This famous church is home to a phial said to contain the blood of Jesus Christ; legend has it that the blood liquefied when brought to the Count of Flanders from Constantinople by a crusader. It has remained dry for centuries, but is still displayed on Fridays on the first floor. Each year since around the 1300s, the phial has been taken in a procession around the city, an event that is now a monument of costume theater.

A beautiful 13th-century convent and museum, The Begijnhof (or Beguinage) is an unexpected delight. Established to cope with a rise in single women caused by the Crusades, the convent is a world apart, reached via a bridge and gate that is locked each night. Inside, all is calm: white-washed houses, shade trees and lawns that are covered with daffodils in spring. The original order of beguines died out in the early 20th century, and the convent is now home to Benedictine sisters, who also run a small museum.

The Belfry is hard to miss. The imposing clocktower stands at the head of Burg Square and chimes every quarter hour. There are timed tickets to visit the top by way of the 366-step spiral staircase. The climb, though daunting, is broken up by different museum-like stops along the way offering insight into the history of the tower.

Learn about Bruges' history as a trading hub between western Europe, England and the northern territories during the Middle Ages, and up until the Renaissance, on a guided walking tour of the Hanseatic Quarter. Your Indagare guide will take you through the area's most important historic buildings, including the Old Stock Exchange and the Toll House. Contact your Trip Designer or info@indagare.com to inquire about booking.

A Gothic church with one of the country’s tallest spires, the Church of Our Lady took nearly 200 years to complete. The real draw is the church’s impressive art collection, including Michelangelo's Madonna and Child, the only work of his to leave Italy in his lifetime.

Once the administrative center of medieval Bruges, today the Burg is the iconic, impeccably preserved Gothic square at the center of the city that allows visitors to drink in just how wealthy Bruges was during its heyday. Many of the buildings in the square were rebuilt in the 16th century or later, but the Stadhuis, Belgium's oldest town hall, actually dates back to 1376 A.D.

Storied to be the most romantic canal in all of Bruges (though they are all lovely), the Groenerei is best seen from Peerdebrug, the Horse Bridge on Peerdenstraat, looking towards Meebrug.

This city's premier museum is home to one of Europe's finest collections of 15th- and 16th- century art. Most notable are the works of Jan van Eyck, but there are also works by Gerard David, Hieronymus Bosch and Hans Memling, the German-born master.

The Gruuthusemuseum is just down the street from Groeninge in the Gruuthuse, which is a medieval palace. In fact, it was the former residence of the Lords of Gruuthuse. Gruuthuse focuses on the culture and history of Bruges as well as applied arts. You’ll find many objects in the museum from furniture to ceramics; the highlights are the stained glass and the medieval tapestries.

Lovers’ Bridge is a picturesque bridge in Bruges, joining the two banks of the Lake of Love, a swan-filled oasis in the middle of Minnewater Park.

Every Wednesday since 1985, this iconic square has hosted a weekly market selling typical Belgian goods. There are flower vendors around the center, and plenty of fruit and produce to be found, plus an array of fine meat and fresh cheese.

Founded in 1821, Rodenbach Brewery is one of the most historical and beautiful breweries in the country. Rodenbach is the unique Flanders Red Brown Beer, which is ripened in oak barrels and blended with aged and young ales to craft its distinctive taste profile. Longtime brewmaster Rudi Ghequire—who is renowned in his field for his award-winning Rodenbach—is extremely passionate about his craft and is working to make beer more accessible and available at gastronomic restaurants around the world. The “cathedral of vats” will take travelers’ breaths away on tours of the cellars at this historic estate—the nearly 300 giant oak barrels used for the aging process are on view, and some of them are more than 150-years-old and protected as part of the industrial heritage of the Flemish Community. Located in Roeselare in the West Flanders Province of Belgium, Rodenbach Brewery is 35 to 40 minutes from Bruges, and tours of the brewery are available, as well as tastings in the visitors center.

Steps from the Markt, in Bruges' historic center, the Rozenhoedkaai, or Quay of the Rosary, is one of Bruges' most touristed and most-photographed spots, where the the Dijver and Groenerei canals meet against a backdrop of medieval buildings. Many canal tours begin here, and you should arrange tickets in advance to see this city from its best vantage point.