Brugge is the city in Belgium and the administrative centre of West Flanders. Its the pride and the joy of the whole Flanders. Founded in the 13th century, its was known for its textile premises. Nowadays its a real Mecca for tourists - it seems that centuries after it was founded it is still the same. Everything is like in a fairytale: swans swim along the canals, stone buildings look like small gingerbread houses. Brugge is another "Northern Venice": canals, bridges and the old-style architecture make it look really romantic. Even though the ground floors are occupied by trendy shops with their glittering shop windows, and swans scatter in all directions when you try to approach them, transition from a medieval town to modern city was surprisingly mild. That is why a walk along its streets with some houses almost perfectly preserved will carry you back to the past. At the same time, it seems that influx of tourists vivifies Brugge rather than suppresses it.

During the Middle Ages Brugge was one of the richest European destinations. But unlike many European cities that lost their heart during the war, the Belgian capital managed to avoid destruction and damage and its famous monumental buildings were untouched. The city centre even got the UNESCO World Heritage Site status. One good proof for that is the fact that every year the city is visited by around 4 million tourists. Abundance of old Gothic architecture, touches of Romanesque style, Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo, strokes of neo-classicism, neo-Gothic, art nouveau and art deco. But the main style is of course Gothic.

Even though a walk along the city canals and an evening at one of its pubs with a cup of Belgian beer would be enough to make your visit to Brugge a memorable one - still, the city has lots of attractions worth seeing. In the centre of Brugge there is a Big market square and a castle next to it. But the most impressing is the 13th-century 83-meter Belfry which reveals panoramic views on the city and its suburbs. In the centre of the square there is the statue of Jan Breydel - the hero of the Battle of the Golden Spurs.

North from the city centre there is a Lace centre (buy masterpieces made by local lace makers here), and a Jerusalem Church. And, a holiday in Brugge would be incomplete without a visit to the idyllic Beguine's house and the romantic Lake of Love. Beguine's house still hosts a Benedictine monastery filled with the atmosphere of the 15th century. Legendary swans swim in the lake of Love, the history of which puzzles people with numerous mysteries. Also see the Church of Our Lady which contains a marble sculpture of the Madonna and Child created by the renowned Michelangelo. Needless to say, Brugge boasts a great amount of museums like the famous Groeninge and its Flemish and Belgian paintings, from 15th century to our days.

An aspirant to the position of one of the most Romantic European cities, Brugge is like one big attraction - the fantastic combination of gabled roofs, twisting canals, magic parks and narrow cobbled streets. But the most charming thing about Brugge is its hearty welcome you can always expect from local people. The reason is not only in prosperous economy - citizens of Brugge do really love the place they live in and appreciate the fact they were born here.