Table Of Contents

1. Map of 2-Days in Bruges Itinerary
2. Where to Stay?
3. History of Bruges
4. Day One in Bruges
5. Day Two in Bruges

Map of 2-Days in Bruges Itinerary

Why Spend at Least 48 Hours in Bruges?

Many people visiting Bruges skip staying the night and instead choose to visit either on a day-trip bus tour or a quick stopover on their way through Belgium. But I strongly encourage you to stay at least one night in the city. This way, you can properly experience the atmosphere of this ancient city, both during the day and at night. The town’s true nature comes alive once the heavy loads of day-tripping tourists disappear in the later afternoon. Locals open their doors, and the city feels more than just a postcard but a living piece of history.

Where to Stay?

Budget Option: Hotel Fevery

Hotel Fevery in Bruges is a cozy, family-run retreat just a short walk from the city center. Known for its warm and homely atmosphere, this charming hotel offers comfortable, spotless rooms and a delicious breakfast. Guests appreciate the friendly, attentive staff who go above and beyond to ensure a pleasant stay, making Hotel Fevery a perfect blend of comfort and convenience for a memorable visit to Bruges.

Mid-Range Option: Boutique Hotel Sablon

Boutique Hotel Sablon is a stylish four-star hotel located just five minutes from Grote Markt square. The hotel offers plush suites with freestanding bathtubs and lounge areas. The decor combines modern style with historic elements, featuring contemporary art and a luxurious Living Room bar. It’s a perfect choice for travelers seeking a balance of comfort and elegance without breaking the bank​.

Luxury Option: Hotel De Orangerie

For a more luxurious stay, consider Hotel De Orangerie. This boutique hotel is set in a beautifully restored 15th-century building along the Den Dijver canal. The hotel offers elegant rooms with antique furnishings and modern amenities. Guests can enjoy high tea in the plush dining room or on the terrace by the canal. The hotel’s central location makes it easy to explore Bruges’ top attractions​.

History of Bruges

Bruges is not just a gothic-looking town; it is a gothic town. The streets are still lined with stones older than perhaps even my home country, and even the most ubiquitous family home looks like a gothic paradise. Bruges is a UNESCO-protected city, and as such, historians ensure that everything remains unchanged from its perpetual state of gothic opulence. Any renovations undertaken to protect buildings from the perils of old age are done with lots of research and employ only old materials to fix or repair any damage.

Bruges first established itself as a settlement in the 9th century. Since Bruges was a city settled on the river, connected to the North Sea, it immediately became a hub for international trade. The name Bruges is derived from the word Bryggia, an old Scandinavian word meaning harbour.  Bruges was northwest Europe’s most important trade centre in the Middle Ages. It specialized in Flemish cloth, one of the most essential products in medieval times, as it was used to sew clothing for everyone from villagers to the royal family. Because the cloth market was exploding nationwide, more and more money poured into the city. The overwhelming wealth meant Bruges could build some of Europe’s most impressive pieces of medieval architecture.

The Growth of the City of Bruges

Throughout the 15th and 16th centuries, Bruges fluctuated under an ever-changing economy. While other European cities were able to expand, Bruges remained a small town. It couldn’t keep up with the worldwide growth and eventually lost its position as the leading trade city to Antwerp, with a population that doubled its own. Bruges slowly fell out of the limelight and disappeared from European high society.

In the 1800s, Bruges became the most impoverished city in Belgium as all trade routes into the city had shut. It is perhaps this period of poverty that we have to thank for the preservation of the city’s historic architecture. There was no money for renovations, expansion or modernization. In the mid-19th century, when the tourism industry started to creep outside the major cities into the countryside, people began discovering this untouched town gem. People from all over fell in love with the historic-artistic culture they found here, left untouched by urbanization.

Day One in Bruges

The Grote Markt

The best place to start your tour is in the Grote Markt, which serves as the centre of Bruges. It seems fitting to begin your journey in the area that brought Bruges all its wealth. The first known marketplace was built here in the 10th century. Later, in the 12th century, a wooden market hall was developed to help house fish, cloth imports, and exports. The square turned from a simple shopping area into a meeting place for jousting tournaments, weddings, royal parades and even executions. The square is still used today as a marketplace despite the passage of time.

In 1996, the square was converted into a pedestrian zone where horse-drawn carriages and bicycles were the only modes of transportation allowed. Tourists can wander and gaze up at the buildings around them without fear of being hit by a car. And gaze up, you will!

Bruges Belfy

Looming over Markt Square stands the Belfry Tower atop the infamous Cloth Hall. The Belfry was built in 1240 but needed to be rebuilt in 1280 after a fire ravaged the first building. If the octagonal-shaped top looks slightly unfinished, you’d be correct in thinking so. The tower was once topped with a great spire. There were various spires, but each was the victim of lightning strikes, reducing them all to ash. There is a famous poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow which goes, “In the marketplace of Bruges stands the Belfry old and brown; Thrice consumed and thrice rebuilt. Still, it watches o’er the town.”

Bell in the Belfry

In the medieval ages, the Belfry’s bells were the only indicator citizens had to tell the start of the workday, signal for fire, or even begin a festival or event. In the 16th century, a 35-set carillon was installed in the tower. A carillon is a set of bells that could be played using a keyboard below the tower, creating a more musical sound than a few single bells rung from ropes ever could.

You can still climb the 366 steps to the top of the tower, as patrolmen once did, to look out for fires that could have destroyed this incredible city. The view from the top is unequalled and worth the time and effort.

“French” Fries in Bruges

At the bottom of the Belfry Tower is a local French Fry vendor who serves some of the most delicious Belgian fries. There are ongoing disputes over the term “french fries” and its origin. The Belgians insist it was them. The story goes that when American armies were stationed in Belgium, the Flemish military served them one of their favourite (and inexpensive) meals—fried potato strips.

The American army LOVED them and took the recipe back home. They called them french fries since French was the local language in Belgium then, and the Americans assumed they were in France. While the French aren’t known for selling fries on the street, the Belgians have perfected the snack on the go. They serve them alongside mustard and mayonnaise dipping sauce, an oddly delicious side dish that is the perfect thing to eat to keep you going throughout your tour.

While chowing down on your snack, take a moment to study the brightly coloured buildings surrounding that square. Each one is topped with iconic crow-stepped gables, which have become the quintessential characteristic of Bruges. 

Statue of Jan Breydel and Pierter de Conick

Take a seat in the centre of the square, beneath the grand statue of Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck. These two men are local heroes known for leading the uprising against the invading French in 1302 and keeping Bruges a part of Belgium.

Provincial Hof

Across from the statue is the Provincial Hof or Provincial Court. The building now houses the government of West Flander and a local post office, but hundreds of years ago, it was home to the largest port in Bruges. Initially built in 1294, it was demolished in 1787 and rebuilt in a neogothic style reminiscent of its original Gothic architecture. One of the most iconic parts of its design is the bright red dormer windows, which pop out of the stone grey roof.

Hendrik and Gustaaf Pickery designed all the interior decorations; intricate stained glass windows and exquisite ironwork cover the rooms like wild vines. The statues and murals within depict scenes of famous personalities from West Flanders and provide a visual history of the building of their great city.

Chocolatier Dumon

Dumon Chocolates are among the most popular souvenirs people bring home from Bruges. Belgium is known worldwide for its chocolate creations, and Dumon has found a way to perfect the art. Established in 1992, this family-run business expanded around Belgium, but their first family-run shop was in Bruges.

As you open the door, you are overwhelmed with melting chocolate’s sweet and slightly bitter scent. The tiny shop is almost no wider than arm’s length but is charmingly cluttered. Chocolates glisten behind glass cabinets, and you can’t help but start to drool. While there are no labels, the kind employees (all family members) will lovingly tell you about all the different kinds of chocolate and prepare a customized box with all your favourites. They speak English in addition to French and Belgian, but if you can’t communicate, you can’t go wrong with anything inside.

Hof Bladelin

Walking past Dumon, along the narrow streets and alleyways, you come upon Hof Bladelin. Hof Bladelin was once an aristocratic mansion, which has now been converted into a home for the elderly and a small museum. The Hof Bladelin was initially built in 1451 as the house of Pieter Bladelin and his wife, Margaret of Vagewierre. Pieter was the counsellor and treasurer for Philip the Good, the Duke of Burgundy.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Isabelle & Julien (@drck_traveling)

At the time, he was one of the wealthiest men in Bruges and wanted to build a house, which reflected his enormous wealth. The Bladelins had no children, and after their death, the house came up for auction in 1472. It was purchased by the Medicis, a powerful Florentine banking family known for coveting the most beautiful pieces of art and architecture from the world’s greatest artists.

The Hof Bladelin has the architectural design of a Gothic castle. The Renaissance courtyard was designed in Italian and added to the building by the Medici family. There are still stone medallion portraits of Lorenzo de Medici and his wife in the courtyard. The ribbed vaulted ceiling in the interiors has some unique corbels adorned with scenes depicting Bladelin’s duties and the life of St. Alphege of Canterbury.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Finla Noronha (@finla.noronha)

The Poortersloge

The Poortersloge, or Burgher’s Lodge, is an exemplary model of Gothic architecture in Bruges. It was built at the end of the 14th century and served as a meeting place for the burghers (town or city’s citizens). One can admire its magnificent façade, decorated with stone figures; one is of the legendary bear, Beertje van de Logie, dated 1417. In the past, banquets and festivities were held here; nowadays, the building contains historical documents.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Flo (@florianishere)

Cambrius

If you’re feeling peckish, stop off at the Cambrinus pub. The building oozes history. The original pub was built here in 1699, and despite a few updates, much of the place remains the same. When you arrive, the waiter will bring you a book the size of a dictionary with over 400 varieties of beer listed and vivid descriptions in various languages.

There truly is something for everyone. In addition to the best beer list in the country, their traditional Brugian food is also to die for. The rabbit stew is my favourite and will warm you up from the inside out if you are travelling in any of the colder months.

Burg Square

After lunch, make your way over to Burg Square. This square is one of the city’s most stunningly medieval parts. Architectural gems from the Gothic era to the Renaissance and the Neo-Classical Revival surround it from all sides.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Helen Staak (@hlnstk)

Burg Town Hall

Burg Town Hall, or “Stadhuis,” is the oldest building in the square. It was built in 1376 in a truly Gothic fashion. Standing between the bright red-painted windowsills are statues of men from the Court of Flanders intermingled with biblical figures. Each one looked down at the townspeople below, guiding them in their daily lives.

Sandwiched between the Town Hall is the Palace of the Liberty, which once served as the Old Court House for over 200 years. Its brilliant white painted facade with gold trim is decorated like a cake, with the golden Lady of Justice statue as the cherry on top. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tereza Romanová (@rezi_romanova)

Basilica of the Holy Blood

The Basilica of the Holy Blood stands in the corner of the square, tucked away so tightly it almost seems to disappear. This 14th-century church holds one essential item, a vial of “Holy Blood,” believed to be drops of blood and water washed from the body of Christ. 

Behind its dark, richly decorated facade hides an even more ornamental interior. The interior houses two chapels, each opposite the other. The upper chapel is the crown jewel of West Flanders in high Gothic style. From floor to ceiling, there are darkly painted murals depicting the Holy Trinity and various scenes of the journey of the Holy Blood Relic to Bruges. Vividly painted stained glass windows provide the only natural light inside the chapel. Little modern lighting has been installed inside to ensure the murals don’t fade with time.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Maribel Alcantara (@maribel_alcantara1981)

Heilig-Bloedbasiliek

The Holy Blood relic is embedded in a rock-crystal vial and placed inside a glass cylinder framed with two golden crowns. It is only shown to the public on certain days of the week, so check the schedule if you’re making a pilgrimage just to see it. It is housed inside a silver tabernacle with a picture of the Lamb of God on the front when it is not displayed. In recent years, the validity of the vial has come under question, and investigations have shown that it was nothing more than a Byzantine perfume bottle from Constantinople. But to those who believe, no amount of science can deter them.

The lower chapel is a simple Romanesque church from the 12th century, the last Romanesque church in all of West Flanders. This chapel has been virtually unchanged since it was first built. The two chapels are connected, but a large brick staircase was built in 1533 in the Renaissance style, which was subsequently destroyed during the French WWII occupation but rebuilt in the 19th century.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Alfredo Musse (@wheresalfredo)

Vismarkt

Across the bridge from Burg Square is the Vismarkt, or old Fish Market. The fish market was once located in Markt Square, but the smell of the fish was so intense that people around the square complained, so it was moved further east. The covered stone arcade was built in 1821. The market is only open from Wednesday to Saturday in the early morning, but you can visit the iconic stone structure any time of the day.

Dijver Canal

From the Fish Market, walk west along the Dijver Canal. The canal’s passageway from the fish market to Nieuwstraat is a classical view of Bruges you must see for yourself. Various restaurants along the canal are reasonably touristy but provide one of Bruges’s most beautiful scenes. If you just want to hop into one of their patios for a drink, I think the overpriced beer is well worth the view.

De Garre

To end your first day in Bruges, head to De Garre bar, nestled in a tiny alleyway. De Garre is a hidden gem in Bruges renowned for its exceptional house beer, the Tripel van De Garre. This robust and flavorful tripel, brewed exclusively for the pub, is a must-try for any beer enthusiast. The cozy and intimate atmosphere of De Garre, combined with its rich wooden decor, offers a perfect setting to enjoy this unique brew. The pub also serves a variety of other Belgian beers, making it an ideal spot to unwind and savour the local beer culture after a day of exploring the city​.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bryan (@livingthegeuzelife)

Day Two in Bruges

Groeninge Museum

To start our second day in Bruges, we will head to the famous Groeninge Museum. The Groeninge Museum is an essential stop on your tour of Bruges as it gives you an introduction to Brugian art across six centuries. 

The Primitive Flemish style of painting is featured throughout the walls of museums. Flemish art isn’t classically considered exceedingly masterful since it sometimes seems slightly grotesque, raw, and explicit. Flemish painters always tried to emulate their Italian counterparts to achieve a dynamic perspective, but they didn’t have the technical skills to realize these effects. The result is images that appear almost warped but whose expressions are so genuine they leave a lasting impression on the people who view them. 

Arents House Courtyard

Across from the Groeninge Museum, you’ll find the Arents House. Arents House was once an ancient manor belonging to the noble Arents family. It now hosts an extensive collection of paintings by the British artist Frank Brangwyn. While it might be worth a visit on a more extended tour to Bruges, today, we are merely exploring its courtyard. The small yard between the two medieval houses is the perfect place to stop and pause. Listen to the sounds of cobblestones underfoot.

The trickle of water flows down the canal. From Arents Court, you have one of the most splendid views of the Church of Our Lady’s tower. If you’re lucky, you’ll hear the church bell rings across the street and the soft crowing of birds perched above. Four exciting sculptures by artist Rik Poot surround the courtyard, representing the “Four Apocalyptic Knights,” which are a great compliment to the artistic surroundings.

Bonifacius Bridge

Before heading to the Church of Our Lady, you’ll pass across the Bonifacius Bridge. Despite only dating from 1910, it is one of the most beautiful bridges in Bruges. The tightly interlaced cobblestones are red brick archways that provide the perfect frame for the church towers behind them. Standing on the bridge, you can watch tourists paddle up and down the canal.

The Church of Our Lady of Bruges

All of the churches in Bruges are enormous. They seem to tower over the tiny houses below. The Church of Our Lady’s tower is over 122 meters high, the highest point in Bruges and the world’s second tallest brickwork tower. Because the church took over two centuries to build, it combines various evolutions of Gothic architecture with a Baroque interior.

While the interior might not be as grand as its exterior, it is still worth poking your head inside. The central organ is small but opulent, hiding behind the high altar screen. A few dozen simple chairs provide seating for the small but dedicated congregation. The altar screen is unique both in colouring and design. Its white and green coloured marble are highlighted with splashes of gold leafing. Along the nave are columns dotted with reliefs of various influential saints. A sizeable wooden pulpit stands at attention on the right side of the nave; dozens of beautifully carved cherubs hang off the sides, clinging to books with golden scriptures written for the people below to read.

Tombs of Bruges Royalty

Behind the high altar is the resting place of two of Bruges’ most famous residents. The golden tombs of Charles the Bold and the Duchess Mary of Burgundy lie in quiet repose beneath a beautiful tryptic. The elaborately designed tombs are worth looking at, so don’t miss touring the back half of the church.

The crown jewel of this church is the white marble sculpture of the Madonna and Child, created by Michelangelo in 1504. Over the years, the statue has been stolen by foreign invaders, but those dedicated to preserving its place in Bruges have always managed to bring it back home. Although this sculpture doesn’t have the same impact as his Pieta in Rome, the sadness on Madonna’s face reflects her knowledge that this little boy will grow up only to die for the sins of his people.

