Do Not Miss Out On Bruges, Belgium

by Thomas Burtonelli

If you are planning to skip across the pond to Europe, you mustn’t miss the small town of Bruges, Belgium. While most people head to Belgium in search of fries and waffles, Bruges has a lot more to offer than standard fare. This town is all about museums of every shape and kind.

Every city, even a drab one, has an immediate obvious theme. Bruges screams history in the form of museums. Frankly, they are plentiful. The city is quaint enough to be worth visiting anyway with an old historic town and canals, but history buffs will really love it.

Love museums? A small sampling of the best in Bruges includes the Groeninge, Memling, Archeological, Gruuthuse and Folklore Museums as well as the Renaissance Hall. There are many more niche oriented museums as well. You just have to walk five feet to find new ones.

First up on our trip around Bruges is the Folklore Museum. Very popular with visitors, it is a cobbler’s heaven with 17th century almshouses. You can view ancient confectioner’s shops, classrooms and cobbler studios among other sites.

Mention museums and many people immediately think of art. The Groeninge in Bruges offers a unique twist. It is a large gallery of excellent art, but primarily from local artists. Check out Memling, Eyck, David and van der Goes to mention only a few artists.

The Van Brugghe-van der Aa family gives us our next must see museum - the Gruuthuse. It is a Gruut house formerly owned by the family. Gruut refers to a spice that was used to create beer that was incredibly popular.

The Memling Museum is, essentially, a tribute to the life of artist Hans Memling. Hans Memling was one of the most influential Flemish painters, though he was actually born in Germany. The museum is bathed in light and paint - something that is not to be missed.

Unlike most of the other museums that Bruges has to offer, Renaissance Hall can really transport a visitor back to the palace of the Brugse Vrije. You will find that a 16th century Renaissance chimney, lots of gleaming wood, and plenty of fine alabaster do a nice job transporting you back in time.

To say Europe has a long history is a minor understatement. The same goes for Bruges and the Archeological Museum is the place to experience it. It is interesting to walk around a city with the modern conveniences and then attend a museum showing the area without them.

Lest you think museums are the only thing to do in Bruges, they are not. From food to walking about the city to taking barge tours, it is a destination you simply have to breathe in and enjoy.

About the Author:

Thomas Burtonelli writes about fascinating travel destinations for NomadJournals.com - makers of journals to record trips in that also make great unique unique promotional items for your business.

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