If You Only Have 1 Day in Bruges

Get to Bruges as early as possible. Must-see spots are the Begijnhof near Minnewater and the great buildings around Burg and Markt squares. Soak up the artwork, including the Groeninge and Memling museums, and Michelangelo's sculpture in the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk. You might take an afternoon canal ride—or, after dinner, when crowds have thinned, you can wander alongside the water. Bear in mind that Bruges is one of Europe's top tourist destinations, and has prices to match. If you plan to see a lot, get hold of a Museum Pass(www.museabrugge.be), which gives free access to 14 museums in the city. At the time of writing the cost was €20 for three days and can be purchased at tourist offices or participating museums. Sadly, the 24- and 48-hour city cards that used to be available in Bruges, and which covered more sights, no longer exist.