Horse carriages on Grote Markt square in medieval city Brugge at morning on background sunrise, Belgium. Shallow depth of field; Shutterstock ID 469563257; Your name (First / Last): redownload; GL account no.: redownload; Netsuite department name: redownload; Full Product or Project name including edition: redownload

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Bruges

If you set out to design a fairy-tale medieval town, it would be hard to improve on central Bruges (Brugge in Dutch), one of Europe's best preserved cities. Picturesque cobbled lanes and dreamy canals link photogenic market squares lined with soaring towers, historical churches and lane after lane of old whitewashed almshouses.

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Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Woman viewing paintings (Hugo Van der Goes - St Hippolyte's Triptich) at Groeningemuseum.

    Groeningemuseum

    Bruges

    Bruges’ most celebrated art gallery boasts an astonishingly rich collection that's strong in superb Flemish Primitive and Renaissance works, depicting the…

  • Hospital of Saint John in the winter morning in Bruges, Belgium.; Shutterstock ID 384804181; Your name (First / Last): Josh Vogel; GL account no.: 56530; Netsuite department name: Online Design; Full Product or Project name including edition: Digital Content/Sights

    Museum Sint-Janshospitaal

    Bruges

    In the restored chapel of a 12th-century hospital building with superb timber beamwork, this museum shows various torturous-looking medical implements,…

  • Belfort

    Belfort

    Bruges

    Towering 83m above the square like a gigantic medieval rocket is this fabulous 13th-century belfry. There’s relatively little to see inside, but it’s…

  • Markt

    Markt

    Bruges

    The heart of ancient Bruges, the old market square is lined with pavement cafes beneath step-gabled facades. The buildings aren't always quite as medieval…

  • Burg

    Burg

    Bruges

    Just east of the Markt, the less theatrical but still enchanting Burg has been Bruges' administrative centre for centuries. It's in this area you'll find…

  • Kasteel van Loppem

    Kasteel van Loppem

    Bruges

    Around 10km south of Bruges, Kasteel van Loppem is a mid-19th-century brick castle-mansion which had its moment of fame at the end of WWI when it was…

  • Begijnhof

    Begijnhof

    Bruges

    Bruges’ delightful begijnhof dates from the 13th century. Despite the hordes of summer tourists, remains a remarkably tranquil haven. Outside the 1776…

  • Holy Blood Basilica in the Burg.

    Basiliek van het Heilig Bloed

    Bruges

    The western end of the stadhuis morphs into the Basiliek van het Heilig Bloed. The basilica takes its name from a phial supposedly containing a few drops…

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Articles

Latest stories from Bruges

Young woman tourist sits on a bridge in the old city in Bruges in the morning in Belgium and waves a hand passing by a tourist boat with tourists.; Shutterstock ID 1400041118; your: Claire Naylor; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online editorial; full: Bruges things to do

Activities

17 of the best experiences in Bruges

Dec 16, 2023 • 9 min read

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