In Bruges, there are the churches and the grandiose public buildings. They symbolise the medieval settlement that was once a commercial and cultural capital of Europe. They brought people here from across the world hundreds of years ago and they continue to do so today.

But it’s a living city, much more than many of the other famous historic centres of Europe. Houses, apartments, local bars. How can somewhere so famous for tourists still have so many pockets with no strangers on the sidewalks, no visitors in the cafes?

It’s the light and the shade of Belgium’s picturesque urban treasure. Together, everything within the eleventh century walls is in its rightful place. The medieval street pattern survives, the canals once used for trade remain, and the influence of the old resident artists permeates throughout.