On a sunny Saturday, I drove to the town of Bruges, about 2 hours from my home. My preparations (websites and a travel guide) left me with high expectations for "The best-preserved medieval town in Europe". I wasn't disappointed, but I rate Tallinn (that I visited a few months ago) higher - probably because Belgian towns are so familiar to me.

My first stop in town was the Church of Our Lady, with a delicate statue of Mary and her child. It was made by Michelangelo, and it's the only work of his that can be seen outside Italy. Inside (or beneath) this church there are also impressively decorated graves of Burgundian Kings.

In the center of Bruges, at the large Market Square, the enormous Belfry Tower and Cloth Hall dominate the scene. The Tower just seems to be too high for the building underneath that has to support it. Other interesting places to visit are the Beguinage and the Gruuthuse-museum (in a lovely building).