ExploreTravel GuidesPlan a trip
    de|en
    All Places & RegionsAbout FernwehFAQPrivacy PolicyImprint
    ExploreTravel GuidesPlan a trip
    • Neighborhoods & highlights
    • Eat & drink
    • Food culture
    • Culture
    • Nightlife
    • Getting around
    • Accommodation
    • Plan trip
    • Nearby
    Bruges

    Belgium

    Bruges

    City

    Bruges, in West Flanders and an hour by train from Brussels, has largely preserved its medieval core of canals, brick gables, and church spires.

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Belgium
    7. West Flanders
    9. Bruges
    Bruges, in West Flanders and an hour by train from Brussels, has largely preserved its medieval core of canals, brick gables, and church spires. Its Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2000, showcases how one of Northern Europe's richest 15th-century trading cities appeared.Behind the famous Markt and Burg squares, museums hold works by Flemish Masters like Jan van Eyck and Hans Memling. Evenings, once day-trippers depart, the canals, Beguinage, and old beer pubs revert to locals.
    Bruges, with almost 120,000 inhabitants, is West Flanders' largest city, but its historic core within the canal ring is easily explored on foot. The Markt, with its 83-meter-high Belfry, forms the center, and just a few steps away lies Burgplatz with the Basilica of the Holy Blood. To its south, the Church of Our Lady, Sint-Janshospitaal, Groeningemuseum, Beguinage, and Minnewater follow one another. Quieter and less frequented is the Sint-Anna district in the east, where Café Vlissinghe has served beer since 1515. Boat trips on the canals reveal the city from the perspective merchants once experienced it.

    Sights in Bruges

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Historic Landmark

    1The Belfry of Bruges

    The 83-meter-high Belfry on the Market Square dates from the 13th and 14th centuries. You ascend 366 steps of a narrow spiral staircase, without a lift, to the carillon with 47 bells. Because the number of visitors per time slot is limited, you should book online.
    Open in Google Maps
    Church

    2Holy Blood Basilica

    The Basilica on Burgplatz preserves a relic said to contain the Blood of Christ. Since 1291, it is annually carried on Ascension Day in the Holy Blood Procession through the city, in which today more than 1,600 citizens participate in historical costumes.
    Open in Google Maps
    Church

    3Liebfrauenkirche

    Its brick tower is 115.6 meters high and the city's highest building. Inside stands Michelangelo's Bruges Madonna, a white marble work from around 1504, gifted to the church in 1514. In the choir lie the tombs of Charles the Bold and Mary of Burgundy.
    Open in Google Maps
    Museum

    4Groeningemuseum

    The municipal art museum stands on the grounds of the medieval Eekhout Abbey and features one of the most important collections of Flemish Primitives. Among the works on display are Jan van Eyck's Madonna with Canon van der Paele and The Last Judgment from the circle of Hieronymus Bosch.
    Open in Google Maps
    Museum

    5St. John's Hospital

    The hospital was founded in the second half of the 12th century and is one of Europe's oldest preserved hospitals. Today, it showcases works by Hans Memling, including the Shrine of Saint Ursula, completed before 1489, and a historic pharmacy.
    Open in Google Maps
    Historic Landmark

    6Beguinage Ten Wijngaerde

    The 13th-century Beguinage is one of the Flemish Beguinages on the UNESCO World Heritage List. White-washed houses surround a tree-lined meadow; right beside it lies the Minnewater, part of the medieval fortifications.
    Open in Google Maps

    Restaurants in Bruges

    1

    Zet'Joe by Geert Van Hecke

    Upscale, creative French cuisine in Langestraat, awarded one Michelin star by the Guide Michelin. A reservation is recommended.
    Show on Google Maps
    2

    Without Tie

    Restaurant with creative French cuisine in the eastern part of the Old Town, awarded one star by the Guide Michelin.
    Show on Google Maps
    3

    Jacobin

    Seasonal cuisine at moderate prices in Predikherenstraat, awarded a Guide Michelin Bib Gourmand.
    Show on Google Maps

    Dining and Drinks

    Brugse Zot

    De Halve Maan Brewery's city beer, brewed at Walplein as Blond, Dubbel, and Bok. It is served in many Bruges pubs, including Café Vlissinghe.

    Straffe Hendrik

    De Halve Maan's stronger beer, known primarily as a Tripel with 9 percent alcohol, also as a Quadrupel.

    Tripel van De Garre

    The house beer of De Garre pub in an alley near Burgplatz: an 11 percent Tripel, served with a small bowl of cheese.

    Brugsch Swaentje

    A Bruges praline shaped like the beautiful one on the Minnewater. It's part of the city's chocolate tradition, told by the Choco-Story Museum.

