Bruges

Climb the Belfry first thing, before the day trippers arrive. Then walk without a plan. The closes off Market Square is where you find the most authentic glimpses of the city. Save the windmills for late afternoon. They are five minutes from the hostel and look their best at sunset.

Most people arrive via Brussels, which connects to Bruges in under an hour by train, with services running every thirty minutes throughout the day. From London, the Eurostar to Brussels takes just over two hours, after which Bruges is less than an hour further south. From Paris or Amsterdam, Brussels is an equally straightforward connection. Bruges has no airport, so rail is the way in regardless of where you are starting.

Rozenhoedkaai is the canal viewpoint everyone photographs, and it earns it. Go early. The Begijnhof is quieter and most people walk through without stopping. Sint-Anna, the neighbourhood east of the centre, is where locals live and the streets are worth an hour of your time.

Ghent is thirty minutes by train and consistently underrated. Most people choose between Bruges and Ghent before they arrive and miss the fact that you can do both. Brussels is an hour if you want a capital city for the day. Ypres is worth the journey specifically for the Menin Gate ceremony at 8pm.