Heart of Bruges Walking Tour

Bruges is one of the famous medieval Flemish cities, also called 'The Venice of the North' since international tourism emerged in the 19th century. Till around 1500 Bruges had a direct access to the North Sea which allowed busy shipping to dock in Damme, the port just outside Bruges. From here small boats transported goods from all over the world into the heart of Bruges and stocked it in the Waterhall. Bruges became an important and successful Hanseatic city, connected with other Hanseatic cities in Italy, England, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Russia. International trade & commerce became Bruges' core business as a result, and so Bruges became a sophisticated city with an exceptional well preserved architecture and culture, generating a growing number of visitors from all over the world until today.