Bruges

A Dream Come True: 19 DAYS Around NETHERLANDS, BELGIUM, CZECH REPUBLIC & DENMARK for Less Than ₱120,000 – Airfare, Accommodation & 12-Hour Singapore Stopover Included

Last October to November 2019, I flew to Europe all by myself for 19 days & went around Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic & Denmark. I never thought this trip that took 7 years to plan would finally happen & that I would do everything alone & DIY – no help from any travel agency, consultant or whatsoever. If you’ve been following me the last few months, I’ve shared every single detail of this Euro trip from city itineraries, flight reports, to hostels & even local food. You can find all posts under the Going Solo in Europe category.

Going to Europe for a long trip like this is not a cheap trip to do. Some people spend hundreds of thousands on airfare & accommodation & add probably another hundred for food, pocket money & tours. I didn’t have that much savings for this kind of expensive trip so I did a lot of research to make it happen in a relatively affordable budget. AND I DID IT! I flew to Europe for 19 days around 4 countries including airfare, accommodation & a 12-hour Singapore stopover for less than ₱120,000 all in. Let me share with you how I made this trip of a lifetime possible.

Disclaimer: There are ways to make this trip even cheaper than what I spent – staying in cheaper hostels, taking low-cost carriers / buses with cutting trips, etc. – but I wanted to make it special (as a first time) & splurged a bit on some parts like food (& beers), high-rated hostels & better transportation options. Also, I only chose to visit 4 countries instead of hopping on from one country to the other after a day or two to have a better appreciation of every country / city. I am not a fan of rushed trips; I enjoy staying longer in one place or country.

In case you missed it last week, I posted an article on 11 Europe thrift hacks that I did on this trip. These thrift hacks helped me save on some expenses like food & tours. Check out that article here.

Air Tickets

I took the risk & booked a return ticket to Europe with Singapore Airlines during their January promotion with BPI Credit Cards. I got the economy class ticket from Manila to Amsterdam via Singapore & Copenhagen to Manila via Singapore for only 719.23 USD. The ticket includes 30-kilogram baggage allowance on all sectors, in-flight meals & snacks, personal entertainment screens & their 5-star Singaporean hospitality. My BPI credit card charged me ₱37,669.40 including foreign transaction fees. Not bad for a ticket to Europe considering it’s with Singapore Airlines, right?

Months before the trip, I figured out the route I’ll take & the countries I’ll visit. Then, I booked air tickets for my inter-European transfers. Train tickets were more expensive & would take a few changes while bus trips, even if cheap, will take ages & a few transfers before you reach the next city / country. I paid €67,40 for a plane ticket from Brussels, Belgium to Prague, Czech Republic on Brussels Airlines. I booked another ticket from Prague, Czech Republic to Copenhagen, Denmark on Czech Airlines for 1,588 Kč. Both tickets include 23-kilogram check in baggage. I got charged ₱4,000.85 & ₱3,658.88, respectively for these 2 tickets.

I booked these 3 tickets without a Schengen tourist visa. Some people don’t recommend this, but I took the risk & did it. I was confident that time that I will be granted visa for this trip & luckily, I got one.

Accommodation

Accommodation in Europe is not cheap. A dormitory bed in a hostel costs about €30 to €40 a night, depending on the room configuration & location. Hotels & private rooms are more expensive. I can’t afford them. I booked my hostels 4 months into the trip. All these hostel bookings had free cancellation options if I don’t push through. I became picky with the hostels I’ll stay with since it was my first time in Europe. I stayed in popular & high-rated hostels found in central & well-recommended locations.

I stayed with Generator Hostel in Amsterdam (₱8,885.82 for 4 nights – paid in Philippine Peso), Sleep Well Youth Hostel in Brussels (€122 for 4 nights – paid during check-in), DREAM Hostel in Prague (1,790 Kč for 4 nights – paid via credit card on check-in) & Steel House in Copenhagen (US$ 116.24 for 4 nights – paid via Agoda). I paid ₱26,117.54 for 16 nights in these 4 countries – roughly ₱1,632.25 per night in Philippine Peso or €28,49 per night in Euros. I think I still got a good deal from these hostels! It would’ve been cheaper if booked my stay at least 8-10 months before.

