Bruges by Eurostar

Three nights from £249 per person

Selected departures June to November 2012

There can be few places left where its still possible to switch off, for a few days, the pressures of modern day living so completely as in Bruges.  Its beauty and tranquillity are outstanding, as befits the most perfectly preserved medieval town in Europe. Its atmosphere is totally unique, whether it’s a stroll by one of the canals, sipping a coffee in the Old Market Square with the chimes ringing out from the 13th Century belfry in the background, or perhaps a gentle trip around the town by horse and carriage. Its serenity will captivate you and Bruges can truly offer a little something for everyone.

For art lovers, Bruges is a must – Jan Van Eyck being the city’s most famous resident.  There are three excellent museums housing many fine works by Dutch and Flemish artists including Van Eyck himself, Rembrandt, and many more. In the church of Our Lady can be seen the carving of the Madonna and Child by Michelangelo, perhaps the greatest sculptor of them all. In the Basilica of the Holy Blood is a phial, said to contain Jesus’ blood, which was brought back from the Holy Land after one of the crusades. The richness of the Bascilla's interior is truly worthy of such a reliquary. 

Bruges is also very famous for its chocolates, most of which are still hand made from the finest ingredients. The results are world-famously mouth-watering. The food in Belgium, and Bruges in particular, combines the best in cuisine: French quality and flair, with German sized portions. The speciality is mussels; there are forty ways of cooking them, and of course Belgian chips topped with mayonnaise are recognised the world over as the best there are. Afterwards, you have the 'Venice of the North' to explore and there is arguably no-where better to walk off such fine food.

Fully escorted price includes:

• Return rail connections on selected dates from more than 30 regional stations including: Newcastle, Leeds, Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Nottingham, Bristol and Cardiff

• Return standard class reserved seat on Eurostar to Lille, Bruges’ nearest Eurostar station, journey time around 1 hour 30 minutes

• Return coach transfer from Lille to your hotel (approximately one hour)

• Choice of excellent quality three and four-star hotels on a bed and breakfast basis, superbly located in the heart of the old preserved town

• Guided walk of historic Bruges, arguably the most perfectly preserved medieval town in Europe

• Visit to a traditional Chocolate Maker

• Visit to Ypres and the First World War battlefields

• Escorted by our experienced tour manager

• The price of this holiday is per person, based on two people sharing a twin room

• Single rooms are subject to availability at a supplement of £89 per person

• Entrance to 'Halve Mann' brewery museum €5.50, boat trip €5.80, Flanders Field museum €5.50, Hill 62 €5, appoximate costs, payable locally

• Please note there is a £10, £20 £25 or £50 supplement for certain regional train stations

Terms and conditions:

The code must be quoted at time of booking to receive offer prices

Prices are per person, based on two sharing and subject to availability. Operated by Riviera Travel Atol 3430 protected, Abta V4744, a company independent of Independent Print Ltd. Single rooms are subject to availability and at a supplement. Optional insurance available at a supplement. When you respond to offers we may use your information to contact you with offers/services that we believe will be of interest. Please give your mobile or email details if you wish to receive offers by sms or email. We will not give your data to other companies without your permission; please let us know if you are happy for us to to so. Prices are correct at the time of publishing. Please call or email for details. 0844 calls charged at 5ppm from BT landlines

Supplier info: Riviera Travel

Since their inception 25 years ago, Riviera Travel have endeavoured to exceed the expectations of the discerning traveller, on their fascinating and innovative European and Worldwide escorted tours.

They have passion for quality and looking after all their guests in the most personal manner possible and really ‘go the extra mile'. Over the years they have received many commendations from many household names in the publishing industry. They have recently been voted by the members of one of the country's most respected consumer organisations in their biannual survey of travel companies, as one of the UK's top two Tour Operators and the most outstanding of all in terms of value for money - by some considerable margin.

Riviera Travel offers European and Worldwide Escorted Tours by Eurostar and by Air.

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Call: 0844 571 1980

Offer Code: The Independent website

The code must be quoted at time of booking to receive offer prices

independent@rivieratravel.co.uk