Brugge's Old Town is compact and made for walking. 

• The canals and architecture of Bruges are the highlights of a visit to this enjoyable town.

• Its museums are interesting, but the shops, streets, walkways, humpbacked bridges, and out of the way "nooks and crannies" in Bruges are its main attractions. 

• Walk as much as you can - it will be hard on the feet, as many of the streets are cobblestone - but it is the best way to experience Bruges.

Attractions

The architecture, setting, and ambiance of Old Town Bruges endear it to visitors.  Crisscrossed by canals that are sided with scenic, historic buildings, Bruges is a cornucopia of treats.  It is easy to visualize what Bruges must have looked like several hundred years ago. Although there is much to see and do in Bruges, the canals are the city's main attraction, as well as its heart and soul.  You will constantly be encountering the canals as you walk the city and each time you this happens you will notice new buildings, new colors, textures and images that will stay with you long beyond your departure from the city.  Brugge is special place and you will not regret visiting.

• Be sure to take a stroll through  Markt Square and along the canals at night when these sights are illuminated.  Bruges at night is beautiful and a sight that you should not miss.  Spend an evening or two in this town to soak-up its charming, historical ambiance.

• Give in and head to one of the many delightful pastry shops for a tasty treat or buy some delicious Belgian Chocolate and wander through the many Christmas shops – it will make you feel like a kid again.

• Be sure to take time for a boat tour of the canals.  You will find the boat captains good tour guides and the beautiful view of the town's buildings from the canals is worth the modest price (approximately 5 €).

  • Be prepared for the boat operator to tell you that he is “just” the driver and not qualified to be or paid as well as a tour guide – this is just setting the stage for you to provide him with what he hopes will be a generous tip.

• The Markt is the main town square in Brugge. This colorful area is surrounded by shops and restaurants.  At the south end of the square, the Belfort (Belfry) (1),  the town's musical bell tower,  serves as the Markt's exclamation point. 

  • If you have the time and are in the mood for a climb, you can ascend the Belfry for a dramatic view of the town. 

  • The Belfry has a fine carillon and concerts are played throughout the week. (Trust us, if you are in town, you will not miss hearing them, but is more fun to be in the Markt when the concerts are held.)  

  • In addition, the Markt is the place to catch a horse drawn carriage for a tour of the city (lap blankets provided when it is cold) or to board the more modern, City Tour bus for a fifty-minute introduction to Brugge, departing on the hour.

  • Recently Brugge started a Christmas Market.  To take advantage of the benefits of the season, an ice rink is constructed in the center of the Markt and the Christmas Market stalls surround the rink.

    • The Christmas Market is scheduled to run from November 24 to December 31 in both 2009 and 2010.

  • As you might suspect, the Markt is the center of activity in Brugge and it is a good place to meet, as well as eat when you visit the city.

•   The Burg (2) is less expansive than the Markt, but the buildings in this medieval square are very impressive (especially when illuminated at night).  The buildings surrounding the Burg include the Stadhuis (City Hall) and the Basilica of the Holy Blood.  Both buildings have interesting interior detailing and should be toured if you have the time.  The Basilica, as its name implies, contains a reliquary preserving what it believed to be the blood of Jesus.

  • The Burg contains the local Tourist Information Office.

    • Stop in and purchase the excellent “Tourisme Map of Brugge” for .20€ (the map provided by the Tourist Office is rendered at a large scale with easy to read type, includes symbols showing all tourist attractions, and is of better quality than commercial tourist maps that you can purchase elsewhere).

Two of the museums in Bruges attract the most visitors. 

•   The Groeningemuseum is an art museum featuring the Flemish masters.

  • It has a modest, although quality art collection but is not as interesting a museum as the Memling Museum - St. John’s Hospital. 

•   The Memling is focused on presenting several masterpieces of Franz Memling and, at the same time, telling the story of one of the oldest surviving medieval hospitals in Europe (Old St. John's Hospital).

  • A recorded museum tour is free with the price of admission and describes the major treasures of the museum, as well the building that houses the collection.

  • A compact printed guide (in English and Dutch) that explains all of the displayed items is available just inside the entrance to the exhibits.

  • The Memling is an interesting place to visit.   It features some wonderful art and well-displayed triptychs (three paneled, hinged paintings that were used as altar decorations in medieval times).

  • Be sure to examine the  Museum's collection of medieval medical instruments and furniture from the Old Hospital. 

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Immediately across from the Memling is the Church of Our Lady .

•   The church, which dates from the 13th century, is noticeable due to its 122-meter high bell tower (3). 

  • Constructed to hold the relics of St. Boniface, the church is a fine example of Gothic architecture. 

• The main attraction is Michelangelo’s statue of the Madonna and Infant (4), brought to Brugge by a local merchant in 1504.

  • The statue was carried off several times by French and German forces but always returned to its home. 

• The church’s pulpit is a beautiful work of art and considered by some to be a Baroque masterpiece.

Another of Brugge’s churches deserving a visit is the St. Salvator-Kathedrale  . 

•   The Cathedral is being restored and is a visual treasure including breathtaking art, spectacular tapestries, and dramatic architecture.

The Beguine’s House (Begijnenhuisje) seems to attract a large number of tourists but has little to offer other than solitude and beautiful grounds. 

•   The building, which is currently a nunnery, was historically a home for women who aspired to a religious life but not necessarily to take the vows required of nuns. 

  • The Beguinage in Bruges has a spacious grassy layout and  is a place where you can seek some quiet time amidst a comforting landscape.

    • If you have walk to the Beguinhof from the Markt, it is also a good place to take a rest before you head back towards the center of town.

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Regardless of where you go in Bruges, you will see  memorable buildings and scenes. Click on the cameras below for some of our favorite photographs of Bruges.

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