Bruges Sightseeing: Markt, Burg and Churches

October 30, 2026

The main squares

The Markt is the central square, with the Belfry on one side and the neo-Gothic Provinciaal Hof, built between 1887 and 1920. The Historium at Markt 1 also houses the tourist office, which is open from 10:00 to 18:00. A food and flower market fills the square on Wednesdays from 08:00 to 14:00.

The Burg, a short walk away, is the civic and religious square. The Stadhuis at Burg 12 was begun in 1376. Its Gothic Hall has early 20th-century murals and a 14th-century painted vault. Entry costs EUR 8 for adults, with reduced rates of EUR 7 and EUR 4, and it is open daily from 09:30 to 17:00. It closes on 25 December, 1 January and Ascension Day, and during weddings. On the last Monday of each month, council meetings close part of the building and the fare is reduced.

Next door, the Brugse Vrije at Burg 11a has an aldermen’s chamber with the Charles V chimneypiece, which Musea Brugge dates to 1528. It is open at weekends only, 09:30 to 17:00. It costs EUR 3 alone and is free with a Stadhuis ticket at weekends. A Stadhuis ticket bought on a weekday can be reused within seven days at the weekend.

Basilica of the Holy Blood

The basilica on the Burg is open daily from 10:00 to 17:15. The basilica itself is free, and the Museum and Treasury cost EUR 5, with under 12s free. The relic is venerated daily from 14:00 to 16:00 and on Fridays from 10:15 to 11:00. The lower chapel is Romanesque, from the 12th century, and the upper chapel is Gothic with 19th-century neo-Gothic work. Parts close to sightseers during Mass and confession, and modest dress is expected. See the Holy Blood website .

Church of Our Lady

The Church of Our Lady on Mariastraat has a nave that is free to enter. Its museum holds Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child and the tombs of Charles the Bold and Mary of Burgundy. The museum costs EUR 10, EUR 9 under 26 and EUR 5 under 18, with a combined ticket with the Gruuthuse at EUR 19. The Madonna was bought by merchants and given to the church in 1514, and it is the only Michelangelo sculpture that left Italy in his lifetime. The tower is 115.5 m, one of the tallest brick towers in the world. The church is open Monday to Saturday from 09:30 to 17:00 and on Sundays from 13:30 to 17:00, and it closes on Ascension Day and for weddings and funerals.

Begijnhof and Minnewater

The Begijnhof Ten Wijngaerde was founded in 1245 and is free to enter. It opens at 07:30 and closes at 18:30 in winter and 20:30 in summer. Silence is requested, and the houses are still lived in by women, including Benedictine sisters and lay residents. It belongs to the 1998 Flemish Béguinages UNESCO listing, and the historic centre has its own, separate 2000 listing. Minnewater is a free lake park with swans. Koningin Astridpark has a pond, a fountain, a kiosk and a playground.

Windmills

Four mills stand along the Kruisvest. Only the Sint-Janshuismolen, dating from 1770 on its original site, still grinds grain. It costs EUR 5 for adults, and it is open from about April to early November, 09:30 to 12:30 and 13:30 to 17:00, closed on Mondays. The stairs are steep, and the mill is closed in winter.

Museum choices

The Volkskundemuseum on Balstraat 43 costs EUR 8, and O.L.V. ter Potterie on Potterierei 79B holds a hospital and silver treasury. The Gezellehuis on Rolweg 64 is free, and its museum opens on the second Sunday of each month. The Groeningemuseum closes on 11 January 2027 for several years of works, with a display at the BRUSK art space next door meanwhile. The Musea Brugge Card costs EUR 49 and covers the Stadhuis, the Brugse Vrije, the Church of Our Lady museum, the Volkskundemuseum, O.L.V. ter Potterie and the mill, but not the Holy Blood museum.

For organised options, compare Bruges sightseeing tours on GetYourGuide .