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.

I told myself that I am going to the top of Belfort even if it kills me…read more This is the center of Bruges. U just have to do this if u r here. From the outside looks like a medieval castle but it is a bell tower built in the 13th century, actually Bruges is a medieval city. It has 366 steps but felt like 1,000. Going up my heart felt like it was going to explode, on the way down does not affect ur cardio but hard on the knees. There is a thick rope on the right side to hold on too. Right of way goes to people going down. There are three levels u can take a break. One rest has the mechanical carillon which controls the music box, I was fortunate to be there when it was activated. This was physically brutal but I felt like I accomplished something big. I am physically strong however I realize I need to work on my cardio. Additionally, there was a Christmas Market in front of Belfort as well as others within walking distance. So much delicious food at the Christmas Markets. Belgian waffles are delicious, but they don't put syrup on them, they uses strawberries and bananas, powdered sugar or nutella. Hot wine is a thing, probably because it is about 40 degrees. The streets and businesses have lights and Christmas decorations, so festive. There was a celebrity chef Kurt Mortier there making delicious bratwurst, the line was long, he was very friendly, sausages are a big deal here. My favorite food discovery was chicken in mushroom cream sauce, where has this dish been all my life? This is the Christmas magic I felt as a child. There is a Santa Claus.

When I visited the beautiful medieval city of Bruges, I joined a tour that included a visit to the…read moreChoco-Story Museum. We were taken to the chocolate classroom, where the chocolatier explained the chocolate-making process, the history of cacao, and demonstrated the actual process of making chocolate. We actually tried the chocolate right after the chocolatier made it, and it was incredibly delicious. After the class, we walked through the entire museum, which featured many chocolate artworks, free chocolate tastings, and a gift shop. I purchased a chocolate box as a gift and discovered many interesting chocolate products in the gift shop. I really enjoyed the museum experience, especially seeing the various chocolate artworks.

I cannot believe more people do not give more stars to this place…read more Whoever made this museum ... no detail in the story of the history of chocolate is left unexplored. There are three or four floors chock full of exhibits on every possible aspect of the history of chocolate from the ancient Maya to ads to the Spanish conquistadors to the French royal family ... ancient artifacts and all the tools each successive era used to produce and consume chocolate ... honestly it's a great way to get some global history learning in on vacation. And, unlimited chocolate samples at the end plus an interesting free demonstration. Many disappointed tourists showed up and were turned away so be sure to get your tickets online the day before. €14 per adult.

Nice setup, with informative plaques. It's not crowded, and the museum takes you through the…read moreexhibition in a way that creates a good flow. It's well worth the money (9euros per person for adults). On the down side, it's not wheelchair or walkerframe friendly. Bonus tip: you can get tickets for the witch "museum" there too.. that too, is super cool, and right next to the torture museum

We loved the torture museum. Shocked at what was done thru the years. 20 euro for 3 adults…read more Probably spent 45 minutes here.

A well laid out and inviting museum that allows you to get up close to some of the best artowrks by…read morethe Flemish masters. Van Eyck and Bosch are represented, as well as a smattering of post-modern artists from the 20th century. I enjoyed how each room represented a particular artistic movement chronologically. A nice way to spend 90 minutes or so.

Flemish art overload. Allow 1-3/4 hours. Each room had multi-lingual explanatory cards (a great…read moreidea). + padded benches €30 for 2

This building is the biggest and most prominent on the Bruges main square. Go inside on a rainy day…read moreto do the VR experience or history experience, or simply go up to the top level's beer bar for a quick drink and view of the square from above (no cost to just walk up). The VR experience was included in the ticket we chose and actually pretty cool to see that there was once a canal going under the building for board and commerce in Bruges. The history experience throughout the building was a little strange -- like an animatronic story where you walk in room after room. I liked how interactive and Disney-like it was, but the story in general is just a little random (?). You follow a pretty girl in a red cloak through the markets and there's a bird and a painter and people looking for her or something? I would've loved to learn more about actual Bruges which is why I wouldn't consider it a must-do for visitors. We brought our toddler with us through it, but I wouldn't recommend for kids under 15 ish... it's dark and there's a room with women of the night portrayed so it just kind of leaves you wondering who this general exhibit is for as most of it would be great for kids but then there's that dropped into it for no reason. The beer bar and view is cool though! PS: The shop inside could be improved as it has a lot of junky merch and the main manager lady is not friendly... she got upset at one of her employees and we felt bad for them because she hadn't been nice to us either.

Overpriced, low-budget experience with little historical relevance to Bruges. The VR Virtual…read moreReality film feels two decades old. The story of Jacob is uninteresting and focuses on a lost bird as you meander through 8 rooms with plastic decorations. I would love to see the IQ test results from anyone who rated this 5 stars. Seems to be targeted at people who don't get outside much. They upsell you on the tower climb which only accommodates 6 people at a time, leading to long wait times. Staff is hapless, and the supervisor is a condescending prick. They got our 62 euros though, so I guess they win.

A museum dedicated to frites is an awesome idea, and the frietmuseum is a quirky museum filled with…read moreall things frites. It starts with the history of the humble potato and then goes through various exhibits on fries - cooking methods, fries overseas, fries from the past, models of frites shops, appliances, etc. The exhibits are well described but there ia lot to read so it could take some time if you read everything. The museum also has a frites shop in the basement but it closes early, which was a bummer. Overall, a fun experience although a bit pricey for what it is.

