How to Spend a Day in Bruges, Belgium
This past September, my boyfriend Will and I spent 10 days in Europe. We visited Amsterdam, Belgium, and London, spending three to four days in each place. Most of our time in Belgium was spent in it’s capital city, Brussels, save for one day when we visited the charming city of Bruges. This post will cover how to spend a day in Bruges, including where to get the best hot chocolate and waffles!
How to Spend a Day in Bruges, Belgium
Getting to Bruges
Bruges is a great option for a day trip because it is so easy to access. From Brussels, there are trains to Bruges departing from Brussels Midi every 20 to 30 minutes. The train ride itself is just an hour from the city centre.
Since the train from Brussels to Bruges is a municipal one, your return time does not have to be set in advance. If you purchase a return ticket, you just have to use it on the day of issue; the time of day does not matter. This worked out well for Will and I because we did not have too long a list of things we wanted to see in Bruges, so this gave us the flexibility to return to Brussels earlier or later based on how our day was going.
What We Did
Once we arrived in Bruges, we made the 15-minute walk from the train station to the charming city centre to begin our exploring for the day. Bruges is a lovely city to just wander around because it is architecturally goregeous and very walkable, as so many European cities are. Below is a summary of everything we did to pass a fantastic day in Bruges.
Visit Market Square
Market Square is the heart of Bruges. The square is lined with charming, colourful brick buildings and the famous Belfry, an 83-meter tall 13th-century tower. We spent a bit of time wandering around the square taking pictures and soaking in the lovely architecture of the square before heading over to the Belfry to see how much it would cost to climb. Personally, I was obsessed with the colourful brick buildings with their large green awnings lining one side of the square.
Climb the Belfry
From the top of its 83-meter eight, the Belfry has a stunning view of the Market Square below and the streets of Bruges beyond. To climb the tower, it costs 15€ per person. I must warn you that climbing the Belfry is not for the faint of heart! To get to the top, you must climb 366 aggressively narrow, winding steps. Steps that, might I add, have two-way traffic, making for some awkward manoeuvring at times to let people by. A redeeming quality of the tower is that there are a couple of breaks on the way up where the narrow staircase opens into a wide room where you can stop and catch your breath before continuing the trek up.
In addition to its great height, the Belfry also has a carillon—a musical instrument made up of a large set of suspended bells. The Belfry’s carillon has 47. If you happen to be visiting on a Wednesday, Saturday, or Sunday between 11am and noon, you will get to hear the carillon played by the city’s carilloneur (yes, that’s a real job).
Admire the Architecture at the Basilica of the Holy Blood
A short walk away from Market Square and the Belfry, you will find the Basilica of the Holy Blood, which was built in the 12th century. The basilica is free to enter and has some really fantastic architectural features to admire if you’re into that kind of thing.
Window Shop Bruge’s Charming Shops
After we had our fill of 12th-century architecture, we set out on a mission to find somewhere we could sit down for a good cup of hot chocolate and a waffle. Along the way, we stopped to browse in some of Bruge’s lovely shops and chocolatiers. One shop that I particularly loved was Dille and Kamille. They had the loveliest selection of homewares, gardening supplies, and nice linens—very up my alley! Sad to report that I did not buy anything here—I was being conscious about the space available in my luggage, but it was fun to browse all the same.
One thing Bruges, and Belgium in general, has no shortage of is chocolatiers. On our mission to find hot chocolate, we did a fair bit of browsing at Dumon Chocolatier before moving on. This chocolatier had counters upon counters of delicious-looking decadent chocolates and truffles.
Indulge in a Hot Chocolate and Waffle at the Old Chocolate House
Before we left on our trip, I discovered The Old Chocolate House online. Half chocolatier and half tearoom, the Old Chocolate House is the perfect spot to stop and indulge in Belgium’s finest things (chocolate and waffles, ofc!).
The tearoom has an extensive menu of hot chocolates ranging from classic to extravagent. From the menu, you select what kind of milk you’d like, what kind of chocolate, and your toppings. What arrives on your table is a deconstructed hot chocolate of sorts. A mug full of hot milk is placed in front of you, while a tray with your chocolate and toppings will is in the middle of the table. This is the fun part: now you get to drop your chocolate into the warm milk like a chocolate bomb and watch it turn into the most rich and decadent hot chocolate you’ve ever seen while mixing away with a tiny little whisk.
The menu does include regular tea and coffee if chocolate is not your thing. There is also a great selection of treats, including Belgian waffles. Will and I shared a waffle to go along with our hot chocolates.
After we were sufficiently full of liquid chocolate and waffles, we headed next door to the chocolatier to pick up some gifts to bring home for our families. There were so many different flavours of chocolates to choose from, it took me forever to decide on which flavours to get!
The Old Chocolate House was a highlight from our trip, and I highly recommend that you go if you find yourself in Bruges.
Get a Photo Crossing Boniface Bridge
One of the many charming things about Bruges is its system of canals. Boniface Bridge provides you with spectacular canal views and the perfect place for a photo-op! As you can imagine, this is a popular tourist spot to stop and snap a picture, so you may have to wait a minute or two to get a shot without anyone else in it, but it’s worth the wait.
Admire the Marvel that is the Church of Our Lady
A short walk away from Boniface Bridge, you’ll find the Church of Our Lady, a Roman Catholic church built between the 13th and 15th centuries. Home to Michelangelo’s famous Madonna and Child, the church draws in visitors from all over the world. The church itself is free to enter, but if you want to see Madonna and Child, you will have to pay to enter the museum portion of the church. Will and I opted not to visit this particular museum.
Take in the View at Rosary Quay
Rosary Quay is one of Bruges’ most popular photography locations. From the Quay, you’ll get an excellent view of Bruges’ canals and signature architecture. This is another tourist hotspot, so it may take a moment to find a clear spot to get a picture.
Stroll Through Minnewaterpark
Minnewaterpark, known in English as Lake of Love Park, is a beautiful green space not far from the city’s centre. Will and I wandered through the park and took a break on one of the benches. If you’re visiting in the summer, this would be an excellent spot for a picnic.
A short walk from Minnewaterpark is the Princely Beguinage Ten Wijngaarde, a UNESCO World Heritage Site founded in 1245. A beguinage is a building complex constructed to house beguines—religious laywomen who have not taken any religious vows. Apparently, there are still some nuns who live there today.
Browse Local Goods at Handmade in Bruges
On the edge of the Beguinage property, we stumbled upon a charming store called Handmade in Bruges. The store is filled with a range of wonderful products made by local artisans. If you’re looking for a momento to bring home or a gift, this is the perfect place to look.
More Day Trip Adventures
If you enjoyed this post about how to spend a day in Bruges, Belgium, be sure to check out these other awesome day trip destinations:
A Day Trip to Sintra From Lisbon
A Weekend Hike in Lion’s Head Provincial Park
Thanks for following along on my adventures in Bruges! If you enjoyed this post, be sure to leave me a comment. I love to hear from you!
Happy adventuring!
xx
Ashley
