Bruges is an eccentric mix of darkness and beauty. The beauty comes from 100km of winding canals lined with gabled houses. Darkness is in the works of its artists, the Flemish Primitives, who specialised in giant paintings of disembowelment; and Heironymous Bosch's scenes of bizarre horror in its galleries.
From the 12th to the 15th centuries, Bruges was the financial hub of Europe, the site of the world's first stock exchange and the centre of the diamond and lace trades. Then darkness descended when the waterway that linked it to the sea began to silt up; merchants and traders left, and the city slept for 400 years.
In the late 19th century, the author Georges Rodenbach wrote a novel set in the city's abandoned streets, called Bruges the Dead, and the Belgian elite started to return
Because Bruges was never redeveloped, it is now the best-preserved medieval city in western Europe. There are no billboards, no high rises, few neon signs and traffic is regulated. You can walk for three hours without leaving cobbled streets. The only sound is clarion bells and the clatter of horse-drawn carriages.
Four hours from London by train, it makes for a convenient city break. More than two million visitors a year come to see its art and architecture, taste its beers and visit its antiques markets; in 2002, Bruges will be European city of culture. But away from the centre and within walking distance of the main attractions, there's another side to the city in the basement jazz clubs, karaoke bars, design shops and organic restaurants. The city is compact, so the main sights and the underground scene are within walkingdistance of each other.
There are also lush, canal-side lawns, where you can enjoy a picnic and watch the world go by - in Bruges' case an odd mix of artists, Benedictine nuns and yuppies who do the hour's commute to Brussels each morning. And, because the city falls on the Flemish side of Belgium's linguistic divide, ordering in French will get you dirty looks while the lazier option of speaking English will spark conversations with multilingual locals.
What to see
Start at the Markt square early in the morning when the cobbles are being scrubbed and street vendors trim the seams of waffles with nail scissors.
To get your bearings, climb the Belfort, an 84m-high, 13th-century belfry which, for Bfr100 (£1.55), provides a view over the city to the sea.
A two-minute walk away is the Burg, the centre of medieval Bruges which hosts nine centuries of different architectural styles. A short stroll south takes you to the antique and flea markets perched on the bank of the Dijver canal, in front of a cluster of art galleries.
The Groeninge museum (Bfr200) has an impressive collection of early Flemish masters such as Jan van Eyck and Hans Memling. It also houses major works by Bosch and Belgian surrealists René Magritte and Paul Delvaux.
Continue south down Mariastraat to the banks of the Minnewater (Lake of Love) and the Begijnhof community. These white-washed houses were once home to the beguines, a lay sisterhood who lived and dressed as nuns but who did not take vows so they could return at will to their lovers in the secular world.
In the early evening, walk north from Jan Van Eyckplein, along the quiet canalside Potterierei into the residential side of Bruges for quiet cafés.
Guided tours
Guided tours are one of Bruges's biggest industries but choose carefully.
A walking tour of the centre (between Bfr150 and 1,500) won't tell you any more than a guidebook.
A boat tour along the canals with a driver barking down a megaphone seems conspicuous - locals don't use the canals - but it is the best way to get a view of the medieval architecture. Tickets cost Bfr190 and boats depart from the Djiver every 10 minutes. Queues are long, so go last thing in the evening when the city empties out.
A 35-minute horse-and-trap ride round the city centre costs Bfr1,000 for four and leaves from the Burg. Drivers talk mostly about their horses. Book at the tourist office (+50 44 86 86) to avoid queues.
For Bfr650, you can take a mountain-bike tour with an English guide through the villages surrounding Bruges. Contact the Back Road Bike company (+50 37 04 70).
Where to drink
The three best local beers are Brugse Tarwebier, a pale wheat beer drunk with a slice of lemon, brewed at De Gouden Boom in Langestraat; Straffe Hendrik brewed at Walplein, 26; and the stronger Brugse Tripel. But there are more than 400 brews in Bruges. You can sample them all at the breweries, along with a throng of other tourists, but it's better to head for a quiet café near a canal. Walk east up Hoogstraat for the best beer gardens.
Bars start to fill up around 11pm. The yuppies congregate on Vlamingstraat. The hip crowd heads north up Kuipersstraat after 11pm, or south to the T'Zand.
To find out what's happening on the alternative scene, check notices in the windows of the record shops on Hoogstraat.
Where to eat
On a hot day, buy a picnic from one of the delicatessens on Vlamingstraat or Adrian Willaerstraat. If you are vegetarian, try the macrobiotic deli at Katelijnestraat, 140. Pick up some chocolate pralines from the highly-kitsch De Clerk chocolaterie on Academiestraat, 19. Then head for the lawns of Minnewater or Kor Astridpark.
Most restaurants in or around the Markt are touristy and overpriced. Instead, head into the back streets and small squares. For Flemish-style mussels with spinach or Bruges-style boiled eel, try Poules Moules in Simon Stevinplein, where dinner for two with wine costs around £30. The best bouillabaisse is at Cafedraal brasserie on Zilverstraat, 38, but book early (+50 34 08 45). Vegetarians should head for Biosfeer organic restaurant, tucked away at Acadmiestraat, 15 or the T'Brugsch pancake house at Helmstraat, 3.
For the freshest waffles, sit outside the Grand Café Belfort, Markt, 25, or buy them from street vendors for around £1.
Where to stay
Bruges has more than 100 hotels and B&Bs. But they tend to be overbooked in the high season, which starts at Easter and lasts until November. Book early or go for last minute deals at www.belgiantravel.co.uk or www.europeanlife.co.uk.
At the glamourous end of the market is the Hotel De Orangerie perched on a beautiful canal bank in the centre of town. Double rooms start at Bfr6,950. There is a vast selection of mid-range hotels. One of the best is the Hotel Aragon, tucked in a quiet, winding street to the north of the city centre.
Another option is a holiday flat. New companies letting attic studios and modern apartments are springing up every month. Check the tourist information office for details (+50 44 86 86).
Best bars in Bruges
Cafedraal Zilverstraat, 38 A medieval cottage hidden behind a walled garden. The Bohemian crowd bump their heads on hams dangling from the ceiling.
Vourmolen Vlamingstraat, 13 Local crowd spill on to pavement terraces to the sound of Flemish remixes.
De Garre Garre, 1 Traditional beer house.
De Versteende Nacht Langestraat, 11 Café run by Fats Waller fans. Live jazz and jam sessions.
Cactus Café St Jakobstraat, 36a Silly name but extensive beer list and nice patio.
The practicals
French Life Holidays (0870 2424455) offers three nights at the four-star Hotel Aragon for £145 including ferry to Calais. The drive to Bruges takes just over an hour. Belgian Travel Service (01992 456292) offers three nights at the four-star canalside Oud-Huis Amsterdam hotel or Golden Tulip de Medici hotel for £280 including Eurostar to Brussels. The train on to Bruges takes an hour. For further information, contact Tourism Flanders on 020-7458 0044.
