Bruges is a walking city. Everything in the centre is within a 15-minute walk, and the best discoveries happen on foot. Here are your options.

Free walking tours run daily from the Markt square. Guides work for tips, so the quality is generally good — they need to earn their money. Tours last about 2 hours and cover the main sights with historical commentary. Good for a first orientation.

Paid private tours are worth it if you want depth. Licensed Bruges guides (look for the official badge) can take you to places that public tours skip — private courtyards, lesser-known churches, the backs of buildings where the real stories are. Expect to pay €100-150 for a two-hour tour for a small group.

Self-guided routes: The tourist office on the Markt sells a walking map (€2.50) with three colour-coded routes. The blue route covers the main landmarks. The red route goes through the quieter Sint-Anna quarter. The green route follows the rampart parks.

Our suggestion for a perfect half-day walk: Start at the Markt, walk to the Burg, through to the Dijver, past the Groeningemuseum to the Church of Our Lady, south to the Begijnhof and Minnewater, then east along Katelijnestraat (where we are) and back through the Walplein.

Wear comfortable shoes. The cobblestones in Bruges are charming but brutal on your feet. Flat, sturdy soles are essential.