Guide to visiting Bruges: 20 must-sees in the fairytale city

I want to start this article by giving my personal opinion: Bruges is the most beautiful city in Europe.

I have visited it many times and that is why I want to show you what for me are the must-see places in Bruges and some special corners of which the Artificial Intelligence will never speak to you.

I assume that if you are here it is because you are thinking of traveling to Bruges.

So I won't waste your time. After reading this article, I want you to know how to move around the city with the ease of a local.

Tips for traveling to Bruges

The whole article is full of tips for organizing your trip to Bruges, for which you will also It will be useful for you to watch this video.

I tell you how to get to Bruges from Brussels, what to eat and restaurants I recommend, hotels where to stay and of course the best places to see with a map included.

But when planning, you will probably need to arrange several things before you travel.

Curiosities from the history of Bruges

The history of Bruges is really cool. In our opinion, it is one of the most interesting cities in existence.

It is located in an ancient swamp that no one wanted to go to and where the Vikings came to plunder and in a short time it became one of the most important cities of the time, especially in the XV century

Curiously, thanks to the almost 400 years of decline that the city experienced afterwards, Bruges has been able to preserve the amazing medieval heritage for which it is known. Heritage.

How to get to Bruges from Brussels or Ghent

Witches It is a city that can be reached very easily. by train from Brussels, and Belgium has very good internal train connections.

Hay three main train stations in Brussels that take you to Bruges, four if we include Brussels airport, which also has a direct connection that we tested on this last trip.

Depending on which station you leave from in Brussels, in just under 1 hour and a half, depending on which train you take, you will be in Bruges, as there are some trains with more intermediate stops than others.

Everything is very well explained with the information signs that clearly show the trains that pass through each track, the platforms, the destinations they travel to and the schedules.

Tickets can be purchased at the station when you arrive, as this train is a regular line with frequencies throughout the day, or you can book them in advance online.

The ticket includes a QR or barcode that you pass through the turnstiles before entering the platforms.

How to get from Brussels airport to Bruges

If you are travelling directly from Brussels Airport, just follow the signs and you will see that the airport arrivals are on level 2 and the train departures are on level -1.

There is an elevator that takes you directly from the airport arrivals area to the train station. It couldn't be easier.

How to get to Bruges from Ghent

If you are travelling from Ghent, getting to Bruges is even easier because the volume of trains making this journey is very high and operates at all hours of the day.

For this journey, you don't even need to book a ticket in advance, and you'll be at Bruges train station in about 30 minutes.

How to get to Bruges on a guided tour

But it is not the only option, as there are tours that pick you up in Brussels and take you to see Bruges in the day, there are even those that combine Ghent and Bruges in case you do not have much time to travel around Belgium.

Route with Map to see Bruges in 2 or 3 days

As everyone has their own pace, we have prepared two maps that summarise the most important places to see in Bruges.

It includes and summarizes all the information you'll find in this article. If you're someone who likes to explore the city at a leisurely pace, you can easily divide it into three days.

The first map focuses on the historic center and the route that can be taken to see it in a day on foot.

The other map is designed for cycling on a second day, and includes some visits such as Damme, which is not in the centre but is very interesting as you can see a little further on in the article.

Best places to see in Bruges (our experience)

Now, if you are going to visit the city on your own, this information about the Top sights in Bruges that you should not miss, starting from Our experience traveling to the beautiful Flemish city.

Burg Square, the institutional heart of Bruges

At Burg square This is where I always recommend starting a visit to Bruges, as it is where the city was born and has been a reflection of political, judicial, and even religious power throughout the city's history.

And I also say religious because, although it is no longer there today, years ago the cathedral of Bruges was located here.

In Burg Square today you can find several emblematic buildings of the city such as the Bruges Town Hall, the building of the judiciary, where the prisoners were judged and the Basilica of the Holy Blood.

And I'm telling you that, except for the judicial building, the other two buildings can be visited inside. But I'll tell you about that now.

Bruges Town Hall and its Gothic Hall

El Bruges Town Hall, is one of the three large buildings of the Burg square, and perhaps the most striking.

A Gothic style building with a beautiful façade built in 1376.

