Bruges-Zeebrugge is a charming historic city and a major tourism center. Its marvelously clean houses really are centuries old, and the city offers some of the best chocolate shops in the world. There are, however, a few sights you should not miss on your visit to Port of Bruges-Zeebrugge, including its many museums.

The Groeninge Museum contains collections of art spanning the 14th to 20th Centuries. The Gothic-style Basilica of the Holy Blood is said to contain drops of the blood of Jesus. Its underground chapel offers a distinctive Romanesque style.

The Onze-Lieve-Vrouwkerk is a fascinating church that is home to the tombs of Charles the Bold and Mary of Burgundy as well as one of Michelangelo's few sculptures outside of Italy, the Madonna with child. Jerusalem Church has an octagonal tower, a beautiful black marble tomb, Gothic stained glass, and a small chapel containing a spooky effigy of the dead Christ. The Hospital of St. John is both a museum and an excellent example of early Medieval hospital buildings.

The Choco-Story Museum illustrates the transition of chocolate from cocoa, a must-see for any chocolate-lover. The Diamanthuis Museum contains exhibits describing diamonds from mining to polishing, a must-see for anyone who loves fine jewelry. The Friet Museum tells the story of chips from potato to salty treat.

If you want to avoid the other tourists, just leave the popular shopping areas of the Markt and Burg squares. Visitors climb 366 steps at the Grote Markt and Belfry Climb's 83-meter tower to get astounding views of the city. One must-do is a tour boat that takes you through the Port of Bruges-Zeebrugge's many canals while a guide gives you a history of the city. You can hire horse-drawn carts at Grote Markt for a 30-minute old-world tour of the city. You can rent a bicycle at one of many rental shops near the main square or at the train station. It's a treat to tour the countryside by bicycle.

From November until January, you can enjoy the Snow and Ice Sculpture Festival, where international teams of professional artists carve tons of crystal-clear ice into a hall you can walk through.

If you're interested in taking a wonderful cruise to visit the Port of Bruges-Zeebrugge, you can find a list of cruises at the Cruise Compete website.

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