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Score: 8

Bruges or Brugge is called : 'the Venice of the North'. This splendid medieval city is one of Belgium's crown jewels. In no other European city the feel and the look of medieval times are so present as here in this city close to the North Sea.

Today's it has a population of about 45.000 people (the medieval center) or 120.000 people (center together with the suburbs). These numbers clearly show that Brugge is not a tiny miniature city. It ranks, even today, among the important cities of Belgium and Europe. A lot of people take day-trips from Brussels, but there is to much to see here to fill only 1 day.

The best way to visit Bruges is to spend at least one night in one of the many beautiful and cozy hotels, one of these hotels is the Hotel Olympia, an easy to find homelike and friendly hotel with no parking problems and only minutes walking from the historic centre.

Later in the evening, when all the tourists have gone, the city finds back its charm and quiet of old times. When one is lucky with the weather, a stroll through the tiny medieval streets can be an enchanting experience. Bruges is always beautiful, in the summertime as well as in the wintertime. Lucky visitors will never forget Bruges after they have seen it on a snowy December or January day.

Bruges is unique, in the sense that here the town authorities have done the utmost to preserve the medieval-looking image of the city. Of course, not every stone has come to us straight from the Middle-Ages. The 19th century neo-gothic style is more present than one should think. Because of these 19th century renovations, some critics have put Brugge down as a 'fake' medieval city. Nevertheless, the combination of old, not so old and new fascinates everyone who first sets foot in this city.