Fun and kind of funky museum about the history of fries and potatoes. It has a lot of memorabilia…read morefrom different countries that we can all relate to and fun. The history of the potato is very important in the development of the world. It fueled many countries and provided low cost and nutrition to many who could work in the Industrial Revolution and it continues to be a vital staple today.

Nice lithographic collection representing a wide array of Dali's artistic career. There are also a…read morelarge number of lithographs for sale if you were so inclined..... The audio tour was a decent accounting of the various periods in Dali's history & provided a good recounting of the inspiration of the piece as well as a bit about his personal life. What we really liked was the fact the audio tour was on a smaller iPad-like apparatus & provided visual as well as audio factoids which enhanced the overall experience. Nice touch & if you should come to this expo, paying extra for the audio tour would be well worth it Dali's short film was also showcased & while a little disturbing, it really highlighted the essence of Dali because after all, isn't most of his work on the disturbing side & that's what makes it all so fascinating? A-OK visit & worth a stop if you have had enough chocolates & waffles & have some time to spend in Bruges

An excellent selection of Dali's work. I especially appreciated the number of sketches they had…read moreavailable to view. There is even a small shop to purchase copies. Not sure if you can call them original or prints or copies, but that is a fact the museum audio tour can begin to describe for you. That being said, the biggest disappointment when it came to this museum was how out of sync the audio numbers (linking to the audio tour) to the works where they were posted. The audio tour would go into some pretty significant details, however, you'd have trouble matching what they were talking about and why. It ended up being more a source of frustration than education or entertainment. As such, I would not call this one a must-do. However, if you are hopping around Europe and just tried of checking out churches after churches, this one could offer a change of pace, even if for just 30-45 minutes.

Fabulous experience. Very much a highlight of our short stay in Bruges. Luc is a genius and a mad…read morescientist of all things harp. You will leave with a smile.

Wow! This harp concert was so freaking amazing and definitely worth checking out if you have an…read morehour to spare. Follow the signs at Site Oud Sint-Jan. Luc plays at 3:00PM, 5:00PM, and 6:30PM. Please show up on time and stay for the entire performance (total, it's about 50 minutes). Don't be rude and ruin the experience for everyone. If you do come in slightly late, please take a seat during the short pause between songs. It's in a small room that seats about 40 people, and Luc does a quick 2-minute introduction, plays for the majority of the time, and gives a 5-7 minute explanation about the instruments he played after he's done. It truly is "Harps around the World," a one-man show. He only plays his own compositions, which are amazing. He controls the lighting (including different colored lights), and he's not offended when you fall asleep. He knows his music can be relaxing, but just don't snore!! The music is soothing and beautiful. I definitely fell asleep...because the concert was so great!!! Luc is a harp master, passionate about his craft. He switches between multiple harps, including Grand Concert Harp, Celtic Harp, Harmonic Sound Harp (a self-made contraption made of sound harps usually only used for music therapy!), traditional harps from China, Japan, India, cymbals from Tibet, Nepal, and Japan, gongs from China, a steel harp, and a Lyre de Ur. The last one is a replica of an ancient instrument from 200BC that was excavated, and one that he spent 2 years making! And he only finished it a couple months ago, so check it out now. Nothing like it. He even shows you a video of the process. Finally, this concert is free, as in donation-based, but you can purchase CDs as support as well. Please support him if you have the means to do so. Luc himself keeps it free because he believes that $$$ should not be a barrier to cultural and arts enrichment. I obviously loved the performance, and hope you choose to check it out!

The Christmas Markets in the fairytale-like Brugge is a magical one surrounded by the ornate gabled…read morebuildings of a medieval past! There are two main markets to visit around town: the Grote Markt (in front of the Belfort in the Market Square) and at Simon Stevinplein. They have since moved the ice skating rink down to the Minnewater Park on the Lake of Love which also includes a lively bar. You may also find the walking path of lights, Winter Glow, around the Minnewater Park. So much to do and so little time! In general, the whole town is bustling and bedecked in glittering, festive finery. The Grote Markt is especially active and contains more alcohol and food stalls/ chalets. Do not miss out on local food and drink specialties such as tartiflette (cheesy potatoes), shrimp croquettes, moules/ mussels, sausages, cheeses, vin chaud, chocolat chaud, and jenever. The Grote Markt felt a little more commercialized than the market in Simon Stevinplein which was more enclosed and fairytale-like. The Grote Markt was the best for finding food and a table to consume it at and the "Lake of Love" setup has a more alcohol focus, but certainly was not without food. The whole town in completely walkable therefore, a single day around Brugge during the holidays will be a most involved one.

The Christmas market in Brugge is a must see and hard to miss if you are in Brugge for the holiday…read moreseason. There are two markets: - the first consists of two rows of stores and glühwein stands in the Grote Markt surround an ice skating rink and a beautifully lit tree, which light up the Belfort and Provincaal Hof - the second, a larger market down the street on Simon Stevenplein which has bumper cars and several rows of crafts, food, and drink. Definitely worth it to stop by!

This museum has things going back to the 1400s. Very well preserved and interesting history about…read morea famous wealthy person. It's a must see for history buffs.

This museum is a gorgeous interlude showing the history of Bruges over time as well as medieval…read morehistory in general. Definitely worth checking out for anyone who enjoys history and/or art. One pleasant surprise is the balcony on an upper floor that provides a very nice view of Bruges! You also can peek into the neighboring church in the way that the wealthy family who once lived here used to do--from their private oratory.