Bruges or Dusseldorf?

Bruges has the coast on its doorstep. Blankenberge is about fifteen minutes away by train, and the coast tram links a long line of wide, flat sandy beaches with promenades, so a sunny afternoon at the sea is an easy add-on. The North Sea stays cool and windy, though, so it is for paddling and sandcastles rather than long swims.

Düsseldorf has no beach to speak of. The Rhine's sandy banks look inviting but the currents and shipping make swimming dangerous, and the sea is a long day's travel away. Swimming means Unterbacher See, a lake with lawns on the city's edge, or the outdoor pools.

Both cities eat and drink around beer, but in different styles. Bruges pours long lists of Trappist and abbey beers in wood-panelled cafés and pairs them with mussels and frites, beef stewed in beer and plenty of chocolate. Its main squares mostly serve set menus to day-trippers, however, and the everyday range is narrow.

Düsseldorf comes out a little ahead because it has a second side. Next to the Altstadt brewhouses, where Altbier keeps arriving with sauerbraten and spicy local mustard, the streets around Immermannstrasse hold one of Europe's largest Japanese communities, with ramen counters, izakaya and bakeries. Carlsplatz market adds snacks and produce.

Bruges is the clear winner for sightseeing. Its canal-ringed centre of guildhalls, stepped gables and almshouses is a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Belfry and the Burg square anchor it, and the Groeninge Museum, St John's Hospital and the Church of Our Lady hold Van Eyck, Memling and Michelangelo. It is compact, though, and two full days cover the main sights.

Düsseldorf is an art city of another kind. Klee and classic modern art at K20, the net under the dome at K21 and the Kunstpalast reward a museum visit. Bombing took most of the old town, however, so beyond Benrath Palace and the Gehry buildings of the Medienhafen there is little historic townscape to wander.

Düsseldorf is far livelier at night. Its Altstadt packs a few hundred pubs and brewhouses into a handful of streets. At weekends the crowds drink standing in the lanes until well past midnight, and it gets loud, with stag groups in the mix. The cocktail bars of Carlstadt and the Medienhafen are a calmer alternative, and Carnival brings the whole city out in costume for days.

Bruges is the place for a quieter evening. You spend a long session over strong ales in a brown café or a vaulted cellar, then walk along the lit canals. A few bars near the Eiermarkt and 't Zand stay busy late, but there are few clubs, and most of the centre is asleep by midnight on weeknights.

Neither city has dramatic scenery, but Düsseldorf has a little more variety. Beyond the long cycle paths on the Rhine meadows, it has Grafenberg forest and the wooded Neandertal close by, and the Bergisches Land hills begin within half an hour.

Bruges is all flat polder land, which makes it ideal for gentle cycling, above all the tree-lined towpath to Damme. The Zwin salt marsh near Knokke is good for birds, and the dunes make for windy coastal walks, but there are no hills or real forests.

Both are excellent bases, and the difference lies in what is nearby. From Bruges the trips are to Flemish art cities: Ghent under half an hour away, Brussels and Antwerp a little further, plus the coast and the First World War cemeteries around Ypres.

Düsseldorf looks out over the Rhineland and the Ruhr. Cologne Cathedral is under half an hour away, Bonn and the Brühl palaces lie up the river, Zollverein in Essen shows the region's industrial past, and the castle-lined Middle Rhine gorge makes a longer day.

Düsseldorf is the easier city with children. Trams take buggies without fuss, the Aquazoo Löbbecke Museum fills a rainy day, the Rheinturm's tilted windows and the free game park in Grafenberg forest please younger ones, and Phantasialand and Movie Park are within about an hour.

Bruges is safe and small, and boat rides, horse-drawn carriages, the swans on the Minnewater and Boudewijn Seapark all work well. Beyond that its highlights are paintings and churches, and pushchairs struggle over the cobbles in crowded summer streets, though the beach at Blankenberge is close.

Both are easy to get around without a car, in different ways. Bruges is a walking and cycling town, crossed on foot in about half an hour, with flat car-free streets and only the cobbles to slow you down. Düsseldorf's walkable centre is backed by trams, light rail and a fast airport link, and its regional network reaches Cologne and the Ruhr, though the fare zones take some getting used to.

Düsseldorf is the shopping city of the two. The Königsallee lines a canal with luxury flagships, jewellers and arcades, the department stores and Kö-Bogen cover mainstream fashion, and Flingern and the Japanese quarter add design shops, stationery and homeware.

Bruges is mainly about edible souvenirs: pralines from chocolate makers on every street, and beer shops selling bottles and glasses from all over Belgium. The lace is often imported, Steenstraat is mostly chains, and the Saturday market on 't Zand is the pleasantest browse.

Neither is cheap, but Düsseldorf is a little kinder day to day. Brewhouse meals, Japanese noodle bars and reasonably priced transport keep costs down, provided you avoid the trade fairs, when hotel rooms become scarce and very expensive.

Bruges charges for its popularity, with pricey rooms inside the canal ring at weekends and in summer and costly meals on the main squares. Staying midweek or near the station and eating on the side streets helps noticeably.

Düsseldorf offers much more to see on stage. The Deutsche Oper am Rhein stages opera and ballet, the domed Tonhalle hosts the symphony orchestra, and the Schauspielhaus is a leading theatre, though mostly for German speakers. Add cabaret, small jazz venues and the city's place in electronic music as the home of Kraftwerk.

Bruges is a specialist rather than an all-rounder. The Concertgebouw and its summer early music festival attract serious listeners, and the Belfry carillon plays over the rooftops, but there is no opera, and the bigger programmes are in Ghent or Brussels.

Both cities are fairly even here, and the calm comes from different places. Düsseldorf shares the German sauna habit, with mixed, swimwear-free saunas in public baths, thermal complexes within an hour and Aachen's hot springs further on, plus the Hofgarten and the Japanese garden in Nordpark.

Bruges has only hotel and day spas, but early mornings at the Begijnhof and the Minnewater, and the quiet Sint-Anna quarter, are very peaceful before the tour groups arrive.