Bruges

Bruges is the capital and main city of the province of West Flanders in Belgium's Flemish Region, in the country's northwest, and the country's seventh-largest city by population. Bruges has most of its medieval architecture intact, making it one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Europe. The "Historic Centre of Bruges" has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.

Swans swim its canals, old buildings cast shadows on its cobblestones, willow trees cry over its lake, rich chocolates look from behind its windows, pints of Belgian blondes sit at its cafe tables, and carillon bells fill the air with music: This is Bruges, Belgium (or Brugge in Dutch). This charming city in northern Belgium is more popular and yet more rustic than Brussels, the capital city. Plan a vacation to Bruges for a taste of medieval Europe in the twenty-first century, for a welcoming small-town atmosphere with world-class charms (such as the Historic Centre of Brugge), and, of course, for the beer, fries, and chocolate. Whatever your motive for visiting Bruges, you will be enchanted.