenbach's novel Bruges-la-Morte made it famous as a melancholy city of canals and bells. The historic centre was listed by UNESCO in 2000.
Today Bruges is one of the most visited cities in Europe, and in summer the streets can be packed. But early in the morning or late in the evening, the canals, bridges and gabled houses are magical. The Markt is dominated by the belfry, which you can climb, 366 steps to the top, for views over the rooftops. Nearby, the Burg square has the Gothic town hall and the Basilica of the Holy Blood, which houses a relic said to contain drops of Christ's blood. The Church of Our Lady holds a marble Madonna and Child by Michelangelo, one of the few works by him to leave Italy in his lifetime. The museums are full of Flemish masters, Van Eyck and Memling among them.
Riding into Bruges is not recommended. The centre is a maze of narrow, cobbled, one-way streets, many of them restricted to local traffic, and the traffic plan is designed to keep through traffic out. Park outside the ring road, where there are large car parks, and walk or cycle in. The city is compact, and everything is within easy walking distance.
The countryside around Bruges is flat, with canals, polders and farmland, and the roads are straight and often busy. The coast is only a short ride to the north, with the resort of Knokke-Heist and the Zwin nature reserve, now a haven for birds. Damme, a small town on the canal north of Bruges, is a pleasant stop.
Bruges has fuel on the outskirts, and food everywhere: chocolate, waffles, beer and mussels. Try a local beer in one of the old cafés. The North Sea weather is changeable, with rain and wind common.