Fun and entertainment Flandres belges

Afternoon Tea was introduced by Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, in 1840, at around 4pm. The ritual has spread throughout Britain... and to Bruges. Take time out between two visits to the superb setting of the Hotel De Orangerie and its salon, decorated with paintings from the ^17th and ^18th centuries, by the fireside in winter or on the terrace facing the canal in summer. From cream teas to champagneafternoon teas, there's a choice of formulas.

What a great, original idea: this fairly recent cultural venue opened in the town's superb former post office. Neat, trendy, designer (note the superb ceiling lights), very spacious, and therefore focused on local cultural events. The menu features a handful of simple, tasty and reasonably priced gourmet dishes, salads and wraps, as well as delicious breakfasts. Good background music, though a little noisy when groups arrive. Rooftop in summer.

To enter, ring the bell. Don't hesitate: you're about to enter a place out of time and out of this world. The town's former Masonic temple has been refurbished by owner Willy Retsin into an original, offbeat bar with a unique atmosphere, open only on weekend evenings. From New Orleans to 1920s Cuba in Prohibition mode, you can enjoy rum cocktails to the sound of Latin music. The inner garden is Bruges' smallest cemetery. A gothic cabaret that's both thrilling and astonishing!

Next to the eponymous brewery, which produces the famous Brugse Zot, a tasty lager, there's a tavern and restaurant where you can sample a wide range of beers. But also regional and seasonal dishes of beer specialties (such as pork cheeks with Brugse Zot Double), around a roaring fire in winter. Everything is homemade, and the menu changes every month. The terrace offers a relaxing break in fine weather, while the beautiful panoramic view of Bruges from the third floor and the store are its main assets.

If you have to be one, push the door of this very reputable bar. A Bruges café like before, a real, pure one with coasters in every corner, old advertising posters, glasses, sacred bottles and ... more than three hundred kinds of beer à la carte. You will be spoilt for choice when it comes to tasting the local malted specialities which can be accompanied by mixed boards. Young, old, other people and tourists come together in this authentic place with a lively Bruges soul.

The Concertgebouw is a center for music and the performing arts, dedicated to the development and presentation of art on an international level. It focuses on contemporary music and dance. With its sound factory (an interactive space for sound art) and its visual art collection, the Concertgebouw invites active discovery of contemporary art. Each season, the Concertgebouw presents established names such as Bach Academie Brugge, Jazz Brugge, Budapest Festival, December Dance and More Music. When not performing, you can also visit the Concertgebouw.

Blend is both a wine bar and a wine shop. The kind of place where one comes to pay tribute to Bacchus in a friendly and warm atmosphere. The knowledgeable advice of the staff will delight wine lovers and/or the most curious, as the assortment is wide. A selection of famous wines and promising new ones that you can discover around tapas and beautiful boards of Italian cold cuts. A quality address and a very friendly welcome. Moreover, there are two other Blends in Antwerp and Ghent!

The eponymous hotel's "Café Marcel" is a very central spot, distinguished by its trendy setting, with refreshing bamboo, large landscape photos on the wall and convivial tables. It's like being at home here, by the contemporary decorative fireplace, on retro but studied armchairs. Superb breakfast and lunch menus. Also ideal for a tea break or an afterwork tapas aperitif. A warm, modern atmosphere, a pleasant terrace just as carefully decorated, and smart cocktails to get the evening off to a good start.

Mischievous-looking trolls (not garden gnomes!) give this little café a special atmosphere. Candles, brick walls, huge mirrors tarnished by time, exposed beams and classical music create a pleasant and unusual intimate atmosphere. On draught, you'll find Trollebier (the trolls' beer), either blond or dark. A must-try, of course, but there are almost 300 regional beers on tap too! The Hibiscus Goose, for example, was delicious! Pleasant outdoor terrace on the cobblestones.

A must for night owls! Marvin Gaye is not far away: this was his favorite bar when he was exiled to Ostend. In fact, the decor is dedicated to him, with large black-and-white photos of him hanging on the walls. An atmospheric bar where beers, wines and cocktails dress up the nights in their finest colors. You can chat and dance to the rhythms of soul, r'n'b, jazz and funk, masterfully distilled by the permanent DJ, who has a fine ear for music. It's the place to go to extend the evening.

