Free things to do · Bruges · Belgium
8 free things to do in Bruges
Bruges without the ticket prices: sights, walks and views that cost nothing.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Navy8300, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
You can fill at least 3 days in Bruges without paying an entry fee: Markt, Basilica of the Holy Blood, Begijnhof and Minnewater and Rozenhoedkaai are all free. The Begijnhof, the Basilica of the Holy Blood, St. Salvator's Cathedral, the windmills and the canal-side walks are free.
Key facts
- Free sights in this guide
- 8
- Low-cost extras
- 5
- Cost level
- Moderately priced
- Lowest hotel prices
- January–February
Free sights and experiences
![Wolfgang Staudt [1]](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bruges_Market_Square_and_Belfry.jpg){kind=link}
Landmark · Markt and Burg
1.Markt
Grab a cone of frites from the stalls at the foot of the Belfry and eat it on the statue steps.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Architecture
- Photo spot
- After dark
Religious site · Markt and Burg
2.Basilica of the Holy Blood
Visit the lower Romanesque chapel too; it is one of the oldest interiors in the city and often overlooked.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Historic site · Begijnhof and Walplein
3.Begijnhof and Minnewater
Visit early in the morning, before tour groups arrive, and keep voices low; it is still a place of quiet residence.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Couples
- Photo spot
- History
- Outdoors
Viewpoint · Markt and Burg
4.Rozenhoedkaai
Come at dusk, when the lamps come on and the Belfry is floodlit.
- Time needed
- 15 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Photo spot
- Couples
- Views
- After dark
Garden · Dijver
5.Bonifacius Bridge and Arentshof
Combine it with the Groeningemuseum, a minute's walk away, and visit early before the crowds.
- Time needed
- 15 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Photo spot
- Couples
- Off the beaten path
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Religious site · 't Zand
6.St. Salvator's Cathedral
It lies on the walk between 't Zand and the Markt, so drop in as you pass.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Historic site · Sint-Anna
7.Kruisvest windmills
Walk or cycle the ramparts from the Kruispoort gate north to the windmills in the late afternoon light.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
- Off the beaten path
- Active
Waterfront · Sint-Gillis and Langerei
8.Langerei and Spiegelrei canal walk
Walk it early in the morning, when the water is still and reflections are at their best.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Free sights by area
| Area | Free sights | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Markt and Burg | Markt, Basilica of the Holy Blood and Rozenhoedkaai | 30 minutes + 30 minutes + 15 minutes |
| Begijnhof and Walplein | Begijnhof and Minnewater | 45 minutes |
| Dijver | Bonifacius Bridge and Arentshof | 15 minutes |
| 't Zand | St. Salvator's Cathedral | 30 minutes |
| Sint-Anna | Kruisvest windmills | 1 hour |
| Sint-Gillis and Langerei | Langerei and Spiegelrei canal walk | 1 hour |
Worth a small ticket
Religious site · Begijnhof and Walplein
Church of Our Lady
The Madonna and Child is in a side chapel in the paid museum section; the nave itself is free to enter.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Architecture
- Iconic
Experience · Dijver
Canal boat tour
Sit on the side of the boat facing the walls rather than the middle, and bring a layer; the open boats can be breezy.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Kids
- Couples
- Views
Architecture · Markt and Burg
Burg and City Hall
The ticket for the Gothic Hall also covers the Renaissance Hall of the Liberty of Bruges next door.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Markt and Burg
Frietmuseum
Visit just before lunch and eat the frites in the vaulted cellar afterwards.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Food
- Rainy day
Religious site · Sint-Anna
Jerusalem Chapel and Lace Centre
Check when lace demonstrations are held and plan your visit around them.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Off the beaten path
- History
- Art
More ways to save
- The Begijnhof, the Basilica of the Holy Blood, St. Salvator's Cathedral, the windmills and the canal-side walks are free.
- A combined museum pass pays off if you plan to see three or more city-run museums.
- Hotels are noticeably less expensive from Sunday to Thursday and in January and February.
- Eat lunch rather than dinner at popular restaurants; many offer a lower-priced weekday menu.
- Walk or cycle instead of taking a horse-drawn carriage or tourist minibus; the old town is small.
- Pick up picnic supplies at the Wednesday market on the Markt or the Saturday market on 't Zand.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Bruges expensive to visit?
Bruges is moderately priced for most visitors, but 8 of its best-known sights are free, which makes a tight budget workable.
+What is the best free thing to do in Bruges?
Markt: Grab a cone of frites from the stalls at the foot of the Belfry and eat it on the statue steps.