Gruuthuse Hof

Away from the Church of Our Lady is the Gruuthuse Hof, a small but historic house adorably sandwiched between two major streets. Now a restaurant, the Gruuthuse Hof is one of the oldest residences in Bruges. While in one of the prime locations for tourists, the restaurant keeps a simple, traditional menu catering to locals and tourists alike. With only 28 seats inside and 12 on the patio, the place remains intimate despite its popularity over the eras. If you can find a table, it’s worth stopping in for the featured meal of the day.

St. Salvator’s Cathedral

Up from the Gruuthuse Hof is St. Salvator’s Cathedral. It is the oldest parish church in Bruges, with parts dating back to the 10th century. But the original design was much less grandiose than the current incarnation. In 1834, after Belgium’s independence, St. Salvator’s was given the status of a cathedral, and the meagre church had to be extensively renovated to match its new high status as a cathedral. 

The architect of the new cathedral was William Chantrell, an English architect greatly influenced by the resurgence of Neo-Romanesque architecture. Neo-Romanesque buildings feature thick walls, round arches, sturdy pillars, barrel vaults, large towers, and decorative arcades. This church stands out because most of Bruges is so powerfully Gothic.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Anna-Mari Sund (@anskus)

St. Salvator’s Cathedral Interior

The neo-Gothic interior of the church is relatively plain but is accented with stunning embroidered tapestries from the 18th century. These antiquated works of art were made in Brussels by Jasper van der Borcht and feature astounding scenes from the Bible, all created with needles and thread.

To the left of the nave, the pulpit is a stunning example of Louis XVI’s designs. Louis XVI’s design was predominantly produced in France and exemplified the last phase of Rococo design. The style focused on natural forms and dramatic embellishments.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Andrès (@andres.sxt)

Old St. John’s Hospital

Walking back down Mariastraat, we come upon Old St. John’s Hospital, now the Memling Museum. Before becoming a museum, it was used as a hospital for the sick and dying, administered by nuns and priests. Inside are many relics and six paintings by a 15th-century painter and Bruges resident, Hans Memling. One of the highlights inside is the Shrine to St. Ursula. Carved into a gilded wooden reliquary in the shape of the church are six panels which tell the story of St. Ursula’s sainthood, painted by Memling himself. The work was commissioned by the Hospital of St. John and is one of the most exquisite pieces of religious art I’ve seen close up. The three-dimensional details and rich colours are remarkable. 

De Vos Almshouse

Further south, away from the central part of the city, we will come across the “De Vos Almshouse.” This small grouping of little white houses, facing a lush green herb and flower garden, once housed the poor, widows and the elderly. The houses were purchased by a wealthy Brugian merchant who loved his city and wanted to give back to the less fortunate.

Each home was donated to a specific guild (mason’s guild, blacksmith, coopers, etc.) and would provide housing for members of that guild when they became too old to work, fell ill or lost their jobs. You might notice how none of the houses have windows facing the street – this was because, at the time of their construction, a tax was improvised for any street-facing window.

Beguinage

Before our final destination, stop into the Beguinage’ De Wijngaard’ or Vineyard. This grouping of white houses with terracotta roofs is one of Bruges’s most peaceful places to rest your weary feet. So far from the town centre, this site is little toured by day-tripping tourists.

Since 1245, the Bruges beguine sisterhood has lived here, and in 1937, it became a monastery for the Benedictine sisters. To enter the Beguinage, you first pass through a large arched entrance gate built in 1776. Inside, you find houses dating from the 15th to 19th centuries.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Swathi Krishna (@swathi_krsh)

The Minnewater

The Minnewater, or Lake of Love, is one of the most beloved retreats for the remaining residents of Bruges. Swans float up and down the picturesque canals, and lovers roam under the densely forested pathways, arm in arm.

Poertorenpark

Poertorenpark, or Gunpowder Tower Park, is a serene spot near the picturesque Lake of Love in Bruges. The park features a striking round tower, historically used to store gunpowder, which reminds of the city’s medieval past. Surrounded by lush greenery and peaceful walking paths, Poertorenpark offers a tranquil escape from the bustling city center. Visitors can enjoy a leisurely stroll, relax on the benches, and take in the scenic views of the tower and the surrounding landscape, making it an ideal location for a quiet afternoon​.

Huisbrouwerij De Halve Maan

To end your last day in Bruges, head to Huisbrouwerij De Halve Maan. This historic brewery is known for its rich brewing tradition, which dates back to 1856. This family-run brewery has produced some of Belgium’s most beloved beers for generations, including the renowned Brugse Zot and Straffe Hendrik. Visitors to De Halve Maan can enjoy guided tours that offer insights into the brewing process, the brewery’s history, and the unique beer pipeline that runs under the streets of Bruges, transporting beer from the brewery to the bottling plant outside the city.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Beer Glass Enthusiast (@beerglassenthusiast)

The tour concludes with a tasting session, allowing guests to savour the distinct flavours of De Halve Maan’s craft beers while enjoying panoramic views of Bruges from the brewery’s terrace. The best way to soak in the last scenic views of the city.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Artem Stemkovski (@vzasade)

Bruges is a stunning city with a unique history, culture, and beauty blend. With the help of this 2-day itinerary, you can make the most of your time in Bruges and experience all this charming city has to offer. From exploring the stunning architecture and picturesque canals to sampling delicious Belgian chocolates and local beers, there’s something for everyone in Bruges.

Happy Travels, Adventurers!

The post How to Spend the Perfect 48 Hours in Bruges, Best 2-Day Itinerary [UPDATED 2024] first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

Spend a day in Inglewood, and you will experience an eclectic mix of vintage clothing stores, modern eateries, family-owned cafés, independent boutiques, natural health stores, and more! This tour will show you the best parts of Inglewood and why you should spend your next day there!

Table Of Contents

1. History
2. Where to Eat
3. Where to Drink
4. Where to Shop
5. What to See & Do

History

Inglewood has the distinction of being Calgary’s oldest neighbourhood. It was established in 1875 after nearby Fort Calgary was built. When the area was built, Inglewood had the very first “main street” in the city! Over the years, the central part of downtown moved westward, but still, much of the historic nature of the area remains. Since the area also borders the Elbow and the Bow rivers, it is home to several nature preserves. This makes it such a wonderful place to visit as you can get a taste of the urban city and the peaceful natural environment all in one place.

Where to Eat

Rosso Coffee Roasters

Inglewood doesn’t rise early, but if you find yourself in the area looking for your morning cup of coffee, you should head over to Rosso Coffee Roasters. Rosso is extra special since they source and roast their own beans and have even won awards for their top-notch brews! If you’re looking for something to bring home with you, their roasted beans are a great treat to enjoy long after your trip is over.

Gravity Espresso & Wine Bar

Gravity Espresso is one of those coffee shops that feels like a staple of the community. Their little artist gallery inside featuring new local talent is such a beautiful way to learn about the artisans who make their living in Inglewood. Sitting in this comfy shop you’ll get to watch locals meet up, chat with their favourite baristas and smile at strangers as their morning begins with a great cup of coffee. And the coffees are really that good!

Red’s Diner Ramsay

As fun as trendy and hip brunch places are, nothing really hits the spot better than a traditional greasy spoon-type diner. And Red’s Diner is the best of the best. Red’s Diner serves incredible all-day breakfasts inside a friendly and comfortable interior. They have all the classics and a specialty Prairie Breakfast Plate, which adds potato cheddar perogies and Rocky’s kielbasa to a traditional breakfast platter. Their Blueberry, Basil & Goat Cheese Stuffed French Toast was INCREDIBLE! Portions are enormous, so don’t hesitate to share.

Madison’s 12|12

Madison’s 12|12 is known for its community-focused and community-funded approach to owning a restaurant. They have created a beautiful space for people to gather, create, enjoy, share, and become inspired. Their menu is a ridiculous mix…And I mean that in a good way! They have their iconic poke bowls, a large selection of vegan options and their most popular item: craft nachos! There are over 10 different bonkers varieties of nachos: macaroni & cheese nachos, wilted kale & roasted yam nachos, loaded perogies jack nachos, and the Reuben nacho. But the nacho selection doesn’t end there! They even have dessert nachos. You can try their apple pie nachos, cinnamon sugar tortilla chips or the Inglewood dream cake with cinnamon sugar tortilla chips and creamed almonds.

The Blue Store

The Blue Store is where you need to come to find your essential groceries plus some truly extraordinary delights! If you’re looking for Korean Fried Chicken, this is the place for you! Grab some to-do along with a tray of Yakuza Sushi and a large iced slushie! Their aim in creating this general store was to bring affordable groceries to everyone in the community and embrace the nostalgia of this heritage building. They have restored the original hardwood floors and tin ceilings and added a 60’s & 70’s inspired mural outside. This is the perfect place to grab a handful of snacks and ready-to-eat meals and head over to the edge of the Bow River to enjoy your meal with the best view in town!

Inglewood Drive-In

If it’s time to get something to eat for lunch, head on over to the Inglewood Drive-In. This retro Diner is one of those classic spots you just can’t miss. Don’t let the dated exterior fool you; this place is an iconic Calgary destination. Everything from their mouth-watering handmade burgers, thick milkshakes, crispy onion rings, and perfectly seasoned french fries will make you coming back for more. They even serve up a Dole Whip ice cream! One of the only places you can get this pineapple treat outside of Disneyland. But the old-school foods aren’t without a few modern twists. They have new additions like the curry veggie burger and the spicy kimchi burger.

Deane House

One of the best ways to end off your day is with dinner at Deane House. Deane House was initially built in 1906 for Captain Richard Deane, who worked at Fort Calgary. Eventually, the house was moved the where you find it today. It was moved in 1929 to an area with a better view of the Elbow River. Over the years, the house was used as a boarding home and then purchased by the city to be used as a gallery.

Today, it’s home to one of the best restaurants in the city. In the summertime, you can dine outside in their immersive garden, rain or shine. Although they have a complete a-la-carte menu, the best option is their delightful 5-course chef’s tasting menu. The chef curates this selection weekly to suit the flavours and fresh produce of the month. The 5-course menu is $90 per person, which is truly a great price for the quality of food you receive. It’s such a fantastic way to cap off your evening.

Where to Drink

Ol’ Beautiful Brewing Co.

To end the night, take a walk over to the Ol’ Beautiful Brewing Co. Ol’Beautiful Brewing Co. is located in this little hidden away corner of Inglewood, where you’ll want to while the night away. I’m not going to lie; the design of the beer cans drew me in right away but it was the amazing atmosphere that made me want to stay. The time-worn and well-loved interior designs of their taproom feels like it belongs in the hippest streets of Los Angeles or New York City. Inside this chic and vintage-adorned interior, you can sit and enjoy any of their amazing craft brews. Best of all surrounded by their friendly staff and incredible regulars. They are more than happy to help you find your perfect brew! If the weather is nice, their outdoor patio is a lively and fun place to enjoy your drinks.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ol’ Beautiful Brewing co (@ol_beautifulbrewingco)

Cold Garden Beverage Company

Revival Brewcade

If you’re a night owl and aren’t yet ready for your night to end, head back up to 9th avenue to Revival Brewcade. While the bar is stocked with incredible drinks, the best thing about this place is the retro pinball and arcade machines that line the walls. One of my biggest pet peeves about so-called “retro arcade bars” is how expensive the games can be. But here at Revival Brewcade, you can buy a $5 all you can play pinball card!! This will keep you there all night trying to get the top score!

Where to Shop

Fair’s Fair Books

Inglewood is home to some of the best shopping in all of Calgary. Make your first stop at the famed Fair’s Fair Books. This shop has been open since 1988, curating one of the best-used books stores in the province. While some used bookstores are a real shot in the dark for finding what you’re looking for, this enormous store really feels more like a high-end new bookstore as their selection is so deep! Plus, the cute and quirky decorations really make the place so inviting.

The Apothecary in Inglewood

If you’re looking to relax, then you need to visit the Apothecary in Inglewood! You’re overwhelmed with the intoxicating smell of aromatic herbs, spices, and more just walking in the door. This store is known for its zero waste goods, pure essential oils, bulk herbs and refillable products. Forget Lush bath bombs and instead grab yourself a few of their handmade herbal bombs to pamper yourself in an indulgent bath. I love their selection of locally crafted candles as well. Nothing better than scents to bring back travel memories!

Moonstone Creation

Moonstone Creation is an Indigenous-owned and family-run business proud to represent over 60 Indigenous makers and artisans from across Turtle Island. So many people buy Moccasins as a souvenir when visiting anywhere in Canada but rarely are these created by Indigenous makers. To purchase an authentic pair of Moccasins is expensive, but that is because they are intricately made by hand, with genuine leather and embellished with meaningful beading. But most importantly, you are supporting and honouring the Indigenous culture by buying them from Indigenous creators.

If you are looking for a beautiful gift or souvenir, they also have lovely beaded feather & orange shirt brooch kits. It’s a great way to learn about the history of beading and the methods which they have used to create these crafts for hundreds of years. The kits come with all the supplies you need. They also run beading workshops throughout the year, so check their website to see if one is running while you’re in town!

The Livery Shop

If your style is chic minimalism, then The Livery Shop is the place for you! Just walking inside makes me feel lighter. The shop carries a great selection of local and Canadian designers. It’s also a fantastic place to come for gifts, especially during the holiday season. One of their most popular brands is Camp Brand Goods which sells the most adorable and cozy casual outdoor wear inspired by vintage camp aesthetics.

Smithbilt Hats Inc

There’s perhaps no better accessory to shop for in Calgary than a cowboy hat. And no better place to do so than Smithbilt Hats Inc. The Smithbilt’s company was started by Morris Schumiatcher in 1910. The Schumiatcher family immigrated from Russia to Canada and changed their name to Smith when they arrived. The family made and sold dress hats with small brims, as was the style in Europe at the time. But as they spent more time in the prairies, the Stampede Board wanted to have Smithbilt’s create a special hat to promote western wear. This was where the white cattleman hat was invented. The white cattleman hat soon became the symbol of the Stampede and of Calgary itself.

You can still buy your very own white cattleman hat today in the shop. But there are so many more designs to choose from. Everything from classic styles to modern, brightly coloured hats withs feather and jewelled embellishments. Even if hats aren’t your thing, checking out the artistry required to handmake these hats is well worth your time. Drop-in and visit this truly historic Calgary establishment.

Tea Trader

Walking into the Tea Trader feels like stepping back in time. Tins line the walls on one side and wooden crates of freshly imported tea line on the other. Tea Trader was established in Calgary in 1993 and chose historic Inglewood as its destination since the business seemed to fit right into the old main street. It recently moved south to the Ramsey Design Centre. But is still easily accessible on a day out in Inglewood. They even have an old cash register on display which makes shopping here so unique. In terms of the tea, they carry you can find lots of traditional teas with complex flavours. They even have unique seasonal flavours that will really make warming up on a cold day all the more enjoyable.

Purr Fine Clothing & Accessories

Shopping for clothes in Inglewood is terrific as you can find such unique stores. Purr Fine Clothing and Accessories is one of the best examples. It carries everything from designer pieces, locally handmade clothing to casual streetwear and fantastic accessories. The curation inside this store is phenomenal! I’ve been somewhere that felt more lovingly hand-selected. The staff is always more than helpful to recommend great items you might not immediately lend towards but might really surprise you! Some of the things are on the pricer side, as they are often small batch and ethically made, but their sale section is always a great place to find amazing deals.

Elysian Alchemy

Elysian Alchemy is where to come if you are into the metaphysical and spiritual goods. It’s a mystical general store. Walking inside, the smell of incense fills your nose, and the beautiful stones are simply dazzling. Here, you can get everything from handmade beauty products with herbal healing qualities, candles, crystals, tarot, and oracle cards.

That Old Retro Store

That Old Retro Store is the perfect place to come if you’re a fan of vinyl and vintage records. It’s a dream for music lovers. Floor to ceiling is thousands of records, vintage music posters and gorgeous retro Stereo Equipment, which they repair and restore. The staff here are so friendly and will help you find whatever you’re looking for. Very important in sorting through such a treasure trove of vintage vinyl.

Recess

For anyone who loves stationery as much as me, visiting Recess is like being a kid in a candy store! There’s nothing better than a bright white interior filled with vividly bejewelled paper treasures. If you haven’t grabbed a new journal to document your travel memories, this is the perfect place to get one. If you’re interested in learning how to create beautiful hand lettering to take your journaling game to the next level, then you should grab one of their customs Learn to Letter Guides. They have so many unique items that will spice up any desk drawer.

