1: Historic Centre of Brugge
As so many European cities do, Bruges presents the promise of the future firmly within the context of the past. The cobblestone streets and gothic buildings harken back to its origins as a medieval settlement, and its old market square pulses in the heart of town. It is so pristine an example of a city from the Middle Ages that the center of town is a designated World Heritage Site. Walking the streets of Bruges feels like walking through time, with dozens of centuriesold buildings each in possession of a story to tell.
Website: whc.unesco.org
2: The Markt (Market Square)
This section of the city is immediately identifiable by the eminent belfry that has stood here since the 12th century. In the tradition of many similar European cities, this old square was the center of commerce and has since been shut off to traffic in order to allow pedestrians to roam freely. In the center of the square is a fountain featuring Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck, two Belgian heroes credited with fighting in the Battle Of The Golden Spurs between the County of Flanders and the Kingdom of France.
Website: www.bezoekers.brugge.be
3: Canal Tour
Although it shares the distinction with other cities like Amsterdam, Bruges does enjoy a reputation as “The Venice of the North,” for its intricate network of canals. A trip to this city isn’t complete without a waterside perspective, and luckily there is no shortage of boating companies eager to show you around. Departing from different ports all over town, you’re sure to gain new insight and a more intimate understanding of this city and its history as you watch the scenery float by.
Website: www.trabel.com
4: The Beguinage (Begijnhof)
The Beguinage began in 1245 as a Beguine house, which is to say a set of houses for women who wanted to devote themselves to religious works without having to sequester themselves away from the rest of the world. The largest of the houses belonged to the Grand Dame, who oversaw the work of the group. In 1937 the Beguines turned the compound over to the Benedictine sisters who still live there today. A courtyard with a grove of poplar trees imparts a sense of peace to all who visit here.
Website: www.trabel.com
5: Belfry Tower Belfort
This belfry is one of the most immediately recognizable icons in Bruges. Built in the 12th century, it suffered a catastrophic fire shortly thereafter and the entire city’s archives were lost. The tower was soon rebuilt, and various wooden spires and stone parapets have been added over time. The tower in its current form has stood since 1822. For a fee, visitors can hike the stairs to behold an unparalleled panorama of this exquisite city.
Website: www.bezoekers.brugge.be
6: Basilica of the Holy Blood
This building was originally the home of the Count of Flanders. It contains a relic of Holy Blood allegedly gathered by Joseph of Arimathea and brought from the Holy Land by the Count after the Second Crusade. The lower chapel is dedicated to St. Basil and was constructed in the Romanesque style. The upper chapel is devoted to the Holy Blood and was done and redone in the gothic style. The blood itself is kept on a cloth in a vial, and is celebrated annually on Ascension Day via the Procession of the Holy Blood.
Website: www.holyblood.com
7: Minnewater (Lake of Love)
It is easy to fall in love with this picturesque and pastoral lake that became a canal. Graceful swans, the symbol of the city, dot the land and the water, while quaint brick houses and willow trees fill the idyll in a beautiful manner. There is a local legend that states that lovers who cross the bridge will be together forever. That legend, combined with the serene beauty of the surroundings, makes it easy to understand how this came to be called the Lake of Love.
Website: www.trabel.com
8: Groeninge Museum
Six centuries of Belgian paintings are on display in this municipal museum. From Renaissance and Baroque styles, to neoclassical and realist, a wide variety of schools are represented. Famous names like Jan van Eyck, Hieronymous Bosch, René Magritt and Jan Provoost are all present and accounted for. There is also a modern art collection dating back to the postwar period. Marvel at the Flemish Primitives, so called because they were the first, in the 15th century, to start pushing boundaries with new styles and painting techniques.
Website: Groeninge Museum
9: De Halve Maan Brewery
Although Belgianstyle beers are alive and well around the world, this brewery is the only one that has been continually operated since its creation in 1564. It has been largely familyowned during that time; when the two brothers who owned it in the runup to World War I were both killed in the war, their widows rose to the occasion to keep the brewery operational. The brewery excels at many styles, but the signature style is the Straffe Hendrik, a Belgian triple that is so named for all the men in the family who had been involved in the brewery’s continued operation, who were all also named Henri or Hendrik.
Website: www.halvemaan.be
10: ChocoStory, the Chocolate Museum
Belgian chocolate is a category unto itself, so no trip to Bruges is complete without a trip to ChocoStory. The composition of the chocolate they make here is actually regulated by law to ensure utmost quality and keep Belgium’s pristine reputation intact. Visitors to this museum can actually watch the chocolatemaking process happen before their eyes. The history of chocolate, its origins and evolution, are all explained here with delicious results.
Website: www.choco-story-brugge.be