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Bruges is Too BeautifulRomantic Retreats in a Small CityBy Marguerite Jordan
Ever hear the expression, “The bride is too beautiful”? This thought popped into my head. Between the beauty of medieval canal city of Bruges, and the perfection of the hotel, I was sure there was a catch.
A convent in the 15th century, Hotel de Orangerie has a prominent position on the canal. Ivy-covered in places, its façade is that of an old country inn, with handsome brick walls and chimneys that looked like illustrations from old children’s books. I expected to see storks or Mary Poppins or at least a chimney sweep or two. Everything looked unchanged for centuries. On the terrace bordering the canal, large fabric umbrellas shade small round tables, making it a very relaxing place to enjoy a drink, while watching the serene activities on the water. Boats float by, as well as swan and ducks.
Although most people coming to Belgium stay in the capital,
Brussels, most countrymen and visitors alike agree that Bruges is the most
beautiful city in the tiny low country.
Every window has lace curtains and flower boxes with geraniums, all the buildings are in good repair, and the architecture is infinitely interesting. Low-country designs of the Middle Ages were a matter of pride; every detail down to the outline of a window frame is beautifully proportioned.
Restaurants serve authentic Belgian cooking, a strong rival to French cuisine, as well as numerous international style dishes. Fresh fish, cooked a thousand different ways, is plentiful, as are beautiful homegrown vegetables. Of course, this country is famous for its chocolate, a worthy choice for dessert. My own personal favorite Belgian meal is carpes frites plus pommes frites, which would be called ‘fish and chips’ anywhere else, but is in fact a perfect delicacy here in Bruges.
If you grow tired of walking, you can hop aboard one of the many boats for a picturesque guided canal tour, giving you an entirely different view of the city. Willow trees overhang banks and swan and ducks frolic in the water. I noticed the outlines of the walls and windows and rooftops, architectural and painterly, perfect as the paintings of some of this country’s most famous artists, many to be found in the city’s art museums. Even though I tried, I couldn’t find fault with my stay in Bruges, except …It could be that because everything was so beautiful, ‘too many’ tourists come to visit. Still, I never found it overcrowded. RESOURCES FOR YOUR TRIPBruges Tourist Information: Find out everything you need to
about the town at the tourist offices, located conveniently on the Market
Square. Maps, museums hours, helpful information about restaurants and
accommodations, as well as side visits to other towns can be had here.
http://www.visitbelgium.com Tourist Board of Belgium: Use them for help in planning your
entire trip, including trips to Brussels, Ghent, Antwerp, Arnhem and, for
those interested in military history, the Ardennes Mountains. Belgian Chocolates www.leonidas.com Small Luxury Hotels www.slh.com Hotel de Orangerie Hotel de Tuilerieen Text & Images, Marguerite Jordan |
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When I checked into Hotel de Orangerie, a boutique inn in
the heart of the old town of Bruges, I was forever looking over my shoulder
for something to be wrong.
For a two-night visit, I stayed at this fourteen-room
canalside hotel and visited as well its sister property, Hotel de Tuilerieen,
across the narrow canal. Both places would likely be considered five-star if
they were to have on-site restaurants. Since they are located in the middle
of the old town, there are many upscale places to eat within a few blocks.
Both hotels have breakfast rooms that are small and comfortable. The
coziness and richness of these two four-star hotels captivated me.
Inside, on the first floor, the hotel has a very welcoming
bar. Its brick-red walls make a warm backdrop to the tan leather sofas, oil
paintings and carved wooden mantels. This tiny hotel, 14 rooms, six of them
junior suites, is one of the finest places to stay in the town. Each of the
rooms, redecorated in 2000, is furnished in an individual style, richly
appointed with interesting tables, paintings and lamps, as well as all the
standard luxury amenities. Some of the rooms have fireplaces, and all are
designed for maximum comfort. Fine Frette linens cover the beds, while the
floors have beautifully woven Belgian rugs. 
French windows open on the canal, making it a very romantic
and peaceful place to while away some time. It is easy to imagine living
permanently in this kind of elegant comfort, with the activities of the city
mere steps away. 
Everything is this compact town is so perfect – the Market
Square, the Cathedral, the numerous parks all look as if they were crafted
by artists of note, which they were!
In the heart of the downtown, motor vehicles are prohibited,
except for deliveries during restricted hours, making it one of the easiest
walking cities of the world, safe and well-signed. The winding cobbled
streets, adjacent to the canals, are shared by pedestrians and the
occasional horse-drawn carriage. Sweepers follow the horses and keep the
streets litter free.
On everyone’s list of favorite water cities of the world, in
fact, Bruges is called ‘the Venice of Northern Europe’. The city was in its
heyday when the cloth-weavers of Bruges produced their goods in the Middle
Ages. They used the canals to ship the materials on to the buyers in other
parts of Europe. Over time the river filled up with silt and the trade route
disappeared, and along with it the prosperity of the weavers. The city fell
on bad times, and it wasn’t until this century that it was carefully
restored. Today, tourism is its biggest business.