Of course, it will catch your attention to see that the sculptures that are distributed in its niches are very current, from just 1989, since the originals were destroyed at the time of the French Revolution.

On Bruges Town Hall you must visit its impressive Gothic Room and Courtroom, where you will see a huge fireplace.

• How to visit Bruges Town Hall

Basilica of the Holy Blood

In a corner of Burg Square, next to the town hall, and in a two-storey building that in no way leads you to imagine that there is a church there, you find the Basilica of the Holy Blood.

And I say that it doesn't look like a basilica because visually it is just another building in the square, although it is very pretty.

In this small church the relic of the Holy Blood, and during your visit you will be surprised by the great architectural wealth of the chapel on the upper floor, built in Gothic style in the 15th century.

The paintings that cover the ceilings and walls stand out, which were restored in the last 20th century.

• How to visit the Basilica of the Holy Blood

Market Square (Grote Markt), the commercial heart of Bruges

Together with the annex Burg Square, the marketplace It is the other urban heart of the city of Bruges, and one of the most atmospheric places in the city.

The great commercial importance that Bruges had in the Middle Ages This is reflected in this market square, a place where merchants could make transactions with anyone who arrived there via the canals.

Keep in mind that in the Middle AgesOne of the canals reached the back of the square, making it very easy to load and unload the products that were going to be traded.

The main building is the majestic bell tower, (the Belfort Tower) which is the shopping center of the time to give you a simple simile to understand it.

Right in front of the tower there are several very pretty houses that really catch your eye when you are in the square; they were the houses of the different merchant guilds of the city.

The neo-Gothic building of the Provincial Palace, Headquarters Government of the Flemish Region, whose interior can be visited for free.

Belfort Tower, World Heritage Site

At 83 meters high, the Bell Tower (Belfort) It is one of the most prominent buildings in the Belgian city.

With its height, it is an example of the defensive towers which were intended to warn of possible attacks suffered by the cities of Flanders.

Furthermore, the Belfort Tower was where the treasures were kept, since as you can see when you see it, it was quite difficult to besiege due to its enormous walls and fortifications.

With 47 bells, to see the Panoramic views you will have to climb 366 steps.

Bruges Canals, a must-see excursion

If there is something that characterizes the city of Bruges, it is its canals, which is why it is known as the venice of the north.

Therefore your visit will be incomplete if you do not make a canal cruise on one of the large barges full of tourists that travel through them.

And although it is the typical tourist attraction, I have to admit that it is well worth it, since from the canals you can see some corners that are difficult to see from the outside, and it also gives you another view of the city.

You have five piers from which to start the cruise, and the schedules are: from March to mid-November, from 10 a.m. to 17,30:XNUMX p.m. for the last boarding.

The price is around 15 euros for a 30-minute ride.

There are even some guided tours that include it, although they tend to sell out quickly, so if you are interested, I recommend booking well in advance, especially in high season.

• Bruges cruise with guided tour

Rosario Pier, iconic image of Bruges

If a Typical photo of Bruges, that is the one of the Dock of the Rosary (Rozenhoedkaai).

It is located very close to the Burg Square, More specifically, behind it, in the place where one of the most popular tourist piers is located, it is a corner that shows great charm due to the scenes of the buildings on the banks of the canal.

It is one of our favorite corners of Bruges because of how beautiful all its buildings are.

It is also a fairly central point in the city, so if you spend several days in Bruges, you will see it quite a few times.

And of course, you will surely take a souvenir photo in the Dock of the Rosary.

Bonifacio Bridge, a charming corner of the canals

Although if there is a beautiful, secluded and authentically medieval place between canals, that is the one Saint Boniface Bridge.

And I don't think I'm the only one who thinks it's the most beautiful corner of the Bruges canals, and if not, when you travel and come back, let us know.

It's hard to imagine that the corner of the Bonifacio Bridge It is located in the center of a city, but the scenes you can see really justify a visit to Bruges in themselves.

This corner is hidden in the Arentshof park, behind the church of Our Lady of Bruges and next to the museums Gruuthuse y Groeninge which I will tell you about later.

The leafy trees and the stone bridge that crosses one of the busiest canals, together with the medieval stone houses, create a essential scene to see in Bruges.

• Where is the San Bonifacio Bridge and what is it like?