Plant

Even if you can’t bring any of these little beauties home with you, a visit to Plant Shop is sure to brighten any grey day. The Plant Shop aims to help re-connect people with the natural world and inspire them to build and maintain more beautiful spaces! Just walking around the shop and looking at all the exotic plants is such a serene experience. They have great selections of handmade and ceramic planters as well in a myriad of exciting designs. So if you have some green beauties at home, you can bring these home as a memento of your trip. Plus their custom DIY Terrariums are a gorgeous gift for anyone who wants a low-maintenance plant to bring some greenery into their home office.

The Silk Road Spice Merchant

The Silk Road Spice Merchant is my favourite shop in town. This is the perfect place to come to upgrade your pantry! The colours, smells and flavours of the spices on offer here are captivating. The Silk Road Spice Merchant started up when the owners couldn’t find the kinds of international spices they wanted to try in their cooking. So they aimed to start up their own store where they would carry every type of spice imaginable! One of my favourite things in their shop is their Hot Cocoa blends. They offer Spicy Mexican Hot Cocoa, Winter Spice (with cinnamon, ginger, cloves and mace,) Cinnamon Cardamom Hot Cocoa and even Chai Masala Hot Cocoa. All of these warm, exotic flavours are the perfect thing to warm you up on a cold night.

What to See & Do

St. Patrick’s Island Park

St. Patrick’s Island Park opened in 2015 after a major facelift. Today, you can ride down the immaculate bike paths along the Bow River, admiring not only the natural beauty but the incredible public works of art along the way. The kids have lovely play areas, and the restored river channels make beautiful swimming spots in the summer heat. A place called ‘the rise’ is this large grassy knoll that literally rises up nine meters high. From this vantage point, you can look out over the parks around you, and it is an excellent place for sunset picnics and great toboggan runs in the winter.

Harvie Passage

The Harvie Passage Lookout is wonderfully designed to give visitors a stunning view of the rapids below. Harvie Passage is a fast-running channel off the Bow River. After a massive flood in 2013, the city went about an extensive redesign to not only make this part of the river safer (for the rafters who would constantly sneak onto the waters) but provide a more enjoyable experience for river-based recreationists.

Inglewood Wildlands & Bird Sanctuary

The Inglewood Wildlands is a vast wildlife reserve spread out over 36 hectares on the southeast edge of Inglewood. Inside the reserve, over 270 species of birds can be spotted at different times of the year. The best time to come is in the Spring and summer, but you can still find life here in the park, even in the fall and winter. The peaceful park is a great place to come to escape the busy city. Here you can stroll along the serene walking pathways, cross bridges over the river and even find a lagoon.

Scotsman’s Hill

If you’re looking for a spot to watch the sunset over the city, take a walk through ENMAX Park to the top of Scotsman’s Hill. To get there you’ll walk through the Elbow Riverpath which is the most serene walking path surrounded by Calgary’s relaxing natural landscape. Scotsman’s Hill is one of the best places in the town to give a view of Calgary’s skyline set behind a steep escarpment facing the Elbow River.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jordan (@yycconnection)

The post The Ultimate Guide to Inglewood, Calgary: Savour, See and Shop first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

In English and French, Bruges is pronounced “broozh,” but in the native Flemish, it’s called Brugge, pronounced, “broo-gha.” Bruges is a UNESCO-protected city, and as such, historians ensure that everything remains unchanged and is in a perpetual state of Gothic opulence. Any renovations undertaken to protect buildings from the perils of old age are done with lots of research and employ only old materials to fix or repair any damage. Bruges is truly one of my favourite cities to visit. You could walk endlessly along the streets and continuously find new discoveries. It’s a fairy-tale like a village, and I think far too many people just breeze through it on a day trip from Brussels. To truly experience the city at its best, you must spend the night and dedicate 48 hours to exploring every nook and cranny of the city.

History

Before you head out on your adventures, here’s some history of giving you some context for your travels throughout this Gothic city. Bruges first established itself as a settlement in the 9th century. Since it was a city settled on the river, connected to the North Sea, it immediately became a hub for international trade. It was called Bruges after the old Scandinavian word Bryggia, which means harbour. In the middle ages, Bruges was one of the largest trade centres in northwest Europe. It specialized in Flemish cloth, one of the most important products in medieval times. Because the cloth market was exploding all over the country, more and more money poured into the city. The overwhelming wealth that the city gained over the years allowed Bruges to build some of the most impressive medieval architectural masterpieces in Europe.

15th Century Bruges

Throughout the 15th and 16th centuries, Bruges continued to fluctuate under an ever-changing economy. While other European cities were able to expand, Bruges remained a small town. It couldn’t keep up with the growth happening worldwide and eventually lost its position as a leading trade city to Antwerp with a population that doubled its own. Bruges slowly fell out of the limelight and eventually disappeared from European high society.

In the 1800s, Bruges became the most impoverished city in Belgium as all trade routes into the city had shut. It is perhaps this period of poverty that we have to thank for the preservation of the city’s historic architecture. There was no money for renovations, expansions or modernization of any kind. In the mid-19th century, when the tourism industry started to creep outside the major cities into the countryside, people began to discover this untouched gem. People from all over fell in love with the antiquated facades and peaceful canals they found here. In the 1900s, Bruges became a popular tourist destination, and eventually, in 1970, it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List and was deemed a “medieval historic settlement.”

Access

To make your way to Bruges, you can take the train from any other European city to Bruges Station or fly into the Brussels Airport, located about 110km east of Bruges. Direct trains from the Brussels Airport run every hour into Bruges station.

You can quickly get on a local bus from the train station that will take you to the town centre. The commuter bus drives through the narrow, cobblestone streets of medieval Bruges at breakneck speed. There were a few close calls as we barreled around tight corners, but any locals on the bus didn’t seem the least phased, so I took their nonplussed reaction as comfort and watched the red brick scenery pass us by.

Our bus dropped us off in Markt Square, close to our hotel, and we walked through the square dragging our rolling suitcases along as we went.

TIP: Make sure you have sturdy wheels, or better yet, a knapsack, as suitcases with wheels will take a beating in this city! They’re pretty much isn’t a single smooth surface in the entire place.

Accommodation

Another big tip for visiting Bruges is to stay at least one night in the city. Many visit only for a day trip and rush through the sites just to check them off their bucket list. I more than encourage spending a few days here to properly experience the atmosphere of this ancient city, both during the day and at night. Once the heavy loads of day-tripping tourists disappear in the afternoon, the town’s true nature comes alive. Locals open their doors, and the city feels more than just a postcard.

Hotel Jan Brito

Hotel Jan Brito can be found right in the center of Bruges, just a hop, skip and a jump from Market Square. The hotel is located inside a 16th-century manor house, and staying in this place feels like sleeping inside a piece of the history of Bruges. There are 37 different rooms to choose from, but lucky for those looking for a good deal, they also offer budget rooms where you can stay that are still beautiful but offered at a great price. These rooms will run you $136 US/night.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Domus Selecta (@domusselecta)

Hotel Bourgoensch Hof

If you’re looking for a hotel to take your breath away, look no further than Hotel Bourgoensch Hof. This architectural masterpiece was once a famous brewery that overlooked Bruges’s canals. Despite its conversion to a hotel, the building retains many architectural details that made it unique when it was a brewery. Book one of their canal view rooms if you can splurge a bit. You can open the blinds in the morning or at night and sit on the windowsill looking out at the boats floating down the canal. Rooms will run you $180 US/night.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by I wanna be a New Yorker (@i.wanna.be.a.newyorker)

More and more Airbnb options have been popping up all over Bruges. This is your chance to stay inside a historic property and treat it less like a hotel and more like a home. This option in central Bruges is a 17th-century romantic little cottage tucked away on a private street. You’ll sleep on one of the city’s most colourful and charming roofs and relax in the morning with a cup of coffee in the garden. Airbnb always offers such unique experiences and properties. This one costs $183 US/night for two people.

After you’re settled into your hotel, it’s time to dig your heels into the history, art and architecture that pours from the veins of Bruges. And what better way to do this than to take a stroll to get up close and personal with the city. You could do this entire walking tour in one day, but I advise you to break it up over two days. Allow yourself time to venture inside the buildings and museums. If you can’t do the time work, you can totally do this walking tour in one day, but it will be a push!

Self-Guided Walking Tour

The Grote Markt or Market Square

The best place to start your tour is in the Grote Markt or Market Square. Seems fitting to begin your journey where Bruges first established its trading center and the location which would bring in all the wealth the city became known for. The first known marketplace was built here in the 10th century. Later, in the 12th century, a wooden market hall was built to help house the fish and cloth imports and exports away from the cold and the sun.

Market Day

The square turned from a simple shopping arena into a meeting place for jousting tournaments, weddings, royal parades and even executions. Despite the time, the square is still used today as a modern marketplace. Every Wednesday, local vendors come out with fresh fruit, vegetables, flowers, cheese and more to sell to locals and tourists alike! It’s the perfect place to get ingredients for a picnic, so I highly recommend you visit here on a Wednesday morning!

In 1996, the square was converted into a pedestrian zone where horse-drawn carriages and bicycles were the only modes of transportation allowed. Tourists can wander and gaze up at the buildings around them without fear of being hit by a car. And gaze up, you will! While the horse and buggies might be too pricey for the regular tourist, bikes are a great way to explore the city, and Market Square is always a place to rent a bike for a few hours.

The Bruges Belfry

The Belfry Tower, atop the infamous Cloth Hall, looms over the Market square. The Belfry was built in 1240 but needed to be rebuilt in 1280 after a fire ravaged the first building. If the octagonal top looks slightly unfinished, you’d be correct. The tower was once topped with a high spire, well many spires actually, but each one was the victim of lightning strikes which reduced them all to ash. There is a famous poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow which goes,

In the marketplace of Bruges stands the Belfry old and brown; Thrice consumed and thrice rebuilt. Still, it watches o’er the town.

In the medieval ages, the Belfry’s bells were the only indicator citizens had to tell the start of the workday, to signal for fire, or even to mark the beginning of a festival or event. In the 16th century, a 35-set carillon was installed in the tower. A carillon is a set of bells which could be played using a keyboard below the tower, creating a more musical sound than a few single bells rung from ropes ever could.

Climbing the Tower

You can still climb the 366 steps to the top of the tower as patrolmen once used to do to look out for fires that could have destroyed this incredible city. The view from the top is unparalleled and worth the time and effort it takes to climb up. These days the cost to climb the tower is € 12,00 for adults if you have the money to spend this is a great experience. I recommended visiting the Concertgebouw Circuit if you want a great view across the city with a slightly lower price and fewer tourists. The cost to visit the roof terrace on the seventh floor is only €8, and you’ll also see a fine collection of modern art. There is definitely a price you pay for history at the Belfry, so just weigh which ones are more important to you.

Snack on “French” Fries

At the bottom of the Belfry Tower is a local french fry vendor who serves up some of the most delicious Belgian french fries. There are ongoing disputes over the term “french fries” and their origin. The Belgians insist it was them, but the French disagree. The story goes that when American armies were stationed in Belgium, the Flemish military served them up one of their favourite (and inexpensive) meals – fried strips of potatoes.

The American army LOVED them and took the recipe back home. They ended up calling them french fries since French was the local language in Belgium then, and the Americans assumed they have stationed in France, not Belgium since that’s the language they heard spoken. While the French aren’t known for selling fries on the street, the Belgians have perfected this snack to be served on the go. They serve them alongside a mustard and mayonnaise dipping sauce which is an oddly delicious side dish and the perfect thing to eat to keep you going throughout your walking tour.

While chowing down on your snack, take a moment to study the brightly coloured buildings surrounding that square. Each one is topped with iconic crow-stepped gables, which have become the quintessential characteristic of Bruges.

Jan Breydel

Take a seat in the centre of the square, beneath the grand statue of Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck. These two men are local heroes known for leading the uprising against the invading French in 1302 and keeping Bruges a part of Belgium.

Provincial Hof

Across from the statue is the Provincial Hof or Provincial Court. The building now houses the Government of West Flanders and a local post office, but hundreds of years ago, it was home to the largest port in Bruges. Initially built in 1294, it was demolished in 1787 and rebuilt in a Neo-Gothic style reminiscent of the original Gothic roots of the city. One of the most iconic parts of its design is the bright red dormer windows which pop out of the stone grey roof.

Hendrik and Gustaaf Pickery designed all the interior decorations. You’ll find intricate stained glass windows and exquisite ironwork which covers all the rooms like wild vines. Gothic architecture was inspired by nature and how the organic world is so free and ornate. The statues and murals within depict scenes of famous people from West Flanders, a visual history of the building of their great city spread out for you in art.

Chocolatier Dumon

Dumon Chocolates are one of the most popular souvenirs people bring home from Bruges. Belgium is known worldwide for their chocolate creations, and Dumon has found a way of perfecting the art. Established in 1992, this family-run business expanded around Belgium, but their first family-run shop was in Bruges.

As you open the door, you are overwhelmed with melting chocolate’s sweet and slightly bitter scent. The tiny shop is almost arm’s length wide but is charmingly cluttered. Chocolates glisten behind glass cabinets, and you can’t help but start to drool. While there are no labels, the kind employees (all family members) will lovingly tell you about all the different kinds of chocolate and prepare a customized box with all your favourites. They speak English in addition to French and Belgian, but if you can’t communicate, you can’t go wrong with anything inside.

Hof Bladelin

Past Dumon, walking along the narrow streets and alleyways, you come upon Hof Bladelin. Hof Bladelin was once an aristocratic mansion, which has now been converted into a home for the elderly and a small museum. The Hof Bladelin was built in 1451 as the house of Pieter Bladelin and his wife, Margaret of Vagewierre. Pieter was the counsellor and treasurer for Philip the Good, the Duke of Burgundy. At the time, he was one of the wealthiest men in Bruges and wanted to build a house which reflected his enormous wealth. The Bladelins had no children, and after their death, the house came up for auction in 1472. It was purchased by the Medicis, a powerful Florentine banking family known for covering the most beautiful pieces of art and architecture from the world’s greatest artists.

The Hof Bladelin has the architectural design of a Gothic castle. The Renaissance courtyard was designed in the Italian style and added to the building by the Medici family. Stone medallion portraits of Lorenzo de Medici and his wife can still be found in the courtyard. The ribbed vaulted ceiling in the interiors has some interesting corbels adorned with scenes depicting the duties of Bladelin and the life of St. Alphege of Canterbury.

The Poortersloge

The Poortersloge, or Burgher’s Lodge, is an exemplary model of Gothic architecture in Bruges. It was built at the end of the 14th century and served as a meeting place for the burghers (town or city’s citizens). One can admire its magnificent façade, decorated with stone figures; one of these is of the legendary bear, Beertje van de Logie, dated 1417. In the past, banquets and festivities were held here; nowadays, the building contains historical documents.

Cambrinus

If you’re feeling peckish, stop off at the Cambrinus pub. The building oozes history. The original pub was built here in 1699, and despite a few updates, much of the place remains the same. When you arrive, the waiter will bring you a book the size of a dictionary with over 400 varieties of beer listed and vivid descriptions in various languages. There, indeed is something for everyone. In addition to the best beer list in the country, their traditional Brugian food is also to die for. The rabbit stew is my favourite and will warm you up from the inside out if you are travelling in any of the colder months.

Burg Square

Burg Square is one of the most stunningly old parts of the city. Surrounding you from all sides are architectural gems from the Gothic era, the Renaissance and the Neo-Classical revival.

Burg Town Hall

Burg Town Hall, or Stadhuis, is the oldest building in the square, built in 1376 in authentic Gothic fashion. Between the bright red painted window frames are carvings of men from the Court of Flanders intermingled with biblical figures. Each one looks down at the townspeople below, guiding and inspiring them to do good in their daily lives.

Palace of the Liberty

Sandwiched between the Town Hall is the Palace of the Liberty. This once served as the Old Court House for more than 200 years. The brilliant white painted facade with gold trim is decorated like a wedding cake with a golden Lady of Justice statue on top.

Basilica of the Holy Blood

In the corner of the square, tucked away so tightly it almost seems to disappear, stands the Basilica of the Holy Blood. This 14th-century church holds one essential item, a vial of “Holy Blood,” believed to be drops of blood and water washed from the body of Jesus Christ.

Behind its dark, richly decorated facade hides an even more ornamental interior. The interior houses two chapels, each polar opposite of the other. The upper chapel is the crown jewel of West Flanders in high Gothic style. From floor to ceiling, there are darkly painted murals depicting the Holy Trinity and various scenes of the journey of the Holy Blood Relic to Bruges. Vividly portrayed stained glass windows provide the only natural light inside the chapel. Little modern lighting has been installed inside to ensure the murals don’t fade with time, so this sombre lighting constantly fills the church.

