The basilica was tucked away in a corner of this plaza hemmed in on one side by City Hall and the…read moreother side by the Basilica of St. Basil. I was able to enter the Basilica before mass and had the opportunity to explore both chapels. Upstairs was the ornate and richly painted chapel with a beautiful wooden ceiling. Downstairs the chapel was quite stark and a bit dark. Quite a contrast between the two different styles. The relic containing the cloth with the blood of Christ was located on a platform overseen by a sitting priest. One queued at the bottom while the person ahead spent time looking at the container. I suggest starting here before exploring the rest of the basilica in case of lines.

Tucked away in the corner of the square laid the church that has a sample cloth of Jesus' blood…read more The church had many wooden pieces and relics. Wonderful place to sit and reflect.

The Markt Square in Bruges is the central heart of the city. Cobblestone streets are throughout the…read moresquare and it's surrounded by stunning architecture. Here you will see the Belfry of Bruges. A prominent bell tower that you can climb for panoramic views of the city. In the square there are Beautiful historic buildings with plenty of restaurants and outdoor cafes. It's a lively and picturesque place to explore.

The entire historical city centre is a World Heritage City. Markt is the central square of Bruges…read more The Belfry (medieval bell tower) located here is also an UNESCO World Heritage Site. The colorful old Guild Houses are another point of interest. When we visited, the Christmas Market was being set up. It would've been a great experience if only we came a few days later.

I used my Brugge Museum Pass (purchased online and most cost effective when visiting 3 or more…read moremuseums/activities in 72 hours) and had the QR code scanned for admittance. If you have any backpacks or bags then you must store them in the free lockers due to the tight confines on the staircase. The climb was up 366 steps that first started with stone but later turned into narrower wooden steps making a tight staircase with two way traffic. If timed correctly then you may see and hear the carillon in action for a few minutes. That was the highlight of my visit but there are scheduled carillon "concerts" to enjoy when in Brugge. The views were nice as could be on that cloudy morning. Wire screens on all opening impacted some photos but one can capture most of the city. On the way down I took my time and finally stopped to view the exhibits on the bells, drum (programming for ringing the bells), carillon, the tower history, etc. Before exiting the staff will rescan your ticket. There was a small gift shop after the turnstiles.

Awesome stair climb to the top. I'm a 47 year old male in decent shape and was able to handle it…read more This is the tallest structure in Bruges.

This city hall was over 600 years old and in open for public visits…read more Most of the first floor was freely accessible. A small gift shop and ticket counter was to the left after entering. After paying admission or scanning the Brugge Museum Card, all backpacks or large bags had to be stored in the free lockers behind the ticket desk before heading to the second floor. The main attraction was the Gothic room which was very ornate with epic paintings of Brugge history that wrapped around all four walls. Worth following along with the explanation placards (available at the entrance). A side room contained a VR map that traced the evolution of Brugge over time. Headphones needed to be set to your preferred language by the staff. After seeing the gothic room then head next door to the Renaissance Room (if it's open) or to the Basilica of the Holy Blood.

City Hall from 1376 in the Burg Square next to the Markt. There were benches & some greenery in…read morethis square. This is where locals get permits & licenses today. The beautiful square was filled with restaurants & shops.

If you visit Bruges, you should absolutely stop by this gorgeous little bridge called…read moreBonifaciusbrug. It feels so classically romantic and gives heavy snow white medieval vibes, but does tend to get a bit busy with tourists since it's so pretty and easy to visit - it's free. All in all, if you're in Bruges and have a few minutes I would absolutely recommend walking over as it's an definite must-do for the area!

Built in 1910 this bridge looks much older than it is because of the style of architecture. If you…read moreare walking south of the old Burg square towards the Church of our Lady, walk along the Djiver Canal. You will cross between Arentshof and Gruuthuse. Sitting on top of the bridge maybe one of the most pictureque views of Brugge. Seek it out when it's not crowded. It is one of the most tranquil places in the city with the cathedral as your backdrop and the canal below you.

Otherworldly. Not a…read moresingle sequence of words strung together could accurately review this moment in time. It's an experience that will remain with me forever. I now know that a courtyard filled with daffodils is something I absolutely aspire to have. I used to think it was a few blueberry bushes and maybe a gardenia plant or two with vines of midnight jasmine but now I'm tossing an entire courtyard of daffodils onto that list. I love moments filled with a light breeze and pure tranquility. This is that moment, and a place that will make you feel things you didn't know were possible. It was the most incredible surprise.

It's cozy... But thats about it‍. They used to have a small gift shop but couldn't find it.read more

This was our final stop in Bruge and it was a little bit of a walk away from the historic area. I…read morewas curious to visit a historic windmill other than ones built for our local miniature golf course. From the outside the windmill was quite a bit larger than I expected and sitting on its own mound added to that perception. Unfortunately we arrived outside the operating hours of the windmill so really didn't get the chance to see the insides. Also with a chain link fence running around the perimeter, it created a distance so I wandered over to a neighboring windmill on the next mound over to get a better view under and around without any barrier. The stairs leading up to each windmill were steep, more than a 45 degree angle?), and if open would make entry inside a little challenging. We walked a bit along the canal after our visit and stopped outside the Kruisport Gate, which was a historic medieval gate in Bruge still in use today and close to the bus stop that will take you back to the city center or train station. There were just a handful of visitors so it would be a place to visit if in the area and during opening hours.

It was a neat experience to see this windmill and how it operates. You can visit it for €5. The…read moresteps are steep to enter and exit so proceed with caution. It was built in 1770 and is still in operation grinding flour.

This was one of the most interesting former hospital that I've visited to date. St John's Hospital…read morewas 500+ years old and restored to showcase its history as a hospital previously run by nuns but also housed one of the largest collection works by Hans Memling. This artist was hired to create art that could soothe the patients and paint St. Ursula's Shrine when her remains were originally interred here. Inside the relatively darkened hospital were displays on hospital instruments, historical patient mortality and top causes, its history, the nuns and more. A separate area housed all of Hans Memling paintings. It was the largest collection in one place and I found it to be Impressive. Inside the old chapel was his small but very detailed St Ursula's shrine. Very handy charging stations were located in lobby and inside the museum. Upstairs allowed visitors to see the cavernous attic which in the past helped circulate the air within the hospital. In addition, the Closer to Memling Experience took up one end with a bunch of couches and floor seating to watch the big screen showing of close ups and some animation of Memling's paintings. Very well done. Admission was included with the Musea Bruge Pass but also worth visiting on its own.

Saint John's Hospital is one of the oldest hospitals in Europe, dating back to the mid 12th…read morecentury. It is being renovated & we couldn't go inside. However, I understand there was one medieval ward, a church and the chapel. Next door, the hospital pharmacy and the Diksmuide attic, boasting one of Europe's oldest and most monumental roof support structures.