Last week I visited Bruges for the third time.
That might sound like a lot of visits to a relatively small Belgian city, especially when my travel list is long. Still, sometimes a place keeps drawing you back. For me, Bruges is one of those places.
My first visit was in primary school when my family took an organised coach trip to Bruges and Ghent. The journey was memorable for awkward reasons — a distressing incident on the coach — and as a child I didn’t appreciate the trip beyond vague impressions and the comfort of familiar distractions. I remember little of that weekend now.
Years later in high school, we visited again during a weekend trip to Brussels to see my sister, who was living and working there. I felt grown-up staying with her in her shared house, but once more Bruges didn’t leave a lasting impression; it blended into other travel memories from that time.
On this most recent trip, Scott and I wanted to escape Brussels for a day. We’d both been to Bruges before but never together, so it seemed like an easy choice. When he asked why I wanted to go, I couldn’t articulate a specific reason — I couldn’t even list attractions off the top of my head.
When I think of Bruges, I often draw a mental blank. After spending a day there this time, I started to understand why.
Bruges is undeniably pretty. Canals crisscross the city and you can take boat cruises on them. The main square is lined with cafes and historic facades, and windmills dot the outskirts. The city is charming in a way that appeals to many visitors.
Bruges is also known for exquisite chocolate and delicate lace, and for swans gliding along quiet waterways. It feels quaint and lovely — the sort of place that photographs beautifully and invites slow wandering.
Yet despite its visual appeal, Bruges doesn’t always lodge itself in memory the way some cities do. It lacks a single, iconic landmark that overshadows everything else: no Eiffel Tower, no Colosseum, no famous statue like Brussels’ Manneken Pis. For many visitors, the city’s most famous cinematic association is the bell tower featured in the film “In Bruges,” and the movie’s popularity has shaped perceptions of the place.
On a sunny afternoon we joined the many other tourists for a boat tour. As we glided along the canals I felt a faint déjà vu — familiar scenes that are beautiful but similar to other European towns I’ve visited. That similarity is part of why Bruges can feel less distinctive in my memory.
Still, the city has its delights. The chocolates are divine, and there’s a comforting pleasure in strolling narrow streets, watching swans on the water, and pausing in a café. For me, the highlight of this visit — and perhaps the memory that will last longest — was the hot chocolate: rich, hand-mixed, and perfectly indulgent.
In the end, Bruges excels at being picturesque and pleasant. It may not always create bold, unforgettable moments, but it offers small, sensory pleasures — like hot chocolate on a sunny day by the canal — that are worth savoring.