The city that is one big work of art...
DAVE LAFFERTY soaked up the culture, cycling and beer of Bruges and Flanders on a trip to Belgium
WONDERFUL Bruges is a work of art at the best of times, but if you’re lucky enough to visit during the city’s Triennial festival then prepare to be spoilt rotten.
Bruges is a short hop across the Channel in the middle of Belgium’s historic Flanders region.
Its perfectly preserved medieval streets and canals are a wonder to stroll around and you barely see a building less than 200 years old.
The Triennial provides a wonderful contrast to this ancient setting, featuring numerous giant installations from a host of international artists and architects spread out across the city utilising its canals and open spaces in truly spectacular fashion.
This year’s theme is ‘Liquid City’ where contributors were challenged to reflect how flexible and fluid an historic city such as Bruges could be during times of uncertainty.
The results? Fifteen thought-provoking works of art linked together in a walking trail which takes you to all corners of the city.
The most striking of these works of art is a giant whale arcing out from before a bridge on one of the canals. The twist is that it’s made from plastic found washed-up on beaches. It’s both spectacular and thoughtprovoking and a perfect way to illustrate the threat to our oceans.
Other exhibits include a floating school which highlights solutions if the ocean’s water levels rise and a concrete monument floating on the canal which could be the entrance to an aquatic underworld.
But the real joy of following the Triennial trail is seeing almost every nook and cranny of this enticing city, much of it away from the crowds which understandably flock to this corner of Belgium.
Don’t miss the main square, the Markt, with its towering 12th century belfry and neo-gothic provincial court. The Markt is also the home of the Historium, an interactive museum where fictional characters tell the story of Bruges.
It’s also where you will find an upstairs bar with a fantastic terrace overlooking the main square where you can while away a drink or two people-watching.
After a day’s sightseeing you won’t find it difficult finding some amazing food and drink.
Belgium is famous worldwide for its beer and rightly so. Try the Half Moon Brewery, a tour of which takes you up onto the roof and a great view across the city. And while you’re there don’t forget to try a glass of Brugse Zot for a true taste of Belgium.
At night we dined at Gran Kaffee de Passage. It’s a huge favourite amongst the locals, the food a mix of Belgian and international dishes and the beer list is varied.
Also make sure you seek out the Cafe Rose Red which was my personal favourite featuring hundreds of beers, including some rare aged bottles of Orval.
After a couple of beers I certainly slept well at the wonderful Hotel de Goezeput which is within an easy five-minute walk of the centre of the city and a similar distance to the train station.
The de Goezeput is a small hotel but it packs plenty of charm with its beautifully appointed rooms and cosy atmosphere.
Belgium is an easy country to get around and just over an hour away by train is a gem of a town called Oudenaarde. Now if you’re a cycling nut like me you’ll be well aware of the significance of this town as the home of one of the toughest cycling races in the world, the annual Tour of Flanders.
The Ronde, as it’s known, takes place every April and captivates the entire country. The racers take on some of the fiercest cobbled climbs in the world, riding across the beautiful rolling countryside of the Flemish Ardennes. It’s not a race for the fainthearted and around 300,000 spectators line the course each year in a party atmosphere.
From Oudenaarde you have the chance to ride sections of the course yourself if you’re feeling brave.
The town hosts the Tour of Flanders Museum and besides a fascinating array of artefacts from the race’s 102 editions, they have also devised a series of routes of differing lengths which take in all the famous climbs such as the Paterberg, Oude Kwaremont and the fearsome Koppenberg to name but a few.
You can rent a bike from the museum and set off at your own pace. It’s a true treat (and a tough test) to ride up these famous climbs but you can feel the history of the race as you ride round. You can’t play football at Wembley but you can test yourself on the same routes as the world’s greatest cyclists.
And next April when you watch the Ronde on TV you’ll be able to say you feel the pain of the likes of previous winners Peter Sagan and Philip Gilbert (and claim to your pals that you did better than the pros!).
Oudenaarde has a huge main square lined with places to eat and drink. The De Carillon is a fantastically atmospheric place for a beer, nestled as it is against the walls of the cathedral.
And just across from the bar is the Comte De Flandre, a modern restaurant with wonderful food which you would be wise to seek out.
And if you’ve tackled a few of the Tour of Flanders climbs earlier in the day, you certainly will need to refuel!