Lonely Planet India - August 2016

a peaceful life; the gates are closed in the

evening and no man may stay overnight.

Get yourself a late lunch amid the mad

buzz of the nearby De Halve Maan brewery

in Walplein dating back to 1856. The blond

beer is light and refreshing and the news

is all about a crowd-funded beer pipe line.

Keep going now fortified to handle

culture to the Groeningemuseum set in

an old 1930s convent. Here Jan van Eyck

and the Flemish Primitives await your

appreciation. Spend most of your time

before van Eyck’s Virgin and Child with

Canon van der Paele a most gorgeous

example of that school of art.

When you come out the lights will

be coming on in the squares making

everything seem right with the world.

Make one last stop at the Historium

Brugge in Markt Square where you

will rewarded for your time before that

painting. If you are following the

PK footsteps the Historium is

where Jaggu and Sarfaraz first

fought over a show ticket.

Turn your weary feet

towards your hotel to rest

a while. Then make your

way to Bistro Refter.

Its parent restaurant

De Karmeliet sadly

closing soon has three

Michelin stars which

shows in how the food

is cooked here and

happily not at Michelin

prices either.

BRUGES ESSENTIALS

STAY

Grand Hotel Casselbergh: 00-32-5-044-6500;

http://www.grandhotelcasselbergh.com; Hoogstraat 6;

from ` 12100 with breakfast and wi-fi

EAT/ DRINK

• De Halve Maan: 00-32-4-044-4222;
  http://www.halvemaan.be/en; Walplein 26;
  tours: 11am – 4pm; tour: 650 Brugse zot dubbel beer from 290 mains from ` 1000


• Bistro Refter: 00-32-5-044-4900;
  http://www.bistrorefter.com/en; Molenmeers 2;
  closed Sun & Mon; three-course meal from ` 2800

SEE/ DO

• Basilica of the Holy Blood: 9.30am – 12pm 2pm – 5pm


• City Hall: 00-32-5-044-8743; Burg 12; 9.30pm –
  5pm; 300 adult 230 child (free with the Brugge
  City Card)


• Belfry on Markt Square: 00-32-5-044-8743;
  Markt 7; climb: 9.30am – 6pm; 765 adult 615
  child under 26 (free with the Brugge City Card)


• Church of Our Lady: 00-32-5-044-8711;
  Mariastraat; 9.30am – 5pm Mon – Sat from 1.30pm
  Sun; 460 adult 380 child upto 26 (free with the
  Brugge City Card)


• Begijnhof: 00-32-5-033-0011; Begijnhof 30;
  10am – 5pm Mon – Sat from 2.30pm Sun;
  free with the Brugge City Card


• Groeningemuseum: 00-32-5-044-8711; Dijver 12;
  9.30am – 5pm Tues – Sun Mon closed; 610 adult 460 child upto 26 (free with the Brugge City Card)


• Historium Brugge: 00-32-5-027-0311;
  http://www.historium.be/en; Markt 1; 10am – 6pm;
  1030 adult 570 child (three – 12 years)

EASY EUROPE FLANDERS

15th century – 17th century

The Flemish economy begins

to decline and Flanders remains with

the Netherlands falling under

Spanish rule and later

Austrian rule

18th century

The French Republican Army uses

Antwerp as a base. Compulsory army

service for local Flemish triggers

the Peasants’ War

19th century

After the defeat of Napolean

at Waterloo in 1815 Southern

Netherlands and Belgium

are reunited with Holland. In 1830

the Belgium Revolution results

in an independent Belgium

(continued...)

1 2

1. Jan van Eyck’s Virgin and
   Child with Canon van der Paele
   is a gorgeous example
   of the Flemish Primitive
   school of art
   2 and right: Michelangelo’s
   Madonna and Child
   illuminates the serene
   Church of Our Lady
   Facing page:
   A Belgian waffle
   is a foodgasm in itself
   PHOTOGRAPHS: GETTY IMAGES (1 2) © IVAN VDOVIN/ ALAMY STOCK PHOTO (CUT-OUT) FACING PAGE: © CIRCLE STUDIO/ ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

78 July 2016