Bruges was one of the most important trading cities in Europe about 600 years ago. Ships sailed in along the canals bringing goods from all over the world - spices, silk, and wool. The merchants who lived there built beautiful houses beside the water, and many of those houses still stand today.
The city has around 80 kilometres of canals in and around it. In summer, flat-bottomed boats drift slowly under low stone bridges while guides point out the swans gliding past. Bruges is famous for its white swans, which have lived on the canals for hundreds of years.
In the centre of the city is a large square called the Grote Markt, with a tall bell tower called the Belfry that rings out every quarter-hour. You can climb the 366 steps to the top and look out over the red-tiled rooftops that stretch in every direction.
Because Bruges kept so many of its old buildings, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. That means the whole historic centre is protected, so nothing can be knocked down or changed to look modern. Walking through Bruges really does feel like stepping into a fairy tale.