Flemish Countryside

During the 4-hour tour, you’ll have ample time to explore the quaint, medieval town of Damme on your own and at your own pace. You’ll begin at Market Square, the site of the charming Town Hall. Originally constructed in 1241, the building boasts a tower with 25 bells and a timepiece from 1459, believed to be Belgium’s oldest. The quiet beauty of Our Ladies Church, built in 1225, is one of Damme’s most renowned monuments. Another of Damme’s ancient buildings is Saint-John's Hospital. Founded in 1249 to care for the poor, the chapel and infirmary are still in their original condition. Continue south of Bruges, to the peaceful village of Loppem, where one of the main attractions is undoubtedly the stunning castle.

Loppem Castle has a particular and homogenous style, in the sense that the architecture and the interior have retained their original state. It was in 1856 that the future castellans, Baron Charles van Caloen and his wife, Countess Savina de Gourcy Serainchamps, appointed the English architect Edward Welby Pugin (whose father, August Welby Northmore Pugin, participated in the building of the Westminster Houses of Parliament) with the task of designing the plans for the castle. Pugin's task was pursued by Jean Bethune, who brought a more Flemish character to the construction. Loppem Castle later came to play a prominent role in the political history of Belgium at the end of World War I. Stroll along the landscaped walkways that wind through the trees and across bridges. You’ll get a chance to buy some Belgian chocolates at one of the largest chocolate shops in the region before returning to port.