The tourist office, Toerisme Brugge, Burg 11, 8000 Brugge (tel. 050/44-86-86; fax 050/44-86-00; www.brugge.be), is right in the center of town, in the historic Palace of the Liberty of Bruges. It's open March to mid-November, Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 6:30pm, weekends from 10am to noon and 2 to 6:30pm; mid-November to February, Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 5pm, weekends from 9:30am to 1pm and 2 to 5:30pm. This friendly, efficient office has brochures that outline walking, coach, canal, and horse-drawn-carriage tours, as well as detailed information on many sightseeing attractions. Ask for the complimentary annual events@brugge brochure and monthly Exit newsletter, both of them excellent directories of current goings-on.

In addition, there's a booth for tourist information and hotel bookings outside the rail station.