14 things to see and do in Bruges, Belgium

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: June 2026 | Today we can recommend 14 things to see and do in Bruges in Belgium. Bruges is an incredibly charming city in Flanders, with medieval buildings and cozy canals where you can go around by boat. There is also a local brewery, lots of shops selling Belgian chocolate and a lot of interesting museums.

Welcome to Bruges, Belgium!

It's hard not to fall in love with Bruges in Belgium. We've now spent two full days in this city, and here are our best tips for anyone else planning to visit. If you want tips on even more museums, you'll find them here: the best museums in Bruges.

1. Stroll around medieval houses

First of all, strolling around Bruges is cosy! The medieval city centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is extremely charming with its old houses and canals with all the little bridges over them.

2. go on a guided city walk

If you want to learn more about Bruges in an easy way, going on an organised city walk is perfect. We took the guided tour Bruges by Heart, which took us to several hidden gems in the city, and also to the viewpoint on the roof of the Concertgebouw.

3. take a boat trip on the canal

A nice way to discover Bruges is to see the city from the water! Boat trips on the canal cost (summer 2018) 8 euros, and you go on a half-hour tour while being guided through the sights you pass. No matter where you book the tour, the price and route are the same.

4. Experience the town by horse and carriage

Another way to experience the city is to ride around on a carriage, behind one of the city's many horses. We never tried this, but we heard the lovely clatter of the horses' hooves all over town.

5. See magnificent churches

There are a number of magnificent churches in Bruges. These include the Church of Our Lady, with its tall tower and Michelangelo's world-famous 'Madonna and Child'. You can also visit the magnificent St Salvator's Cathedral (Sint-Salvatorskathedraal).

6. Visit the Jerusalem Chapel

A slightly more obscure chapel, which many people miss, is the private Jerusalem Chapel. The chapel has belonged to the Adornes family since they built it in 1429, and in fact the family still lives here. The special little chapel is well worth a visit, and the little museum also shows a film about the interesting history of the family. And don't miss the little crypt!

7. Visit the Spets Museum

If you're visiting the Jerusalem Chapel, you can also take the opportunity to visit the Lace Centre Museum, which is right next door. Here you can learn about the history of traditional lace making in the region, and sometimes you can also see ladies working on the craft. Impressive!

8. Climbing the Beffroi

The beffroi (French) or belfort (Dutch) is a kind of bell tower built in the Middle Ages to call and collect the inhabitants of neighbouring buildings. The tower, known in English as the belfry tower, is 83 metres high. If you want, you can climb the 366 steps for great views of the city. There are 33 Beffrois in Belgium and they are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

9. Visit the Chocolate Museum and the Lamp Museum

There are a lot of museums to choose from in Bruges, and if you like chocolate, you can choose the Chocolate Museum. Choco-Story at Wijnzakstraat 2. The same ticket gives access to a lamp museum, with a traditional collection of a huge number of lamps, from past to present.

10. Visit the Diamond Museum

Another rather special museum is Diamond Museum, at Katelijnestraat 43. Learn about the discovery and trade of diamonds throughout history. Bruges was a prominent city in the Middle Ages for the trade in diamonds and other exclusive products.

11. Experience a Flemish starter farm

"Beguines" were women who dedicated their lives to God after their husbands were killed in war, leaving you alone and poor. In the 13th century, they founded the "béguinages", which are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a closed community with houses, churches and green spaces.

12. Go on a guided tour of a beer brewery

In the middle of the medieval centre of Bruges is the family brewery De Halve Maan. Here you can take a really nice guided tour for €10 (summer 2018), which ends with a beer in the brewery's restaurant.

READ MORE: Brewery in Bruges - Belgian beer at De Halve Maan

13. Drink beer and eat Belgian food

Belgium knows beer and there are many different types of beer. Belgian beer, from Trappist beers brewed by Trappist monks, to different types of fruit beers. Among other things, we've been tipped off about the beer hall 't Brugs Beertje, where we did not have time. However, we did manage to eat Moules Frites at a restaurant at the fish market, Vismarkt. Fish is also sold here on certain days of the week.

We also had time to eat a really good hamburger, with Belgian cheese, on the cosy outdoor terrace of the restaurant. Republic, at St Jakobstraat 36. French fries are served with many dishes in Belgium, which is perhaps not surprising as the fried potato is considered to have originated here.

14. Shopping for chocolate

When you're in Belgium, you have to buy chocolate! In Bruges, the countless chocolate shops are located next to each other and the selection is enormous. You can buy everything from exclusive loose chocolates to fun shaped chocolate figurines, as well as plenty of marzipan, nougat and other sweets.

Peter's Video from Bruges

Read also – more experiences nearby

• Brussels is a big city with grand buildings, cartoon characters, the Europa area, Belgian pubs and good food.
• Ghent is a friendly and relaxed student city with charming medieval neighbourhoods and canal boat trips.
• Antwerp is an exciting city of diamonds, art, museums, beer and chocolate.