History is not exactly my best subject, though. I see "medieval city" and I think "enormous haunted castle". This turns out to be a misconception. Bruges is not a fortress city, it's a city of pleasant courtyards, narrow streets, placid canals and graceful bridges. And thousands of tourists taking turns getting out of the way of each others' pretty photographs of the pleasant courtyards, narrow streets, placid canals and graceful bridges...