Now that I live ‘on the continent’, Hunk and I are able to go on short vacations by car instead of by flying, which is a huge pro! So far, we’ve done small trips around Holland like Volendam , Zaanse Schans and Apenheul Primate Park as well as a trip to Cologne, Germany! Not bad for only living in Amsterdam for a few months!
With a friend travelling to Bruges for the weekend, we decided last minute to drive down from Amsterdam for 1 day in Bruges – here’s what we got up to!
Brugse Zot
After arriving at our luxury hostel, Hostel Lybeer (a great place for a couple to stay for fairly cheap) we walked over to the Halve Maan Brewery (which I had on my list-check!) to meet up with our London-living friends. It was here that I was introduced to Brugse Zot beer. Both the Blonde and the Dubbel were DEEEEELICIOUS! And I would have to attribute this solely to the demise of my brain.
Traveller tip: Belgian beer has a very high percent of alcohol and tastes really good. Make sure you don’t idiot your way into an epic hangover by trying to keep track of how many you’ve consumed…or just, go for it and enjoy that hangover! 🙂
Belgian Stew
Eventually, drunk people realise they need to eat because that will make them less drunk. Unfortunately if you are as drunk as we were, nothing can roll back the time.
After a recommendation from the bar staff at Hostel Lybeer (see, beer is even in the title of the hostel…!) we walked the cobbled streets of beautiful Bruges to a Oud Brugge restaurant along Sint-Amandsstraat and all ordered the tourist menu. What we got was a superb belgian beef stew with belgian frites and house salad, and a chocolate mousse for dessert! It was so yummy we all finished it relatively in silence, which was good for diners near us as we were a loud bunch!
Sadly, I forgot to photograph the stew, but take my word for it – excellent presentation and absolutely delicious! We paid 20 Euro each for the 2 course meal which was a bargain in what is quite an expensive little city!
The Old Chocolate House
The morning following the night where we drank ALL of the Brugse Zot beers was a rough one. Thankfully the surroundings were so beautiful and weather sunny with clear blue skies, something that can sorta kinda cure a hangover. Well, that AND a hearty breakfast.
After we ate, we meandered the streets and decided to indulge in a hot chocolate whilst in Bruges. If that isn’t a ‘When In Rome’ moment, I don’t know what is.
So we discovered this little tea room (in a town full of tea rooms) which was rather special. Apart from the sign out front stating it’s the best hot chocolate the world has ever seen/tasted, you’d never know the tea room was there! The chocolate shop is on ground level, and up some rickety stairs you’ll find the tea room on level 1.
Both the Hunk and I chose to have a normal milk chocolate hot chocolate from the long menu of variations. When our drinks arrived we were quite surprised to see we got a soup bowl of hot milk, and we were also given a personal tub of whipped cream, a mini whisk, and of course, a cup full of chocolate chips. The even more exciting bit? the chocolate chips came in a cup made out of chocolate!
So, the DIY hot chocolate made it a little more of a fun activity, and we both whisked away until it was ready to drink – and I think we can both agree that it was the best hot chocolate we’ve ever tasted! Check out their delicious menu.
Do yourself a favour, check this place out when visiting Bruges, whether it’s hot chocolate weather or not!
Wander the straatjes
The only other item on our to-do list for Bruges was to wander the cute streets; and wander we did! As we were nursing huge hangovers, the fresh Bruges air and the sunshine was perfect to make us feel a touch better.
And with gorgeous pano’s everywhere you look, it’s easy to see why Bruges is quite possibly the loveliest medieval ‘city’ in Europe!
I especially enjoyed discovering a little Sunday market along the canal, within the fallen golden leaves. I mean, look at how lovely this is!
Bruges part 3?
Yes. Bruges is so lovely and the relaxed kind of enjoyable that ‘tourist-me’ will be back for more chocolate, waffles, frites and that ever-delicious Brugse Zot!
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0 thoughts on “Bruges in a Day”
That hot chocolate was the best – seriously!
Thanks for stopping by Hunk!