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Photo: Jim Linwood, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
A beautiful church on the Burg square. It houses a relic: a vial of blood that is said to be that of Jesus - and was built in the Gothic style. Try to get there early so you can view the chapel when it is quiet and not filled with tourists. And don't forget to visit the chapel underneath, in heavy Romanesque style - a contrast to the lovely light Gothic above.
The Basilica of the Holy Blood is a Roman Catholic basilica in Bruges, Belgium. The church houses a relic of the Holy Blood that was, according to tradition, collected by Joseph of Arimathea and brought from the Holy Land by Thierry of Alsace, Count of Flanders. Built between 1134 and 1157 as the chapel of the Count of Flanders, it was promoted to a minor basilica in 1923.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
On the court of a former major's house, "all Belgian beers" are exposed permanently. At the back of the wall, it's also possible to drink a lot of those beers.
Passionate local storytellers offer tours in the medieval city center. No old-fashioned tour focussing solely on historical details, but engaging stories to bring the history to life. Reservations advised. Tell Me Stories About Bruges, daily at 10:00, 11:00, 14:00 & 17:00, operated in English. Bruges at Night: Murder, Mystery & Dark Stories, selected days at 18:00 or 20:00.
The market square is the heart of the old town. It covers an area of 1 ha, and on its southern edge is the city belfry (Halletoren/Belfort), which is one of the city's best known landmarks. There are nice views from the tower (see Do below)
Known as 'The city museum of Fine Arts', it houses a collection of artworks that span several centuries (14th-20th), focusing mainly on works by painters who lived and worked in Bruges.
Retsin's lucifernum
An amazing (private) art gallery with a Gothic cemetery in a subtropical garden located in the old Freemasons temple (1756-1882). 1,000 m² of art and mystery in Bruges' old city centre.
This museum is a must-see for chocolate enthusiasts as it describes chocolate's transition from cocoa into chocolate. Its low-cost tasty exhibits make it well worth the time (and Belcolade's gently overt marketing). Be sure to stay for the chocolate making exhibition to get some excellent samplers. Recommend buying tickets online ahead of time. On a Sunday in October 2022 they didn't have room for walk ins, you needed to buy tickets a few hours ahead of time.