Walking Tour in Bruges

Nearby stands the Gruuthusemuseum (outside visit), a 15th-century palace that belonged to the Gruuthuse family, merchants who controlled the trade in “gruut,” a mixture of herbs used in brewing. The walk proceeds to the Church of Our Lady, whose brick tower reaches 115.6 meters, making it one of the tallest brick towers in the world. Inside is Michelangelo’s marble sculpture “Madonna and Child,” acquired in the early 16th century. Close by is the Saint John’s Hospital, founded in the 12th century and one of the oldest preserved hospital buildings in Europe. The route crosses the Boniface Bridge, a 20th-century bridge built in neo-Gothic style that spans a canal near the church.

The walk continues along the Dijver, a historic quay that hosted markets from the Middle Ages onward, and reaches Quai du Rosaire, historically linked to rosary makers and trade activities along the canal. The route then leads to the De Halve Maan Brewery, founded in 1856 and still family-operated, known for brewing Brugse Zot. Nearby is the Minnewater Lake, part of the city’s medieval water management system, and the Princely Beguinage Ten Wijngaarde, established in 1245 as a community for lay religious women and recognized as part of the UNESCO-listed Flemish Beguinages.