About me
Hi, I’m Andy.
Founder of Your Bruges®, certified city guide, published author, board member, president of a free tour collective, dad of three — and somehow still just me.
Born and raised in Belgium, Bruges has been my home for years. I’ve walked its cobblestones more times than I can count, chased its stories down quiet alleys, and learned how to turn history into something people don’t just hear — but remember.
I studied for three years to become a licensed city guide, and along the way I wrote several books: Tales and Legends of Bruges and Lost Streetviews of Bruges, Walking the extra mile with Your Bruges and How not to lose the plot.
My mission is simple: help people experience Bruges with curiosity, context, and a good laugh.
Today, I serve on the board of BrUG (Brugse Unie der Gidsen), a professional guide guild created by and for licensed guides, with the support of the City of Bruges. I’m also president of The Ambassadors of the City, a collective offering free walking tours that focus on stories, people, and authenticity — never scripts, never shortcuts.
Life in Uniform
By day — and often by night — I’m an OR-8 (First Sergeant) in the Belgian Army’s Medical Department.
I’m also a trained EMT, hyperbaric medicine specialist, and diving accident instructor.
My work has taken me far beyond Bruges: from Kosovo (1999 & 2001), to post-tsunami Sri Lanka in 2005, to naval ships and underwater rescue operations.
That military and medical background taught me discipline, attention to detail, and compassion — three things I quietly carry into every walk I guide.
The Human Side of History
Traveling on and off duty through cities like London, Florence, New York, and Paris, I noticed something important: tourism is changing.
People don’t just want monuments anymore.
They want meaning.
Not just facts — but connection.
That’s what my walks are about: personal, story-driven experiences that leave room for curiosity, questions, and yes — the occasional dad joke.
Because yes, I am also a dad.
Ollie arrived in 2016, Cooper in 2020, and Scotty joined us in January 2025.
So if my walks sometimes feel like they’re delivered with military timing and a hint of sleep deprivation… now you know why.
Your Bruges. Not the Brochure.
If you’re looking for a walk that feels less like a lecture and more like time spent with a local — someone who knows the legends, the alleyways, the old secrets, and (objectively speaking) the best chocolate shop — then you’re in the right place.
I’ll show you Your Bruges.
Not just the postcard version, but the living city — full of stories hiding in plain sight.
Guided with passion. Powered by espresso and dad jokes.