podtour
From the Belfry to the Canals
From the Belfry to the canals, look at postcard Bruges with its changes in mind. Not everything that looks medieval is.
Spanish Bruges: audio walk in Bruges
The Spaniards' Street and the Spaniards' Quay: Basques and Burgos men fighting over the name of Spain, a house with a psalm over the door, a ghost house without a ghost, Ignatius of Loyola begging for alms, and the Spanish humanist Juan Luis Vives, the neighbour who never went back.
What this walk is about
You start outside the house of the Biscayans, merchants from the Basque coast who never accepted that Burgos spoke for the whole of Spain. You walk into Spaniards' Street, reserved for the nation, where Castile's wool was stored, and meet the Spanish humanist Juan Luis Vives, who moved here to escape the rotten fish of Leuven and never went back to Spain, and his mother-in-law, the heroine of one of his books. You pass the ghost house, cross the bridge of 1391 where a Burgos merchant paid for his chapel, and see the stone of a consul who said that honours are burdens. You finish on the quay where their ships unloaded, with the Spaniards who stayed when everyone else had gone.
- Start
- Basques Against the Merchants of Burgos
- Finish
- Those Who Stayed
- Who it is for
- For a day trip from Brussels. A walk for history lovers.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
- Underfoot
- The walk is mostly level.
The route, stop by stop
An outline of the walk. The full stories are in the app.
Loading the map…
Open a marker to see its page. Use two fingers to move the map on mobile.
- 1
Basques Against the Merchants of Burgos
- 2
The Clerk Who Kept the House
- 3
Burgos, the Head of Castile
- 4
A Street Set Aside
- 5
Vives, the Neighbour Who Never Went Back
- 6
Clara Cervent, Vives's Mother-in-Law
- 7
The Ghost House with No Ghost
- 8
The Bridge of 1391 and a Merchant's Chapel
- 9
Honours Are Burdens
- 10
Peace Within Your Towers
- 11
A Basque Student Begging for Alms
- 12
Those Who Stayed
Walking directions are based on mapped pedestrian routes. Check local access and signs; the route is not an accessibility guarantee. Times are approximate.
Bruges, before you go
Canals and squares are comfortably close together, but the cobbles have their own requirements. Wear comfortable shoes and step aside to admire a façade when somebody needs to cycle past.
More walks nearby
Bruges, Port of Europe
There was a time when much of Europe's business passed through Bruges. Follow the houses and quays of the merchants who made it wealthy.
Bruges in Revolt
In the Burg and the Markt, Bruges fought over who held power. Follow the clashes between counts, guilds and townspeople across its two great squares.
Good to know
What is Podtour?
An app for self-guided audio walks. Choose a city and a route, then listen to the stories behind its streets. You decide when to start and when to stop.
When can I download the app?
Podtour is coming to iOS and Android. There is no confirmed launch date yet. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when it is ready.
Does Podtour include attraction tickets?
No. Street walks and monument audio tours do not include admission tickets, transport or a guide accompanying you.
Can I listen without an internet connection?
Download the audio in the app before heading out, then listen offline. Loading the online base map and calculating a new route from your location require a connection.
What languages are included?
Every route includes Spanish and British English. The English version is adapted for English-speaking travellers, rather than translated word for word.
How do I get a whole city for free?
Join the waitlist, choose a city and confirm your email address. When the app launches, we will email you with access details. No card is required. You can also try one free route in every city.
Can I buy for myself or for a group?
Yes. Your own access is included and you can choose 0–5 guests: up to 6 people including you. Each guest saves up to €0.50 on a walk, €1 on a pack or €2 on a whole city compared with buying separately. The counter shows the total before you confirm one payment.
How do I share, and when must guests accept?
After paying, share your purchase’s invitation link. Each guest opens it in Podtour and accepts their place on their own iPhone or Android phone. They must redeem it within 30 days of purchase. Unclaimed places then expire and cannot be recovered or renewed. Access accepted in time is kept. Opening the link does not use a place; one account takes just one place, and no more people can join once all places are taken.
Can I add guests after buying?
No. Choose all your guests before confirming the first purchase. Afterwards you can share the places you paid for, but you cannot increase their number or restart the 30-day deadline.
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist. When we launch, your chosen city is yours to explore.
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Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist and get one whole city free when Podtour launches. You choose where.
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One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.