Beauty has its price

This is a Brit abroad on a whistle-stop tour of one of the most beautiful small cities in Europe, one which was thrust into the spotlight in 2008 with the release of the film In Bruges, a delicious black crime comedy starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson as a couple of hitmen in hiding.

Bruges was always a popular destination for many Brits, but now they flock not just to visit the stunningly beautiful historic buildings, but also to see where the film’s “heroes” argued, drank, ate, philosophised and finally came to grief.

One real day in Bruges is enough for a taster – an expensive taster – of the capital and largest city of the province of west Flanders in the Flemish region of Belgium.

The historic city centre (often dubbed The Venice of the North because of all its canals) is a World Heritage site with a historically stupendous centre now surrounded by all the trappings of the modern world – cobblestones and narrow streets give way to traffic-filled roads where, perhaps not surprisingly in this very flat neck of the woods, the bicycle is king, and ancient brick buildings are replaced by concrete and steel.

I know one couple who spent their honeymoon here and still wax lyrical about the beauty of the place. They are also still trying to get their finances back on track because Bruges has cottoned on to the fact that tourists have money to spend, and it may as well go into the pockets of the café owners, the shop proprietors, the horse-drawn carriage drivers and the people who provide boat tours along those kilometres of canals.

Bruges wouldn’t be Bruges unless you drank some Belgian beer, ate some Belgian chocolate, bought some Belgian lace, and got a crick in the neck from staring upwards at the towering churches. And, of course, sore feet from walking miles on cobbled streets. Hence the need for comfy shoes and the phone number of a good physiotherapist.

But whatever aches and pains (physical and monetary) are brought on by Bruges, there is no escaping the fact that this is a beautiful city where all lanes lead, eventually, to the Market Square, the Grote Markt, at its very heart.

In the centre of the square is a statue celebrating Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninc, the heroes of the Battle of the Golden Spurs in 1302. Take a look, then turn your back and do a 360-degree squint.

On the southern side, the colourful medieval-style houses face the imposing Belfry tower (Belfort) which was built in 1220, and whose 83-metre height plays a starring role in the Farrell film. If you have a head for heights and possess decent thigh muscles, take the 366 steps to the top for an unrivalled view of the city.

On the west of the square is the more modern but equally impressive Provincial Court, while the east side is a mass of hotels with restaurants vying with one another to entice the crowds of visitors to sample frites (fries), mussels and beer and doughnuts – all at a price, of course.

The square may have been free of traffic since 1996 but it’s a maelstrom of bicycles, mopeds, buses and horse-drawn carriages. Thankfully, the sound of rubber hooves on the cobbles usually gives sufficient warning to foot-sore sightseers.

And there is so much sight-seeing to do. Bruges is a smorgasbord of medieval buildings; approach from the rail station and the first thing(s) you notice are three lofty spires – the already-mentioned Belfry, the magnificent St Saviour Cathedral, and the biggest and the best… the Welcome Church of our Lady.

The tower on this incredible building is a whopping 122 metres high, a touch over 400 feet. It’s still a working church and within its ancient interior is a gem – the Madonna of Michelangelo. It’s a creation in marble from 1504 and is the only sculpture by the great master to have left Italy during his lifetime. It’s worth every cent of the four euro entry fee. Unmissable.

Something a bit more unusual is The Basilica of the Holy Blood. Originally built in the 12th century as the chapel of the residence of the Count of Flanders, the church houses a relic allegedly collected by Joseph of Arimathea.

The interior of this fascinating building is drop dead gorgeous, although if you’re of a talkative nature, be warned – silence is golden and expect to be shushed if you so much as utter a word of amazement.

There are many more wonderful places to visit, and although in the long run it probably pays to get a decent map, many visitors still prefer to just wander the tiny streets in the hope of being surprised by yet another piece of living history.

Nine times out of 10 it works, but on a Monday it can be disappointing – most of the museums are closed for the day. Nevertheless, Bruges still has more than enough to offer – take a horse and carriage, enjoy a guided canal tour, be enveloped by the peace of one of the many churches. Or just sit and drink a coffee (or beer) and watch the modern world go by, surrounded by 1,000 years of history.

P&O do mini cruises from Hull to Zeebrugge and then by coach to Bruges. Don’t expect luxury – my back is still suffering after spending two nights in what has to be the most uncomfortable bed I have ever encountered – and be prepared to dig deep for the privilege of eating on board, but it’s probably the easiest way to get to see Bruges.

And if you aim to arrive early in Hull, you get the chance to see a city transforming itself into something of a Yorkshire tourist attraction. Worth a few hours of anyone’s time. But that’s another story.