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Day 2 - Bruges, Belgium

Day 2 brought a proper adventure - an ambitious solo shore day in Bruges, made possible by a morning of very good logistics.

The iconic BLANKenBERGE letter sculpture in the Belgian seaside town of Blankenberge - our first stop on the way to Bruges — The famous BLANKenBERGE letters - our first photo op after hopping off the tram from Zeebrugge

The ship docked at Zeebrugge at gone 7am. From there it was a tram to Blankenberg, then a train to Bruges, arriving around 10:26am. Not bad for a first foray into Belgium!

The ivy-covered arched entrance to Cafedraal restaurant in Bruges, with stone-paved path, climbing ivy, and pink flowers — Cafedraal - the ivy-covered entrance was every bit as charming as the inside

First stop: Cafedraal. The ivy-covered entrance alone was worth the walk - all stone slabs, climbing greenery, and the most romantic little archway. Inside didn't disappoint either.

Bruges Duck Store with yellow rubber ducks visible through open glass doors, black-framed facade with white sign — The Bruges Duck Store - a whole shop dedicated to rubber ducks! 🦆

Then the Bruges Duck Store happened. Because of course it did. If you can't resist a whole shop front devoted entirely to rubber ducks in every conceivable colour and style, Bruges might not be the place for you.

Wide view of the Grote Markt in Bruges with the iconic bell tower, Gothic and Renaissance buildings, cobblestone square, and outdoor cafés — The Grote Markt - Bruges's magnificent main square, with the Belfry watching over everything

The Grote Markt is extraordinary. Surrounded by Gothic and Renaissance buildings on all sides, with the Belfry dead centre - it genuinely takes your breath away. The scale of it is hard to comprehend until you're standing right in the middle of the cobblestones.

The 83-metre Belfry of Bruges rising above the Grote Markt, with Gothic windows, clock faces, and a sky of fluffy white clouds — The Belfry of Bruges - 83 metres of medieval glory, and very impressive indeed

Ornate Neo-Gothic building facade with golden statues in niches, diamond-paned windows, carved stonework, and a cobblestone foreground — Some of the incredible gilded statues keeping watch over Bruges's historic streets

Grand Baroque-style building with white and gold facade, three golden statues on the roofline, red-framed windows, and a cobblestone square — Bruges has no shortage of jaw-dropping architecture around every corner

The rest of the day was a very long walk through streets that look like they'd been designed specifically to be photographed. Every single building seemed to have gilded statues, intricately carved stonework, or dramatic gables. The Belgians do not do understated.

Two holidaymakers enjoying coffee at an outdoor café, giving double thumbs up, with a chalkboard menu on a whitewashed wall behind them — Time for a coffee break - and a double thumbs up from Bruges! ☕

By the end I had just under 17,000 steps in the bag and was thoroughly cream-crackered. But Bruges - what a place. Beautiful doesn't quite cover it.

Open map location: Bruges, Belgium