The Princely Begijnhof ten Wijngaarde was founded in 1245. It's a UNESCO World Heritage site. And somehow, despite being in every guidebook, it's still one of the most peaceful places in Bruges.

You enter through a low stone gate near Minnewater Lake — which is a two-minute walk from Inn Bruges, incidentally. Inside: a courtyard of white-painted houses around a green, with tall trees and total silence. Benedictine nuns live here now. They ask visitors to keep quiet, and people actually do.

In spring, the courtyard fills with daffodils. It's one of those scenes that looks photoshopped but isn't. Go early morning or late afternoon for the best light and the fewest people.

The small church inside is worth a look. It's modest — wooden pews, whitewashed walls, a few candles. But after the sensory overload of the Markt and the shopping streets, the simplicity is a relief.

There's no entry fee. It opens at 6:30am. If you're an early riser, you'll have the place to yourself.