Bruges is Belgiums most visited town. Suspended in time 500 years ago by the silting of its river, this 13th century city is blessed with two medieval cores, the Burg, and the Markt. The whole historic centre of Bruges was added to Unescos World Heritage List in 2000 and, in 2002, Bruges was staged as the European City of Culture. It is one of Europes important landmarks as the city centre has hardly changed since the Middle Ages. Bruges is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and is known as the Venice of the North.

Bruges is also home to contemporary culture, such as the new Concert Hall, which is one of the most prominent music complexes in Flanders.

It was a justified motive that prompted UNESCO in 2000 to include the entire historical city centre on the World Heritage list. Walking along the maze of winding cobbled alleys and romantic canals, you can imagine yourself to be in medieval times. The wealth of museums is a striking image of this citys stirring history.

The lively Market square is always busy, with visitors celebrating hen and stag nights. Locals shopping at the morning market, tourists embarking on horse drawn carriage tours.

This range is also reflected in the different Bruges establishments, which offer choices from picturesque Belgian cafes, to proper English pubs, to bars and cafes bringing different styles from many of the worlds countries.

Light French fries and Mussels and are served everywhere, as are all the wonderful lambic beers include the locally brewed Tarwebier Brugse Straffe Hendrik and Tripel. Bars with a huge range of beers include Brugs Beertje

Waffles and fine chocolate are ubiquitous.

This tiny country has close to 500 producers of factory made and handmade chocolate items. The total annual consumption of chocolate products including bars, pralines, spread, pastries, sauces is in the 100000 tonnes range, which makes for a whopping 10 kilograms per head. Belgian chocolate is a mixture of cocoa paste, sugar and cocoa butter in proportions which vary according to the type of chocolate. The dark, bitter chocolate is called fondant contains up to 70 percent full fat cocoa paste. The lighter, brown milk chocolate, the most popular, has a high portion of milk in it, and lastly white chocolate retains only the butter from the cocoa, with sugar and milk added.