Talk about a city with charm.
Bruges, Belgium, feels like a portal to the past with it’s medieval charm. I was impressed to learn that Bruges is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Europe, with its city center recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. That’s a bold, considering how many medieval towns there are in Europe, but Bruges lives up to it. With a population of just 110,000, it's quiet and known for its stunning architecture, canals, and cobblestone streets—not to mention the Belgian chocolate, fries, waffles, and beer. Belgium is alive and well.
Bruges is often called the “Venice of the North” thanks to its picturesque canals. I’ve been to Venice, and as a BIG fan of the city, I find it hard to compare Bruges to it. Venice, with its 150 canals, feels vast and grand. While Bruges has just a few (around 4 if I can count correctly). But despite the difference in size, Bruges’ canals are beautiful in their own right - giving the city a cozy and intimate feel. While Venice buzzes with thousands of tourists, Bruges offers a more serene, romantic atmosphere, which makes sense for those wanting a more peaceful getaway. There’s a local legend—if you walk across Minnewater Bridge (also known as Lover’s Bridge) with your partner, your love is said to last forever. So maybe if you’re trying to lock down… head to Bruges. ;)
My Day in Bruges
Here’s how I spent my time:
• Eating Belgian chocolate
• Drinking Belgian beer
• Wandering the cobblestone streets (Bruges is small, so you can explore everything on foot)
• Nearly getting frostbite because I refused to wear gloves. I couldn’t bring myself to put down my cameras in the freezing weather—only fellow photographers will understand! The city was so stunning I had to keep all three cameras out: Sony a7iii (mirrorless), Ilford Sprite II (film camera), and iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Photography & Camera Setting Tips
For this blog post, I shot all the images on my fun little Ilford Sprite II film camera using Fujifilm 400 film, which was developed by Safe Light Berlin - safe to say this is one of the coolest film shops I have been to, i would recommend all film photographers to check them out- they also accept international postages for development if you’re worried because you are located in Germany.
In terms of photo editing, all images have undergone minimal white balance and exposure edits in Lightroom. I didn’t want to change too much as the film colours and grainy texture accurately describes the atmosphere of Bruges I felt.
I also used my Sony a7iii with a Tamron 28-75mm lens and my iPhone 14 Pro Max, but I found that the vintage feel of the film images really captured the essence of Bruges… something about those colours and grainy texture that gets me.
So, if you’re ever looking for a relaxing European city break that offers charm, history, and beautiful photo opportunities, I would highly recommend to add Bruges to your list.
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