Bruges in a Day: Private Full-Day Tour with Brewery Guided Visit
Explore the fairytale medieval town of Bruges in a day with an expert private guide and embark on a journey through the most popular landmarks of the city, including Burg and Market Squares, Rosary Quay, the Lake of Love and a guided tour of a local Brewery with tastings.
On your private full-day tour of Bruges, you will:
- Begin your walking tour at Burg Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you'll see the stunning medieval buildings for which the city is so famous;
- Admire the old City Hall, one of the oldest town halls in the Netherlands region built in 1376 and opened in 1421 - Bruges has been governed from this place for over 600 years;
- Stop outside the magnificent Basilica of the Holy Blood, a 12th-century Romanesque-style church housing an important relic: a vial containing a cloth stained with the blood of Christ;
- Walk towards Market Square, the thriving, beating heart of Bruges that has been a marketplace since the 10th century;
- See the stunning Gothic-style Provincial Court and the Cloth Hall - where merchants traded their wares;
- Be wowed by the famous Belfry of Bruges, an 83-metre-high tower with 47 bells that dominates the city;
- Walk to the historic covered Fish Market, through the pretty old Tanners Square towards Rosary Quay - the most beautiful - and most photographed - spot in Bruges overlooking the canal;
- Walk to Dijver a picturesque street at the end of the canal famous for its medieval Flea Market;
- Stop to admire the imposing late medieval Gothic Church of Our Lady of Bruges before a fascinating 30-minute guided tour of the O.L.V. Kerk Museum where you will see Michelangelo's "Madonna and Child";
- Stop outside Saint John's Hospital, founded in the mid-12th century it is one of the oldest hospitals in Europe;
- Pass through Stoofstraat - meaning Stove Street - a fascinating, narrow alley where medieval bathhouses stood - it garnered a scandalous reputation, so the bathhouses closed down and have been replaced by little boutiques and workshops and a delicious restaurant;
- Stroll into Walplein a quaintly cobbled square surrounded by eateries and boutiques with a mythical fountain of Zeus, Leda and Prometheus in the centre;
- Walk over the idyllic Beguinage Bridge into the tranquil, almost mystical setting of Beguinage "Ten Wijngaerde" - the only surviving beguinage in Bruges no longer in use by lay sisters, but by Benedictines;
- See the picturesque Sashuis, a 16th-century lock house ideally situated on the canal;
- Enjoy the beauty and romantic atmosphere of Minnewater or "the Lake of Love" as your guide tells you the legend of Minne and Stromberg her warrior lover;
- End your beautiful tour of Bruges by the Half Moon Brewery: Huisbrouwerij De Halve Maan where your guide will give you your tickets for a guided visit of the Brewery with tastings included!
Bruges is one of Europe's prettiest and most well-preserved medieval towns as it's lined with cobbled streets, dotted with beautiful old buildings edged with whitewashed almshouses, photogenic market squares, medieval towers and churches, all interspersed with picturesque canals that cut through the historic centre, the still and tranquil waters reflecting the sky and locks and trees and towers.
Before you stop for lunch, enjoy a guided tour inside the exquisite Church of Our Lady of Bruges. Standing at 115.5 metres, its bell tower is the second highest brick tower in the world and together with the Belfry and the Saint Saviour's towers, it makes up the skyline of Bruges.
Inside is an artistic treasure trove, with a stunning triptych of the passion by Bernard van Orley, the 15th and 16th-century tombs of Charles the Bold and his daughter Mary of Burgundy, and the highlight of the collection: Michelangelo's Madonna and Child - which was originally designed for the Piccolomini altar of Sienna Cathedral.
On your full-day guided tour, your expert local guide will show you the major highlights of Bruges - including the picturesque medieval buildings in the UNESCO World Heritage historic centre, as well as some hidden gems, back alleys, little-known stories and legends.
You will discover the best spots for some breathtaking photos of the canals, bridges and gothic buildings and end your tour at the fascinating Half-Moon Brewery for an exclusive guided visit with tastings!
