Are you planning a day trip to Bruges? In this guide, you can find the most interesting things to do and see in this beautiful medieval town in Belgium.
Bruges is one of the most romantic cities in Europe. With its medieval architecture, historic buildings, and picturesque canals, it is a must-see for those who want to explore one of the most interesting corners of Flanders.
Here, you can find some information and tips on exploring this beautiful Belgian town in one day.
Bruges or Brugge?
Belgium is a small country with three official languages: Dutch, French, and German. Many cities, therefore, have names in two or three languages, and Bruges is no exception. However, being in the region of Western Flanders, the correct name is Brugge, but everyone knows it by the French name Bruges.
Bruges is a beautiful medieval town that began to grow in 1128 AD. It’s famous for the numerous canals that, over time, have played a vital role in its development since they have allowed the city to trade with other European cities. Since 2000, the market square has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In the past (around 1400 AD), up to 200,000 people lived in Bruges, while today, there are just under 120,000 inhabitants.
Top things to do in Bruges in one day
Here are some ideas for your holidays in Bruges.
A visit to the Historium Museum
Although it is a relatively small city, Bruges has many things to see. My advice is to start by visiting the beautiful Historium Museum located right in the center, in the market square.
The museum is organized in an interesting way: once you have purchased your ticket, you will be given an audio guide. You will be guided through a series of rooms in which different environments of medieval Bruges have been recreated. You’ll follow the story of one of the helpers of the famous medieval painter Van Eyck, who worked in Bruges for a while.
At the end of the tour, there is a short footage created using virtual reality, and it’s really interesting. You will get a VR headset and virtually explore medieval Bruges.
The Historium is a unique museum, and it’s never boring. The tour takes just under an hour and is ideal for getting to know the city better.
Other museums worth visiting are the Frietmuseum (the museum dedicated to fried potatoes, a Belgian national dish) and the De Halve Maan, which is not a real museum but a craft brewery where you can taste local beers.
Take a walk in the Market Square
The market square of Bruges is the city’s symbol and is located right in the center. In the square is also the Beffroi of Bruges, the medieval civic tower 83 meters high, which is not perfectly straight (like the leaning tower of Pisa).
Rent a bike
The best way to explore Bruges is by bicycle. Like in Holland, bicycles are the national symbol in Belgium, and bikeways are everywhere in the countryside and cities like Bruges.
A visit to the numerous parks and the Beguinage
There are many parks in the city. The most famous are the Astridpark and Minnewater. If you’re tired of walking around the city, you can relax in one of the parks. Don’t miss the Beguinage created to house beguines: lay religious women who lived in the community without taking vows or retiring from the world. Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Take a stroll along one of the numerous canals of Bruges
Bruges is famous for its canals, and there are two ways to explore them: walking around the town or taking a boat. That’s perhaps the best way to explore Bruges.
Bruges for foodies: chocolate, french fries, mussels, and waffles
Belgium is famous for good chocolate, and by visiting Bruges, you will find out why: there are plenty of stores, and you will hardly find a better place outside Belgium to taste some delicious local chocolate.
In Bruges, there is even a Chocolate Museum Tour.
The other national dish is french fries. I don’t know if the French made them first, but Belgian fries are the best. In the market square, two food carts serve the city’s best fries. I suggest you try them with the Andalouse sauce, a frikandel, and a beer.
After chocolate and fried potatoes, you must try the real Belgian Waffles. There are lots of shops that sell them.
Finally, if you want to stop for dinner, you have to try mussels and chips, a typical dish of this area of Europe as well as in Normandy and Brittany.
A visit to the numerous churches and historical buildings
There are many churches in Bruges. The most famous is the Basilica of the Holy Blood. If you have time, there are plenty of churches to visit.
How to get to Bruges, and when it’s the best time to visit
Getting to Bruges is very simple because it is well-connected to the rest of Europe. You can fly to Brussels and then get there by train. The best option is to get to Bruges by car (yours or with a rental car service) and then continue to drive around Belgium. Driving in Belgium is not too expensive since the highways are free.
If you get to Bruges by car, leave it in the parking lot behind the train station. The ticket should cost €3.5 for 24 hours. With the same ticket, you are also entitled to use one of the buses that will take you to the old town center.
The last option is to get there using FlixBus.
The highway in Belgium is entirely lit at night and you can even see it from the space.
The weather is sadly the weak point of this beautiful city. It is known to be very bad even compared to other cities in Belgium (which are not known for their nice weather). It’s rainier and colder than in Paris; even in summer, it can rain anytime.
Statistically, the months with the least rain are April and May, while the hottest month is August. In any case, the weather is very unpredictable.
Where to stay in Bruges
One day is enough to visit Bruges, but spending one night there is a better idea. You’ll have the chance to experience the city a little more and enjoy it without too many tourists.
Bruges is not a very big city, which means that no matter which hotel you stay in, you’ll never be too far from the main attractions. However, spending extra money and staying in the city center without walking too much is a good idea. There are several options on Booking.com, but if you want to do something special, you should spend a night in this amazing hotel in the city center. Another option is to look for a nice apartment on Trip.com.
Here, you can find a live webcam inside the ISS, and here is an article about the beautiful island of Burano near Venice.
Nice post! Travelling is something that I and my wife love. We have been to many European countries like Italy and France. But, we always stopped short of visiting Belgium. However, your informative blog might just nudge us to apply for Belgium visa real soon. Belgium’s interesting facts, mouth-watering food, chocolates and popular tourist destinations are some of the reasons why we are getting excited to visit there. Additionally, we might be taking some tips from your post to make our Belgium getaway even more exciting.
Thanks! You need visas now from UK to visit Belgium? Been away from Europe for too long!