Holy Blood relic

The Holy Blood relic is embedded in a rock-crystal vial and placed inside a glass cylinder framed with two golden crowns. It is only shown to the public on certain days of the week, so if you’re making a pilgrimage just to see it, check the schedule. When it is not displayed, it is housed inside a silver tabernacle with a picture of the Lamb of God on the front. In recent years the validity of the vial has come under question, and investigations have shown that it was nothing more than a Byzantine perfume bottle from Constantinople. But to those who believe, no amount of science can deter them.

The lower chapel is a simple Romanesque layout from the 12th century, the last Romanesque church in all of West Flanders. This chapel has been virtually unchanged since it was first built. The two chapels are connected, but a large brick staircase was built in 1533 in the Renaissance style, which was subsequently destroyed during the French WWII occupation but rebuilt in the 19th century. Moving from one chapel to another is like stepping back in time, and you really appreciate the incredible technological advances.

Vismarkt

Across the bridge from Burg Square is the Vismarkt or Old Fish Market. The fish market was once located in Market Square, but the smell of the fish was so intense that people around the square complained, so it was moved further east. The covered stone arcade was built in 1821. The market is only open from Wednesday to Saturday in the early morning, but you can visit the iconic stone structure anytime.

Dijver Canal

From the Fish Market, walk west along the Dijver canal. The canal’s passageway from the fish market to Nieuwstraat provides a classical view of Bruges, great for picture taking. Various restaurants along the canal are reasonably touristy but provide one of the most beautiful vistas in Bruges. If you just want to hop into one of their patios for a drink, I think the overpriced beer is well worth the scenery. This is a great place to end your first day, or if you’re trying to squeeze it all into 24 hours, you can continue from here.

Groeninge Museum

Across the street and down a few lanes from the canal is the Groeninge Museum. The Groeninge Museum is an essential stop on your tour of Bruges as it introduces you to Brugian and Belgian art over six centuries.

The Primitive Flemish style of painting is featured throughout the walls of museums. Flemish art isn’t classically thought of as exceedingly masterful since it sometimes seems grotesque, raw and explicit. But that’s exactly what I love about it. Flemish painters were always trying to emulate their Italian counterparts to achieve a dynamic perspective, but they didn’t have the technical skills to realize these effects. The result is images which appear almost warped, but whose expressions are so real they leave a lasting impression on the people who view them.

Arents House Courtyard

Across from the Groeninge Museum, you’ll find the Arents House. Arents House was once an ancient manor belonging to the noble Arents family. It now hosts an extensive collection of paintings by the British artist Frank Brangwyn. While it might be worth a visit on a more extended tour to Bruges, today, we are merely exploring its courtyard.

The small square between the two medieval houses is the perfect place to stop and pause. Listen to the sounds of cobblestones underfoot and the trickle of water which flows down the canal. From Arents Court, you have one of the most splendid views of the Church of Our Lady’s tower. If you’re lucky, you’ll hear the church bell rings across the street and the soft crowing of birds perched above. Four exciting sculptures by artist Rik Poot surround the courtyard, representing the “Four Apocalyptic Knights,” which greatly complement the artistic surroundings.

Bonifacius Bridge

Before heading to the Church of Our Lady, you’ll pass across the Bonifacius Bridge. Despite only dating from 1910, it is one of the most beautiful bridges in Bruges. The tightly interlaced cobblestones and red brick archway provide the perfect frame for the church towers behind it. Standing on the bridge, you can watch tourists paddle up and down the canal. Looking atop the bridge, you have this lovely view of some of the most charming houses peeking out onto the water.

The Church of Our Lady

All of the churches in Bruges are enormous. They seem to absolutely tower over the tiny houses below. The Church of Our Lady’s tower is 122 meters high, the highest point in Bruges and the world’s second tallest brickwork tower. Because the church took over two centuries to build, it combines various evolutions of Gothic and Baroque architecture.

Interior of the Church

‘While the interior might not be as grand as its exterior, it is still worth poking your head inside. The central organ is small but opulent, hiding behind the high altar screen. A few dozen simple chairs provide seating for the small but dedicated congregation. The altar screen is unique both in colouring and design. Its white and green coloured marble interior is highlighted with splashes of gold leafing. The green marble is a feature you don’t always see, making this cathedral interior special. Along the nave are columns dotted with reliefs of various influential saints. A large wooden pulpit stands at attention on the right side of the nave; dozens of beautifully carved cherubs hang off the sides, clinging to books with golden scriptures written for the people below to read.

Behind the high altar is the resting place of two of Bruges’ most famous residents. The golden tombs of Charles the Bold and the Duchess Mary of Burgundy lie in quiet repose beneath a magnificent tryptic. Their elaborately designed tombs are worth looking at, so don’t miss touring the back half of the church.

Madonna and Child

The crown jewel of this church is the white marble sculpture of the Madonna and Child, created by Michelangelo in 1504. Over the years, the statue has been stolen by foreign invaders, but those dedicated to preserving its place in Bruges have always managed to bring it back home. Although this sculpture doesn’t have the same impact as Michelangelo’s Pieta in Rome, the sadness on Madonna’s face reflects her knowledge that this little boy will grow up only to die for the sins of his people. It’s an ominous prelude of things to come and a wonderful piece of Michelangelo’s portfolio.

Gruuthuse Hof

Away from the Church of Our Lady is the Gruuthuse Hof, a small but historic dwelling adorably sandwiched between two major streets. Although it has now been converted into a restaurant, the Gruuthuse Hof is one of the oldest residences in Bruges. While in one of the prime locations for tourists, the restaurant keeps a somewhat simple, traditional menu that caters to locals and tourists alike. With only 28 seats inside and 12 on the patio, the place remains intimate despite its popularity over the eras. If you can find a table, it’s worth stopping in for the featured meal of the day.

St. Salvator’s Cathedral

Up from the Gruuthuse Hof is St. Salvator’s Cathedral. It is the oldest parish church in Bruges, with parts dating back to the 10th century. But the original design was much less grandiose than the current incarnation. In 1834, after Belgium’s independence, St. Salvator’s was given the status of a cathedral, and the meagre church had to be extensively renovated to match its new profile.

The architect of the new cathedral was William Chantrell, an English architect who was greatly influenced by the resurgence of Neo-Romanesque architecture. Neo-Romanesque buildings feature thick walls, round arches, sturdy pillars, barrel vaults, large towers and decorative arcading. Because most of the rest of Bruges is so powerfully Gothic, this church really stands out.

Jasper van der Borcht

The neo-Gothic interior of the church is relatively plain but is accented with stunning embroidered tapestries from the 18th century. These antiquated works of art were made in Brussels by Jasper van der Borcht and featured astounding Bible scenes, all created with needles and thread. To the left of the nave, the pulpit is a stunning example of Louis XVI’s designs. Designs of Louis XVI were predominantly produced in France and exemplified the last phase of the Rococo style. The techniques focused on natural forms and dramatic embellishments.

Old St. John’s Hospital

Walking down from St. Salvator’s Cathedral, we come upon Old St. John’s Hospital, which is now the Memling Museum. Before becoming a museum, it was used as a hospital for the sick and dying, who were administered to by nuns and priests. Inside are many relics and six paintings by a 15th-century painter and Bruges resident Hans Memling.

One of the highlights inside is the Shrine to St. Ursula. In the shape of the church, there are six panels carved into a gilded wooden reliquary that tell the story of St. Ursula’s sainthood, painted by Memling himself. The work was commissioned by the Hospital of St. John and is one of the most exquisite pieces of religious art I’ve seen close up. The three-dimensional details and rich colours are remarkable. Inside the museum, you can also visit the old pharmacy. It’s a real treat for anyone who loves going back in time and seeing how sickness was treated in the 1800s. It will make you very thankful for modern medicine, that’s for sure!

De Vos Almshouse

Further south, away from the central part of the city, we will come across the De Vos Almshouse. This small grouping of little houses, facing a lush green herb and flower garden, once housed poor residents, widows and the elderly. The homes were purchased by a wealthy Brugian merchant who loved his city and wanted to give back to the less fortunate. Each house was donated to a specific guild (e.g., the mason’s guild, the blacksmiths, the coopers etc.) and would provide housing for members of that guild when they became too old to work, fell ill or lost their jobs. You might notice how none of the houses have windows which face the street – this was because, at the time of their construction, there was a tax imposed for any street-facing window, and to save money, the builders were sure to avoid designing any street-facing windows.

Beguinage

Before our final destination, stop into the Beguinage’ De Wijngaard‘ or Vineyard. This grouping of identical-looking white houses is one of the most peaceful places to rest your weary feet in Bruges. So far away from the town centre, this site is often unvisited by day-tripping tourists, so you’ll usually have it all to yourself.

Since 1245, the Beguine sisterhood of Bruges has lived here, and in 1937 it became a monastery for the Benedictine sisters. To enter the Beguinage, you first pass through a large arched entrance gate built in 1776. Inside you find houses which range from the 15th to 19th century.

The Minnewater

Minnewater, or Lake of Love, is one of the most beloved retreats for the remaining permanent residents of Bruges. Again, since this is farther away from the historic centre, you’ll find that fewer tourists make their way here, and more locals are seen simply enjoying a day out in the park. Swans float up and down the picturesque canals, and lovers roam under the densely forested pathways, arm in arm. This is the ideal place to reflect on your time in Bruges.

Dine on Mussels

Head up from Minneswater towards ‘T walpoortje restaurant for a great dinner to end your long day! If you’re wondering what to eat on your last day here, I recommend the mussels or modules and frites, as they’re called in Bruges. Mussels are a Belgian specialty. They are so simple to cook, so you can’t go wrong. The ones here are extra delicious, and you won’t be able to leave even a drop behind!

Explore the City at Twilight

If you’ve taken my advice and planned to stay the night, you’re in for a treat! Nighttime changes the appearance of the city. When the sun sets, there is something about making even those little modern touches disappear, and you’re left with only the city’s medieval roots. Many historic buildings are lit at night, giving them an eerie golden against the midnight blue sky. The street will be as quiet as you’ll ever find them. We walked for almost an hour without seeing a single another tourist. Only the gargoyles are looking down on us. It was spooky but, honestly, one of the coolest experiences of the trip! Make an effort and stay the night, and you’ll be rewarded with something truly special.

And with the setting of the sun and the night drawing to a close, it’s time to head home. This concludes my little walking tour and guide to Bruges. I hope this helps you plan out your time on your trip to this magical Medieval city! Let me know in the comments what your favourite part of the city was or what you’re most interested in learning about on your future travels out in Bruges!

Happy Travels Adventurers

The post The Best 24-Hours in Bruges, a Self-Guided Tour of the City first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

Table Of Contents

1. BREAKFAST
   • Xuixo
2. Coffee
3. Hot Chocolate and Melindros
4. Spanish Omelet
5. LUNCH
   • Paella
   • Bombas
   • Calçots
6. TAPAS
   • Caracols a la llauna
   • Navajas
   • Patatas Bravas
   • Pimientos de Padrón
   • Jamón Ibérico
   • Manchego Cheese
   • Escalivada
   • Pan con Tomate
   • Chipirones
7. PINCHOS
8. Dessert
   • Churros
   • Crema Catalana
9. Drinks
   • Cava
   • *A Word About Sangria
   • Happy Travels Adventurers!

BREAKFAST

Xuixo

Many travellers visiting Barcelona, especially those from North America, will head out early in the morning expecting some gourmet breakfast options and might be surprised that many restaurants don’t open any earlier than 10am. Going out for breakfast just isn’t popular in Catalonia. Breakfast time is most often held in the home, so if you get a chance to visit a bakery and bring something back to your accommodation, this is the best way to spend a morning in Barcelona.

Xuixo’s is one of the best options to sample, as the sweet pastry comes from the city of Girona, just a few hours away from Barcelona. These are very similar to doughnuts; they are deep-fried pastries coated with sugar and thick custard. You can find these in almost any bakery around the city, so feel free to try out that shop down the street to give back to your community.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ganivet Fotogràfic (@bartomeu9)

Coffee

Coffee culture in Barcelona has seen a big boom in the last few years. However, coffee shops follow the same trend as those breakfast joints and still don’t open too early in the morning. Instead, most locals get their morning coffee from small bakeries or corner stores. Usually, they drink an uncomplicated espresso shot while standing, chatting about the morning news to the owners and other morning patrons. If you’re looking for something other than espresso, order a “cortado.” This is a trendy option in Catalonia and is made with a shot of espresso with a splash of steamed milk. Cortado means “cut” because adding milk to the espresso essentially “cuts” the bitterness of the coffee.

Hot Chocolate and Melindros

On the weekends, you’ll see families out for a special treat; a cup of hot chocolate served alongside ‘melindros‘ (Catalan sponge fingers). The hot chocolate is nothing like the powdered version you get in North America; this hot chocolate is thick, almost like a cream. After sipping a bit of the hot cocoa, you dip the cookies into the drink, coating the cookies in the thick chocolate. Best served with a giant helping of whipped cream on top!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Restaurant Can Pobla (@can_pobla_rural)

Spanish Omelet

Around 11 am, you’ll hear the clatter of cafes opening their doors, and people start to head inside for a hearty breakfast since lunchtime won’t arrive till 2 or 3 pm. The best thing to try in Barcelona is a Spanish Omelet, a ‘tortilla.’ But don’t come in expecting that same watery, eggy mess you might get a diner back home; a true Spanish Omelet is made with huge chunks of potatoes and onions. These two ingredients are simmered in fatty olive oil and, once fully cooked, covered in eggs to bind the entire dish together. It’s served in triangular slices, and despite the recipe’s simplicity, the dish is extraordinary. The caramelized onions add that incredible umami flavour that is unbeatable.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Emilia | Matinspo.se | Middagstips & recept (@emiliasmatinspo)

LUNCH

Lunch is considered the main meal of the day in Barcelona. Unlike elsewhere, lunch is held anytime after 1 pm, but people usually start eating around 2:30 pm. Lunch tends to be a three-course affair with a starter, entree and dessert. You can see why they need a siesta after such a big meal!

Paella

One of the most popular menu items to choose from in Barcelona is paella. Paella is much too heavy for dinner, and locals like to go out with their co-workers to share this traditional family-sized meal. Paella is a bit contentious in Barcelona since it’s originally a Spanish invention. But the Catalans have, of course, added their own local spin on it. To spot an authentically Catalan paella, be sure you’re not eating it in Las Ramblas or any place that has pictures in English outside on the street. This is a clear sign of a cheap tourist trap where you’ll never receive the kind of paella locals would ever eat.

Catalan paella is generally made with many of the same ingredients as Spanish Paella. But in Barcelona, the difference is in the method of cooking. In Catalan paellas, the rice is added first, and the other ingredients are added to cook atop the rice. The rice isn’t stirred at all once the other elements are added to the seafood flavours of the rice as it boils. Paella takes a long time to cook, so don’t expect it to be ready in under an hour. If you see a place offering it up fast, don’t expect good quality.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Pilar't Restaurant Bcn (@pilartrestaurant)

Bombas

If you’re still adjusting to the Catalan way of eating and need a quick yet authentic snack, you must try a bomba! Bombas are not only a delicious snack, but they are also reflective of a big part of Barcelona’s history. During the Spanish Civil War, revolutionaries roamed the street throwing homemade grenades against the fascists. A chef in the town created this recipe in honour of those fighters and named it “la bomba” (the bomb). A bomba is similar to a croquette made from ground meats and potatoes, rolled into a ball, covered in breadcrumbs, and fried. Bombas are usually served alongside some sauce which often varies from place to place.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Madrid food map | (@madridfoodmap)

Calçots

If you can visit Barcelona in the winter, don’t miss out on this excellent side dish. Calçots are a Spanish vegetable cross between a leek and a green onion. They are only available during the winter months. They are cooked over an open flame to give them that iconic charred flavour. Served alongside a thick sauce called romesco made from roasted tomatoes, nuts and garlic, the taste is something unlike anything I’ve had before but oddly addictive.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Irene cocina para ti (@irenecocinaparati)

TAPAS

Tapas was first invented in the country’s north by the King of Spain. The King suffered from a severe illness restricting him from eating large meals. To help him cope with the disease, his chefs prepared multiple small meals throughout the day for him to enjoy. The King would use these small dishes to cover his glasses of wine as he ate them to keep the flies out of the wine, and that’s where the name came from. The word “tapas” is derived from the Spanish verb ‘tapar’ which means “to cover.” Tapas dishes are served inside small bowls, and these tiny portions allow you to try all different flavour combinations.

Caracols a la llauna

Catalans seem to have a festival for everything; they like to party. And every party revolves around food. In late May, the festival of L’Aplec del Caragol (snail meat) is celebrated in a small town in Spain where over twelve tonnes of snails are consumed! But you can sample these famed dishes pretty much any time of the year as a form of tapas.

