Bruges is a medieval city in the Flanders region of Northern Belgium and is the country’s third largest city, it has a definite feel of it having popped out from a fairy-tale with its cobbled streets, picturesque canals and uniquely beautiful architecture. Therefore you might be wondering how you could spend a day in Bruges?

How to Spend a Day in Bruges

Bruges is a compact city and can easily be explored on foot, by boat or even by horse carriage. Despite its small size, there are many things you can do and see in Bruges.

If you were to decide to visit Bruges you’ll quickly realise that there are plenty of things to do in Bruges. You can take one of the many boat tours winding their way through the extraordinarily beautiful canals. Of course my favourite way to explore any city is to simply walk and absorb the atmosphere. This pretty city is relatively small so easy to get around in a day to appreciate the major attractions.

The Market Square is a traffic-free square located in the centre of the city, renovated in 1996 it is dominated by the 13th-century Belfry. 

The Belfry of Bruges is one of the 33 Belfries around Belgium declared as a World Heritage Site.  At 83 metres tall you have to climb 366 steps to get to the top, I don’t have a particularly good head for heights so didn’t climb it myself. The medieval tower used to serve as an observation deck, nowadays the Belfry works as a clock tower and carillon with 47 bells. 

Walking through the gorgeous, cobbled streets is a photographers dream as everything looks like it’s taken from a postcard. A first glimpse of the intricate brick cottages and timber and stone carriage houses will have you immediately fall in love with the most delightful city in the Flanders region.

It would be impossible to spend a day in Bruges and not plan to take one of the half-hour tours in the canals and visit this magnificent city from a different angle. The captain will also share some interesting stories from the history of Bruges and the buildings you see along the way.  Tickets cost 8€ and there are 5 points throughout the city where you can board. The waterways threading their way through the historic district are a delight as they lead towards the area which once housed a religious community of Benedictine Nuns. 

Belgium is famous for its waffles and amazing chocolates. There are many chocolatiers around the town and many waffle shops. 

We came across another fountain, this one a two headed horse drinking fountain located just near where the horse and carriage rides start. Local city law requires these horses to be regularly fed and watered and the coachmen use this fountain to fill the horses drinking buckets.

The city of Bruges is ideal for a thousand photo opportunities  and is perfect for aimless wandering. Wandering over each little cobbled bridge gives even more perfect views of the buildings and hidden parks along the city’s trademark waterways. It is pretty hard to get lost in this fairy-tale city and it was hard to pry ourselves away from exploring the quiet streets where the canals are narrower and more intimate.

You can easily see the major sights if you are planning to spend a day in Bruges. I would definitely return to Bruges – it is a beautiful city and with the variety of pretty little boutique bed and breakfasts I saw I would also be happy to spend a night to ensure I didn’t have to hurry away.

Travelling to Bruges is very easy and affordable. If you’re heading there from Brussels you can just take the train from any of Brussels central stations, with a travel time of approximately 1 hour. It should be noted that a weekend ticket is available with a 50% discount for return tickets if your outward journey is after 7pm on a Friday and you return by the end of the day on Sunday. From the train station, it’s about a 15-minute walk to the town centre. 

Read: A Weekend in Brussels

Have you been to Bruges or any other part of Belgium?

Let me know in the comments.