Travel Insurance

Schengen tourist visa applications require a travel insurance with up to €30,000 medical coverage for the duration of the trip, some even up to 15 to 30 days after the trip. I got my travel insurance coverage online from Standard Insurance; I got their Travel Protect Policy which covers up to €37,500 medical coverage for 19 days. I paid ₱1,918 for the 19-day coverage.

Tourist Visa

I applied for my own Schengen tourist visa with VFS Netherlands. The visa fee cost €60 (₱3,420) + ₱901 VFS handling fee. I opted for the passport delivery service instead of picking up my passport in the VFS office. I paid a small fee for the courier service. I previously shared in this website how I got my Schengen tourist visa without the help of any tour agency. Check out that Tuesday Tip post here.

Internet Sim Card

Traveling around Europe alone isn’t easy. I made sure I was connected to the internet for the whole duration of the trip. I bought an internet sim card from Pinoy Traveler’s Unlimited Data Sim Card on Facebook. The sim card was operated by Three UK & it included 12 GB of 3G/4G data & unlimited call & text in Europe & UK & 9 GB of 3G/4G data outside Europe & UK for 30 days. The sim card cost ₱1,600 with free shipping. The data, call & text services worked well during my stay in Singapore, Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic & Denmark.

Travel Tax

All Philippine passport holders are required to pay a travel tax of ₱1,620 before going out the country for holiday. I paid the travel tax right before I checked in for my flight from Manila to Singapore.

Daily Budget & Unexpected Expenses

I mentioned in my Europe thrift hacks post that I set a daily budget of €40 for food, transportation & entrance fees. I spent more in some days but I was traveling on a €30-€35 per day budget. There were days where I had to buy last-minute museum tickets (Heineken Experience & Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam), join guided tours (Canal Tour in Amsterdam, Zaanse Schans, Edam, Volendam & Marken in Holland & Kutná Hora in Czech Republic) & go on side trips (Utrecht, Bruges, Ghent & Český Krumlov) which cost me more. I also bought last-minute train & bus tickets in Belgium & Czech Republic – the downsides of not following an itinerary.

I splurged on beers in all 4 countries; I paid more for food in Denmark (food there is expensive) but I’m happy I still had about €120 cash left at the end of the trip. I counted all my expenses from pocket money, to credit & debit card transactions & debit card withdrawals for 19 days. I spent ₱34,327.78 (around €600) for 17 full days (travel days not included) on food, transportation, walking tours, entry tickets, guided tours & beers – about €35 per day on average.

Singapore Stopover

My flight from Manila to Amsterdam had a 12-hour layover in Singapore. I took this time to meet 2 friends – one for lunch + milk tea & one for early dinner. I also used this time to walk around the beautiful city, check out a city library & walk around The Jewel at Changi Airport. I spent around S$50 (₱1,859.4 conversion that time) on this 12-hour stop – food, drinks & transportation included.

Summary of Expenses

After all the costs & numbers mentioned above, let’s see how much I actually spent for the trip.

Exchange rate at the time of trip: €1 = ₱57.3 Exchange rates of purchases & withdrawals vary. There you go! I spent ₱117,092.85 pesos for a 19-day trip around 4 European Countries – Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic & Denmark – with air tickets, accommodation costs & a 12-hour Singapore stopover included. If you’ll include the transportation expenses during the visa application process, to & from the airport when I left & arrived, it’ll be somewhere around ₱118,500 – still less than ₱120,000!

Don’t get me wrong, ₱117,092.85 is a very big amount but we’re talking about a 19-day trip to Europe here flying with one of the world’s premium airlines – Singapore Airlines & visiting first world & expensive countries like Netherlands, Belgium & Denmark. I couldn’t believe this when I listed all my expenses after the trip. I wanted this trip to be fun, memorable & spontaneous & I’m happy it turned out to be a trip of a lifetime. This solo trip to Europe is so far my longest, most expensive & most memorable experience I’ve had in my life. Every single peso spent was worth it!

