Tour description
Daily walking tour(s) focused on city’s highlights of two most famous and permanently concurrent medieval Flemish Belgian cities.
Tour starts from Brussels or Antwerp. Train transportation would be used.
We could suggest individual already developed own program or create new one depending of customer’s wishes and interest. For example tour could be organized like off shore tour from port of Bruges (Zeebruge) depending of customer preferences.
Highlights
Bruges - vibrant UNESCO heritage city with typical Flemish stunning architecture, colorful houses picturesque streets, tasty food and unique Christmas market. Belfry o Bruges, thousand kinds of local beers, traditional handmade laces, well known giant draft horses, relic and iconic piece of canvas with residues of Christs blood. Explore "kingdom of chocolate" city from it's romantic canal-side strolls.
Ghent - forever young medieval Brabant "students" city at confluence Scheldt and Leie rivers, traditional festivals site, "jelly noses" local sweets delicacy. Restaurants and cafe's heaven (more than 1200 ! ). Marvel Ghent Altarpiece the most stolen masterpiece in European art history, discover terrify historical fact about Ghent residents nickname 'noose carriers'.
Itinerary
Suggested meeting point would be Brussels Central Station ( or Antwerp Central Station) or your hotel in Brussels ( or Antwerp). After meeting we shall continue following the stops listed below:
⇒ Beguinage (Begijnhof) ”Ten Wijngeaerde”
Historic convent in Bruges, Belgium from middle of 13th century that once housed religious-minded women who had renounced vows.
⇒ St. Janskaai
⇒ Old St. John’s Hospital Museum
One of Europe’s oldest surviving hospital and asylum buildings for pilgrims, sick people, travelers... dating back to the 12th century.
⇒ House Brewery Halve Man
Authentic brewery dates from 1856 managed by 6 family Maes generation even that at this spot beer was brewed last 500 years.
⇒ St. Salvator’s Cathedral
Bruges’s official cathedral and main church, the main seat of Bruges Diocese from 10th century.
⇒ Church of Our Lady ( Onze Lieve Vrouw Kerk )
Architecture masterpiece of the stonemason’s art in medieval Bruges, hosting Michelangelo's sculpture "Madonna With Child" and ceremonial tombs of Charles the Bold, the last Duke of Burgundy and his daughter Mary of Burgundy.
⇒ Markt ( Belfort, Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck Monument, Provincial Court, Maison du Bouchoute, Craenenburg House, Guild Houses...)
Central, the biggest and the main square in Bruges and several image landscapes buildings and monuments in surround
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Belfort
Probably city's the most famous even " movie star" known city landmark. Once city's watching tower, treasury and archive dating from the first half of 13th century and times of the greatest city's economic prosperity.
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Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck Monument
Monument dedicated to two local heroes from the 1302 resistance movement.
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Provincial Court
A 13th century building never served like real court but with multipurpose character mostly hosting different state regional or state institution.
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Maison du Bouchoute
The oldest and atypical building from the rest at Market Square from 1477. pearl of its architecture is weathervane clock and several other interesting devices.
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Craenenburg House
The building from the begin of 14th century once served like "the short-term prison" for "voluntary” captured Maximilian I , the great ruler of Holy Roman Empire by Bruges’s citizens due his decision to bane traditional summer city festivals.
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Guild Houses
Characteristic Flemish style building with stepped gable roofs placed on northern part of the market represent headquarters of certain guilds.
⇒ The Devil’s Pants Building
Famous spot depicting the darker side of the city and legend of scary encounter some local citizens and Lucifer personally.
⇒ Rozenhoedkaai (Rosary Quai)
The city’s most popular spot for photography… in other words a centuries-old the most "Instagrammable hotspot" 🙂 . Today it provides one of the city’s loveliest views and it is also the most photographed point in Bruges.
⇒ Burg Square ( Basilica of Holy Blood, Provostry of Saint Donatian (Deanery), The Liberty of Bruges (Brugse Vrij), Old Civil Registry Building, Old City Hall of Bruges )
This grand, majestic square lined with monumental landmark buildings and surrounded by city walls in the past. Distinguish Market Square consider like " heart of the city", Burg Square is consider like Bruges's "soul of the city".
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Basilica of Holy Blood
Romanesque and Gothic Revival style church from 12th century holding a treasured relic of Christ, the blood of Jesus. Legend says that Christ’s blood was collected in a cloth by Joseph of Arimathea following the Crucifixion.
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Provostry of Saint Donatian (Deanery),
Former seat of the ecclesiastical authority from 17th century.
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The Liberty of Bruges (Brugse Vrij)
Administratively civil and ecclesiastical center of city of Bruges between 11th and 19th century in nowadays hosting city archive and interior highlight, fireplace of Charles 5th, great ruler of Holy Roman Empire made of oak wood, alabaster and marble.
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Old Civil Registry Building
The oldest renaissance building in Flanders from 1537 that played a key role in local administration and city officials.
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Old City Hall of Bruges
Late Gothic building dates back to 1421 the seat of local government for over 600 years.
Ghent
⇒ St. Jacob’s Church
One of the 5 most famous churches in Ghent and the oldest of them from 1093 dedicated to St. Jacob, sailors patron and protector.
⇒ Cathedral of St. Bavon and Ghent’s Altarpiece
The sacral building from 1270, somewhat atypical and in many architectural aspects differs from other sacral buildings in its surroundings, such as the Cathedral of St. Bavo and the Church of St. Michael and St. James, considered one of the "three towers".
⇒ Belfort of Ghent
Belfry of Ghent, the 91 meters high tower, one of the most popular panorama points of town, symbol of city’s independence dating from within 14th century.
⇒ City Hall of Ghent
To put it mildly, the "confused building" on the corner of Botermarkt and Hoogpoort, unique in its architecture. It is the town hall that is still in use today, built in two architectural styles that followed each other.
⇒ Masons Guild House
Renaissance and lately gothic style building from 1526 mean seat on mason's guild with unique stepped gable and weathervane six figures dancing merrily
⇒ Cloth Hall
Cloth Hall once upon a time serving like meeting place of the wool and cloth traders served as well like central points of cities events and manifestations through the centuries.
St. Michael Church and St. Michael bridge
More than 400 years long constructing church with surprisingly low tower (only 46 meters tall of initially planned 134 meters !) hosting famous Anthony Van Dyck masterpiece "Golgotha" and one of most popular city photo (selfie) site "young bridge" from 1903.
⇒ Korenlei and Graslei
Different architecture styles within centuries presented on at the two of oldest streets in Ghent at the opposite sides of river Leie . Unique edifices in Romanesque, Flemish Renaissance, Brabant Gothic and Baroque styles even dating back to from 11 centuries
⇒ Gravensteen
Castle of Flemish Counts on the river Leie from 12 century still remains like one of the most preserved remains of medieval art fortification in Western Europe.
Tour prices
The tour could be organized only during weekend days (Saturday and Sunday)!!! However, up on customer's request the tour could be customized. So... let's discuss about conditions. 🙂
The tour includes drink and local snacks within or after the tour, and transportation costs (retour train tickets) from Brussels to Ghent and Bruges for up to 4 persons.
Tour excludes entrance fees to facilities and museums.
