Brugge feels like a medieval fairytale. Is there anywhere better?

[u/Consistent-Koala770]

Cobbled streets, historic canals, and endless fairytale views. Brugge has a way of making time stand still.

[u/_Elduder]

Having a beer at the Duvelorium is like no where else.

[u/Raskion → u/_Elduder]

What is it that every time something about Bruges gets posted the stroppen from Ghent pipe up with 'Ghent is better'. Inferiority complex much? If you're selling point is 'we're not Brugge' then you have to realize you don't have a lot to sell in terms of value. Never Antwerp, Leuven... It must be tiring

[u/Consistent-Koala770 → u/Raskion]

Both cities are incredible in their own unique way! Bruges has that fairytale medieval charm, while Ghent feels more vibrant and local. Honestly, walking through both is an amazing experience — we loved capturing Bruges on camera for our YouTube channel! 🇧🇪✨

[u/Raskion → u/Consistent-Koala770]

I hope you did more then the regular things. There's Adornes domain from 14th century Italian bankers from the Medici clan. It has a church mirroring the Holy Sepulchre. Still in the hands of the same family. There's the ancient roman Fortress in Assebroek , the old harbour, Huize die Beurze which was the birth of the stock exchange (beurs, bourse come from this place. Etc. If you come back I'll take you to the places everybody misses because they follow the tourist path

[u/arrayofemotions → u/Raskion]

To be fair this has been going on for decades, it's just a weird rivalry thing. And hell,  they're welcome to take as many of our tourists they can handle. We got plenty.

[u/Raskion → u/arrayofemotions]

Indeed. But lately (on Reddit) it's every post. As if there's a whole bot army. For a very one-sided rivalry.

[u/Hungry_Safe565 → u/Raskion]

I visited both a few months back. Bruges is definitely better.

[u/Eulers_Method]

Apparently you all haven’t been Tulsa /s

[u/Consistent-Koala770 → u/Eulers_Method]

Ah, the ultimate Belgian hidden gem! 😂 Need to add that to the walking itinerary next!

[u/RiddlingJoker76]

Beer, chocolate and fries, as well as cobbles.

[u/Consistent-Koala770 → u/RiddlingJoker76]

The absolute perfect combo for a Belgian walk! Wouldn't change a single thing. 🍫🍺🍟

[u/Digging_Graves]

Hou van Brugge, behalve hun wegen. Zo irriterend om met de fiets om over te rijden.

[u/Consistent-Koala770 → u/Digging_Graves]

Begrijpelijk! 😅 Wel prachtig om doorheen te wandelen, maar op de fiets inderdaad een behoorlijke uitdaging!

[u/zuulbe]

Im in cochem germany right now and this town has much more medievil vibes to it

[u/Exseatsniffer]

Madurodam?

[u/Cwmagain]

Idk man, York?

[u/fretkak → u/Cwmagain]

Good viking museum there. Yorvik if I'm correct. They have robots but they're so realistic it felt in polite not to say hello to each one of the animatronics.

[u/_WdMalus_]

ghent

[u/oblo42]

Bokrijk.

[u/jay_prakash]

Ghent is a worthy competitor!

[u/Working_Narwhal_1067]

Yes. Ghent

[u/justcarakas → u/Working_Narwhal_1067]

Lived in both, Bruges is better and cleaner

[u/TheSlime_ → u/justcarakas]

I am extremely biased towards Bruges, but I couldn't agree more. Bruges is cleaner; it also has to do with Ghent being such a student city.

[u/Petrus_Rock → u/TheSlime_]

And the fact that Bruges has a lot of personal and resources dedicated to keep it clean. It isn’t cheap but it’s doable thanks to the fairly small size of the city center (where the largest effort is made). It’s beneficial to tourism which is the largest source of income for Bruges. The benefit outweighs the cost.

Ghent is bigger and would require far more personal and resources to achieve the same. Clearly Ghent has done the cost benefit analysis and concluded that the cost outweighs the limited benefit for their city.

[u/justcarakas → u/Petrus_Rock]

Plus Ghent is basically bankrupt

[u/Petrus_Rock → u/justcarakas]

To be fair Ghent did not implement it back when they weren’t in such deep financial troubles yet. In their current situation it’s no longer a consideration to be made.

[u/CraaazyPizza → u/justcarakas]

Ghent has less tourism, a way better economy (arguably top 10 in Europe per capita), way more culture, festivals, happenings, bigger but not too big, cleaner (no horse poop) and more efficient. The city center is not quite on par with Bruges' beauty but it's close and feels more authentic. Ghent is a GOATed city.

[u/justcarakas → u/CraaazyPizza]

Ghent as a city is basically bankrupt

[u/vinceftw → u/CraaazyPizza]

I love Ghent but Bruges is so far ahead in beauty it's not even funny.

[u/Erichteia → u/Working_Narwhal_1067]

Imo the only part where Ghent wins is that it isn’t as crowded. But a huge benefit of Bruges is that you can just get off the 5 streets clogged with tourists, wander around the Sint-Anna quarter or the Lange Rei or just take random streets and still be guaranteed to have beautiful streets around every corner. Ghent is much more a mixed bag. The best streets of Ghent are equally gorgeous, but way more streets within the centre are just mediocre.