Of course, it's lovely to wander aimlessly through the winding streets of Bruges. Exploring Bruges on foot, with or without a tour guide is a great way to discover this many-facetted city. But if you prefer something different you can go for a bike tour past hidden spots, make a boat trip on the mysterious canals – the arteries of the city - or opt for a romantic horse and carriage ride over centuries-old squares and charming bridges. And while the picturesque town centre is endlessly fascinating we must not forget Bruges’ city ramparts. The green lung encircles almost the entire town. Parks and city gardens offer relaxation, a place to meet up and space to play, but the city’s green areas also contribute to the fight against global warming and purify the air. Bruges is systematically adding more and more green to the city centre and actively involves its residents in initiatives such as green facades, the management of allotment gardens, the realisation of garden streets, etc. With its 8679 ha of green areas, Bruges can certainly be called a green historical city.

The city of Bruges creates an economic dynamism by focusing on innovation and partnerships with various stakeholders. When looking at jobs, maximal social inclusion is one of the top priorities. Bruges is implementing the tourism activities with its partners on the basis of a participatory model and is reactivating the existing concept of master classes and workshops in order to share and exchange knowledge and experiences with the sector network. Together with these sector representatives, the city is working on important preconditions for sustainable anchoring touristic entrepreneurship. Focus on a long-term vision above short-term gain. The new Convention Centre is the instrument for transforming Bruges even more into a MICE destination and should revigorate business tourism during weekdays (a moment when there is still room for visitor growth).

Connection is the basic condition for the development of a warm community. A city that connects people is a city that fascinates and inspires. Visitors are our guests, and we look at them as temporary residents of the city. Bruges therefore encourages contact between its temporary and permanent residents. Despite the high visitor numbers, Bruges residents continue to embrace tourism. No fewer than 90% believe Bruges must remain an important tourist destination. The city continues to score good amongst visitors as well, especially in terms of friendliness and hospitality. According to the Big 7 Travel website Bruges is the third friendliest city in the world. It stands out because of its charming village feel and locals who go the extra mile to welcome visitors. Bruges is accessible to everyone. Older visitors, holidaymakers with a temporary or permanent disability or people who need extra comfort or care do not have to worry about visiting Bruges. There’s a map and brochure available to guide this type of visitor and offer them the necessary information to prepare the trip to Bruges.