Ready to take a cocktail world tour from Bruges? This is the trendy place to sip these sweet treats. Behind a historic façade lies an elegant interior with a hushed ambience, inviting us to make ourselves comfortable in the satin armchairs. The stars here are the Ghost colors based on gin and IPA beer with lemon and ginger syrup, and the Zombi with its 3 rums and deliciously tangy notes of pineapple, lime and passion fruit. The ingredients are all fresh and the balance of flavors respected.

A must for all lovers of Duvel queen beer: the Duvelorium is located just above the Historium. This bar specializes in Belgian beers. Enjoy a moment of relaxation in a medieval tavern, and try the astonishing tastings combining beers and pralines. You can also choose another beer from the extensive menu. To be tasted on site or sold in the boutique. Gift sets with bottle and collector's glass are also available. Plus: the panoramic terrace overlooking the market square.

DeDingen is a place with vintage decor and good, healthy, inexpensive food. Here, it's "à la bonne franquette". The meats and vegetables are beautifully combined with seeds and herbs, and you can feel the mastery of discipline in the kitchen. Afternoons are reserved for snacks, and on weekend evenings, it transforms into a café where you can sample beers from microbreweries. Bonus: a trendy retro ambience, with school chairs, architect's lamps, antique radios and second-hand furniture. A real favorite.

The Cambrinus is one of those breweries in the historic center that is a must for any beer lover. The menu details a long list of more than 400 references, with, in particular, a nice list of Christmas beers in season. Also on the menu, a very Belgian brewery menu with some dishes prepared with beer such as rabbit with prunes or fish cassolette, real delights. Warm atmosphere of the room where a light smell of hops floats. Ideal for a good-natured stopover. Warm welcome.

This cramped café is housed in one of the oldest houses in the city. Indeed, the facade bears the date 1228. But then why the name? Well because in the time of its commercial and industrial hegemony, Ghent traded with the Turks! The simple and sober decor has the atmosphere of popular places. Attended by many regulars, it is an ideal bar for chatting while enjoying a good mousse. You can choose from a fine selection of beers, including some famous Trappist beers, whiskies and why not a brandy.

Here's an authentic place where you can still hear the heartbeat of the old town. Housed in a cul-de-sac, it's not easy to find between the Grand-Place and the Burg. A small, friendly, authentic, old-fashioned café where you can sample over one hundred and thirty varieties of beer, either à la carte or by the board. We won't tell you more to preserve the secret, but the Garre is the name of a Triple served here and only here. The bar is spread over two floors, mostly filled with Bruges locals and a few tourists who've found the address.

An old-fashioned art house cinema, but with its finger on the pulse of cinema. Every year, a prestigious festival is held here (the MOOOV festival), promoting reruns of major films from around the world that are eagerly awaited in Belgian cinemas. The best thing about cinoche en Flandre is that the films are always shown in their original version, but also with French subtitles, so if you're so inclined, don't be afraid to hear Auteuil spoken in the language of Gezelle! In this ciné Lumière, enjoy a coffee in the brasserie, bathed in a bath of culture.

Today, it's the smallest café in town, but also the oldest: it dates back to the ^18th century! In this pretty house of gnomes, you'll even discover an old pillory (torture post) where people were nailed in the old days, and you'll better understand the expression "to nail to the pillory"... It's not always easy to find your way around on Friday and Saturday evenings, as the bar is very popular with the locals. But it does boast a lovely, well-lit terrace for longer summer nights.

A stylish house, two teeming floors, taffeta drapes and a lively atmosphere. There's always something going on, and it's the trendy resto-bar from noon to midnight. Contemporary decor, a trendy clientele and French-Belgian brasserie cuisine make this one of the city's places to be, even if unfortunately the quality of the plates isn't the same as it used to be. The cocktails and oysters are always recommendable. Take a look at the toilets - they're worth the trip!