The best free tourist attraction in the world is not a scenic beach, a historic landmark or a vast national park as some might expect, but the Mini Harp Museum in the Belgian city of Bruges, according to new research.
The Luc Vanlaere Harpist-Mini Harp Museum in Bruges has the highest five-star reviews for free attractions worldwide (94.54%) – beating the "heavenly" Cable Beach in the Bahamas, Ireland's "extraordinary" Killarney National Park and numerous museums and monuments, according to research published by tourism company Casago.
"Composer and harp maker Vanlaere performs weekly concerts so visitors can share his music," the company said. "In what can be a pricey city (the Bruges Beer Museum charges €18) numerous Tripadvisor reviewers are certainly thankful for this costless gem, with one calling it a 'sound bath for the mind'."
Vanlaere owns the museum, located in Bruges city centre, where visitors can enjoy his music: he performs 40-minute long concerts daily and free of charge.
The attraction was hailed as a "captivating musical experience to refresh your soul" by one reviewer, while others advised getting there on time and taking extra cash for donations.
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Further afield, the National Museum of the US Air Force finished in second place (with 92.85% five-star reviews), followed by the Horseshoe Falls in Canada (with 92.70%). The National Infantry Museum and Soldier Centre in the US (93.32%) and Lake Balacar in Mexico (91.62%) round off the top five.
Another free Belgian tourist attraction also features in Europe's top ten: the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres finished in seventh place, with 87.72% five-star reviews.
More information about Bruges' Mini Harp Museum can be found on its website.