Blog List

In case you’re interested in the posts about this trip, check out the blog list below.

FLIGHT REPORTS ✈️

SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 915 – Manila to Singapore – 5-Star Economy Class Experience In A New Generation Boeing Dreamliner
SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 324 – Singapore to Amsterdam – My First Ever 13-Hour Flight That Didn’t Feel Like One
BRUSSELS AIRLINES SN 2811 – Brussels to Prague – Belgium’s Flag Carrier & My First Ever European Airline Experience
CZECH AIRLINES OK 502 – Prague to Copenhagen – Czech Republic’s National Carrier & World’s Fifth Oldest Operating Airline
SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 351 – Copenhagen to Singapore – Cozy & Enjoyable 12-Hour Window Seat Economy Class Flight Back to Asia
SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 912 – Singapore to Manila – 3-Hour Remarkable Economy Class Experience Aboard A 15-Year Old Aircraft

HOSTEL FEATURES 🏨

GENERATOR AMSTERDAM – An Old University Building Turned Award-Winning Economy Accommodation
SLEEP WELL YOUTH HOSTEL BRUSSELS – Eco-Friendly City Center Hostel with Excellent Free Buffet Breakfast
DREAM HOSTEL PRAGUE – Stylish & Budget-Friendly Backpacker Hostel in New Town
STEEL HOUSE COPENHAGEN – 4 Nights in Danish Capital’s New York-Inspired Industrial Style Luxury Accommodation

VISA APPLICATION & TIPS ✍️

Do-It-Yourself SCHENGEN TOURIST VISA Application With VFS NETHERLANDS
11 EUROPE THRIFT HACKS You Should Know
10 THINGS TO KNOW Before Traveling To Europe

NETHERLANDS 🇳🇱

AMSTERDAM – Beautiful Canals, Colorful Houses & Interesting Museums In A Bustling City
UTRECHT- Unplanned Afternoon Visit To Netherlands’ Underrated Canal City
NORTH HOLLAND COUNTRYSIDE – A Day Trip To The Cheese Farm & Clogs Factory, Windmills & Waterlands
6 Dutch Delis I Enjoyed

BELGIUM 🇧🇪

BRUSSELS – Belgium’s Center, Europe’s Capital & Most Boring City?
BRUGES – Cobbled Alleys, Gingerbread Houses & Pretty Canals in Belgium’s Picture-Perfect City
GHENT – Belgium’s Underrated Port City
5 Must Try Belgian Treats

CZECH REPUBLIC 🇨🇿

PRAGUE – Europe’s Most Beautiful Capital City
KUTNÁ HORA – Day Trip To Central Bohemia’s Medieval Silver Mining Town
ČESKÝ KRUMLOV – Czechia’s Quaint Fairy Tale Town
4 Czech Eats To Savor

DENMARK 🇩🇰

COPENHAGEN – Walking Around Denmark’s Wonderful Capital City
7 Danish Delicacies Not To Miss
7 Interesting Observations About Denmark

Thank you for joining me in today’s Euro trip summary. I’ve made use of the pandemic to finish all the posts about this trip. It’s a shame that my next planned trip to Europe this October won’t push through, but it won’t stop me from planning my next trip to this beautiful continent. We may all be stuck in our own homes but we’ll surely go back to the time when travelling is safe & sound. It’s never too late to give up on your dream trips to Europe! Make use of this downtime to research about the cities & countries you want to visit & plan out the route you’ll take.

