Bruges Belgium

Bruges in Belgium, along with a few other canal-based northern cities, such as Amsterdam and St Petersburg, it is sometimes referred to as the Venice of the North. Bruges has a significant economic importance, thanks to its port, and was once one of the world's chief commercial cities. Bruges is a major tourism destination within Belgium.
The historical center is not so big and thus quite walkable. For getting into the city, there are buses, car taxis and bicycle taxis. Buses are operated by the Flemish public transport company De Lijn. Bicycles are easy to rent and make getting around the city very speedy.
Cycling in Bruges is the perfect way to discover the historical centre. Bruges citizens make fanatical use of their bikes. Up to 60% of all incoming traffic in the city centre are cyclists. Bruges can be described as a city where cycling is familiarized and where the local government puts a lot of effort to improve cycling in this city. According to Bruges Major cycling is the main point of attention in all parts of infrastructure, city plans, permits etc. In 2012 Bruges received a nomination for ¨Belgium cycle city of the year¨. Also, for 15 years Bruges has been the starting point for the Tour of Flanders.
When you’re planning to visit Bruges you can easily hop on a bike and start to discover the city. There are various bike rental companies spread over the city and some of them also offer the opportunity to do a guided bike tour. A local guide will take you across Bruges highlights within a few hours.
Bruges is visited by a huge number of tourists and it sometimes becomes quite annoying, especially around the Markt and Burg squares. The important thing to remember, however, is that very few tourists venture far away from the main shopping area, so if you want some peace and quiet you should simply explore the many small cobbled streets away from the main squares.