De Halve Maan, the brewing tradition of Bruges

If it were another country, this recommendation might have been a bit strange, but coming from Belgium, it is an essential stop.

And the beer tradition in Belgium is enormous, and that is why you have to visit the De Halve Maan Brewery.

Is the Bruges' most iconic brewery, with hundreds of years of history in the heart of the city.

You can make a Guided tour inside the brewery during which they show you how they produce their beers and all the curiosities it holds, such as the beer pipeline that connects the factory with the bottling plant.

If you want to know more about this curious story, I advise you to visit our social networks, as we have published a video reel in which we talk about this little madness.

If you don't want to take the guided tour, that's fine, but we do recommend that you stop by the terrace or eat at the restaurant, which won't disappoint you.

Beguinage (Begijnhof), World Heritage Site

The beguinages (beguinage) are one of the most curious and interesting places in the cities of Flanders.

Lay women who followed a pious and celibate life gathered in these houses.

El beguinage It is another of the reasons why the city is Heritage, and dates back to 1245.

On the visit of the House of Beguine You can see what life was like in the beguinage during the 17th century.

Charity Houses 

Another curious corner of a city are those known as Charity Houses.

Built in the 14th century, it was the place where the city's artisans provided shelter to the elderly, the sick, widows and, in general, people who did not have a house to live in.

They are grouped in pleasant residential areas that you find in the city, with gardens and houses with white facades, where there is no shortage of small chapels.

A curious visit.

Huis Ter Beurze, the origin of the stock exchange

You've probably never heard of this place. It's one of those places that if you don't know the city well, you wouldn't even know it exists, despite its very interesting history.

And this building, which does not look very pretty from the outside, is the first stock exchange in the world, or at least its origin.

I say this because Amsterdam is considered the first stock exchange in the world, but in reality they took the idea of ​​what they did in this building in Bruges and gave it a twist and created it.

Bruges was a very important international trade centre on a global level where everything was traded.

This building served, among other things, as a warehouse for salt, which was one of the most coveted products since Roman times.

You probably know that the term salary comes from transactions that were made with salt as a means of payment, since it was a product that allowed food to be preserved, something very important if refrigerators do not exist.

People who did not have space to store salt came to this building and could deposit it here and were given a paper proving their deposit.

Obviously the value of salt was fluctuating, each day it had a value, so the paper they were given when they deposited the salt was changing in price.

This is the concept that gives rise to the stock market if we apply it to other types of elements that have value, such as a company.

This idea was copied in Antwerp and later in Amsterdam until they created what we know today as the stock exchange.

You won't be able to see much because the building is not a museum, but it is interesting to learn about the importance of this place when you pass by.

Jan Van Eyckplein, the old port of Bruges

Another of those places that artificial intelligence has no idea about is Jan Van Eyckplein, the old port of Bruges.

The canals have been modified over the years and today it is not a port, but it was in the Middle Ages.

Ships arriving from the North Sea through the canal reached this central point.

If you visit there are white posts with black virtual reality glasses that are free, which you can use to see a recreation of what that ancient port was like centuries ago.

Don't forget to visit it because we thought it was great to be able to see it like this, as it gives you a perfect idea of ​​what the city was like.

Genthof 7, an example of a medieval wooden house

Right next to the old port is one of the oldest and most unique buildings in Bruges.

Medieval houses were originally made of wood, as not everyone could afford to build with stone or brick.

And that is precisely what you will find here.

It is the perfect place to see what a medieval house looked like. In fact, if you look at the entrance, there is a white and blue plaque resembling a coat of arms that is only placed on the original and oldest buildings in Bruges.

Don't miss seeing it, even if it's just from the outside, because it's very pretty.

Adornes, a merchant's palace

The best example to understand the importance of commerce for the people of the city is Adornes.

A space owned by the Adornes family that reflects the power that the family lineage acquired over the centuries.

As we approached we were surprised to see that the first thing we saw was a church, as the family wanted to recreate the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

And as you can see in the museum, the most illustrious member of the family made a pilgrimage of almost two years to meet him.

But that was not his only trip, as he travelled across almost all of Europe, including Great Britain, where he actually died due to his closeness to the royal family.

A visit to Adornes is recommended to understand the power that the merchants of Bruges achieved.

