Brugge Activities

Brugge has several great activity options for groups travelling with children, both in and out of the central area. The Minnewater and the city's various parks and gardens offer perfect picnicking and recreational opportunities, while many of Brugge ' cultural and historical attractions will appeal to kids as well as adults.

The Boudewijnpark & Dolphinarium
This amusement park is located just south of central Brugge and features dolphins, sea lions, rides and paddleboats. Admission fees are fairly steep, but children under one metre tall can enter for free. The park can be reached by bus from the train station and the Markt.

Choco-Story Museum
Youngsters will be enthralled by this four-storey museum devoted entirely to chocolate; open every day between 10:00 and 17:00. As all chocolate lovers will know, Brugge is a haven for chocolate and this museum offers the opportunity to learn about the history of chocolate and the chocolate making process, while the tasting centre is what most visitors enjoy the most! 

The Seven Towers Children's Farm
The Kinderboerderij de Zeven Torentjes is an old estate that has been converted into an animal farm especially for kids. All the old farm buildings have been restored and a play park has been added, along with a menagerie of farm animals including pigs, horses, hens and more.

Brugge was originally established in the 13th century as a cloth making town and has continued to grow and evolve ever since, resulting in a powerful cultural and historical heritage. It was lucky enough to escape the ravages of war and consequently is one of the continent's most perfectly preserved cities, boasting a treasury of architecture and artwork on which culture vultures can feast their eyes, along with multitudinous museums to explore.

The Archaeological Museum
Located at Mariastraat 36, this fascinating museum features exhibits of various items that have been unearthed during excavations of the city centre. The displays include ceramics, pottery, glass, metal, leather and stone items dating from the Stone Age to the Middle Ages, and they cumulatively trace the history of Brugge through these eras.

Brugge Diamond Museum
Few people are aware that Brugge is Europe's oldest diamond centre, but you can find out all about the city's diamond mining past at the Brugge Diamond Museum in Ankerplein. Visitors can learn about the history of diamond cutting and polishing, and enjoy exhibitions revealing the equipment used to carry out this work.

The Groeninge Museum
This museum is one of Brugge's highlight attractions and it houses a splendid collection of Flemish art from the 15th century and including masterpieces by great names such as Bosch, Memling, Van Eyck and Bruegel.

The Memling Museum
Housed in one of Europe's oldest standing hospitals, the Memling Museum showcases a collection of antiquated furniture, ancient surgical implements and beautiful artworks. The adjoining chapel exhibits a collection of works by the famous Flemish artist, Hans Memling.

The Gruuthuse Museum
A distinguished collection of sculptures, ceramics, tapestries, furniture, lace and silverware is exhibited in this 15th century manor house, once the home of Lodewijk Van Gruuthuse, a Flemish nobleman who was a counsellor to the Dukes of Burgundy in the 1400s. Items on display date from between the 13th and 19th centuries, with the collection including over 2,500 pieces.

Museum of Our Lady of the Potterie
This stunning museum boasts one of the most beautifully preserved Baroque interiors in all of Brugge and is home to an impressive collection of sculptures, paintings, furniture, tapestries, silverware, religious relics, books and stained glass windows. Onze-Lieve-Vrouw ter Potterie was originally established as a hospice in 1276 and has an adjoining chapel dating from the 14th century, featuring a splendid Baroque interior. The museum charges admission.

Basilica of the Holy Blood
This remarkable church is a combination of Roman and neo-Gothic styles, featuring exquisite murals, stained glass windows and an ornate wooden ceiling. The Upper Chapel of the basilica houses one of the country's most treasured religious relics, a rock crystal vial containing what is said to be a few drops of the blood of Christ, which is preserved on a piece of cloth. The sacred bottle is usually stored in a silver tabernacle, but is displayed every Friday for public viewing. The church also encompasses a museum with displays of art, relics and church robes.

The Church of Our Lady
One of Brugge' most impressive churches is the result of three centuries of construction and three different architectural styles. The Church of Our Lady features a 122-metre bell tower and a fantastic art collection that includes Michelangelo's 'Madonna and Child'. It is also home to the tombs of Charles the Bold and his daughter, Mary of Burgundy.

Saint Saviours Cathedral
This is Brugge' oldest parish church and has also been its tallest since 1871, when a steeple was added to the west tower in order to make it more noticeable than the next-door Church of Our Lady. The interior houses a modest collection of artworks and some medieval tombs that make for interesting exploration.

