'How is the fairytale town of Bruges not somebody's thing?'
Ralph Fiennes is the reason I’ve never been to Bruges. Him, Colin Farrell, and Brendan Gleeson.
In fact, I’ll lay the blame squarely at the feet of the 2008 film In Bruges, a black comedy set in the city in western Belgium, and starring the aforementioned trio.
Not because it’s a hatchet piece on Bruges; beyond the gritty nature of Martin McDonagh’s critically lauded flick, the city enthrals: the “lake of love” in Minnewaterpark, Rozenhoedkaai from the water, market square. For many years, after closing time at the pub (remember that?), I’d totter home and play an In Bruges DVD, dozing as shots captured the ancient Church of Our Lady or the botanical garden.
But an overexposure caused Bruges to slip from my plans. Instead of booking to see the “all those canals and bridges and cobbled streets and those churches”, as Harry, Fiennes’ crime boss character puts it, the city felt too familiar, especially when compared to something “different” (the Museum of Medieval Torture Instruments in Prague, for example).
I even brushed it off as “not my thing” – the folly of youth.
And then there was a further complication: I visited Lille, close to the Belgian border (Bruges is a 60-minute drive north), and fell for it. The small French city unconsciously became my signature suggestion for a romantic decamp – a habit spanning multiple lovers. That Lille can be reached by Eurostar added convenience to the amour; Bruges didn’t get a look-in.
Such was the praise lavished on Bruges (part history, part fairy tale, I was told) that I began to get defensive, telling myself (and others) that Lille was basically Bruges: Beer? The craft brews in Lille’s La Capsule kept me merry. Food? There’s plenty of Flemish delicacies on the French side of the border, thank you. I’m not sure I convinced anyone.
This year, when I can, I’ll plump for the real thing. Because, to quote Harry once more, “how’s a fairytale town not somebody’s f------ thing?”
Five ways to experience Bruges when this is all over
The Belfort (Belfry) is the centrepiece of Bruges, a proud civic monument first built in the 13th century to serve as both clock and alarm, and as a secure deposit for the city’s precious charters. Climb the 366 steps to the top for magnificent views from among the bells. (visitbruges.be)
Do what the locals do and take to the streets on a bike. There are lots of in Bruges (Bruges Bike Rental, for example), and quite a few hotels (such as the Hotel Adornes) offer bicycles for rent. You could also make an excursion out of Bruges, one favourite being a trip along the canal to the historic little port of Damme. (brugesbikerental.be)
The Groeningemuseum is the treasure house of Bruges’s art – a small but exquisite collection of some of the greatest north European work of the late-medieval and Renaissance eras, with pieces by Bruges-based artists such as Jan van Eyck and Hans Memling, and by the Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch. (visitbruges.be)
Bistro Bruut is tiny (just 22 places) and is only open Monday to Friday, but it delivers an exceptional, eye-opening gastronomic experience. The name refers to the use of raw, natural ingredients – fresh, seasonal and ethically sourced – and the set menus of four or five courses (changed monthly) involve inventive combinations, flavours and textures: expect scallops, langoustine, pheasant with wild berries, radicchio, kumquats, bergamot and pansies. (bistrobruut.be)
’t Brugs Beertje is perhaps the most celebrated bar of Bruges, an atmospheric pub plastered with beer posters and beer paraphernalia, with wooden floors and wooden tables, usually thronged with chatty beer lovers. It has a menu of some 300 Belgian beers to choose from, and a changing array of guest beers on tap. (brugsbeertje.be)
By Anthony Mason
Read more: An expert guide to Bruges