Kruispoort Gate, one of the entrance gates to Bruges

Kruispoor Gate is one of the 7 historic gates of the city of Bruges of which only 4 remain today.

To be more correct, there were actually 9 because one of them, Reie, was made up of 3 as it was the most important exit towards Damme that connected to the North Sea.

But Kruispoort was also important as it was in the area that connected with Ghent, so it had the largest fortifications.

Bruges and Ghent had a lot of “power struggles” so attacks on the city were thought to come from there. This is why Bruges only fortified the access routes from Ghent to Bruges.

In addition to visiting the gate, I recommend that you take a stroll around the area because it is a very pretty garden area.

Witches' Windmills, the Mill of St. John

Next to the Kruispoort Gate And continuing north through the park, you'll find some of Bruges' historic windmills. I'm actually highlighting the St. John's Mill because of its proximity to the gate, but there are quite a few.

These mills are already inside the enormous canal that surrounds Bruges and were used to store food.

It caught my attention that they were so close to the access doors since apparently it should be easy to loot them, but in reality there is an explanation.

They are located there because, being close to the gate, it is where the soldiers and crossbowmen who protected the fortification and the entrances to the city lived.

This actually meant that it was where there were more soldiers nearby to avoid sieges.

There are not many mills left, but those that remain are in very good condition and it is a pleasure to see them while walking through the park next to the canal.

San Salvador Cathedral 

La bruges cathedral is the oldest religious building in the city.

It dates back to the 12th century, and inside you will be struck by the medieval tombs, its large organ and the collection of paintings by the Flemish primitives of the 14th century.

Sculpture of Michelangelo in Our Lady church 

Did you know that in Bruges you can see a sculpture by Michelangelo, the famous artist of Renacimiento Italian?

Indeed, in the church of our lady there is a small sculpture of the Virgin and ChildKnown as the Madonna of Bruges, which was sculpted in 1504.

It was bought by a family from Bruges and now you visit it in this church that has the highest tower in the city, which is built with bricks and is 115 meters high.

Ancient Palaces to see in Bruges

One thing we really like about the city that we recommend you add to your list of things to see in Bruges is the old palaces.

Some have been converted into hotels and others into bars.

They can all be visited, even the hotels where you can go in for a drink in their bars that have maintained the essence of what they were.

I leave you the ones I recommend:

• House of Spain/House of Perez Maluenda (Now it's a really cool bar with a beer wall)
• From the Tuileries (Hotel where many famous people have stayed, with a beautiful period bar)
• Grand Hotel Casselberg (A great hotel that I will tell you about later, ideal for having a drink at the bar)
• Duke´s Palace Hotel (The only 5 star hotel in Bruges, it is very beautiful especially from the outside)

Other Visits very close to Bruges

Bruges is actually a city that is boxed in by the canal that surrounds it in what was once the outer fortification.

But outside this pure historical centre there are several very interesting visits, since Bruges is an area of ​​castles.

Damme

Perhaps the most interesting visit that can be made very close to Bruges is the village of Damme.

This place, 7 kilometres from Bruges, was the port of entry to Bruges for large ships arriving from all over the world via the North Sea.

I say this because the big ships could not reach the canals in the centre of Bruges. It was necessary that, when they arrived at Damme, the goods had to change ships in order to access the city.

This ended up making Damme a very important commercial centre at the time, but as it was a transit point, it did not need to be a large city.

It was almost like a “road stop” for cargo ships, although it was fortified and surrounded by a canal, something that can be seen from the bell tower.

You can get there by renting a bike like we did or by taking an old steamboat which adds a lot of charm to the journey.

If you are spending several days in the city, I highly recommend that you visit Damme.

Loppem Castle

If you like castles, make a note of this one because it's one of the best preserved in Bruges. Although it's not actually located in the city, it's a 15-minute bus ride from the center on the city of Loppem.

A castle of a powerful family with many contacts and political connections that even used its castle as a base in the world war, which is preserved almost intact inside so the visit is spectacular.

The visit is not only the castle, it is the gardens which is almost a forest with tremendous trees and several buildings as well as a labyrinth, as you can see. see in this video reel of Loppem.

