Through the centuries, since it was founded in 1245 by the Countess Margaret of Constantinople, the Prinselijk Begijnhof ten Wijngaarde (Princely Beguinage of the Vineyard), Wijngaardstraat (tel. 050/33-00-11), at the Lake of Love, has been one of the most tranquil spots in Bruges, and so it remains today. Flemish begijnhofen are UNESCO World Heritage sites, so even if the entire old center of Bruges didn't already have this prestigious status, the Begijnhof would have been marked out as being special. Begijns were religious women, similar to nuns, who accepted vows of chastity and obedience, but drew the line at poverty, preferring to earn a living by looking after the sick and making lace. They provided an option for women to live without a husband and children, but without becoming a nun -- there was little in the way of alternatives at the time.
The begijns are no more, but the Begijnhof is occupied by the Benedictine nuns of the Monasterium De Wijngaard, who try to keep the begijns' traditions alive. This beautiful little cluster of 17th-century whitewashed houses surrounding a lawn with poplar trees and flowers makes a marvelous escape from the hustle and bustle of the outside world. One of the houses, the Begijnhuisje (Beguine's House), has been made over into a museum and can be visited, as can the convent's baroque church, Onze Lieve Vrouw van Troost van Spermalie (Our Lady of Succor of Spermalie), during a service. The Begijnhof courtyard is always open and admission is free. The Beguine's House is open from March to November, Monday to Saturday from 10am to noon and 1:45 to 5:30pm, Sunday from 10:45am to noon and 1:45 to 5:30pm; from December to February, Monday, Tuesday, and Friday from 11am to noon and 1:45 to 4:15pm, Wednesday and Thursday from 1:45 to 4:15pm, Saturday from 10am to noon and 1:45 to 5:30pm, Sunday from 10:45am to noon and 1:45 to 5:30pm. Admission is 2€ ($2.50) for adults, 1.50€ ($1.90) for seniors, and 1€ ($1.25) for students and children.
A fine example of the godshuizen (houses of god, or almshouses) that were built by the rich in Bruges from the 13th century onward as refuges for widows and the poor, is the Godshuis de Vos (De Vos Almshouse), from 1713, at the corner of Noordstraat and Wijngaardstraat, near the Begijnhof. The moneybags weren't being entirely altruistic, since the residents had to pray for their benefactors' souls twice a day in the chapel that was an integral part of an almshouse's facilities. The pretty courtyard garden here is surrounded by a chapel and eight original houses, now converted to six, which are owned by the city and occupied by seniors. Admission is not permitted, but you can view the complex from over a low wall out front.
Even these locations are not necessarily tranquil retreats. There's likely to be plenty of other people around at all of them. To really escape the crowds for a while and yet stay in the center, you could take a stroll in the Koningin Astridpark (Queen Astrid Park), just a few blocks south of the Burg and the busy Rozenhoedkaai. In what were once the grounds of a Franciscan Abbey that is no more, you might even take in a concert at the graceful cast-iron bandstand from 1859 in the middle of the park -- though in that case you likely won't be enjoying the experience alone.
