The city of Bruges, with its UNESCO world heritage site and picturesque cobblestone streets, is a great way to spend a day. Many say that it’s over touristed and that takes away from some of its beauty, but I disagree. There is so much to see and do here it would be a shame to miss it just for that reason. It is totally worth visiting and one of the best places to visit in Belgium in my opinion.
This Bruges itinerary will help you get the most out of your Bruges day trip.
Getting there
The first thing is if you are based in Brussels you can easily get train tickets ahead of time and the train station is extremely accessible within the city of Brussels. It’s a good idea to get an early start so you can spend a full day, giving yourself enough time to take in as much as possible.
The best time to visit is during the summer months, though it can get a bit warm, the flowers are blooming. The warmer months are also the busiest time, so heading there in the shoulder season of September and October gives you cooler weather and fewer crowds.
Walk around Bruges
The best way to see Bruges is on foot with so many different options for things to see. But it’s small enough that you can wander around and pretty much see all that it has to offer in one day.
Get lost on the cobblestone streets, stumble upon a hidden Belgian waffle place, find an obscure museum or just admire the beautiful buildings that makes this town what it is.
During my wanderings I discovered parks, a monastery, a free harp concert and felt free to wander into various churches and shops as I went.
A great place to start is the market square where a weekly market in the historic center provides places to buy lunch or gifts or for the locals, any produce or meats for the week. Just a short walk from here is the Basilica of the Holy Blood, which is a beautiful basilica that is free to walk through and outside you can take on of the horse-drawn carriages around the city for another perspective.
Museum of medieval torture
I was completely intrigued by this small museum that seemed completely out of place in this beautiful city. Situated right off the main square (conveniently next to a waffle place).
Personally, I don’t think this is really a museum meant for young kids, though I saw some families checking it out. I will leave that up to the parents’ discretion but it shows the realities the types of torture people had to endure when accused of a crime (either real or made up).
But it is a fascinating place to learn some of humanities darker history and the horrifying ways that people used to extract information from others. What is really horrifying is that someone came up with these various torture devices.
Learn more: https://www.torturemuseum.be/
Cost: Adults – €9.00; Students – €6.00; Kids under 10 – free
Location: Wollestraat 29, 8000 Bruges, Belgium
Hours: Open Daily from 10:30-6:30pm
Museum of Salvador Dali
Salvador Dali is one of the most intriguing artists of the 1900s. He didn’t conform to societies delicacies with paintings that display a lot of sex and some serious imagination.
His art is intriguing and interesting and something everyone should see. Situated right on the main square you can head into the museum to escape a rain shower or a chilly day.
If you are a collector, you can also purchase some of his original works with costs starting around €850.00.
This is an expo, which means it will not be around forever, so make sure you check the website for details before heading out.
Learn more: https://www.visitbruges.be/en/dali-xpo-gallery
Cost: Adults – €10.00; Seniors (+65)/Students/Youths up to 18yr – €8.00; Kids under 12 – free
Location: Markt 7, Brugge
Hours: Open daily from 10:00-6:00pm
Go for a canal cruise around Bruges
Once you have finished your walking tour, I highly recommend taking a boat tour to see the city from the canals. Every half hour or so a boat takes people out for a half hour boat ride to see the town from a different perspective.
The boat captains provide excellent information on the history of Bruges and the historical significance of various buildings with their medieval architecture, things I would have never noticed if it wasn’t for them.
In my opinion this is one of the best things to do when visiting Bruges and I don’t care how touristy it is, I loved it and had the best time.
Learn more: https://www.visitbruges.be/en/bruggemetdeboot
Cost: Adults – €10.00; Bruges Residents – €9.00; Kids under 11 – €6.00; Kids under 3 – free
Location: Depends on the company you choose but mainly Huidenvettersplein 13, Brugge
Hours: Open daily from 10:00-6:00PM, from March 1st – November 15th
Eat waffles in the Bruges square
A trip to Belgium, no matter which town or city you visit, would not be complete without a waffle or five. As I mentioned above, there is a great little waffle window (or an eat in restaurant if you want) next to the Museum of Medieval Torture.
You can grab a fresh made waffle with bananas, Belgian chocolate and whipped cream, or strawberries, or Nutella, whatever your fancy. I recommend the House of Waffles (Wollestraat 31, 8000 Brugge, Belgium) a two-minute walk from the Belfry of Bruges (or main square).
They are open daily from 10:30-6:30pm and it will cost you between €9-10.00. Take your waffle and find a seat in the square where you can watch the people. It feels very Julia Roberts in Eat, Pray, Love when she was eating gelato on a bench next to a nun. And the waffles are divine.
Visit a brewery
No trip to Belgium would be complete without checking out at least one Brewery. In the case of Bruges, there are two that are worth checking out.
Brewery Bourgogne des Flandres
This is the perfect spot to sit have a beer or two. Or a flight (I recommend the flight, but its around €16.00). The brew tanks are visible as you walk into the courtyard and you can also take a brewery tour for an additional fee of around €11.
But if you just want to taste the beer, they have the perfect patio overlooking the canal. And fun fact, right across from the brewery the hotel windows are made from crystal made on the island of Merano in Italy. They glisten a purple color in the sunlight.
For more information: https://www.bourgognedesflandres.be/
Hours: Open daily from 10:30-6:30PM
Location: Kartuizerinnenstraat 6, 8000 Brugge, Belgium
Huisbrouwerij De Halve Maan
This historical brewery has a really unique feature. It pumps the beer underground through a series of pipes. Meaning they do not have to rely on large trucks transporting their beer from their brewery outside of town to this location.
I did not do the brewery tour, but I have heard it takes about 45 minutes and that it’s worth it. But again, if you’re not into that you can always just stop and enjoy their beer.
For more information: https://www.halvemaan.be/
Hours: Open daily 11:00-6:00PM
Location: Walplein 26, 8000 Brugge, Belgium
Minnewater park and tower
If you are looking for a bit of green space, this pretty little park is perfect. The canal runs through it and there are both paved and well-maintained dirt paths that you can meander around either on foot or by bike.
The tower is a well-known tourist site, though when I visited it was under repair so was closed. But the area itself is really peaceful with beautiful trees and benches to settle down on and just take a minute to yourself.
Concluding Thoughts
Bruges is one of the prettiest cities I have ever visited and the perfect place to go for a day trip from Brussels. You might be thinking, wow Nicole this is an awful lot to fit into one day, and maybe you are right. But I can assure you I did all of these things in one day and still had time for a sit-down lunch and dinner before catching the train back to Brussels.
I left early, arriving around 9AM and stayed until around 6PM and did not feel rushed and it was a fun way to spend the day. If you are spending some time in Brussels, another walkable city, check out my Brussels itinerary for the best things do see on foot.