The Jerusalem Church
Built during the 15th century by the Adornes family and still privately owned, the Jerusalem Church houses the mausoleum of Anselm Adornes and his wife, along with a replica of Christ's tomb. The design of the church has remained almost exactly the same since its inception; its gorgeous stained glass windows date from the 14th and 15th centuries and are still intact. The church is located adjacent to the Lace Centre and admission allows visitors entrance to both buildings.

Saint Walburga's Church
This beautiful church is one of the few Baroque structures in Gothic-dominated Brugge and it dates from between 1619 and 1643. Sint-Walburgakerk was the city's Jesuit church up until 1774 and it features magnificent marble surfaces and an exquisitely crafted altar, pulpit and communion bench.

The Godshuizen
While exploring the city centre on foot, look out for houses marked on the exterior wall with a name and a year. These edifices were built in Belgium from as early as the 14th century, but mainly in the 17th and 18th centuries, to house the country's poor and needy. They can still be found in high numbers in certain areas of Brugge , especially in the areas around Zand Square and Saint Catherine street (Sint Kathelijnestraat). 

City Gates
Brugge was once encircled by city walls that were constructed in the 14th century and punctuated by nine fortified gates. The city walls have long since vanished, but four of the original city gates are still standing, along with a single defensive tower - the Poertoren – that overlooks the Minnewater.

Brugge is based in the predominantly Flemish area of Flanders; however, the locals are nevertheless as passionate about their food as the French and the city boasts a plethora of excellent restaurants, cafés, pastry shops, waffle stalls, praline houses and pubs that sell high quality local beers. Belgians are generally night owls and restaurants only fill up late, so unless you're happy to sit solo, it's best to wait until after 19:30 to eat out. Tax and service charge are almost always included in the bill in Brugge, but it's always a good idea to make sure before paying.

The Markt is lined with restaurants and quaint cafés that offer a wide range of local and international dishes. These eateries are superb vantage points for people-watching and enjoying the square's magnificent architecture, but like most tourist areas, prices are often far higher than the quality of the food and service. While a meal or a drink in this area is almost mandatory for visitors to Brugge, you will find more impressive cuisine at lower prices in back street bistros and outside the city centre. To find these culinary gems, simply wander off the beaten track and ask the locals for suggestions. 

National favourites include mussels cooked in a variety of styles and sauces served with frites (French fries) or fricadellen (French fries with mayonnaise), while specialties traditional to Flanders are carbonnade (a hearty beef stew with beer and onions), flamiche (cheese and onion pie), waterzooi (a thick soup with fish or chicken) and lapin à la flamande (marinated rabbit with prunes and onions). Belgians are serious about their beer, of which there are over 100 varieties, and the local brews make a great accompaniment to Flemish fare. Finish off your meal with a selection of mouth-watering Belgian pralines or pick up dessert at a waffle stall instead.

There are plenty of places to shop in Brugge, with souvenir stores found at every turn as well as numerous clothes shops and specialty stores, but prices are generally high. However, certain items are well worth paying for such as the silky smooth Belgian pralines and fabulous beer.

The main shopping drags are located in the area between the Markt and the old city gates. Steenstraat is Brugge' number one retail road, situated right on the Markt, just behind the Belfry. Lined with designer stores and international brand names, it offers an abundance of high quality apparel and accessories at prices to match. Tourists are well provided for on nearby Wollestraat, where in addition to clothing and gift shops, high numbers of specialty stores sell traditional Belgian lace, chocolate and tasty local brews. Shopping complexes are located at Burg (Ter Steeghere), Zuidzandstraat (Zilverpand) and Hallestraat (De Gouden Boom).

You're more likely to find bargains at Brugge' various markets, which are as enticing for their local flavour, as for the wares they offer. Check out the Wednesday market on Markt square (08:00 to 13:00), the Saturday markets on 't Zand square and Beursplein (08:00 to 13:00) and the weekend flea market on Dijver (Saturday and Sunday afternoons, from March to October). Meanwhile, the Grotemarkt and Vismarkt present a wide selection of local food and drink for visitors to enjoy.

Brugge' nippy winter months don't offer much opportunity for outdoor recreation, but the temperate summer months are ideal for bike rides, exploring the city on foot or boat cruises on the canals. If you are set on pursuing outside activities at year-end despite the chill factor, make sure you pack your winter woollies.

Cycling
North of the city centre is a scenic expanse of flat land that was reclaimed from the sea. Known as Polder Country, this pretty area is ideal for bike riding, with prolific poplar trees and still bodies of water stretching to the coast. Be sure to check out the beaches at Knokke Heist.

Canal Cruises
Tours of the canals run daily throughout the year, with the exception of the icy months of January and February. These boat trips are a great way to see Brugge from a completely different perspective, offering beautiful views and original perspectives of the city sights, buildings and picturesque bridges.