The arter­ies of the old town, the canals of Bruges have long been the road­ways that con­nect the city. Bruges orig­i­nal­ly sat on the banks of the riv­er Reie; as the city devel­oped, so did its charm­ing water­ways. The canals were dug from the riv­er for com­mer­cial ship­ping in order to move essen­tial goods and sup­plies around the town.

Bruges’ inner canals mark the old city walls and ram­parts and make for a beau­ti­ful area to explore on foot or in one of the many tourist boats. Cruise past the numer­ous old over­ar­ch­ing brick bridges, sail along small streams, and spot the scenic river­side hous­es.