Do you have any questions about anything mentioned above? Is there anything you want to ask how I planned the trip in general? Or maybe how I did it? Feel free to post your questions in the comments section below. You can also send it via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Feel free to follow me on my social media channels for more information on cheap fares, thrift hacks & fun itineraries – Facebook & Instagram. I’ll finish the post with this.. I DID IT – 19 DAYS AROUND NETHERLANDS, BELGIUM, CZECH REPUBLIC & DENMARK FOR LESS THAN ₱120,000 ALL IN & I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT TOO!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

P’s List: 5 Must Try Belgian Treats

Hello & welcome to the second installment of P’s List! Last week, I introduced this section to everyone which will list random stuff I miss or I enjoyed in a certain city or country. I’ve been missing everything about Japan over the last few days so I decided to divert my attention by writing about my 6 budget-friendly & favorite to-do’s while in the country.

I mostly talked about food in that Japan-related post & I plan to continue that in this list. One of the things I really enjoyed while going around Belgium was their ‘famous’ delicacies. Apart from the beautiful buildings & houses, Belgium also boasts tasty & iconic food which one should try when exploring the country.

Join me in today’s P’s List as I tell you the 5 food & drinks one shouldn’t miss when in Belgium.

Fries

One snack which Belgians take pride on is Belgian Fries, locally called frites. I know most people call it French Fries but the Belgian people refused to do so. They call it Belgian fries & they still have an ongoing battle with the French people on who discovered it, where it came from & who has the better product. I haven’t tried the ‘real’ French fries but the ‘legit’ Belgian fries are damn good. Our guide, Tom, from the Brussels walking tour told us that locals cook the potatoes twice in animal fat.

Tip: Don’t forget to mix your Belgian fries with the famous Andalouse sauce.

Where to get the best Belgian fries: Fritland (near the Brussels Stock Exchange Building) & Café Georgette (near Delirium Café)

Waffles

Aside from fries, Belgium is also famous for its waffles. I came to Belgium to try the famous Belgian waffle only to find out that the waffle has 2 kinds – the Brussels Waffle & the Liege Waffle. Brussels waffles are made from yeast-leavened batter. It is rectangular in size & has more defined edges & deeper pockets. It is commonly served with powdered sugar. On the other hand, Liege waffles are made from thicker batter & has sugar in the ingredients. This type of waffle is thicker, has uneven edges & has a caramelized taste (because of the sugar) & texture. I’ve tried both waffles – both were good & tasty. I don’t mind having both of them again.

Tip: Belgian waffles aren’t served with butter & syrup. They’re not breakfast food; they’re a staple snack. Both Brussels & Liege waffles are best enjoyed without any add-on – no fruits, no toppings & no syrup.

House of Waffle’s best-selling Brussels Waffles – this waffle place is found in Bruges, Belgium. 🇧🇪

Plain Liege waffle from Koffiehuis 3,14 in Ghent, Belgium. Too bad I didn’t try Maison Dandoy’s.

Where to get the best Belgian waffles: Maison Dandoy in Brussels (street off Grand Place) for both kinds, Koffiehuis 3,14 in Ghent for Liege Waffle, House of Waffles in Bruges for both kinds (Liege waffles are offered only for takeaway while Brussels waffles are only available for dine-in)

Chocolates

Belgium is also famous for its chocolates – both as pralines & truffles. The industry started in the 1600s when chocolate was brought to Europe. Since then, it has been part of the people’s lives – from morning chocolate drinks, desserts to gifts. Belgium has produced world-renowned chocolate companies such as Godiva, Côte d’Or, Neuhaus, Corné Port-Royal & Leonidas. I had the chance to visit both the high-class chocolate shops & those local chocolate shops & I prefer the latter one. The handmade chocolates sold in these small & local businesses have the best & unique taste, more than a factory-made chocolate can have.

Tip: Ask for free taste in chocolate shops, they’ll surely offer you one. Handmade Belgian chocolates quality only last for 3 weeks – these chocolates are for immediate consumption.

Personal favorite – handmade Belgian chocolates from Chocolaterie De Burg in Bruges, Belgium.

