Zeebrugge/Bruges: My Medieval Fairy Tale

We took the first shuttle and were wandering Bruges' cobbled streets by 9 a.m. while the morning mist still hung over the reien canals. The Belfry tower loomed above the Markt like a Gothic wedding cake, and climbing its 366 steps left us breathless in every sense – the carillon bells rang right over our heads at the top. A horse-drawn carriage clip-clopped past as we drifted along the Dijver watching swans glide under stone bridges that haven't changed since the 1400s.

We had lunch at De Halve Maan brewery – waterzooi cream stew and stoofvlees washed down with fresh Brugse Zot straight from the source. In the afternoon we went on a canal boat ride (the only way to see the city properly) – the captain pointed out the exact spot where Colin Farrell jumped in In Bruges. We finished with hot chocolate so thick the spoon stood up at The Old Chocolate House. The pros: Bruges is the most romantic medieval city still alive. The cons: cruise crowds descend by 10:30, but the back streets stay magically quiet if you wander five minutes off the Markt.