72 Hours in Bruges, Bruges, Belgium

Bruges is far more than a cute, instagrammable and romantic city to spend a day in. During the Middle Ages, Bruges was a booming, vibrant and extremely rich trading metropolis (have a quick read to dig into its history!). Today, its wealth not only resides in its preserved architecture, but also in the masterpieces that were created here amongst which some of the most remarkable paintings by the Flemish Primitives that are beautifully showcased in the intimate city museums. Follow us on this 3-day itinerary to enjoy Bruges to the fullest, including the best attractions, walks, photo spots, bike rides around town, hidden gems and insider’s favourites!

Travel back in time and explore Bruges during its golden age! Explore the city in virtual reality thanks to its historically accurate 3D-modeling and get a glimpse of what it was like to live in Bruges in 1435, when the greatest Flemish primitive Jan Van Eyck was painting one of his most famous masterpieces, Madonna and Child with Canon Joris van der Paele.

Follow in the footsteps of Jacob, an apprentice of Van Eyck as he searches for precious goods on the unloading quay, pays the tax at the toll house that contributed to the wealth of the city, enters a bath house, barges into an inn where big deals were negotiated and where the stock exchange system was shaped, gets into Van Eyck’s studio and visits the grand Water Halle that was destroyed in the 18th century and where the most luxurious and exotic goods were unloaded. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).