Where to get the best-valued Belgian chocolates: Mary Chocolatier in Brussels (along Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert or near Manneken Pis) & Chocolaterie De Burg in Bruges (near Burg Square & beside the Basilica of the Holy Blood)

Flemish Beef Stew

Belgium is also famous for its Flemish beef stew. Cooking the beef with a Belgian beer makes this dish even more special. The meat is cooked for 2-3.5 hours until the flavors simmer, until the meat is tender. This dish is usually served with mashed potato. The meal is commonly called Carbonnades a la Biere or Carbonnade Flamande.

Tip: This dish is best partnered with a glass of local beer.

Where to get the best Flemish beef stew: Fin de Siècle – a local restaurant a few minutes by foot from the Brussels Stock Exchange Building. FYI – this restaurant doesn’t take reservations & only accepts cash.

Beer

Belgian beer is something one must not miss when in Belgium. The country has hundreds of active breweries from the big companies to the small trappist monasteries. Yes, monks brew beers in Belgium. The Belgian’s love for beer started centuries ago when beer was offered as an alternative to drinking water. It eventually became part of their daily lives which is still true up to the present times. Belgians drink more liters of beer per year than any other nationality in the world.

Believe it or not, most beers in Belgium are served in bottles & not in cans. Most of these beers even have their own crafted glasses when served. There are hundreds of kinds of beers available in Belgium. I suggest that you try as much as you can.

Fun fact: There’s a brewery in Bruges (De Halve Maan who brews Brugse Zot beers) who brews their beers in the city & allows the beer to travel 2 miles to the bottling plant outside the city through an underground pipeline.

Tip: Belgian beers are available everywhere. There are a lot of beers to try. Make sure to at least try a beer in every restaurant or bar you are in.

Where to get the best Belgian beer: Delirium Café in Brussels – it is a bar that serves 2,004 kinds of beers – both Belgian & non-Belgian ones. Don’t forget to try Delirium Tremens & Brugse Zot | De Garre in Bruges (found in a small alley by the Bruges Provincial Court) – try their signature De Garre Beer.

And that’s it. I hope I didn’t make you crave for some food. Belgium surely has a lot more dishes, snacks & drinks to try but these were the ones that stood out to me during my trip. In case you want to know more about my Europe trip last 2019, feel free to check out the posts in the Going Solo in Europe Series in this blog.

One more photo of these authentic & handmade Belgian chocolates from Chocolaterie de Burg 🇧🇪

Have you tried some of the treats mentioned above? Which one do you like most? Are you planning to go to Belgium soon & to try the food & beers above? Which one do you look forward to trying in the future? Post your thoughts in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about anything mentioned above? You may send them to me via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com & I will try my best to answer.

Thank you for joining me in today’s P’s List! Please don’t forget to follow my social media platforms – Facebook & Instagram. See you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Going Solo In Europe: BRUGES – Cobbled Alleys, Gingerbread Houses & Pretty Canals in Belgium’s Picture-Perfect City

After spending 1.5 days around Belgium, I decided to take side trips to rather more beautiful cities in Belgium – Bruges & Ghent. Brussels is beautiful but I’ve head nicer things about these 2 cities, thus I gave them both a visit. Just like my visit in the Netherlands, I didn’t plan anything when I came to Belgium. I went on my usual free walking tour around Brussels, met interesting people in the hostel & asked for recommendations from the guides & my new friends. Everyone recommended to spend a day around Bruges. I still had 2 days in Belgium; I don’t have any reason not to go.

Join me in this exploring Bruges, Belgium today! It’s probably one of the most beautiful cities I’ve been to in this Going Solo in Europe trip.

Bruges is an ancient city in the northwestern part of the country in the Flemish Region of Belgium. The city is commonly known as the ‘Venice of the North’ because of its beautiful canals, cobbled alleys & medieval houses.

It was once a trade-centered city during the 12^th to 15^th centuries but was overpowered by Antwerp in the 1500s. The city was revived as a prominent tourist destination in the 19^th century attracting visitors from all over Europe. The city was spared from 2 world war destructions thus maintaining its medieval character up to the present time. Various city center restoration & preservation projects were launched in the 1960s which led to it being a famous tourist destination in Belgium & in Europe in general.

