Places to Visit in Bruges, Belgium

Its canals, which once gave it its port identity, are today the owner of the picturesque views of Bruges that we see everywhere. Of course, all this beauty is not limited to channels. Fortunately, the medieval architecture, which makes one feel like the actor of a nostalgic movie, was never damaged in the wars. Even when it was completely renovated years later, this medieval texture in the city has never changed, making Bruges one of the best preserved cities in Europe.

Streets like the cobbled movie set, unique stone architecture with colorful doors and windows, colorful squares and canals, which are now the center of touristic trips, are just some of the details that make Bruges one of the most romantic cities in the world today. Although it is called the Venice of the North, we think it would be unfair to focus only on the canals of Bruges. Best of all, get your cameras ready and explore Bruges on foot. It is guaranteed that you will not get tired of walking but taking pictures in this sympathetic city under UNESCO protection!

Bruges is a day-trip city where almost all of the places to visit are gathered in the historical city center. For those who do not know where to start, we share our walking route below. The best way to visit this city, whose streets are as beautiful as its squares, is definitely to walk a lot. You can visit most places on a day when you wake up early and hit the road. Of course, if you want to enjoy the romantic atmosphere and don't want to compress the schedule too much then it's better to spread it out over two days. Have a good trip already! If you make your hotel, flight and car rental reservations for your trips through Bitbook, you can benefit from an average of 20% cashback.

Begijnhof

Founded in 1245, Begijnhof is a private settlement for the Beguins, who do not want to live religiously and marry or are widowed. The peculiarity of this Begijnhof is that although the houses inside have been renovated over time, its concept has been fully preserved and it is one of the best examples in Bruges. After the last Beguin living in Begijnhof left here in 1927, it started to be used as a house for women belonging to the Benedictine Order. Today, his active life continues. As long as you act quietly, you can visit the Begijnhof and observe the daily life of the Beguins and the civil architecture of Bruges. Entry to the campus is free, visiting the sample house is €2 per person, free for Musea Brugge Card.

Church of Our Lady

The Church of Our Lady, which can be seen from the Bonifacius Bridge and Arentshof, is considered to be the architecture that best demonstrates Bruges' stonemasonry. The construction of the church, which started in 1270, continued until the 15th century and took two centuries. Another important feature is that it has a 122-meter bell tower. This tower; It comes second among Europe's tallest brick towers, as well as being the highest point in Bruges.

The exterior of the church is Gothic, and the interior is Baroque. As an interesting information; One of the chapels in the church was built in the 1400s as the personal place of worship of the Gruuthuse family, whose museum we have just described. The church is also home to the Madonna and Child sculpture, Michelangelo's only work outside of Italy. Madonna and the Child is Michelangelo's only work in the group of countries known today as the Benelux. Entry to the church is free; The museum section is €6 per person, free for those with the Musea Brugge Card.

Gruuthusemuseum

Another important museum in Bruges is the Gruuthusemuseum, which is within walking distance of the Groeningemuseum. The museum, which has a collection about the history and lifestyle of Bruges, takes its name from the house of the Gruuthuses, one of the wealthy families of Bruges, where the museum is located. Although the collection of the Gruuthuseum was formed primarily from the archaeological remains unearthed around Bruges, today most of it is the personal belongings of the Gruuthuse family. Thanks to these items, we can easily see how Brugge's rich lifestyle is.

The collection covers the period between the 15th and 19th centuries extensively through applied arts such as furniture, lace and ceramics. The museum is closed to visitors on Mondays. Entry is €12 per person, free for those with the Musea Brugge Card.

Rozenhoedkaai

Rozenhoedkaai, known as the Rosary quay, is the most photographed area of ​​Bruges. The Rosary dock, which connects the Groenerei and Dijver canals, used to be an important port where salt trade was carried out. The salt brought to Bruges through the canals was sold and distributed here by the salt traders. The quay is surrounded by old houses and historical buildings; Sometimes one does not want to believe that Bruges was once destroyed and completely rebuilt. Each one of them looks so old that it's really hard to tell apart if you don't know.

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