What to See in Bruges

last edited May 5, 2020

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Location Map of Bruges

Bruges Open the interactive map

Overview

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Historic Centre of Bruges
The entire old town of Bruges, around the Grand Place, is a UNESCO World Heritage site for its unique architectural and cultural value.

Sites, Monuments, and Architectural Ensembles

Basilique du Saint-Sang, Bruges, Belgique

Basilica of the Holy Blood
It stands on Burg Square and is a blend of Romanesque and Gothic styles.

Belfry of Bruges
Rising 83 metres above the Cloth Hall, it is located on the Grand Square. Dating from the late medieval period, it is one of the city’s symbols. There is a fine panorama from the top.

Beguinage of Bruges
Like most cities in Flanders or the Netherlands, Bruges has its own beguinage. Behind an enclosure surrounded by moats, around thirty small houses (one of which has been turned into a museum) and a church are gathered around a tree-filled space.

Bruges Canals
Like other European cities, Bruges is a city of bridges, quays (notably the Rosary Quay), and canals with origins dating back several centuries. You can take pleasant 30-minute boat cruises to see the city from a different perspective.

Cathédrale Saint-Sauveur, Bruges, Belgique

Saint-Saviour's Cathedral
This is the oldest religious building in the city, dating from the 10th century. It was constructed in the Gothic style and is flanked by a 79-metre bell tower. The interior houses a grand organ, a "treasury", and several ancient paintings and tapestries.

Historic Centre of Bruges
The entire old town of Bruges, around the Grand Place, is a UNESCO World Heritage site for its unique architectural and cultural value.

Market Square
This is the other beautiful square in the city, alongside the one in the Burg. It is also renowned for its architecture, with its lovely gabled houses, halls, and tall belfry visible from afar.

Burg Square
With its beautiful façades, what was once a fortress now vanished is the heart of the city. It is surrounded by several historic buildings, including the Town Hall, the Basilica of the Holy Blood, and the former Registry, remarkable for its superb Renaissance architecture.

Medieval Gates
The city of Bruges still has four gates (out of seven originally) dating from the Middle Ages. The Ghent Gate ("Gentpoort") serves as a museum dedicated to the life of Bruges' fortresses through the centuries and is the only one open to the public.

Museums

Friet Museum
This is the only museum in the world dedicated to the potato and the fry, with a tasting session at the end of the visit. In addition to collections of objects and machines, the museum highlights the place of fries in Belgian culture.

Groeninge Museum
It houses a collection of Flemish paintings from the 15th century to the present day. It serves as a reference for Flemish Primitives from the 15th and 16th centuries.

Gruuthuse Museum
This elegant townhouse showcases collections of applied and decorative arts from the 13th to the 19th century, reflecting local life.

Memling Museum
Housed in what was one of Europe’s most important medieval hospital complexes, this museum brings together works by the painter Hans Memling. Beyond the canvases, the site primarily displays objects, furniture, and archives illustrating the daily life of patients and religious communities from the medieval era.

Volkskundemuseum
This is an ethnographic museum dedicated to the folk traditions of the Bruges region. It features reconstructions, interactive displays, and collections on this theme, housed in a set of small white 17th-century houses.

Parks and Gardens

Minnewater Park
One of Bruges’ largest parks, also known as the Lake of Love. It’s a lovely green space surrounded by water (and a few beautiful buildings) in the south of the city.

In the Surrounding Area

Among the interesting sites to see around Bruges:

Kortrijk
An old Flemish city not far from Lille, known for its UNESCO-listed belfry and béguinage, both recognized under these monument categories in Flanders and/or Wallonia.

Ghent
Between Antwerp and Bruges, the city is a port, university, and cultural hub. Steeped in history, it boasts many medieval buildings, particularly religious ones.

Knokke-Le Zoute
This is the seaside part of the Knokke-Heist municipality and remains a premier Belgian tourist destination, known for its rather upscale clientele. The Zwin Nature Reserve is located within its territory.

De Panne
A seaside resort on the French border famous for sand yachting. It also boasts the most beautiful dunes on the North Sea, along with some stunning late 19th-century villas.

Le Coq
A popular seaside resort near Bruges, known for its beautiful villas and hotels from the early 20th century. It’s also home to Belgium’s longest beach.

Zwin Nature Reserve
By the sea, serving as the border between Belgium and the Netherlands, this mudflat and salt marsh area is the traditional habitat of many birds.

Ypres
Close to the French border, Ypres is primarily known for the battles that took place here during World War I. Several memorials, museums, and monuments commemorate the events, as does its charming rebuilt city centre in its own way.