In 2000, the historic center of Bruges was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Brussels to Brugges

Bruges is about 100 kilometers away from Brussels. Trains & buses connect these 2 cities. Hourly trains leave from Brussels North, Central & South stations & stop at Bruges Station. Tickets cost €14,30 per way on 2^nd class cabin & €26,80 return on the same cabin. The train trip takes about 1 hour & 30 minutes per way.

Booked my bus ticket a day before the trip. It cost me €1o,99 one way from Bruges back to Brussels.

FlixBus also connects both cities with 1.5-hour trips but on comfortable coaches. Tickets can cost as low as €5,99 per way or €11,98 return if you book early. FlixBus tickets guarantee a seat in the bus all equipped with free wi-fi & charging ports.

I took the train (€14,30) to Bruges & booked a return trip (€10,99) with FlixBus just because it was cheaper. Guess what? I missed my bus trip back to Brussels because of a freakin’ waffle. The next bus trip was not until 10:00 pm; I had no choice but to buy another €14,30 train ticket to Brussels. Don’t worry, it was worth missing the bus. You’ll know more later.

Legends Bruges Free Walking Tours

Just like what I did in Amsterdam & Brussels, I joined free walking tours in Bruges. A company called Legends Tours run 3 free (well, tip-based) walking tours in Bruges – a traditional walking tour, a food tour & a night walking tour. I was only in Bruges for the day so I took the first two with the nice & friendly tour guide named Lavigna.

Legends of Bruges Walking Tour

The Legends of Bruges Walking Tour talked about how Bruges started, how it became an important city in history & how it evolved in a tourist hub today. This 2.5-hour walking tour started in Market Square, passed by several sites such as the Belfry, St John’s Hospital, the Beguinage, the Lake of Love & ended in Burg Square.

Tour schedules: Every day at 9:45, 10:30, 11:30 & 14:00 | Starts at Market Square (look for the red umbrella)

A Taste of Bruges Walking Tour

A Taste of Bruges Walking Tour gave us information on how Belgian delicacies – fries, waffles, chocolates & beer started. Lavigna brought us to the fries museum, let us try Belgian fries with that special sauce, brought us to traditional chocolate shops to try pralines & handmade chocolates, walked us to the best waffle place in Bruges & gave us a small glass or Belgian Beer in one of the local breweries all for free. Yes, we only gave tips at the end of the tour. This food tasting tour is a must-do when visiting Bruges.

Tour schedules: Every day except Mondays at 11:30 | Starts at Market Square (look for the red umbrella)

Going Around Bruges

Bruges city center is small & walkable. Bruges Train Station is outside the city center but is about 20 minutes by foot to the market square. The best way to go around the center is by foot, to slowly walk past the beautiful gingerbread houses, to feel the cobblestones in every alley & to enjoy the relaxing views from the canals. I walked around the city the time I was there & it was lovely even if it was tiring.

Places To See Around Bruges

Check out the picturesque & must-see places I visited in Bruges in that whole day visit.

Markt

Markt or Market Square is Bruges’ main city square. This was a market place during the trading days & is now the most vibrant part of the city. The square is bound by the belfry, notable buildings, restaurants & shops which were guild houses in the past.

Jan Breydel Monument

Jan Breydel is revolutionary leader that led the locals to war against King Phillip VI of France. His monument is in the center of the market square & is the meeting place for walking tours.

Belfry of Bruges

The Belfry of Bruges is the city’s bell tower built in the 1200s. It is one of the city’s landmarks which before housed the treasury & archives. It also served as a lookout for fires & dangers in the past. It is now an observation deck about 80 meters above the ground which tourists & visitors line up for. I didn’t have the time to go up the tower because of the long queues during my visit.

Church of Our Lady Bruges

View of the Church of the Lady Bruges from afar – somewhere near Old St John Hospital site.

This gothic-style catholic church is in the center of Bruges & has a history since the 13^th century. The church also has the Madonna & Child marble sculpture made by Michelangelo. This sculpture is known as “Madonna of Bruges.”

