visitbruges.be VISIT BRUGES Bruges Accessible for everyone EN Bruges is a city that goes straight site by UNESCO. Go and explore to your heart. Offering medieval the mysterious ‘reien’ (canals), mystery and an unashamedly the veins of the city, and immerse Burgundian atmosphere, Bruges yourself in the golden age of has long been one of the world’s Bruges. great cities. Older visitors, holidaymakers For many centuries, the canals of with a temporary or permanent Bruges have connected the city disability or people who need to the sea, guaranteeing wealth extra comfort or care need not and prosperity. International feel anxious about visiting Bruges. tradespeople built Bruges EVERYONE FOR BRUGES, ACCESSIBLE to become one of the largest This brochure was written in Hanseatic cities. In the 15th cooperation with Visit Flanders, century, the city flourished like Inter and the province of West never before. Large parts of Flanders. It offers all the the medieval patrimony have necessary information to prepare remained almost completely for a trip to Bruges. BRUGES, ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE FOR BRUGES, ACCESSIBLE intact. It is only logical that the entire city centre has been recognised as a world heritage 2 3 How should you use this brochure? This brochure should be museums and attractions, pubs, used together with the handy, restaurants, public toilets and removable map provided which tourist information offices. The shows the route through the numbers on the map refer to city. The route takes you past the more detailed information in many world-famous panoramas, the brochure itself. You can towering monuments and ancient also read all about accessible squares, interspersed with accommodation, care, disability contemporary buildings. It is an aids, transport and parking. absolute must for anyone who is All information is based on visiting Bruges for the first time objective expert inspections EVERYONE FOR BRUGES, ACCESSIBLE Index and wishes to get straight to the on the spot. For more detailed heart of the city. information about each building or site, you can view the detailed HOW SHOULD YOU USE THIS BROCHURE? ...............................................5 Of course, there are a lot of report on www.toevla.be cobblestones in the centre of (available in Dutch only). KEY TO ICONS .............................................................................................6 Bruges. This walk is largely VISIT AND EXPERIENCE .............................................................................8 BRUGES, ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE FOR BRUGES, ACCESSIBLE on cobblestones, but the walk Not all initiatives listed are RESTAURANTS AND CAFÉS .....................................................................28 has been designed with as few independently wheelchair PUBLIC TOILETS .......................................................................................42 obstacles as possible and the accessible. A selection of the WHERE TO STAY? .....................................................................................50 cobblestones are generally more accessible businesses and Hotels ..................................................................................................51 flat and evenly laid. Rounded facilities in Bruges was made for Guest rooms ........................................................................................52 cobblestones have been avoided this publication. On the basis of wherever possible. The map with the descriptions, you can decide Holiday rentals ....................................................................................52 descriptions tells you exactly for yourself which locations are Group accommodation ........................................................................52 which route you should take to better or less suited, as well as Youth hostels .......................................................................................52 avoid obstacles. which preparations you can make CARE AND MOBILITY AIDS .......................................................................54 to ensure that it runs smoothly. TRAVELLING TO BRUGES .........................................................................56 Every aspect of an accessible TRANSPORT AND PARKING .....................................................................60 tourist visit to Bruges has been INFORMATION OFFICES ...........................................................................62 mapped out. This brochure provides information about 4 5 Key to icons If you discover that a location has been moved, renovated or closed, you can notify this fact to Inter at brugge@inter-vlaanderen or T 0032 50 60 20 75. Visit and experience The detailed descriptions show to what degree a certain attraction or parts of the