Sunday closures, and the Bruges day-trip crush

Most shops close on Sundays and many restaurants close on Mondays or Tuesdays; check before planning a day around a specific place. Bruges receives millions of day visitors into a small medieval center; between 11 and 4 the main squares are shoulder to shoulder. Arrive before 10, or stay overnight and walk the canals in the evening, when it's quiet and lit. The Markt's restaurants with menus in six languages charge accordingly; eat a few streets away.