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.

The Market Square is the heart of Bruges, but the Burg Square is its soul. For centuries this has been the centre of power in the city, and Bruges city administration still occupies the 14th century Gothic Town Hall. This grand, majestic square is lined with monumental landmark buildings. These were built over the centuries, and reflect the building style of their age. A handy architectural guide assembled in a single square! From the Basilica of the Holy Blood through the Liberty of Bruges to the Deanery. Immerse yourself in the riches of Bruges.

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.

The Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Centre is a monumental venue, functioning as a multidisciplinary hub for the performing arts. Its striking architecture, inspired by Islamic geometric patterns, houses multiple state-of-the-art theatres, concert halls and libraries. More than just an opera house, it is a public space designed to host a diverse range of events, from film and theatre to workshops, aiming to educate and inspire. Set within spacious parkland, it stands as a modern testament to Kuwait's national cultural ambition.