Burg Square

Burg Square is a former fortress & now a public square in Bruges. It is surrounded by the Bruges City Hall, the Basilica of the Holy Blood & other historical buildings.

Bruges City Hall

Bruges City Hall is one of the oldest buildings in the city. It is the seat of the Bruges government from 600 years ago up until present. This old gothic building is in Burg Square.

Rozenhoedkaai

Rozenhoedkaai, also known as the Quay of Rosary, is the most picture-perfect place in Bruges. It is the most photographed place in the city showing the beautiful views of the canal & the old houses. This place is near the fish market & is minutes away from the market square.

Lake of Love

The Lake of Love is a small but beautiful lake that welcomes you to the Bruges city center. It has various legends on why it was called such (like the love story of Mina & Stromberg) but I can’t fully remember the story. Peace out!

St. Bonifacius Bridge

St. Bonifacius Bridge is a small but romantic pedestrian bridge at the back of the Church of Our Lady Bruges. The bridge has a unique & charming view of a small canal with old brick houses on the side. It was a lovely place but also full of tourists.

Princely Beguinage Ten Wijngaerde

Princely Beguinage Ten Wijngaerde is the only persevered beguinage in Bruges. A beguinage houses beguines – lay women who lived in a community without taking religious vows. Sad to say, this beguinage no longer functions as such – it’s now a convent managed by Benedictine nuns.

Basilica of the Holy Blood

The Basilica of the Holy Blood is a minor basilica found in Burg Square, right beside the city hall. It houses a venerated relic of the Holy Blood believed to be brought from Holy Land.

Old St. John’s Hospital

This is a medieval hospital located next to the Church of Our Lady Bruges. It is one of Europe’s oldest surviving hospitals that treated the sick, travelers & pilgrims during the Middle Ages. This building no longer functions as a hospital but is a museum, a function & exhibition center.

Provinciaal Hof

Commonly known as the Provincial Court, this building used to be the official meeting place of the provincial government of West Flanders. The building is in the market square & now functions as an exhibition center.

Sint-Salvatorskathedraal

Sint-Salvatorskathedraal or Saint Salvator’s Cathedral in English is Bruges’ oldest parish church. It is one of the city’s main church that survived wars, fires & occupations. It’s also in the city center but a bit outside the market square.

Bourgogne des Flandres Brewery

Bourgogne des Flandres Brewery was the last stop of our food tasting tour with Lavigna. The brewery gave us their red-brown Flemish beer to try. This brewery is in the middle of the Bruges city center, by one of the canals. It also has an in-house bar where people can order their beer. The brewery also has tours which will show how they make their own beer. I wish I had more time to go & tour their brewery.

House of Waffles

Remember when I told you earlier that I missed my bus back to Brussels? Yes, it’s because of House of Waffles. We dropped by this place during the food tasting tour to try their waffles. They make really good waffles that I had to go back before leaving the city.

I had plain Brussels waffle & a cup of mint tea. It was so good – so good that I lost track of time & missed my Flixbus back to Brussels. No regrets, it was worth it! Please don’t miss this place when visiting Bruges.

De Garre

Did you know that all beers in Belgium have their respective special beer glasses? Cool stuff.

De Garre is a famous local pub in Bruges that brews their own beer – also named De Garre. I went to this place with Nathan, a Canadian guy I met in the food tasting tour. Nathan’s friends recommended this place to him to try. We ordered on beer each & it came with a small cheese plate. I am not a beer expert but I liked its distinct taste.

That’s it for Bruges. Thanks for joining me around Belgium’s picture-perfect city! I wish I had more time in this city but I guess I’ll just put it in places I need to visit again in the future. Have you been to Bruges in Belgium? How did you find the city? How is it compared to Brussels? Share your fun Bruges experiences in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about the city? You may post them below or send it to be via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Watch out for my feature on Ghent -an underrated city in Belgium which some people skip!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.