An absolute must for visitors to Bruges is a climb to the top of this 83m-high (272ft) tower, where efforts are rewarded with a stunning panorama of the city and surrounding countryside. On your way up, marvel at the incredible clock mechanism and a carillon of 47 bells, which used to organise life in medieval Bruges and warn the citizens of an enemy advance.
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Things to see in Bruges
Tourist offices
In & Uit Brugge
Address: Het Zand 34, Bruges, 8000, Belgium
Tel: +32 50 444 646.
Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat 1000-1700; Sun 1000-1400.
bezoekers.brugge.be/enJust west of the city centre, In & Uit Brugge is a one-stop shop for reservations, tours and advice. There is also an information desk in the Historium (Markt 1), with the same opening hours.
The Brugge City Card (www.bruges.it) offers free admission to 27 museums, free canal boat tours and a handful of other discounts. Passes are available for 48 or 72 hours.
Belfry of Bruges
Opening Times: Daily 0930-1800.
Admission Fees: Yes.
Disabled Access: No
UNESCO: Yes
Address:
Markt 7, Bruges, 8000, Belgium
Telephone: +32 50 448 743.
Website:
bezoekers.brugge.be/nl/belfort
Bruges City Hall
The Bruges City Hall dates from 1376. Its gothic council chamber on the building's first floor is open to the public and features spectacular ceilings decorated with medieval carvings. An adjoining chamber houses displays of documents and works of art.
Opening Times: Daily 0930-1700.
Admission Fees: Yes.
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: Yes
Address:
Burg 12, Bruges, 8000, Belgium
Telephone: +32 50 448 111
Church of our Lady
After the iconic Belfry Tower, the 122m-high (400ft) Church of Our Lady is the most imposing building in Bruges – and also one of the most beautiful. Inside this epic church, visitors can admire an incredible collection of art including Michelangelo’s world-famous Madonna and Child, as well as the tombs of Mary of Burgundy and Charles the Bold.
Opening Times: Mon-Sat 0930-1700, Sun 1330-1700.
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: Yes
Address:
Mariastraat, Bruges, 8000, Belgium
Telephone: +32 50 448 711.
Basilica of the Holy Blood
Located in Burg Square, the basilica boasts two beautiful chapels: St Basil's Chapel, which dates back to the 1100s, and the Holy Blood Chapel, where you’ll find the supposed sacred blood of Jesus Christ. The holy claret is stored in a rock-crystal vial that was taken by Thierry of Alsace after the Second Crusade to Jerusalem in the 12th century. It’s put on show daily. The basilica also has a small museum displaying ecclesiastical exhibits, which you have to pay to enter.
Opening Times: Thu-Tue 0930-1230 and 1400-1730.
Admission Fees: No (admission fee for museum).
Disabled Access: No
UNESCO: Yes
Address:
Burg 13, Bruges, 8000, Belgium
Telephone: +32 50 336 792.
Website:
www.holyblood.com
De Halve Maan Brewery
Belgium is renowned for its beer, and this family brewery (the name means ‘Half Moon') has been producing a range of traditionally made tipples here since 1856. The only brewery left in the Old Town, it offers multilingual tours daily, ending with a chance to taste. The views from the top of the brewery are worth the ticket price alone.
Opening Times: Sun-Wed 1000-1800, Thu-Sat 1000-2300.
Admission Fees: Yes.
Disabled Access: No
UNESCO: No
Address:
Walplein 26, Bruges, 8000, Belgium
Telephone: +32 50 444 222.
Website:
www.halvemaan.be
Historium Bruges
Short of developing your own time machine, this multimedia museum is the best way to experience Bruges during its golden age. Passing through a series of themed rooms you can smell, see and hear about all aspects of life in the 15th century, when the city was one of the most powerful in Europe.
Opening Times: Daily 1000-1800.
Admission Fees: Yes.
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Address:
Markt 1, Bruges, 8000, Belgium
Telephone: +32 50 270 311.
Website:
www.historium.be
Kantcentrum (Lace Centre)
Dedicated to Bruges's best-known industry, lace, this museum is housed in restored 15th-century almshouse. It offers lace-making demonstrations Monday through to Saturday, with additional courses for those that want to find out more. Once you’re finished, the adjacent Jerusalem Church is a quirky pit stop and is free for lace museum customers.
Opening Times: Mon-Sat 0930-1700.
Admission Fees: Yes.
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: Yes
Address:
Balstraat 16, Bruges, 8000, Belgium
Telephone: +32 50 330 072.
Website:
http://kantcentrum.eu/
Choco Story
Dedicated to one of Belgium’s most-famous traditions, Choco Story is a must-visit for chocoholics. Tracing the story of the cocoa-based treat from the times of the Maya and Aztecs to modern manufacturing processes, visits here include chocolate-making demonstrations and a shop in which to indulge the tastebuds.
Opening Times: Daily 1000-1700.
Admission Fees: Yes.
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Address:
Wijnzakstraat 2, Bruges, 8000, Belgium
Telephone: +32 50 612 237.
Website:
www.choco-story.be
Groeningemuseum
What the Groeningemuseum lacks in size, it certainly makes up in stature. This renowned art gallery holds six centuries worth of work, showcasing a comprehensive collection of Flemish, Belgian and Dutch art by such luminaries as Jan van Eyck, Hieronymous Bosch and Marcel Broodthaers.
Opening Times: Tue-Sun 0930-1700.
Admission Fees: Yes.
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: Yes
Address:
Dijver 12, Bruges, 8000, Belgium
Telephone: +32 50 448 743.
St John’s Hospital
St John’s has some of Europe’s oldest surviving hospital buildings and it dates back to the 13th century. It’s far too antiquated to be suitable for Belgium’s modern health service, so it has been converted into a museum that commemorates its 800 years of helping the sick. Displayed under the fantastic wooden ceiling are primitive instruments and cringe-worthy diagrams of ancient medical techniques, which make you glad to be in the 21st century.
Opening Times: Tue-Sun 0930-1700
Admission Fees: Yes.
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: Yes
Address:
Mariastraat 38, Bruges, 8000, Belgium
Telephone: +32 50 448 743.
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