    Art, Faith and Beer

    The Flemish PrimitivesBruges was a stronghold of Early Netherlandish painting in the 15th century. The Groeningemuseum houses Jan van Eyck's Madonna of Canon van der Paele (1436) and the portrait of his wife Margareta (1439), along with a Last Judgment from the circle of Hieronymus Bosch. Works by Hans Memling, including the Shrine of Saint Ursula, are exhibited in the medieval Sint-Janshospitaal. The Church of Our Lady is home to the Bruges Madonna, one of the few sculptures by Michelangelo to leave Italy during his lifetime.Procession of the Holy Blood and BrewerySince 1291, the Relic of the Holy Blood is carried through the city in a procession on Ascension Day; today, over 1,600 citizens participate in historical costumes. Beer is equally deep-rooted: The De Halve Maan Brewery on Walplein dates back to 1564 and has been family-run since 1856.

    Nightlife

    1

    De Garre

    Three-story pub in a narrow alley by Burgplatz, known for its strong house Tripel, served with a small bowl of cheese.
    Show on Google Maps
    2

    't Brugs Beertje

    Classic beer pub on Kemelstraat with the charm of a living room, an extensive menu of draught and bottled beers, and small dishes like cheese and sausage.
    Show on Google Maps

    Arrival and On the Road

    Getting ThereFrom Brussels' three main train stations (North, Central, Midi), Intercity trains heading towards Oostende or Knokke/Blankenberge depart for Bruges approximately every 30 minutes; the journey takes about an hour. From Bruges station, there are also connections to the coast and Lille.In the CityThe best way to explore the Old Town is on foot or by bike. If you come by car, it's best to park in the train station's Centrum-Station car park: From there, it's about an eight-minute walk to the city centre, and on your arrival day, a free P+Bus ticket is valid for the driver and up to three passengers. You can get the ticket via SMS, through De Lijn, or at the Lijnwinkel on Stationsplein.

    Accommodations in Bruges

    Find perfect stay in Bruges

    Booking.com* (Affiliate link)
    Search Hotels
    Agoda* (Affiliate link)
    Search Hotels
    Airbnb
    Vacation Rentals

    * Affiliate link: if you book through it, we earn a small commission. The price stays the same for you.

    Campgrounds in Bruges

    Find perfect campground in Bruges

    Search via Google Maps
    Campgrounds nearby (15km)
    Camping.info
    Find Campgrounds
    Park4Night
    RV Parks & Camping

    Plan your trip to Bruges

    Save places, build a route and plan your city trip, all in one place.

    1. 1
      1234

      Round trip

      12 days · 4 stops

      Saved

      Pick a route

      Pick a ready-made one or save places and plan your own.

      Open bookmarks
    2. 2

      Trip to Bruges

      Live
      • 1The Belfry of Bruges3 days
      • 2Holy Blood Basilica4 days
      • 3Liebfrauenkirche5 days
      Budget

      Plan your trip

      The planner sorts stops, days and budget. Plan together in real time.

      Start trip planning
    3. 3
      9:41 No signal
      Available offline

      Use it on the road

      Download the guide to your phone and use it on site, even offline.

    Nearby

    Ostend

    Ostend is the largest city on the Belgian coast and is reachable from Brussels by train in about 80 minutes. Wide sandy beaches, a long promenade, fishing boats in the harbour, and the legacy of painter James Ensor make the city so appealing.In the 19th century, the Belgian royal family spent their summers here, as evidenced by the Royal Galleries and the casino on the beach. Today, you can eat North Sea shrimp at the fish market, visit the Mercator training ship, and ride the Coastal Tram to nearby towns.

    Belgian Coast

    The Belgian North Sea coast stretches from De Panne on the French border to Knokke-Heist on the Dutch border. The Kusttram connects all coastal resorts along approximately 67 kilometers, interspersed with wide sandy beaches, dunes, and seaside resorts like Ostend.

    West Flanders

    Belgium's westernmost province stretches from the North Sea to the French border. Inland lie medieval Bruges, whose Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and Ypres with its cemeteries and memorials from the Western Front of World War I.
    Gent

    Gent

    Ghent, East Flanders' vibrant university city, lies a half-hour train ride west of Brussels. People come for the Van Eyck brothers' Ghent Altarpiece, a medieval count's castle, and the gabled houses on Graslei and Korenlei.The old town lies at the confluence of the Scheldt and Lys. Around St. Bavo's Cathedral, the Belfry, and the quays, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque buildings stand close together. Tens of thousands of students ensure the city doesn't feel like an open-air museum at night.
    Middelburg

    Middelburg

    Middelburg is the capital of the province of Zeeland in the southwest of the Netherlands and is located on the Walcheren peninsula, north of Vlissingen. You come for the late Gothic town hall, the abbey founded in the 12th century with the Lange Jan tower, and a city center that was systematically reconstructed after its destruction in May 1940.