attraction are accessible to visitors with limited mobility. accessible accessible with assistance Places where you are likely to need a helping hand are clearly indicated. Attractions or museums which have amenities for visitors with a visual, auditory or learning disability are indicated by means of the following n.a. icons: this is an access problem not applicable BRUGES, ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE FOR BRUGES, ACCESSIBLE Facilities for visitors with Facilities for visitors with a Accommodation and information offices limited mobility. learning disability VISITFLANDERS has developed accessibility labelling for accommodation and information offices: BRUGES, ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE FOR BRUGES, ACCESSIBLE Facilities for visitors with a Facilities for visitors with a visual disability hearing disability The label A+ means that The label A means that the the building is accessible building is considered to be in a comfortable and basically accessible; that it can independent way. be used by most people with limited mobility, but that it is Restaurants, cafés and public toilets possible that extra effort or a helper is required. Using the thumb system for the crucial data measurements and the detailed pictures of the adapted toilets you can decide if a cafe, restaurant or toilet is suitable for you. Because of continuous changes in Learn more about the accessibility labels? restaurants, cafes and toilets, it is possible that some information may Navigate to www.visitflanders.com/accessibility. be out of date. We therefore recommend that you contact the business before your visit. 6 7 VISIT AND EXPERIENCE 1 Concertgebouw (Concert Hall) This tall and stately temple of The wheelchair accessible seats in culture on ’t Zand gives the the concert hall can be accessed largest square of Bruges its own from the Foyer Parterre. The unique dynamism. In the soberly doors into the hall are narrow decorated auditorium, visitors and heavy and you may well need can enjoy classical music and assistance. contemporary dance in the best possible setting. The impressive The Chamber Music Hall is Concert Auditorium (1,289 seats) located in the Lantaarntoren; and intimate Chamber Music Hall here there are also comfortable, (322 seats) are famed for their wheelchair accessible seats; excellent acoustics. In the Concert access is via a separate entrance Hall, you can also admire various and lift. There are accessible EVERYONE FOR BRUGES, ACCESSIBLE Visit and experience contemporary works of art. toilets in the entrance hall on the cloakroom level (easy to The access route across the use but you have to get past a square is sufficiently wide and few bottlenecks), on the Foyer on the walk 15 Brouwerij De Halve Maan ....... 22 level. There are various entrances Parterre (small, stalls obstructed 16 Begijnhof ................................. 23 1 Concertgebouw ......................... 9 with sufficiently wide doors, by sanitary vending machines) 17 Minnewater ............................. 24 2 BRUGES, ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE FOR BRUGES, ACCESSIBLE Sint-Salvatorskathedraal ........ 10 although they do open manually and in the Lantaarntoren (good 3 Site Oud Sint-Jan .................... 10 close to the walk and they are heavy. In the entrance accessibility). For a virtual view 4 Sint-Janshospitaal .................. 11 hall there is a front desk which of access to the building, the 5 Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk ......... 13 18 Stadsschouwburg ................... 24 has limited wheelchair access. entrance hall and the concert From here it is easy to access halls see http://360.poppr.be/ 6 Gruuthusemuseum ................. 13 19 Choco-Story ............................ 25 the Concertgebouw café on the virtualtour/concertgebouw_ 7 Stadshallen and Belfort ......... 15 20 Frietmuseum .......................... 26 ground floor as well as the Foyer brugge 8 Historium ................................ 16 21 Kantcentrum ........................... 27 Parterre on the first floor (using 9 Bruges Beer Experience ........ 17 the lift and ramp). The ramp is too ‘t Zand 34, 8000 Brugge 10 Basiliek van het Heilig Bloed .. 18 long and steep to use comfortably T 0032 50 47 69 99 (general info) 11 Stadhuis .................................. 18 without assistance but the lift is and 0032 70 22 12 12 (ticket line) 12 Brugse Vrije............................. 19 easily accessible. [email protected] 13 Groeningemuseum ................. 20 www.concertgebouw.be 14 Hof Arents and Arentshuis ...... 21 8 8 9 VISIT AND EXPERIENCE 2 Sint-Salvatorskathedraal (Saint Saviour’s Cathedral) The treasures of Bruges’ oldest The nave of the church is easily parish church (12th-15th century) accessible via a threshold- VISIT AND EXPERIENCE include a rood loft with