PsiFighter37

My wife and I will be spending a couple days (literally 48 hours or so) in Bruges before heading to a wedding in Portugal in a week and a half. Does anyone have anything (sights, food, drink, etc.) that they would consider an absolute must-see in town? We are staying right in the heart of the old city and already have dinner reservations booked (Hertog Jan and Den Gouden Harynck).

Thanks!

jphripjah

I really liked the Jerusalem church

MSPeconomist

I remember following a walking route I found in a brochure or travel book that was a good way to explore the historic town and its sights.

Be sure to do a bit of just sitting at a pretty outdoor cafe, assuming the weather's good.

There are many Belgian beers to explore, but they're generally pretty strong. A fun name for beer is "la morte subite" meaning sudden death in French. Try framboise (beeer made with raspberries) on a hot day. The cherry beers tend to be dark or dark-ish. Look for beer based dishes in restaurants, such as chicken stewed in beer, or some creative fine cuisine inspired by such dishes.

JBord

+1 to all of this. Bruges isn't a town that's full of attractions. But it's a really fun place if you like medieval buildings, beautiful canals, people watching, and good beer.

Koby

With 48 hours in Brugge you don't have to choose; you'll able to see everything. (It's a small town.)

Antonio8069

Check out the film "In Bruges" available on NetFlix? Its pretty entertaining, even funny and during our visit we checked out the sights and scenes from the flic!

JacobVB27

I love Brugge. But I am Belgian so might be a bit biased. As for things to do:

1. Canal Tour. If my memory serves me correctly it is about 7 Euro but they only accept cash.

2. Belfry- Pretty much on the main square. I have to warn you that you can only walk up a lot of steps to go to the top. So might not be a great idea if a poor walker etc. Gives some pretty views of Brugge.

3. Friet museum- Is just off the main square. Has the history of Fries. On the lower level, you can get a bunch of food and drink options. I think fries wise, better off going to one of the Frietkot somewhere else but I think the museum is pretty good.

4. Walk walk walk- Did I mention to walk around the area? One of the best things I ever did here was go to a side street and then walk that street for awhile. I found some interesting areas that I might not have otherwise found.

5. Chocolate Museum- It is off a side street. They give you a chocolate bar when you pay for the ticket. While I think the of the ones in Brussels is a bit better, this one will do. Plus for whatever reason, chocolate buying is best in Brugge. At least that has been said for awhile.

Koby

Probably too late for the OP, but I think that the Groeningemuseum (to see the Flemish Primitives) is a must if you are even a little bit interested in art.

OB one

There is statue by Michelangelo of Madonna and Child in Church of Our Lady. Worth an hour tops at perhaps 4 Euros. And the church is right next to Bonifacius bridge, one of the most picturesque bridges in town.