Where to stay in Bruges

East across the canal from the Spiegelrei: the Jerusalem Chapel, Café Vlissinghe and the windmills on the Kruisvest rampart. Langestraat, on its southern edge, has the big hostel and two of the starred restaurants.

North of Jan van Eyck Square along the Langerei and Spiegelrei: brick houses on still water, few tour groups and good-value small hotels ten minutes from the Markt.

The west side round the big square of 't Zand and the Concertgebouw, with the shopping streets running in to the Markt. Handy for the station and for parking, and lively on Saturday market mornings.

The two squares at the heart of the city: the Belfry over the Markt, the town hall and the Holy Blood on the Burg. The grandest hotels are a few streets away; by day it is the most crowded part of town, and after the day-trippers leave it is quiet.

South of the Markt along the Dijver: the Groeninge, St John's Hospital, the Church of Our Lady, then the Begijnhof and the Minnewater lake. The canal-side mansion hotels are here.