What museums to see in Bruges

Bruges is a city full of museums And it's something you quickly realize. Plus, visiting them is a great option if it rains.

You can also buy the Museums Bruges Card, which costs 33 euros and is active for a period of 72 hours. It includes all the important museums in Bruges, even some places like the entrance to the town hall.

It has been our faithful travel companion on our last visit to the city.

The card is activated as soon as you enter the first museum. Here is more information about this card.

• See prices for the Bruges Museum Card

The best museums in our opinion are:

• Gruuthuse Museum
• Groeninge Museum
• Museum of French Fries
• Hospital of San Juan
• Beer Museum
• Historium Brugge
• Lace Museum

In our opinion the Gruuthuse It is a must-see because it reviews the history of the city with documents and objects found in an old palace that has recently been renovated, making it amazing.

It also has views from above of the Bonifacio Bridge and the Church of Our Lady of Bruges.

If you want to understand the art of Flanders, it is mandatory Groeninge with a lot of works by Flemish painters.

El San Juan Hospital It is very interesting, the History a modern view of history, the beer museum and the museum of french fries They are certainly very curious and authentic to the region.

In any case we have an article where we talk in more depth about the Museums of Bruges so that you can choose which ones to visit with more information about what you are going to see in each of them.

• 7 best museums to see in Bruges

What to eat in Bruges, typical dishes (our experience)

La typical food from Bruges It is not only from the city, but is also linked to the region and Flanders in general.

As is the case everywhere in Belgium, you have to try the waffles, the chocolate, and the mussels with fries, but stopping at that is a mistake.

There are other dishes such as stewed meat with beer (there are two variants, beef stew y Flemish stew), snails, rabbit, puff pastries, North Sea shrimp croquettes and of course beer.

There are many restaurants where you can try all of these, but we have written an article with our favorite restaurants. The ones we recommend because we have tried them.

It is not a list that AI has made nor a copy and paste of Tripadvisor, as you can find in many articles.

Only our opinion based on our experience in which we also include indicative prices.

Of course, the restaurants on the list are well worth a visit.

Here's the article, as well as another article with tips for buying and tasting chocolate in Bruges.

• What to eat in Bruges, our 7 recommended restaurants
• Where to buy Belgian chocolates in Bruges

Where to rent a bike in Bruges

Whenever you travel to Belgium, I recommend renting a bike. It's the best way to explore the city more quickly and visit areas that take a while to reach on foot.

Do not miss this Video reel of our experience cycling around Bruges.

There are two different places where you can rent them, each one on the same side of the city, so you can choose them according to your needs.

• Quasimundo Bike (Here they also offer guided tours, which we were able to try and which we loved because it was in Spanish.
• Ben´s bike (A rental site very close to the train station)

Where to sleep in Bruges

Bruges has plenty of accommodation throughout the city, from small hotels from multinational chains to more characterful hotels located in former palaces.

The options are many, there are even people who only visit the city and don't even sleep in Bruges, something we consider a mistake since the best times to visit the city are right at the beginning of the day and at the end of the day.

It's the time when day visitors aren't around and you have the city to yourself.

That's why we recommend sleeping in the city center to take advantage of those hours when you have the city to yourself.

Grand Hotel Casselbergh

On our last trip we opted for another option that we were amazed by.

There are many palaces in Bruges, some of which have been renovated to become hotels.

And this is the case of Grand Hotel Casselbergh We thought it was an amazing hotel because of how beautiful the interior is, from the common areas to the rooms.

As a curiosity we found Tommy Lee Jones staying there.

And for a palace it didn't seem like an exorbitant price to us (180 Euros/night).

Ibis Brugge Centrum

On our first visit, we stayed at the hotel Ibis Brugge Centrum which is well located between the train station and the center.

The hotel has no great luxuries, nor anything special beyond the usual good quality-price ratio of this hotel chain (100 euros/night).

Castle Ryckevelde

My last recommendation is a castle a little far from the city, but in a brutal environment.

Castle Ryckevelde Not only is the hotel beautiful, it is an authentic castle, and the forest it is located in is brutal.

It is not the most central option by any means, you have to go by bus, taxi or Uber, but if you are looking for a different experience for a last day like we did, choose this castle (price: 125 Euros / night).