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Museo Groeninge

Groeningemuseum (Dijver 12, Brugge) – this museum displays six centuries of Flemish and Belgian paintings (from Jan van Eyck to Marcel Broodthaers). Although the Flemish Primitives are a high point, you will also marvel at top 18th and 19th-century neoclassical pieces, masterpieces from Flemish Expressionism and post-war modern art. Admission: Adult (€8), Seniors (€6), Youth (under 26) (€1), Children (under 12): free. Hours: 9:30 am – 5 pm (daily).

Grand Place

Grand Place (Grote Markt, Brussels) — The Grand Place, with its ornate baroque and gothic guild houses, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, and one of the most beautiful squares in Europe. Built as a merchants market in the 13th century, it serves as the city center and a great place to enjoy Belgian hospitality at one of the many terrace cafes. It is also a venue for many concerts & events throughout the year and during the warmer months has a vibrant, daily flower market.

Convento inglés

English Convent (Carmersstraat 85, Brugge) – founded in 1629, this was a place of refuge for English Catholics. Now the convent is used partially as holiday accommodation and partially as a boarding school. Hours: 2 pm – 5:30 pm. Mass is every Sunday at 8:30 am.

Dumon Artisanale Chocolatier

Dumon Artisanale Chocolatier (Eiermarkt 6, Brugge) – this is a popular chocolatier housed in a modest 400-year-old brick building. Dumon is a well-known family owned shop and crowds are always present in the cute tiny shop. Madam Dumon and her two sons make handmade chocolates daily.

Cervecería De Halve Maan

De Halve Maan brewery (Walplein 26; Brugge) – established in 1564, “De Halve Maan” is the only family brewery that is still active in the center of Bruges. “Straffe Hendrik” (Strong Henry) was brewed here until 2002, but today, “Brugse Zot” is the one and only beer really brewed in the center of Bruges. Guided tours are offered on-site, teaching visitors everything about malt and hops, and what it takes to make premium Belgian beer.

Admission: €7 per person (includes tour). Hours: 11 am – 4 pm (Sunday – Friday), 11 am – 5 pm (Saturdays) (April – October); 11 am – 3 pm (Monday – Friday), 11 am – 5 pm (Saturday), 11 am – 4 pm (Sunday) (November – March).

Coudenberg

Coudenberg (Mont des Arts, Place des Palais 7, Brussels) – on a small hill in this city, there’s an underground trail, which leads to the remains of King Charles V’s former palace (which was destroyed by fire in 1731). During your visit, you will discover the Rue Isabelle and the old structures of the main buildings of the former palace of Brussels, which are now the foundations for today’s royal district and the Hoogstraeten House where the most interesting discoveries made during the various archaeological excavations conducted on the Coudenberg are displayed.

Admission: Admission: Adult (€5), Seniors (€4), Students (18-25)/Unemployed/
Disabled (€3) / Children (under 18): free. Hours: 10 am – 5 pm (Tues. –Fri., 10 am – 6 pm (Weekend).

Choco-Story / The Chocolate Museum

Choco-Story / The Chocolate Museum (Wijzakstraat 2, Brugge) – since Belgium is known the world over for its fine chocolates (competing with Switzerland in terms of its gourmet quality), this museum covers the history of chocolate. Choco-Story’s mission statement is: “To make known the story of the transformation of cocoa into chocolate and to promote the health and quality aspects of Belgian chocolate.” A must-see place for chocolate lovers. Admission: Adult (€7), Seniors & Students (€6), Children (ages 6-11) (€4). Children under 6 years: free. Hours: 10 am – 5 pm (daily). See its website for more details: www.choco-story.be

Burg

Burg (Hoogstraat and Breidelstraat, Brugge) — A popular daytime meeting place and an enchanting, floodlighted scene after dark, the Burg is flanked by striking civic buildings. Named for the fortress built by Baldwin of the Iron Arm, the Burg was also the former site of the 10th-century Carolingian Cathedral of St. Donaas, which was destroyed by French Republicans in 1799. You can wander through the handsome, 18th-century law court, the Oude Gerechtshof, the Voormalige Civiele Griffie with its 15th-century front gable, the Stadhuis, and the Heilig Bloed Basiliek (below). The Burg is not all historic splendor, though—in sharp contrast to these buildings stands a modern construction by Japanese artist Toyo Ito, added in 2002.

Centro belga de arte de historietas

Belgian Center for Comic Strip Art (Rue des Sables 20, Brussels) — Housed in an art nouveau masterpiece designed by Victor Horta, this museum pays homage to a particular Belgian passion, cartooning. Tintin and the Smurfs are the most famous Belgian comic strip characters but the museum also displays artwork from over 670 cartoonists. Other displays detail the stages of putting together a comic strip, from examples of initial ideas and pencil sketches through to final publication. Arranged over three levels, the museum also has a library and an art nouveau brewery. Discover the center of Brussels and its inhabitants by following the Comic Strip Route and admiring comic strip façades, walls and statues

Begijnhof

Begijnhof (Begijnhof 1, City Center, Brugge) – this is a collection of Medieval-era small buildings used by Beguines (lay sisterhoods of the Roman Catholic Church). A begijnhof (béguinage in French) consists of a courtyard surrounded by small dwellings. It is usually encircled by a wall and cut off from the town proper by one or two gates. Poor and elderly beguines were housed here by benefactors.