The best way to eat them is ‘Caracoles a la llauna’, which are snails cooked in a roasted metal tray over a charcoal grill, seasoned with salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. They are then served with aioli or romesco sauce to dip the meat of the snails into. I find cooking them this way, compared to preparing them covered in sauce, to begin with, allows the flavour of the snails to come through more. Which I suppose is good or bad depending on how brave you want to be!

Navajas

‘Navajas,’ or razor clams, are deep-sea creatures caught off the shores of Spain. Their long, oblong shape makes for a unique eating experience. Before I came to Barcelona, I had never even heard of them! They are generally cooked in a butter and garlic sauce and served with a sprinkling of parsley. The meat tastes very similar to a regular clam, if not a bit chewier, so it might not be totally new in terms of taste. But the visual experience is worth the effort of seeking them out.

Patatas Bravas

If you find yourself a bit hungry between lunch and the very late dinner, which Barcelona is famous for, stop in to sample one of their best snacks, the Patatas Bravas. Patatas Bravas is a favourite tapas dish made from thick-cut potatoes, fried and served with a salsa made from tomatoes and cayenne and topped with Catalan aioli. These are best eaten outside with a cold glass of beer.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tepuy Pastisseria (@tepuy.pastisseria)

Pimientos de Padrón

Found in the Spanish municipality of Padrón, these tiny green peppers are some of the most addictive tapas items on the bar. Cooked in nothing but olive oil and a dash of salt, these peppers are mouth-wateringly delicious. These taste like miniature versions of green pepper, but about one in ten is super hot! Eating them with friends becomes somewhat of a game of chance. I don’t find even the hottest ones bad, but I love spicy food. Just be sure you can have a glass of cava on hand if you land one of the hot ones.

Jamón Ibérico

Jamón Ibérico, or Iberian ham, is one of those dishes people come to Barcelona to sample. Even today, the memory of eating this ham for the first time makes my mouth water. Spain’s Iberian pigs are carefully bred to ensure their lineage never dips below 75% Ibérico. They are of the highest quality, and the farms which raise them are held to almost impossibly high standards to ensure the taste is of the most excellent, consistent quality.

One of the things which makes this ham taste so unique is that the pigs are fed a diet of olives, chestnuts and acorns to change the flavour of the meat. The fresh meat is heavily salted and left to dry for 2 weeks before it is rinsed and then left to dry for another four months, but it can be cured for as long as 48 months! I think the ham is best enjoyed all on its own since you get the deepest tasting of the flavours this way.

Manchego Cheese

In the Mancha region of Spain, you’ll find one of the best things to come out of the country: Manchego Cheese. I only recently discovered my love of Manchego. It’s a hard, aged cheese made from sheep’s milk with a salty and nutty taste. It’s just creamy enough to combat the salty taste, and I could honestly eat this by the wheel. You’ll find manchego cheese served atop many different recipes and sliced on its own for tapas.

Escalivada

A beautiful winter tapas is Escalivada, a dish of roasted eggplant, tomatoes and bell peppers covered in olive oil. The vegetables are baked until soft and then topped with salty anchovies and sardines. It’s then mixed together like a salad and served atop crusty bread.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Natuki (Natural Kitchen) (@natuki.ch)

Pan con Tomate

One of the most popular tapas dishes in Barcelona is Pan con Tomate. ‘Pan’ is bread, so this dish simply translates into ‘Tomatoes on Bread.’ While the recipe might sound overly simplistic, it is the perfect way to start a meal. Unlike Italian bruschetta, pan con tomate is made by rubbing roasted tomatoes on top of thick, crusty bread and then drizzled with oil and salt. The roasting of the tomatoes before they go on the bread means they develop deeper flavours, making this item scrumptious.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Cook's Illustrated (@cooksillustrated)

Chipirones

If you got a little squeamish around the snails, then you might wanna skip this one. One of the most popular seafood dishes from Barcelona is chipirones. Chipirones are baby squid best cooked by battering and deep frying them. They are about the size of a slice of lemon and served alongside just that. They are caught just off the coast and, as such, are one of the freshest seafood options for you to eat while in the city.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by MAG673 (@miguel_a_673)

PINCHOS

Pinchos is the Catalan version of Tapas originating in the Basque region of Spain. They are made of various ingredients and are always served on top of pieces of bread. Enough for one bit or sometimes, if they really piled on the ingredients, perhaps two. There are hundreds of different varieties of pinchos all over Barcelona, but below are some of my favourite combinations:

• Spicy chorizo with quail egg
• Giant prawns in butter and garlic
• Mushroom carpaccio
• Smoked salmon and ricotta
• Sardines and tomatoes

Dessert

Churros

One of the most famous dishes you no doubt have already heard of from Barcelona is Churros. Churros are long, thin fried pastries with a doughnut-like taste and texture. These are sometimes considered to be Mexican desserts. But the dish originated in Portugal (although the Portuguese explorers may have brought the dish back from China).

The Portuguese brought Churros to Spain, where they combined the recipe with their national treasure, chocolate. The place to get the best churros is in the Carrer Petrixol district, where Barcelona’s chocolatier’s guild was first located. Here you’ll find the tastiest chocolate sauce to dip your pastries inside. The churro dough is pretty interchangeable, but the chocolate sauce can make or break the dessert.

Crema Catalana

Crema Catalana is much like the more famous French dessert, crème brûlée. But in reality, Crema Catalana’s recipe pre-dates the French method but hundreds of years. Crema Catalana is made from milk and eggs mixed with cornstarch to thicken the mixture. Unlike crème brûlée, it is flavoured with lemon and cinnamon and topped with a thick layered of burnt sugar to give it that toffee-like topping.

Drinks

Cava

Before ordering a glass of Sangria in Barcelona, consider ordering the local drink of choice; cava. Cava is a sparkling white wine. France has Champagne, Italy has Prosecco, and in Spain you have cava. Cava is wonderfully refreshing and light and the perfect drink to enjoy on a late summer night. Sangria has a lot of sugar. Those prone to headaches from wine alone might find that cava is much more straightforward and doesn’t leave the hangover so often produced by red wine and too much sugar.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Barcelona Chocolate Tours (@chocolatelovers_barcelona)

*A Word About Sangria

Some writers would never dare utter the word sangria when writing about food and drink in Barcelona. It is commonly thought to be an overly “Spanish” beverage. The Catalans are passionate about being made separate from the rest of Spain. Take issue with sangria being served in Barcelona over their regional beverage, cava. Many restaurants will have sangria on the menu solely for tourists, and it’s made from cheap, unused red wine and subpar fruit. Instead of sugar, they’ll just add Sprite.

That being said, if you’re visiting Spain just once and you’ve really got your heart set on sampling sangria, some places in Barcelona serve fantastic jug of the stuff. Sangria is delicious, and as much as the Catalans might take issue with its popularity and the assumption it’s a Catalan specialty, they can’t escape the fact that it is indeed delicious. There are dozen wine bars across Barcelona serving up genuinely great sangria, so seek them out to get your fix. But just try the cava before you do. It’s truly wonderful.

Did I miss any of your favourite items from Barcelona on this list?! Tell me in the comments what your favourite thing to eat while visiting Barcelona is or what you’re most looking forward to trying!

Happy Travels Adventurers!

The post The BEST Foods you Must-Try in Barcelona first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

But in recent years, Downtown Las Vegas has seen a boom in popularity, and people are more and more choosing to venture up to DTLV (as it is now conveniently called) to seek out the city’s origins and the alternative scene found there. Here is my list of the 21 best things to see and do in Downtown Las Vegas, along with a handy dandy map at the bottom so you can plan your trip accordingly.

Table Of Contents

1. Breakfast at the Peppermill Restaurant
2. Shop at the Bonanza Gift Shop
3. Watch Newlyweds at the Little White Chapel
4. Get Spooked at Zak Bagans' Haunted Museum
5. Enjoy the Multicoloured Metals at The Neon Museum
6. Go back in time on Fremont Street
7. Watch the ‘Viva Vision’ Light Show
8. Bunk down at the Golden Nugget Casino and Hotel
9. Relax in ‘The Tank’
10. Get Fine Dining for Less at Vic and Anthony's Steakhouse
11. Watch the Sigma Derby at the D Casino
12. Main Street Station Hotel and Casino
13. Pose with with Cowboys and Girls at Glitter Gulch
14. Admire the old Fremont East District
15. Admire some Vintage Neon Revival
16. Have a Drink at the Commonwealth Bar
17. Fuel up at Le Thai Restaurant
18. Admire the Urban Design of Container Park
19. Get the Dirty Details about Vegas’ Past at The Mob Museum
20. Chow down on pastries at the Donut Bar
21. Find Street Art

Breakfast at the Peppermill Restaurant

The Peppermill Restaurant in Las Vegas is a retro-lovers dream. It feels like one of those restaurants you could only find in Vegas. The restaurant and lounge are decorated so perfectly that it feels like stepping back in time. So much so you’d swear you just saw Elvis sitting at the bar, smoking a cigar and swirling a colourful drink in front of the fireplace (and yes, indeed, there is a fireplace). When you walk into the Peppermill, you step into sensory overload. Bright purple lights almost blind you, and blue velvet carpets and walls get you feeling cozy.

There are pink flamingo-stained glass lampshades and a swelling cherry blossom tree growing out of the middle of the restaurant. There are GIANT fishbowl drinks as colourful as the decor; even the sugar in the dispenser is multicoloured! The cocktails are all beyond fabulous, and the friendly servers make the entire experience one of a kind.

Shop at the Bonanza Gift Shop

No visit to Vegas is complete without visiting the Bonanza Gift & Souvenir Shop. This landmark is known worldwide as the World’s Largest Gift Shop, with over 36,000 square feet of shopping space. They specialize in kitschy souvenirs, and you’ll find everything from cheesy Vegas snow globes, eclectic postcards, hilariously themed playing cards, Elvis-themed items, religious icons plastered on burlap purses and miles and miles of plastic flip-flops. You might walk out with nothing, but walking around those hundreds of aisles is attractive.

Watch Newlyweds at the Little White Chapel

The trip to Las Vegas is complete without stopping to see the Little White Chapel. This tiny building is covered in hearts and surrounded by white wrought iron filigree. The church has been the site of over 800,000 quickie weddings since it opened in 1951. It is open 24 hours a day and has a drive-thru tunnel of “vows” where couples can wed without leaving their vehicle! It is a charming piece of Las Vegas history, and I adore the intentionally tacky aesthetic. Although it might never be where I could see myself getting married, it is a fun place to watch people.

Get Spooked at Zak Bagans’ Haunted Museum

Las Vegas is known as a place for the wild and weird, and what is weirder than a haunted museum? Zak Bagans’ Museum is located inside one of Las Vegas’s most haunted houses and features a variety of spooky and scary items, all of which have been known to be haunted. If you’re interested in the paranormal, this place is worth checking out, if only for the weirdness factor.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jill & Jerry Gaudet (@jillnjeradventures)

Enjoy the Multicoloured Metals at The Neon Museum

Neon signs are synonymous with Las Vegas. Imagine walking down the strip with only simple street lamps lighting your way. It wouldn’t have the same effect, would it? Neon has been a part of Vegas since its inception, and the Neon Museum, founded in 1996, made it its mission to preserve these historical pieces of the city, even after their useful life was over or their original buildings were torn down. Dubbed ‘The Neon Boneyard,’ this large plot of land north of the city is where you can find the Neon Museum, a non-profit organization which collects, preserves, studies and exhibits a variety of old Las Vegas signs for educational, historical and cultural purposes.

They do tours of their collection during the day and at night. While most of the neon here is long past being able to be lit up, they have spent a lot of money restoring some of their more important pieces. Visiting the collection is not only a feast for the eyes, but the stories the curators tell you as you walk through the boneyard make the history of Las Vegas come alive, and every single rusty letter seems to have its own story to tell.

Go back in time on Fremont Street

Fremont Street is the site of the original “strip” where all the top casinos in Vegas once stood before the expansion in the mid-1980s that saw newer, swankier hotels opening up along Las Vegas Boulevard. Now, Fremont Street offers visitors a taste of vintage Vegas at its finest. Walking these neon streets feels almost more authentically ‘Las Vegas’ than the current strip with bells and whistles. Here you’ll find some of the oldest-running casinos, with the most history seeped deeper within their walls.

Fremont Street feels a little bit more laid back, rougher and tumble and with a lack of polish that I find incredibly charming. Throughout the pedestrian street, you’ll find various stages where local musicians entertain crowds throughout the evening. Each is surprisingly talented and provides the audience with a mini-concert every evening. During certain times of the year, they’ll be themed to the season and visiting during Halloween provided us with dozens of “spooky” soundtracks to get us in the mood.

Watch the ‘Viva Vision’ Light Show

The best place to walk off a big dinner or stretch your legs is along the Fremont Street canopy, where they project the ‘Viva Vision‘ light show. Every 30 minutes, you’ll be mesmerized by the electronic canopy which covers the majority of Fremont Street pedestrian area. The Viva Vision light show was installed in 1995 and is 1,500 feet long and 90 feet wide. The 6-minute show twinkles and shines above you, beginning at dusk and ending at midnight. There are over 12.5 million energy-efficient LED lamps which dazzle viewers with the music of artists like The Who, Bon Jovi and more.

Bunk down at the Golden Nugget Casino and Hotel

The Golden Nugget was initially built in 1946, making it one of the oldest casinos in the city. This monolith of white arches and golden lights is like the White House of Nevada. Everything seemed to start with the Golden Nugget, and so many hotels and casinos attempted to replicate its gravitas over the years. Staying here, you can find deals for as low as $60/night without compromising style and comfort.

Most of the rooms have been lovingly renovated, and there is even the new Rush Tower which is brand new, yet its rooms are complete with decorative touches that evoke an old Vegas ambience. The first time we stayed in Vegas, we stayed on the strip and paid a pretty penny for a small room without a view, but here on Fremont at the Golden Nugget, we got an enormous room complete with a soaker tub and even a little sitting area with a great view for half of what we paid on the strip!

Relax in ‘The Tank’

Inside the Golden Nugget, you’ll find one of the most award-winning pools in the city. Pools and Las Vegas are two peas in a pod. Perhaps because it gets so hot outside in Nevada, people wanted to find a way to party without overheating, so they moved out of the clubs and into the pools. To our surprise, the Tank is a three-story aquarium filled with sharks! Along with the sharks are an array of other sea creatures. A giant three-storey water slide runs through the aquarium, making you feel as though you’re right in there with the sharks themselves. There are a few firepits outside burning during the colder months, and in the summer, there are loungers right inside the pool, so no matter when you visit, it’s a great place to grab a few cocktails and relax.

Get Fine Dining for Less at Vic and Anthony’s Steakhouse

There are many choices for steak dinners in Vegas, each one boasting
their specialties and seemingly impossibly low prices. But I think there is only one *real* choice, and that is Vic and Anthony’s Steakhouse. Labelled as one of the best steakhouses in the USA, this place will never disappoint in its upscale Vegas atmosphere and phenomenal food. Be sure to make a reservation and make mention of the Distinctive Dining menu.

The Distinctive Dining menu costs $49.95/person and features a three-course prix fixe meal. This deal is unreal since a single steak itself could run you that much without any of the other offerings you’ll get with this deal. There is no skimping on the portions, either. We started with the Lobster Bisque, chose the Petite Filet served with Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes as the entree and ended with the Crème Brulee. Just be sure to print out the menu or mention it when making your reservation since. Otherwise, you won’t be able to get the deal. This is sort of like a little secret that only those who’ve done their research are rewarded with!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by El Esteban M. Barbieri (@el_esteban_m_barbieri)

Watch the Sigma Derby at the D Casino

Inside the slightly dull-looking facade of the D Las Vegas Casino, you’ll find one of the most engrossing vintage games in the city. The classic Sigma Derby slot machine can be found on the casino’s second floor. You can usually find your way there through the screams and cheers of the people surrounding it. You don’t need to spend any money to enjoy the experience of watching other wagers on their favourite metallic jockeys. Up to ten players can place bets on five minature horses with quarters. These machines were Japanese-made and built in the 1980s. Only two of the hundreds produced are still in working order, and one can be found here in Fremont.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Infinity Stainless Products (@infinitystainless)

Main Street Station Hotel and Casino

The Main Street Station Hotel and Casino opened in 1978, yet its architecture and decor evoke a historical sensibility. It feels more like a wild west saloon than it does a retro casino. While the casino is the major draw to this place, what I love most is the self-guided tours you can take of their antique and artifact collection. The casino has amassed an incredible anthology of curiosities worldwide over the years. You can pick up a “Guide to Artifacts, Antiques and Artworks” at their front desk to use to lead yourself around the collection. Their gallery includes pieces of the Berlin Wall, stained glass from the Lillian Russell Mansion, doors and facade from the Kuwait Royal Bank, doors from the George Pullman Mansion, Louisa May Alcott Pullman car and chandeliers from the Coca-Cola building and Figaro Opera House.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ThankYouTeddy® Photography (@photosbytedd)

Pose with with Cowboys and Girls at Glitter Gulch

I think some of the best modern neon signage can be found on Fremont street, and the crowning glory is the area around the “Glitter Gulch.” The two most popular flashing signs are on either side of the street. Vegas Vic stands casually atop the Pioneer Gift Shop, his sturdy winking smile beckoning in customers. Opposite Vic is his female companion, complete with a matching cowboy hat above the “Glitter Gulch” strip club. While the strip club might not be your thing, the flashing lights of the sign are enough to attract at least a few curious minds.

