One of the things I love about World Heritage Sites is how they can expose you to places, or in the case of the Flemish Béguinages, concepts, that I had not known before. History tends to be rather male-focused, and while I was aware women often had limited options in life in medieval times (with marriage or religious orders being some of the more common choices), I had never learned about the béguinages in northern Europe. These religious societies offered single women an option to live together in a community while retaining independence to come and go at will. When I visited the city of Bruges last August, I made sure to stop by the Begijnhof, tucked away in a quiet corner of the city. The béguinage is now home to Benedictine nuns, but the museum within the site shows the comfortable life a woman would have had living there, with her own kitchen and dining area (which could also be used for making handicrafts), bedroom, and an outdoor garden. The Begijnhof also has a rather nice church, where the women in residence would attend regular services. Although I didn't get to visit any other béguinages while in Belgium, the Begijnhof was a great introduction to a unique aspect of Flemish history.

Logistics: While one can view the exterior of the Begijnhof on any of the canal boat tours of Bruges, I highly recommend walking to this peaceful corner of the city.