Things to Do in Bruges

The only brewery still working in Bruges’ city center, Brouwerij De Halve Maan has been operated by the same family since 1856. It’s believed, however, to have been in operation for much longer: The first recorded mention of the brewery dates from 1546, when Bruges was home to more than 30 breweries.

Sint-Janshospitaal (Saint John's Hospital) is one of the oldest surviving hospital buildings in Europe. The hospital cared for pilgrims, travellers, and the sick for more than 800 years. The old infirmary cared for patients from the 12th century to the middle of the 19th century when the hospital moved to a nearby red brick building, where patients were treated until 1978.

Visitors may tour the chapel and the medieval wards where monks and nuns performed their charitable work, and explore the hospital’s impressive collection of artwork, vintage medical instruments, and archives. Also worth a visit are the pharmacy and its herb garden, the Diksmuide attic, the old dormitory, and the custodian’s room. Sint­Janshospitaal owns six works by the artist Hans Memling (one of the most important Flemish Primitive painters, who lived and worked in Bruges in the 15th century), as well as many religious sculptures and paintings that depict what life in the hospital was like throughout the centuries. The museum, which is now located in the old infirmary, teaches the curious visitor more about hospital life in the past and how the wards would have looked then.

A museum devoted to all things chocolate Bruges’ Choco-Story is a must-visit for anyone with a sweet tooth. Learn how Belgian chocolate is made—and then sample some freshly made treats before you leave.

Also known as the Bruges Beer Experience, this innovative exhibition in the heart of Bruges immerses guests in Belgian beer culture through interactive tours and an on-site tasting bar. Opened in 2014, the museum uses modern technology to bring Belgium’s brewing history to life, making it a top spot for young families and beer lovers alike.

Historium Brugge lets you travel back in time and experience Bruges as it was during its Golden Age. Through multimedia and special effects, medieval history comes alive in this interactive museum—one of the city’s most popular attractions—as you explore themed rooms with an audio guide, climb a Gothic tower, and peruse historical exhibits.

Set back from a main street in a small park behind a medieval gate, the Groeningemuseum is one of the finest art museums in the country. It holds a collection that covers around 600 years of Flemish and Belgian painting, from the 14th through the 20th century, with 11 rooms arranged in chronological order.

A historic event center that's used for everything from business meetings to private functions, the Old St. John Site (Site Oud Sint-Jan) is also a tourist attraction. Along with a variety of temporary exhibitions held by XPO Center Bruges, the site attracts visitors with a permanent exhibition featuring hundreds of works by Picasso.

Belgium is famed for itsfrites (fries), and the Frietmuseum in Bruges pays homage to this quintessential—and delicious—national dish. Founded in 2008, it claims to be the world’s only museum dedicated to potato fries and offers visitors the chance to learn about the history of the ever-popular snack.

There are two cities synonymous with the diamond trade in Belgium: Antwerp and Bruges. Diamonds have been polished and traded in the city of Bruges for centuries—and in fact, the technique of polishing diamonds is thought to have been invented in the city in 1450. Learn more about this history of the Diamond trade in Belgium at Bruges’ small yet informative Diamond Museum.

Situated in old Bruges— a city renowned for its lace—the Lace Center (Kantcentrum is a small museum dedicated to the history and techniques of lacemaking. True to its theme, the center is housed in a 19th-century building that was one of Bruges’ original lace schools.

With its maze of cobbled streets and squares, striking old buildings, and network of scenic canals, the UNESCO-listed Historic Centre of Bruges is undeniably picturesque. A boat trip down the romantic canals of Bruges is at the top of the bucket list for many Belgium visitors, and there’s no better way to experience this beautiful city than from the water.

By the 15th century, Bruges was a wealthy town; thanks to patronage by the Dukes of Burgundy and its membership of the Hanseatic League, marketeers from all over Europe had a base there and traded with the rest of northern Europe through a busy river port at what is now the inland lake of Minnewater. One such rich entrepreneur was the merchant Anselm Adornes, who set off on pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1407. On his return to Bruges, he built a church as a quasi-copy of Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the center of his home city. It was consecrated in 1429 and stands amid the mansion and almshouses that still belong to the 17th generation of the Adornes family, who are now the counts of Limburg Stirum. The church itself is of soft red brick and has a distinctive, semi-circular tower with lacy detailing on its arcading and is topped by an onion-dome bearing a silver cross. Its interior is vaulted, with a sinister altar decorated with skulls, the black-marble coffin of Anselm Adornes and a replica of Christ’s tomb tucked away in the crypt behind the altar. Mass is held in the chapel every Saturday morning at 9am. A small museum in the almshouses relates the story of Anselm Adornes and his aristocratic descendants.

One of Bruges’ top family-friendly attractions, Boudewijn Theme Park and Dolfinarium is known for its dolphin, seal, and sea lion shows. In addition to marine mammals performing tricks, the park also has 20 outdoor attractions, including a roller coaster and pirate ship, as well as 10 indoor attractions suitable for a rainy day.