Admire the old Fremont East District

Fremont East is outside of the canopy and pedestrian mall. It is a hipster mecca where you’ll find uniquely themed restaurants and bars. This area was left previously unloved for years, but thanks to a multimillion-dollar investment by a private partnership, this part of Fremont is now home to some hippest lounges and happening art scenes. As soon as you step out from under the electric canopy, you feel like you’ve entered another world. This place almost feels more like Brooklyn than Nevada. And for those looking for more eclectic, less touristy scenes, this is a welcome addition to Las Vegas.

Admire some Vintage Neon Revival

The Las Vegas Neon Museum has been raising money and working with the city to restore some of the historical and awe-inspiring neon signs from years past. Thought to be only good for scrap metal and left to rot, the museum restored these iconic signs, which are now on display in this “urban gallery” along Fremont Street East. We saw on our walk the incredible Silver Slipper. Formerly on show in 1950 outside the Golden Slipper casino, it now stands in its full glory at the gates of Fremont East. We also saw the Hacienda Horse, built in 1967 and installed at the Hacienda Hotel on Las Vegas Boulevard South. Seeing these retro signs in working order is a great way to make history come alive, and we felt especially thankful for organizations like the Neon Museum.

Have a Drink at the Commonwealth Bar

If you’re looking to grab a drink in the East District, head over to Commonwealth. I was first drawn to this bar because of its laid-back upstairs terrace, but the entire downstairs bar is equally as impressive. The decor inside is inspired by the era of prohibition, covered in dark leather, ornate chandeliers, exposed ancient bricks and an entire wall dedicated to displaying their collections of antique whiskey bottles. If you want a more relaxed environment, head here in the earlier portion of the evening as the party starts late at night.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Commonwealth (@commonwealthlv)

Fuel up at Le Thai Restaurant

Although this favourite dinner joint can get busy, with a waitlist of over an hour, it’s well worth the wait. You can also spend your time waiting at any cool bars nearby. Inside the unassuming brick and corrugated metal facade, you’ll find one of Vegas’s best-priced and best-tasting restaurants. The Le Thai classics include larb salad (made with ground chicken, lime juice and fresh herbs) and their famous three-colour curry! This food will give you that much-needed boost to keep your energy up all night long!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Le Thai (@lethaivegas)

Admire the Urban Design of Container Park

Container Park is one of the newest fads in urban development, and parks like this have been popping up throughout the country. Vegas’ Container Park is an open-air shopping centre built from repurposed shipping containers. Here you can find boutique shops, restaurants, and live entertainment. Greeting you at the door to the park is a giant 55-foot metal praying mantis sculpture which even shoots flames on special occasions. Even if you’re not in the mood for shopping or food (although there’s lots of that if you are), this park is unique and a great place to walk around and window shop. Some of the park’s attractions are geared towards children, but the park has a 9 pm curfew for kids, after which it’s adults only. One of my favourite parts of the park is the Sweet Spot, which sells vintage and classic candy.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Downtown Container Park (@containerpark)

Get the Dirty Details about Vegas’ Past at The Mob Museum

Crime and Casinos go hand-in-hand; as such, Las Vegas has a torrid history with the mob stretching back as far as its inception. If your interests lie in this area of history, then the Mob Museum is your place! The Mob Museum is spread across three floors, each providing the viewers with high-tech theatre presentations, iconic one-of-a-kind artifacts and interactive, themed environments. You’ll undoubtedly recognize different gangsters’ names throughout the museum, but their real histories are much different than their Hollywood dramatizations.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Underground @ The Mob Museum (@mobmuseum_underground)

Chow down on pastries at the Donut Bar

The Donut Bar in downtown Las Vegas is one of the hottest spots for sweet treats. So hot that on most days, the shop closes before mid-afternoon because they’ve already sold out! One of the big reasons this place is so popular is because of its vegan doughnuts as well as its indulgent and opulent flavours and designs. You can try the famed Harry Potter Butter Beer doughnut, a Pop Tart doughnut complete with jam filling, and yes, you can even get a Monte Crisco made with a doughnut and stuffed with ham and cheese!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Donut Bar – Donuts (@donutbarlv)

Find Street Art

Fremont Street is one of the most popular areas to search for some incredible street art. This rebellious part of the city is covered in dazzling graffiti that makes this previously quiet area downtown come alive. You can wander up and down the side streets to discover new and old works from local artisans. The best time to take this walk is during the day since the murals aren’t lit up at night, and it’s best to see them in all their colourful glory.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sandra Vareille Dumoulin (@sandra.v64)

Downtown Las Vegas is truly a unique spectacle, and if you’re visiting the city, it’s a shame to miss out on the historic nature of this district and all the awesome sights to be seen therein. Let me know if you’ve visited Downtown Las Vegas and what your favourite thing to do there was!

Happy Travels Adventurers.

The post The Best Things to do in Downtown Las Vegas Besides Gambling first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

Access

The fastest way to access Arashiyama Village is by JR train from Kyoto station. That the JR Sagano Line to Saga-Arashiyama Station. The ride only takes 15 minues and costs 240 yen. If you don’t want to take the JR rail you can access Arashiyama by bus. Bus # 28 takes you directly from Kyoto station to the centre of Arashiyama. Although the ride can take anywhere between 30-60 mins I actually found the ride quite pleseant since you get to see a lot of the countryside and city as you travel from the centre of Kyoto to Arashiyama. This ride will only cost 230 yen.

The streets of Arashiyama are ablaze with old and new technologies. Cars and tourist buses zip about letting people on and off while rickshaws and horse-drawn carriages also plod along the road, a reflection of the modes of transportation seen here during the Edo period. Arashiyama’s iconic river and laid back attitude have drawn visitors here for hundreds of years, and despite a few mod-cons, this little village still feels like stepping back in time.

Togetsukyo Bridge

Togetsukyo Bridge is Arashiyama’s most popular landmark and one of the first things you see when you come into the city. Also known as the “Moon Crossing Bridge,” it was first built in the 10th century, but its current incarnation is a reconstruction from the 1930s. Cherry blossom trees run up and down the river’s edge, and during the spring time, the blooms draw thousands of people to this site. With the mountains in the background and the river running across, this spot is incredibly picturesque.

Hozu River Pleasure Boats

Beside the Hozu River, you can rent a “pleasure” boat. These boats will take you up and down, allowing you to see houses and landscapes only accessible from the water’s edge. The Hozu River is part of the Katsura River and begins in the mountains near Kameoka, a town north-west of Kyoto City. It snakes into the Arashiyama and surrounds the edges of the city. You’ll see, standing on the bridge, getting their photos taken, dozen of women dressed in stunning silk kimonos. Their hair and accessories match their outfit, and the dazzling embroidery on the kimonos sparkled in the sunlight. The boat trips usually last about two hours and can seat about 25 people. The boats depart on the hour from March 10 to November 30. The group boat costs 4,100 yen ($38 USD) for adults and 2,700 ($25 USD) yen for children.

Bicycle Rentals

One of the best ways to explore Arashiyama is on bike. It’s such a peaceful, breezy village and cruising around on a bike gets you around quickly but also allows you to hop on and off to stop into stores and restaurants along the way. On these bikes you can cycle through rural areas, past farming fields and thatched roof houses. A wonderful way to explore the countryside. The best place to find bicycle rentals is at Hankyu Arashiyama Station. Bicycle rental at this shop costs 900 yen per day. On weekdays, they offer special prices of 500 yen for two hours and 700 yen for four hours. Renting at the station is great since it’s most likely where you’ll arrive and depart, making it easy to drop off your bike once you’re ready to head home.

Kimono Rental

Kimonos are one of the most formal pieces of clothing many Japanese women own, and there are often not a lot of opportunities to wear them. But when travelling to these picturesque villages and historic towns, many women opts to wear their kimonos to both have a chance to dress in such an elegant fashion and feel a part of the historical look and feel of the city. The perfect place to rent a kimono if you’re looking to experience a bit of traditional Japanese culture is at Fuji Arashiyama. They might not be the cheapest, but the service and quality you’ll receive make it worth your while.

Renting a kimono is something which you want to get right. Doing it on the cheap just won’t create the same traditional experience you’re looking for. A one day rental for a 7 piece kimono set costs 3500 yen ($32 USD). You have total control of the colours and pattern of the kimono but the staff is great at helping coordinate your outfit and dress you up for a day out on the town.

Saga-Arashiyama

The primary place to do your shopping is on Saga-Arashiyama. This street in Arashiyama is constantly crowded with school children on break with their class, large tour groups and Westerners gawking at sweet shops creating art from spun sugar. Rickshaws run up and down the roads, getting honked at by locals trying to get back home in a hurry. The shops lining the street range from restaurants, cafes, sweet shops, ice cream vendors, kimonos designers and more.

Pick a Paper Fortune

Along one street we found colourful little-rolled fortunes sitting outside a beautifully decorated house. All you had to do was slip a coin into the container and take out a fortune. Fortunes on the go.

Sample Senbei

One of the more traditional snacks along the street are Senbei. Senbei are Japanese rice crackers which come in a variety of flavours. Senbei are usually eaten with green tea and sometimes offered as snack when visiting a guest house. We stopped to snack on a few different varieties. We sample both some sweet and savoury options. They were snappy and fresh, hot from the grill. The charcoal from the grill gave them a rich, smoky flavour turning a few simple ingredients into a complex dish. The most famous flavours are nori (seaweed), soy nut, soy sauce and red chilli.

Kotokikityaya

Stop off at Kotokikityaya right at the entrance to Saga-Arashiyama to taste their authentic cherry mochi. With a beautiful view of the river, in a traditional tea-house setting, there isn’t a more perfect way to start your morning or have an afternoon snack. Be sure to pair your cherry mochi with a powdered green tea to complete the meal.

Akahime Kimono Shop

What I was looking for while we were shopping was a vintage kimono. I had passed up on a few kimonos in Tokyo, but they all were too new and didn’t have the kind of character I was looking for. There were a range of clothing shops in Arashiyama for kimonos. Some were by exclusive designers, others were the ubiquitous silk version you see in every tourist shop. Akahime Kimono Shop is by far the best option if you’re looking for a tradition kimono at a great price!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by レンタル着物 あかひめ/Akahime (@rentalkimono_akahime)

These kimonos were so well taken care of and felt brand new. Their designs ranged from traditional to more modern. You could find some handcrafted and one off designs here at competitive prices. The sweet woman who owned the shop helped me try on a few different options to find my perfect look and fit. I found a white and neon robe from the 1980’s that had some real unique designs that made it stand out from the other traditional ones. I loved it and got to pair it with a classic obi – all for just $25 USD.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by (@miju_yah)

The Chiri-Men Craft Museum

This is my favourite handmade craft store in Arashiyama. Here you can find a myriad of different products all made from a weaving technique called Chirimen. The crafter used cloth or silk and “wrinkles” the fabrics into all different things like small toys, birds, dolls, purses and even these darling “hanging hina” dolls, where are good luck charms hung from the ceiling. The different items symbolized on the chain represent the kinds of things you are praying for, like health, children or wealth.

Sagano Romantic Train Station

Along these backstreets, you might come across one of the vintage train stations which service the Sagano Romantic Train route. The station’s columns are wrapped in bamboo shaped plexiglass, but the remainder of the outdoor structure is reminiscent of train stations from the 1920s.

Kimono forest

Behind the station, you can find the Kimono forest. The forest is made up of cylinder-shaped pillars which contained within them various textile used in the design of traditional Japanese Kimonos. There are about 600 different pillars with 32 different patterns inside. Walk around to see if you can spot them all! The best time of day to see this exhibit is at dusk since the columns all light up and form a glowing pathway.

Footbath of Arashiyama Onsen Station

As this is the mid point in your journey, it seems fitting that it’s time for a little rest. Take a break at the Footbath of Arashiyama Onsen Station where you can grab a ticket for 200 yeh to soak your tired feet in this natural hot spring. It’s a great way to rest and recharge to keep your enegery up for the rest of the day.

Unagi Hirokawa

If you’re looking for somewhere to eat lunch, there really is no better place than Unagi Hirokawa. This place gets busy so it’s best to arrive early or be willing to wait, and trust me, it’s worth the wait. On busy weekends, they often sell out of food before 1pm so don’t dilly dally! This place is most famous for their incredible unagi, or barbeque eel. It’s delicately charred on the grill and then slathered in a sweet and savoury sauce. This eel is fatty, tender and FRESH!

Saga-Toriimoto

Away from the main street, and down a narrow alleyway, you’ll find Saga-Toriimoto. The houses along this road all are in the style of the Meiji Period (1868-1912) and have been preserved by the city and the owners. It is a living museum of Japanese architecture. Some of the houses have been converted into restaurants and shops so be sure to poke your head inside to get a chance to see the interior of these hundred-year-old houses.

Walking through these tiny, side streets and peering into front yards and back porches were left like were on a Japanese secret garden tour of our own making.

Nisonin Temple

If you’re visiting during the summer or the fall, you’ll want to make a stop at Nisonin Temple. Nisonin Temple is a small hillside temple where you can be amazed at firey fall foliae or the stunning blooms of purple and blue hydrengas in the summer. Take a stroll in the temple’s cemetery, where you can find some of Japan’s emperors and nobles buried here.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @tammynyaokiota

Rakushisha Residence

If you find yourself strolling along the backstreets of Arashiyama be sure to search out the Rakushisha Residence. This thatched roof hut once belonged to the 17th-century haiku poet Mukai Kyorai. He is one of Japan’s greatest poets, and the house is like a piece plucked out of time. You can imagine him inside there, writing out a poem on the cold, tatami floor.

Tenryu-ji Temple

Tenryu-ji Temple is probably the most visited temple in Arashiyama. The original temple was built in 1339 but due to fires and wars over the years the buildings standing here today are modern reconstructions from 1912. The gardens however, withstood the test of time and are the very same as they were when they were originally designed in 1339. It is perhaps for this reason that they are one of the Top 5 Zen temples in all of Kyoto! Admission is 500 yen (and extra 300 if you want to enter of the buildings, and if a great place to explore to study the incredible nature of Japanese Zen gardens.

Like so many travellers before us, we reminisced about the magical town we left behind as we walked back to our hotel. Although this is a great list to get you started, don’t try to rush around and just check off things on a list. Exploring, getting lost and stumbling upon hidden gems is the best part about travelling!

The post Your Ultimate Guide to Exploring the Village of Arashiyama, Kyoto first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

What NOT to do in Prague and what to do Instead!

1. Don't Watch the Astronomical Clock Show
2. Don't Walk Down Karlova Street
3. Don't Accept Anything you Didn't Order
4. Don't Hire a Taxi
5. Don't Visit the Charles Bridge at Midday
6. Don't Drink the Absinthe
7. Don't Think the "trdelnik" is Czech
8. Don't Take the #22 Tram
9. Don't Visit Wenceslas Square at night 
10. Don't Waste your Time on a Segway Tour
11. Don't Change Money on the Street
12. Don't take a "Historical" Car Tour
13. Don't Eat at the Restaurants in or near Old Town Square
14. Don't Overpay for Beer

Don’t Watch the Astronomical Clock Show

One of the most popular attractions in Prague is the Astronomical Clock “Show“. Every hour the clock chimes, music plays and figures dance around the dials. Tourists flock to the square during this time and create a mob around the clock, sometimes so thick you can barely see much of anything. They are usually all so loud too that you can’t even hear the music play.

Instead:

Wait a few minutes after the show has finished. Moments after, all the tourists flutter away and you’ll be staring up at this work of art almost all by yourself. If you’ve come to Prague to study the incredible art and architecture, skip watching the show in person – videos of it can be found easily on youtube, and spend your time up close and personal when the bucket listers have left. 

