Brugge (Bruges) Travel Guide - Introduction

Like Venice and Amsterdam, Bruges is a hub of culture and art which has been built on water. It boasts many canals winding around the heart of the city’s cobbled streets and picturesque town squares. The city came to prominence as a canal-based city during its golden era in the 12th century when it also constructed its still-present city walls.

With its nearby port of Zeebrugge less than 20 miles to the north, Bruges has emerged as a major European trading destination, having made a name for itself as a maker of fine lace.

This is a city that has managed to preserve many of its historic Medieval and Gothic architecture remarkably well despite Belgium’s disastrous involvement in the two world wars that flattened many parts of the country during periods of occupation by Germany.

No visit to Bruges would be complete without a trip to the city’s many art galleries famed for their extensive collections of works dating back more than 500 years. The Church of our Lady, or Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk, is in itself a work of art and home to a famous sculpture, Madonna and Child, by the Italian master Michelangelo.

As with other destinations in the largely flat Benelux countries, Bruges is a perfect city to explore by bike, a pleasure that costs just a few Euros. It also makes an ideal base from which to explore Belgium’s nearby North Sea coastline, famous for its fresh fish and sandy beaches that fill up with visitors in the summer, along with the rest of the scenic Belgian Flanders region.