If you think of Belgium a lot of people will tell you that you need to visit Bruges. This small town in West Flanders is known as the little Venice of Belgium. The city has a lot of historic buildings and is built over the water. It is definitely a small city and can be visited within 24h. The best time of the year to visit are during summer (for the nice weather) or winter (christmas markets).

How to get TO BRUGES?

There are 2 options to get to Bruges. If you are traveling to Belgium, you can fly into Brussels and take the train from the airport to Bruges. If you are already in Belgium and staying in a different town, then public transport would also be your best option (trains). If you are traveling around Belgium by car, I would suggest this parking near the central station and walk to the city center or make use of the free shuttle bus.

Must do activities IN BRUGES

Boat tour of the city
Visit the cathedral
Try Belgian waffles
Christmas markets
Get lost on cobblestone streets

Morning Walk around the City Parks

To make the most out of your day, I suggest arriving in Bruges before or around 10am. Once you arrive at the train station (or parking which is near) head over to the Minnewaterpark for a nice morning stroll.

Whilst over in this area, do not forget to visit ten wijngaarden. This is a beguinage with some beautiful gardens (especially in spring and summer) and they also often have exhibits that are worth checking out.

End your morning walk and head to That’s toast for lunch! It is a popular spot, so be mindful that there might be a bit of a waiting line. At the moment they do not take reservations.

Boat Tour & Highlights of BRUGEs

After lunch it is time for one of the absolute highlights in Bruges: a boat tour. This is a must do activity for first timers in Bruges. Most tours depart around the Roozenhoedkaai. If you want to take some cute pictures of the bridges and surrounding areas, don’t forget to stop by the Bonaficus Bridge & Rozenhoedkaai itself.

Next up, pay a visit to the cathedral which is centrally located on the main square in Bruges. If you have the time, I suggest to enter the cathedral, however, the outside is also beautiful to see. Around the main square you can find a lot of places which sell Belgian Waffles, a dessert you cannot miss on your trip to Belgium.

Even if museums aren’t your thing, you need to check out the belgian friet museum. It showcases the history of belgian frites, and is unique as there is no other place in the world which is dedicated to these delicious potato fries. It costs around 8 EUR to visit, and is totally worth it.

Happy hour is best spend at the beer wall, this place showcases over 1721 different types of beers. Crazy right?. It is the perfect place to hang out, especially on a nice summers day. The terrace overlooks the water and the staff is super friendly as well.

How to Spend your Evening in Bruges?

There are a lot of delicious places for dinner, but a personal favourite of mine is: trattoria murano. An Italian restaurant which makes the best pasta in town. If you are looking for some more local dishes, head on over to ‘t Bagientje. During the weekend it is ALWAYS advised to make a reservation.