Don’t Walk Down Karlova Street

Karlova Street starts right behind the Hotel Aurus and ends at the foot of the Charles Bridge. Although the buildings which adorn the street have stunning baroque facades, this once historic street has been overtaken with cheesy souvenir shops selling silly tchotchkes from China at engorged priced. There are so many people in Prague trying to take advantage of the many tourists who come here that even the most Czech looking souvenir on this street is no doubt from overseas. The architecture is not worth the hubbub and you end up fighting your way through this densely frustrating street to even see much of anything. There are so many more lovely buildings you’ll see in other, less well-known areas of the city, so don’t feel like you’re missing out.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Carlos Galán (@carlosgpo) on Aug 9, 2017 at 10:06pm PDT

Instead:

Head down to Havel’s Market. This is the oldest market in the city, dating back to 1232. Although it originally only sold produce to feed the people of the city, in later years it has begun to sell souvenirs and other handmade Czech goods from local artisans. This is where you can come to find a traditional souvenir for friends or family back at home which you can proudly boast is “made in Prague“. But be sure to taste test some of those amazing fruits and veggies too!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @sujin_1124 on Sep 11, 2018 at 7:55am PDT

Don’t Accept Anything you Didn’t Order

Until I had been to Prague I had never had any issues at restaurants while travelling so I didn’t think twice when I was given two welcome drinks I didn’t order. I thought they were merely a gift from the restaurants and would be free of charge. Boy, was I wrong! Luckily they only cost 3 euros so it wasn’t like it broke the bank but I felt so stupid and taken advantage of.

This is, unfortunately, a pretty common scam in Prague, especially in popular tourist restaurants. If your server comes to your table and doesn’t even offer you the drink, just put it down, be assertive and call him back to take it away. Study your bill upon leaving and don’t pay for anything you didn’t order. The staff will usually back down instantly once they realized they’ve been caught since they’re going for the easy mark. They’ll usually say it was merely a mistake and take it off your bill without any drama.

Instead:

Visit restaurants outside the city centre where these scams aren’t an issue and where you’ll find more authentic and traditional meals.

Don’t Hire a Taxi

Taxis are another common scam in Prague. Catching a cab outside popular tourist areas or from the train station means leaving yourself vulnerable to dishonest drivers. Almost none of them use the meter, even the reputable companies, and when you arrive at your destination they seem to make up a fee out of the blue which is often far, far more than you were originally quoted. Many tourists will find it hard to argue when it’s their word against the drivers and will simply pay the fare and be on their way. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Do you speak TAXI (@doyouspeaktaxi) on Dec 10, 2019 at 3:09am PST

Instead:

If you have a Czech SIM card or have a good international plan on your phone and can access the internet, and take advantage of UBER which has recently launched in Prague. This means you can check your fare before the cab arrives and you won’t be charged a surprising amount once at your destination. We used this a lot while we were there and had absolutely no issues!

If you are interested in exploring the city on your own, consider renting a car. AutoEurope has a big variety of cars in Czech Republic and since there are so many places out of town which can be a little difficult to get to on public transport, having your own car is a great way to find unique adventures.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Martin Klíma (@martynkli) on Nov 4, 2019 at 11:27am PST

Don’t Visit the Charles Bridge at Midday

The Charles Bridge is one of the most iconic images and sights in Prague. And while I would never say to skip it all together, during the afternoon, this bridge is PACKED! Almost to the point where you can barely see anything but people! There is so much to look at and admire on this bridge and being overwhelmed by tourists isn’t the experience I’d want you to have your first time here.

Instead:

During the afternoon, use one of the other bridges to the north or south and nab yourself a beautiful picture of the Charles Bridge and the Prague skyline all in one. During the early morning or evening, the bridge is much less full and you can take the time to appreciate the beautiful statues and architecture which makes this bridge so iconic.

Don’t Drink the Absinthe

Walking down the cobblestone roads of Prague you can’t help you notice the dozens and dozens of signs for Absinthe. Absinthe was originally produced in Switzerland but became popular in France during the 18th century. Absinthe became a popular drink in Czechoslovakia in the early 1900s but the kinds of Absinthe you see in bars today is far from the real thing. Often you’ll even see it spelt “Absinth” without the “e”, since it’s missing the key ingredient to make it authentic absinthe. Most places don’t serve it the way it’s meant to be drank, resulting in a horribly bitter taste. While there are some bars which still offer the traditional serving, it’s better not to risk it.

Instead:

Indulge in the local spirits like plum or pear brandy or the dozens and dozens of cheap, local beer! These will often be half the price and more than twice as delicious!

Don’t Think the “trdelnik” is Czech

The “trdelnik” is a chimney-shaped pastry, coated in butter and cooked on a rotating spit over a charcoal fire. Then they are covered in your chosen topping like cinnamon sugar, nuts or Nutella. They are instagrammable and frankly, delicious, but they are NOT Czech. They are originally from Slovakia and arrived in Prague when the packs of tourists did. Don’t go around eating them day in and day out, saying you’re sampling local cuisine!

Instead:

Head to a mom and pop bakery where you can sample different traditional pastries for what ONE trdelnik would cost you. And without waiting in a long line too! They are just, if not more, tastey and will open your taste buds up to flavours you’ve never had before!

Don’t Take the #22 Tram

The #22 tram is notorious for having pickpockets. The #22 is the route most tourists take since it runs around the old town and drops you off at all the big ticket attractions. Since there are so many tourists on these trams, often crammed inside, it’s easy for pickpockets to spot their mark and do the deed without being noticed. If you do take a ride, be vigilant and hold onto your belongings in front of you so as to not be robbed in plain sight.

Instead:

Prague is much smaller than you might think and the best way to see it is on foot! While keeping your wits about you is another great tip if you find yourself riding the tram, walking allows you to wander off the set path and explore whatever catches your eye! Plus you’ll save a little bit of money which can be better spent on a cold beer to end a long day!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by City of Prague (@cityofprague) on Oct 24, 2019 at 3:32am PDT

Don’t Visit Wenceslas Square at night 

Wenceslas Square is one of the most historic areas of the city. This enormous square hosts some of the most incredible bohemia architecture and was the place of many revolutionary events in Prague’s history. During the day it is filled with happy locals and tourists alike enjoying public spaces but at night it’s a different story. This place attracts swarms of bachelor and bachelorette parties. They are often very drunk and disorderly and the best thing to do is to avoid them altogether. Drunken tourists seem to bring forth the darker side of the city. Prostitutes and scammers are known to frequent the square in the hopes of taking advantage of these tourists with their guards down.

Instead:

If you’re looking to take in the sights of a Baroque city lit up at night, head down to Old Town Square. The restaurants around the square are to be avoided due to their high costs and low quality but their presence brings lots of life to the square even at night meaning its a very safe place to explore. And when all those buildings are lit up they seem to emit an ethereal glow.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 민석 (@matthew_yms) on Jan 30, 2020 at 7:53pm PST

Don’t Waste your Time on a Segway Tour

Segway tours have become an epidemic throughout Europe. And the locals despise them. Segways are “two-wheeled, self-balancing personal transportation vehicles”. They rush along the sidewalks at speeds which are quite dangerous to pedestrians especially when the riders might not be too experience or even perhaps under the influence. Often you see tourists spending more time trying to figure out how to use these vehicles than spending time enjoying the sights. Be kind to the people who call this city home and don’t take a ride on these dangerous machines.

Instead:

If you’re looking for a different kind of guided tour, don’t go for the Segways. Try out of Foodie tour where you explore the city through its culinary culture. Or try Urban Adventures’s retro bike tour where you can ride on bikes which were made in communist Czechoslovakia and see the best Prague has to offer to boot.

Don’t Change Money on the Street

Although Prague does accept Euros, they are exchanged in most establishments at a much lower exchange rate than if you were using the Czech Koruna. If you have Euros and you’re hoping to exchange them for Czech Koruna’s you’ll find yourself at the mercy of one of Prague’s popular scams. Many “exchange” bureaus around old town aren’t actually official money exchange businesses and will give you immensely lower rates than official exchange. These places have been known to list one rate on the signage outside but once you come inside they change it without you noticing. Another common scam is the people exchanging money on the street. These are full on rip-offs as these vendors will give you fake currency instead of real Czech Korunas.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Andrè Johnsen (@andrejoohnsen) on Nov 13, 2017 at 1:48am PST

Instead:

Stick to ATMs. The best way to get Czech Koruna is either to bring it with you from your bank back home or to take money out at a reliable ATM whose brand name you’re familiar with. Yes, this means you’ll have to pay some bank fees but it is definitely the easiest and safest option. 

Don’t take a “Historical” Car Tour

All over old town, you’ll see signs advertising “Historical Car Tours“. For 60 minutes and around 120 euros, you’ll be driven across the historic areas of Prague with a driver “guide”. These guides often barely speak with the riders and since the cars are all open tops, it’s very hard to hear what they’re saying anyway. The “historic” cars are anything but. While they might have been given the appearance of a vintage car, they are mostly brand new replicas. Since, as we’ve mentioned before, Prague is a rather small town, it’s extremely easy to visit on foot and by only sticking to the main roads you’re going to miss so much of the magic.

Instead:

If you’re interested in learning about retro cars, head to the Trabant Museum. The Trabant was a car made in East Germany in the 1950s. The museum is small but full of interesting facts, tchotchkies and real cars from this short-lived era of auto manufacturing. Trabant enthusiasts from Prague loved racing these cars and their devotion to this model grew into the museum you see today.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Petr Dadok (@petrdadok) on Sep 17, 2020 at 8:36am PDT

Don’t Eat at the Restaurants in or near Old Town Square

Old Town Square is one of the most beautiful parts of Prague. And so many of its buildings, statues and museums require your undivided attention. But what doesn’t are the subpar, kitschy and unremarkable restaurants which line the bottom floor of the square. These restaurants also charge about three times the price of meals you’d find in other restaurants well outside the Old Town Square and the waiters are usually pretty grumpy since they deal with tourists all day. 

Instead:

If you’re looking for a wonderful traditional meal, avoid any tourist centre. Look for menus with NO ENGLISH listed on the signs outside. I know this might sound intimidating but trust me, once you get inside they often do have one or two menus in English or the kind waiters will be more than happy to help you order the chef’s specialities. In establishments like this you’ll find better food, better prices and amazing service!

Don’t Overpay for Beer

Locally produced beer in Prague is wonderful, fresh and it SHOULD be cheap! If you find yourself at a restaurant paying over 4 euros for Pilsner Urquell, you’re overpaying. Urquell is a great benchmark for judging the fairness of the restaurant you’re dining at. Specialty microbrews will, of course, run you a little more but should never be over 6 Euros for a pint.

Instead:

If you’re looking to sample a fair few of Prague’s best beers, you should definitely visit the Prague Beer Museum. Don’t’ let the name fool you, it’s no museum. It basically a giant pub serving hundreds and hundreds of different brews. Knowledgeable servers and staff can help you find the best brew for your tastes at reasonable prices and a stunning environment!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by © ᴾᴼᵁᴸᴾᴼᶻᴼᴿᵁˢ (@poulpozorus.fr) on Jan 6, 2020 at 3:22am PST

Don’t let these warnings scare you away from this incredible city. There is a reason so many people flock here. Prague is truly unrivalled in terms of beauty and character. And while there may be people who come here to take advantage of unsuspecting tourists, armed with this knowledge in advance, you’ll be no easy mark. You’ll be able to make your way across this marvelous city without a care in the world outside of saying, “I don’t want to leave.“

The post What NOT To Do on your Next Trip to Prague And Amazing Things to Do Instead! first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

Table Of Contents

1. History
2. Location
3. Entrance
4. Practical Info
5. 1st Floor
   • Paprika
   • Hungarian Salami
   • Pastries
   • Mushrooms
6. 2nd Floor
7. Basement

History

The building was constructed in 1897 by Samu Pecz and funded by the then-mayor of Budapest, Károly Kamermayer, who wanted to give his city a first-class marketplace like the ones he’d visited in Paris and London.

One of the most distinguishing features of the exterior is its neoclassical facade and brightly coloured roof. The tile on the roof is Zsolnay tiles from Pécs, Budapest. These tiles were iconic due to their brilliant radiance. You can still spot the marketplace’s roof from across the Budapest skyline.

Location

The market is located next to the Danube river. When it first opened, ships could sail right into the harbour, next to the market, to unload their good. The building which once housed the customs office is now the home to Corvinus University. 

Entrance

When entering the Great Market, take a moment to study the elaborate neo-gothic gates adorn the entryway. Let your eyes turn upwards and gaze at the different designs created with the various hues of red bricks. The large triptych window allows light to pour in through the front of the entrance and makes everything shine!

Practical Info

The market is closed on Sunday, opens at 6am on other days, and closes at 5pm Monday, 6pm Tue-Fri and 3pm Saturday. You’ll notice how enormous it is! There are over 10,000 square meters of space inside the building. Remember to bring cash (Hungarian forints) to pay for all your purchases since most sellers don’t accept anything other than cash. If you have to use the washroom while in the market, there is a bathroom on the top floor, but it is a pay toilet so have some change ready.

The hall is covered in steel and glass, so farmers and artisans can sell their goods any day of the year without worrying about the weather. The intricate, wrought iron ribbing creates an artistic design against the bright orange rooftop. In the early days of the market, huge wagons carrying goods ran down the center aisle. The center aisle is much wider than the rest to make room for these enormous carts. It makes for a comfortable pedestrian walking path.

The entire structure was destroyed during WWII, and restoration took a long time. Delays were inevitable, but the constant problems they ran into meant that the restored market wasn’t finished until 1990. But great works take a long time, resulting in a stunning and faithful reconstruction of the original building’s architecture and ornamentation.

1st Floor

There are three floors which make up the marketplace. The first floor is the most interesting and contains the bulk of the content brought to the market daily. You’ll see seasonal produce, fresh meat, pastries, olives, exotic spices, and, most importantly – Hungarian specialties.

Paprika

Hungarian paprika is sold throughout the market. You can find it in the most lovely packages with intricate embroidery or inside retro-looking tin cans. Paprika is considered the national spice of Hungary, so it’s not just a souvenir but a mainstay of Hungarian cuisine. Hungarian paprika is made from toasted peppers and blended into a fine consistency. Some are hotter mixes than others, but most of them have a little bit of heat. Hungarian paprika is also slightly on the sweet side and very dark red. Looks for the words “edes” or “erdos.” Edes means sweet, and erdos means hot. You can also buy paprika as a paste in tubes.

Hungarian Salami

Another Hungarian staple hanging throughout the market is Hungarian salamis and sausages. Hungarian salami is sought after all over the world. The cured meat contains spices like garlic, peppers, caraway seeds and, of course, paprika. These cured sausages are ideal for picnics; just remember to bring or buy a knife to slice it over cheese, crackers or bread.

Pastries

A sweet treat found throughout the market is Rétes. Rétes are a strudel-like pastry log filled with fresh fruits such as apple, cherry, or poppy seed and topped with powdered sugar. We sampled the assorted berry variety, and it was delicious! 

If you’re looking for something a little more savoury, try the Sajtos Pogácsa or Cheese Scones. These are some with cheese or toppings like mushrooms and sausage for added flavour.

Mushrooms

Another item, favourited by the locals, is fresh and dried mushrooms found at the north end of the hall. These mushrooms are from worldwide, and you rarely find such a great selection.

2nd Floor

Upstairs, overlooking the market below, are various eateries and souvenir stalls. Many souvenirs here are Chinese-made knockoffs, so check the labels before you buy, but there are some gems in there. The embroidered items are the best thing to look for, as many of these are handmade and beautiful keepsakes of Budapest.

The food stalls on the second floor are unpretentious, cheap and tasty. Many stalls have been serving residents for years, so if you want to eat like a local, this is the place to go! You can find black pudding, fried sausages, stuffed cabbage, lángos (deep-fried dough with garlic, sour cream and cheese), and sweet pancakes. Give “Kolbice” a try – a whole wheat bread cone filled with mini sausages, cheddar cheese sauce and fresh sauerkraut.

If you feel like a drink, hop into the borozós (cheap bars), where you can have a glass of inexpensive Hungarian wine, beer or the popular, Unicum (a Hungarian herbal liqueur).

Basement

The basement is where you’ll find the “stinkier” items. Fishmongers, butchers, barrels, and pickles cover the basement, and you can certainly smell it as you descend. Hungarian pickles are incredible. There are so widely different varieties; they don’t seem to stop just at cucumbers and onions. They’ve even perfected a paprika-stuffed pickled cabbage!

If you’re on a budget, the Great Market is the best place to get authentic Hungarian food, quick and cheap. It’s also a reliable place to collect ingredients for the perfect picnic. Head out to the Danube to watch boats cruise up and down the river as you enjoy your tasty treasures.

The market is not only an architectural masterpiece but also a cultural hub where you can find a wide variety of local products, from fresh produce and traditional Hungarian delicacies to handmade crafts and souvenirs. It’s a great place to get a taste of the local culture, history, and cuisine. Whether you’re a foodie, a history buff or just looking for a unique shopping experience, the Great Market Hall is sure to leave a lasting impression. We hope this guide has helped you to plan your visit and make the most of your time in the market. Don’t forget to take a moment to appreciate the beautiful architecture, try some traditional Hungarian food, and explore the local culture. Happy travels!

