Bruges or Maastricht?

Neither city is a beach destination, but Bruges at least has the sea within reach. A short train ride to Blankenberge and the coast tram open up a long line of wide sandy beaches, good for a windy walk or a quick dip in the chilly North Sea on a summer afternoon.

Maastricht is far from any coast. A swim there means one of the old gravel-pit lakes along the Maas, with small sandy shores and lifeguards, or a hotel pool.

The two eat at much the same level and both love Belgian beer, but the flavours differ. Bruges is built around the beer café, with long Trappist lists, mussels and frites, beef stewed in beer, waterzooi and chocolate in every window. Its weak spot is the set-menu restaurants on the main squares.

Maastricht leans towards Limburg, with zuurvlees, slices of vlaai, seasonal asparagus and game, and white wines from the surrounding hills. Its best tables are in the old centre and Wyck, and the terraces on the Vrijthof make eating out more of a social occasion. Bruges has the edge for street food, with frites stands and waffles where Maastricht has very little.

Bruges has the more remarkable townscape and the finer art. The entire canal ring is a World Heritage site of guildhalls, stepped gables and almshouses around the Markt and the Burg. Inside it hang Van Eyck at the Groeninge, Memling at St John's Hospital and a Michelangelo Madonna in the Church of Our Lady.

Maastricht's history goes back further, with two Romanesque basilicas, the Helpoort and a bridge that has crossed the Maas since the 13th century, plus the Sint-Pietersberg tunnels and the Bonnefanten. It is rewarding but has no single showpiece. In Bruges the whole town is the showpiece, though it fills with day-trippers by late morning in summer.

Maastricht has the livelier evenings, largely because of its big student population. They fill the brown cafés around the Markt, the Platielstraat and the Vrijthof, which stay busy late at weekends during term. At carnival, before Lent, the whole city turns into a street party for days.

Bruges is for a slower night: strong ales in a vaulted cellar or an old café, then a walk along the lit canals, with most of the centre asleep by midnight on weeknights. Neither city has much of a club scene.

Maastricht is the place for getting outdoors, because this is where the Netherlands stops being flat. The marl cliffs and reserves of the Sint-Pietersberg start at the edge of town, the Jeker valley and the Heuvelland offer proper walks and climbs, and the Ardennes are within reach for a long day.

The polder around Bruges is completely flat. It is made for easy rides along the poplar-lined canal to Damme and for birdwatching at the Zwin salt marsh, but there are no hills or forests to explore.

Both make excellent bases, and Bruges edges ahead because of what lies close by. Ghent is under half an hour away, Brussels an hour and Antwerp a little further, all on frequent Belgian trains, and the coast and the First World War sites around Ypres fill out the list.

Maastricht's strength is the mix of countries. Aachen and Liège are about half an hour away, Valkenburg and Tongeren are nearer still, and Cologne is a longer drive. The range of languages and scenery is wider, but the big cities lie further off than Ghent and Brussels do from Bruges.

Both are small, safe and calm enough for children, and neither is built around them. Bruges has more to do in town, with canal boats, carriages, the Belfry climb, an amusement park on its southern edge and sandcastles on the nearby coast. Its cobbles and summer crowds are hard on pushchairs, though.

Maastricht's quieter squares are easier with a buggy, and its best family days are just outside the city: the Sint-Pietersberg tunnels, Valkenburg's caves, cable car and fairy-tale park, and the zoo at Kerkrade.

Both are easiest on foot or by bike, and in each the cobbles are the only real nuisance. Bruges keeps everything inside its egg-shaped ring of canals, flat and largely car-free, with the station a short bus ride from the Markt and fast trains across Flanders.

Maastricht spreads across both banks of the Maas, and the station in Wyck is a short walk over the bridge. Its countryside is harder to reach by bus, so a car or bike helps for the hill villages.

Maastricht is the better place to shop, and weekend visitors from three countries come for it. The Stokstraat quarter has designer and fashion boutiques in restored old houses, the Grote Staat carries the main brands, and Wyck adds independent shops for interiors and vintage.

Bruges is more about what you can take home to eat or drink: pralines, Belgian beers and their glasses, and bobbin lace, although much of the lace is imported. Its main streets are mostly chains, with the 't Zand market and the Dijver flea market for browsing.

Neither city is cheap, and there is little between them. Bruges charges heavily for hotels inside the canal ring and for meals on the main squares, so a room near the station and dinner on the side streets make a real difference.

Maastricht runs at Dutch prices, with weekend rooms in demand from short-break visitors, but bakery lunches and brown-café beer are reasonable. In both cities a midweek stay saves the most.

The two are evenly matched but strong in different things. The Concertgebouw in Bruges is known for early music, chamber music and contemporary dance, and it hosts a long-running early music festival. The Stadsschouwburg adds theatre, and the Belfry carillon plays over the rooftops.

Maastricht has what Bruges lacks: a regional opera company and symphony orchestra at its theatre on the Vrijthof. It also has large open-air summer concerts on the square and jazz cafés through the week. Bruges makes up for this with Ghent and Brussels close by train.

Maastricht is the more restful choice because its region has a real bathing culture. The thermal pools above Valkenburg, Aachen's baths, which date back to Roman times, and the town of Spa itself are all within an hour. Add long lunches and walks along the Maas and the Jeker.

Bruges has only hotel spas and day spas. Its calm depends on timing: the Begijnhof, the Minnewater and the Sint-Anna quarter are peaceful early and late in the day, while the main streets are crowded on summer afternoons.