In Bruges’ Golden Age — the 15th century — art was a big deal. Leading artists of the day, like Jan van Eyck and Hans Memling, came to live and work in the city. Today, you can marvel at the masterpieces of the world-famous Flemish primitives in the Groeninge Museum and the St. John’s Hospital. And in the treasury of Bruges’ oldest parish church, Saint Saviour’s Cathedral, you can also come face to face with other priceless paintings that were created in the city in centuries gone by.

Some places are so beautiful that they leave you speechless. The Beguinage is just such a place. This is where the beguines — emancipated women who lived pious and chaste lives without taking holy orders — once lived together in harmony. This walled oasis of religious peace, with its delightful inner garden, wind-twisted trees and white-painted gables, can charm even the most cynical of souls with its deafening silence.

Discover the Burgundian splendour at the site of the Gruuthuse Museum. In this luxurious 15th century city palace you can explore the 500 years of Bruges history through a rich and varied collection. Particularly eye-catching is the intimate private chapel that connects the palace with the Church of Our Lady. In this way, the lords of Gruuthuse were able to follow the religious services in comfort and privacy. The church’s showpiece is the beautiful white marble statue of the Madonna and Child by Michelangelo, which leaves no visitor unmoved.