The post A Guide to Budapest’s Great Market Hall first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

Table Of Contents

1. #1 Learn Some Japanese
   • Japanese Phrases
2. #2 Convenience Stores are much more than Convenience Stores
   • Best Things to Eat in a Konbini
3. #3 Get A Wifi Hotspot
   • Navigating in Japan
4. #4 It's Not as Expensive as you Think
5. #5 It's HUGE! 
6. #6 Public Transport Can be Daunting but Once you Figure it Out it's INCREDIBLE!
7. #7 Smoking is Prevalent
8. #8 There Are Few Garbage Cans in Public
9. #9 Cash is KING
10. #10 The Toilets are that AWESOME
11. #11 No Tipping

#1 Learn Some Japanese

I think one of the biggest mistakes that English speakers make when they’re travelling is assuming that everyone, around the world, will speak some form of English. This is definitely NOT the case. Even in a metropolis like Tokyo, there should be no assumptions that people will speak English to you. While learning English is becoming more and more popular, the older generations have yet to come around. And why should they after all?!

That being said, there are English menus and English speakers in the more touristy area. So if you feel like you can’t survive with Japanese alone, then there are places you can seek out. If you do find someone who speaks English, remember to speak slowly. (But please, do not do this in a condescending way!) English speakers tend to fast very fast. If someone is still learning English, speaking slowly will better allow them to translate and respond in due time.

Japanese Phrases

But don’t feel like just because you can’t read or speak the language, you’re out of luck. Japanese people are some of the kindest and most generous people I’ve ever met. Even if we couldn’t communicate with language, they would take time and a considerable amount of effort to help me with whatever I needed. Rudimentary sign language works well, as does pointing and a kind smile. But what works even better is to try and learn a few phrases in Japanese before leaving for your trip. Put all that time on your long-haul flight to good use! Simple things like, “thank you”, “excuse me” or “please” go a long way in showing gratitude and humility. People will respond to this and give it back to you in leaps and bounds. 

Her are a few useful phrases:
Thank You | arigatou gozaimasu
Please |  onegaishimasu
Excuse Me |  sumimasen
Yes | hai
No | iie
I’m Sorry | gomen nasai
I Don’t understand Japanese |  nihongo ga wakarimasen
Can you speak English? | eigo o hanasemasu ka?

If you are interested in learning some key phrases when eating at restaurants check out this guide!

#2 Convenience Stores are much more than Convenience Stores

In North America, Europe, Australia and other countries I’ve visited, conveniences stores sell little more than candy bars, magazines, chips and dreadfully reheated pizza and hot dogs. But in Japan, convenience stores (also called Konbini) will become your go-to spot for everything from breakfasts, quick snacks and even fantastic bento boxes perfect for picnics. Japanese convenience stores sell ready to eat MEALS which taste incredible! Breakfast in Japan is a savoury meal and the bento boxes sold in stores like 7/11, Lawsons and Family Mart were just as good as some fancy meals I’ve had in restaurants back in Canada. They will even reheat it up for you at the cash.

Best Things to Eat in a Konbini

Onigiri which is rice and fish wrapped in seaweed costs just over a dollar and is a delicious treat if you’re on the go.  Don’t miss out on the drinks either. In Japan, convenience stores sell alcohol as well as other beverages, so its the perfect place to stock up on new and exciting sake flavours, unique tea blends and even seasonal sodas. Konbinis also have an amazing selection of seasonal specialties. This is best exemplified around Sakura season!

But my favourite things to buy are the sweets. Various stores sell delicious packaged soft pancakes with maple syrups and butter sandwiched in between. While not traditionally Japanese, this treat is unforgettable. The sweet pastries, like melon bread, are also the perfect thing to grab for a mid-day snack. If it’s a hot day, don’t pass up one of the various ice cream flavours. Green tea is exceptionally favourable in Japan. And if you’re looking for something more traditional, try the dango. Dango is a Japanese sweet dumpling made from mochiko (rice flour). They are often different colours and paired with a warm green tea (oh yeah, they also have hot tea in heated containers inside the store) it’s the perfect thing to eat on a cold day.

#3 Get A Wifi Hotspot

While Japan might be seen as the mecca of technology and innovation, there are still some areas where Japan is lagging behind. One of those things is public wifi. While in other countries you might be able to get by hopping into coffee shops and open wifi zones to get your dose of the internet, in Japan, this is EXTREMELY rare. I got so many weird looks when I would ask for the wifi password and not because of the language barrier. But there is an easy and relatively cheap solution, a wifi hotspot.

There is a myriad of companies which offer these devices, and they can be shipped directly to your hotel, picked up at the airport or grabbed at your local convenience store. If you’re apprehensive about getting to your hotel without wifi, then the terminal might be your best option, but we opted for the hotel delivery, and it was there waiting for us upon check-in. If you’re staying in an Airbnb, they will often provide these for their guests as an additional incentive for staying at their spot.

Navigating in Japan

The best advice when choosing from all the different companies offering this service is to get the fastest speed possible, and unlimited data. While the cheaper options might seem just as good, you’d be surprised how much you might use it. Sure, getting lost is all part of the fun of travelling, but when you’re hungry and tired being able to navigate yourself to a hot bowl of ramen quickly is just what the doctor ordered. In Japan, they use a very different addressing system then is used in most Western countries.

Rather than streets having names, they give blocks numbers and leave the space in between the blocks, streets, nameless. This can be EXTREMELY CONFUSING if you’re trying to look for a particular restaurant or address, so using the feature on google maps where you can track your orientation to that little blue dot marking your destination was often our saving grace.

#4 It’s Not as Expensive as you Think

One thing I hear over and over again, especially from older people, is how expensive they think Japan is. While it’s not as cheap as places in South East Asia, Japan isn’t as expensive as it’s made out to be. I always say that “it’s as expensive as you want it to be.” If you want to eat at a Michelin star restaurant, you’ll easily have to spend upwards of $200. But there are also HUNDREDS of FANTASTIC restaurants where you can eat for under $10-$20.

A simple bowl of ramen is almost never over 1000 yen. And these are very filling and extremely delicious. As mentioned above, convenience stores are your best friend for quick meals which taste amazing. In places like Europe, you’d be hard-pressed to find this kind of quality food for a similar price.

Additionally, in Europe, most museums and attractions will run you easily 20 euros. Whereas most institutions in Japan are funded by the government and are free to enter. Temples and Shrines are also free to enter and explore. And in my opinion, temples and shrines are some of the most amazing things to see and experience in Japan. Places like Kiyomizu-dera, Sensoji and Tenryu-ji, Fushimi Inari and Meiji are truly some of the best highlights of Japan.

Transportation Costs

While the taxis are indeed costly, they are also the foolish option. The Metro system is astonishing and can get you anywhere you want to go at lightning speed. Unless you’re hauling colossal luggage, take the metro. This isn’t just true for big cities like Tokyo and Osaka. Everywhere you go in Japan has a marvelous public transport system which is relatively inexpensive given the breadth of distance they cover

Accommodation in Japan

Accommodation can be the most expensive part of your trip (aside from your flight). But with a little research, you can find some great options. The Centurion, Washington and Remm brand hotels in Toyko offer spacious (in Japanese terms) rooms at reasonable prices. If you’re looking for something even cheaper, stay in the novel “Capsule Hotels” which are unique to Japan. These literal capsules sleep one person, and while they might look like coffins, they are surprisingly comfortable with individual TVs, headsets and even pyjamas. The high-end capsule hotels will still only run you about $50/night. Some of the capsule hotels also have private onsens (spas) on site which can be a relaxing end to a busy day. 

With the advent of Airbnb, you can find entire apartments for rent with private kitchens, city views and spectacular private gardens. These are indeed the way to feel like you’re living like a local. If you’re staying with a larger group, you can find some incredible options at inexpensive prices. For two people, the apartments can run just as much as a low-mid price hotel, but the larger houses which can hold up 6-8 people are where you find your dollar goes the farthest. 

#5 It’s HUGE! 

One thing people underestimate when travelling around Japan is its size. While it looks like a small little island, there is so much to see and do. Getting a rail pass is a great idea to help save money while taking the train all over the country. This way you pay one upfront cost but then have the freedom to travel as much as you want without having to worry about how much each trip will cost.

Tokyo itself is enormous. Although it’s just one city, it is home to over nine million people and spans over 2,000 km². If you decide to stay in the western part of Tokyo, like Shibuya, travelling all the way to the eastern districts, like Asakusa, can take over an hour on the metro and perhaps even longer by car due to all the traffic. But don’t like that deter you. If you take some time to plan out what you want to see, you can divide it up into areas and spend the day travelling around those sections, so you don’t have to hop back and forth on the metro. For instance; Shibuya, Harajuku and Shinjuku can be explored one day and then Ueno, Asakusa and Akihabara another day and so on.

#6 Public Transport Can be Daunting but Once you Figure it Out it’s INCREDIBLE!

When looking at the map of the metro systems around Japan, you might be overcome with fear and confusion. There are so many lines, so many colours and so little English. But don’t let that get you down. There are lots of ways to make this daunting task as simple as pie. Firstly, ensure you have your portable wifi with you and download the Hyperdia app or even google maps will do. These apps will help plan your journey out. You may have to change lines, and adding additional levels of confusion, change trains brands on even a short journey. But there is a very easy way to avoid any fare confusion, upon arrival buy a metro pass.

Metro Passes

The metro passes in Tokyo are called “passmo” or “suica”. If you have a rail pass, you can also use this to pay for your metro fares if it is on a JR rail car. Passmo and Suica cards can be loaded with money. All you have to do it tap your card on the way into the station and tap on the way out. And your fare will automatically be calculated for you when you do. Unlike other systems around the world, there is no standard set fare. The price of your trip is dependent on how far you’re going. While this is completely something, you can figure out, if you have pre-loaded cards it just makes it that much easier.

Unlike anywhere else in the world, the Japanese metro is always on time. A few years ago one of their trains was 20 SECONDS late, and they sent out a newsletter apologizing. In Toronto, I’ve frequently had to wait over 20 MINUTES for a bus. Without the slightest bit of an explanation so suffice to say; this system was a dream come true for timely planners like myself. If you run into any problems, you can always press the “help” button on the self-serve kiosks. These also always have an “English” option on the screen. But if you press “help,” a real person will come to your aid. They might not speak a lot of English, but they will be able to help you figure it out despite that fact. Just point to where you want to go and they’ll do the rest.

Rules for the Subway

Be sure that when you’re on the train, you keep your voice down and don’t talk on the phone. Both these things are considered very rude and will get you some serious side eye from fellow passengers. Eating and drinking on the metro are also prohibited. On some train, during specific periods of the day, there are “female only” cars.  My husband and I made the mistake of getting on one of these cars. I looked around and saw that there were only women in the car. And all the women were giving my husband some weird looks. I immediately knew there was something amiss. Luckily we were able to get off at the next stop. And going forward was sure to check the cars identifications before we got on.

#7 Smoking is Prevalent

Another somewhat dated characteristic of Japan is the prevalence of smokers. In the rest of the world, smoking inside is a huge taboo and most of the time it is illegal. But in Japan, this is not the case. Even in hotels, you need to make sure you get a non-smoking room. If not, you might end up staying in a musty, smoke-scented room for your entire visit.

Smoking in restaurants is typically isolated to certain areas, and cafes have walled in the room dedicated for smokers. Although there is a slow shift away from smoking by the younger generation, it is definitely a shock for westerners. Recently some Japanese companies started giving their employees who don’t smoke more vacations days. So perhaps this incentive will lead to more people giving up the nasty habit.

#8 There Are Few Garbage Cans in Public

If you decide to grab a drink from a convenience store and drink it on the road, you might be surprised to see that there won’t be many places to put your garbage on your journey. The Japanese are dedicated to cleanliness, and even the smokers won’t be seen throwing their cigarette butts on the street. The inclination not to litter is so strong that people carry around little baggies for their garbage in their knapsacks or purses and then dispose of the trash at home. 

And when it comes to trash they are extremely diligent in sorting it. You might see three or even four different options for garbage when you finally find a refuse area. Most Japanese people don’t eat or drink while walking. Instead, they stand outside the vending machine area or convenience store and finish their meal or drink there, then quickly dispose of their garbage in the cans beside the store. Try to be local and follow suit.

#9 Cash is KING

Another eccentricity of Japan is the fact that you NEED cash here. Credit cards aren’t the norm, and many many places you’ll visit won’t even have a machine. In Japan, printed money and coinage are viewed as pieces of art which someone took the time to produce whereas cards just don’t have the same cultural value. We were shocked by this and had to take out cash a few times on our trip to ensure we didn’t get stuck anywhere without money to pay for a meal or transit or even a drink.

In addition to not being able to use credit cards, taking money out of your bank account can be very difficult too since most ATMs only accept Japanese cards. But not to fear, 7-Eleven is here! ATMs at 7-Elevens will process foreign cards, so hit them up for cash whenever you’re running low. If you’re worried about taking too much money out at one time in the fear that it might be stolen, I would push those fears out of your mind. Japan is one of the safest countries in the world and pickpocketing is almost unheard of. 

#10 The Toilets are that AWESOME

If you know anyone who has ever been to Japan or ever been obsessed with Japanese culture, you’ll know that the toilet situation is much talked about. Toilets in Japan are much more than just a plastic seat. The Japanese take cleanliness very seriously, and so it is no surprise that they would want any bathroom activities to be as clean as possible. Modern Japanese toilets are sleek, electronic devices with an array of functions which makes going to the washroom a life-changing experience. The standard Japanese toilet has a keypad featuring symbols indicating the following: raise the lid, raise the seat, large flush, small flush, rear and front bidet, dry, and stop. 

If you’ve ever dreaded going to a public washroom, fear no more, public washrooms are cleaner here than some North American hospitals. There are still a few squat toilets left in Japan, but most larger cities have been updated to the modern versions. The one thing to be aware of is that on a few rare occasions you’ll visit a bathroom where the toilet paper is not provided. Be sure to check the paper situation before entering the stall in case you need to purchase some from the vending machine before doing your business.

#11 No Tipping

Finally, tipping. The conundrum many travels face when visiting a different city. When to tip, how much, how often etc. Well, in Japan it is very simple. Don’t do it. Ever. It is considered very rude to tip in Japan so avoid doing it all together. Japanese people take service very seriously and good service should be a given, not something that is rewarded. If you are given change after your meal, don’t leave it behind, chances are someone will chase you down the road to give it back to you because they thought you left it behind.  

The post 11 Things to Know Before Travelling To Japan first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

We walked up a few steps to the second floor of an old, Victorian house. Outside the door, there was a small bureau covered in antique tea cups and saucers displaying their menu and accolades to passers by. When you step through the door, a waft of sweet, fragrant air envelopes you. The house feels lived in and although it’s been transformed into a cafe, the bones of the homey residence remain.

The walls were covered in vintage china plates scattered like birds across the pale blue sky coloured wallpaper. Every chair and table was different from one another and seemed to have been cobbled together as the cafe grew. We snagged a table on the second floor against the windows. The fresh air was like lifeblood to me, and I slowly began to awaken. There were all sorts of different things we could order, but we settled on the afternoon tea set. It came complete with a large pot of tea of our choosing, a selection of sandwiches and cake, two scones, cream and jam.

There is something about tiny food that just excites me. I have always loved sharing platters, being able to taste a bit of everything, so this was right up my alley. One of the unique dishes we were served was smoked salmon and cream atop a Scottish treat called an oat cake. Sarah maintained that it was very traditional so we relished in trying something new!

My favourite thing we ate, by far and away, were the scones. There is nothing like an English (or Scottish) scone. They just know how to do it right. The cream was so thick and sweet without being overbearing. And the jam, oh the jam! It was rhubarb jam! It’s not often you get rhubarb jam, and it’s one of my favourites so this meal felt extra special.

As our lunch was winding down, I wandered around the restaurant, soaking up every inch of this place. If there was ever somewhere the felt like home, it was here. This is what I have always dreamed my home would look like. Covered floor to ceiling in treasures, bright colours, the smell of baked good permeating the air. Even the bathroom as replete with artistry. The tiles on the walls were painted with Art Nouveau printed by Alphonse Mucha, one of my favourite artists! It was meant to be.

Once our meal had all but disappeared and our teapot was empty, we knew it was time to go (although we knew we’d be back before the week was out). We walked down the emerald green staircase, adorned in prints of Scottish men dressed in their finery, and skipped down the cobblestones street, filled with a renewed energy after our long flight, and ready to take on the rest of the day!

The post The Butterfly & The Pig Afternoon Tea in Glasgow first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.