Bruges is every bit the cute fairy tale town I had expected. Aside from the masses of tourists, the only ugly thing in the whole town was the Ito Pavilion. When the city was named a European Capital of Culture in 2002, Toyo Ito's Pavilion was constructed, intending to link the past and present. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt that it may once have been lovely, but today it just looks dingy and sketchy, like somewhere you would go if you were planning to overdose on drugs.
Fortunately, just beyond this monstrosity is a gorgeous square with three connected buildings: Bruges Vrije, Renaissancezaal, and stadhuis (City Hall). Bruges Vrije is covered in early Baroque gold statues while stadhuis is content with its replicas of the statues torn down by French soldiers in the late 18th century.
Stadhuis is just shy of being 600 years old and the Gotische Zaal (Gothic Hall) inside is just as impressive today as it must have been back then.
The Church of Our Lady (Onze-Lievevrouwekerk) is probably best know as the home of Michelangelo's Madonna and Child. Sculpted from marble, this is one of the only Michelangelo pieces outside of his native Italy.
The Groeninge Museum is known for its collection of Flemish art, including Jan van Eyck's Madonna and Child with Canon van der Paele and Hieronymus Bosch's bizarre and fascinating triptych, The Last Judgement.
The Belfort rises 83 meters tall and dates back to the 13th century. It's well worth climbing the 366 steps to reach the top for a panoramic view of Bruges, so long as you don't mind steep, narrow, twisting staircases.
Just wandering along the canal and getting lost in the streets of Bruges, you're sure to come across plenty of picturesque spots.
(Although you may need to pull out the map from time to time.)
