Bruges
is soaring towers in the evening light
Welcome to Bruges
If you set out to design a fairy-tale medieval town, it would be hard to improve on central Bruges (Brugge in Dutch), one of Europe's best preserved cities. Picturesque cobbled lanes and dreamy canals link photogenic market squares lined with soaring towers, historical churches and lane after lane of old whitewashed almshouses.
Top experiences in Bruges
Amazing hotels and hostels
We've pre-picked the best hotels, hostels and bed and breakfasts to make your stay as enjoyable as possible.
Food and drink
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De Stove in Burg, Markt & North BrugesInternational
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Den Dyver in South BrugesBelgian
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Lieven in Burg, Markt & North BrugesBelgian
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De Stoepa in South BrugesBistro
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Pomperlut in South BrugesBelgian
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Den Gouden Harynck in South BrugesInternational
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Park Restaurant in South BrugesEuropean
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That's Toast in Burg, Markt & North BrugesBreakfast
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Le Mystique in Burg, Markt & North BrugesInternational
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Christophe in South BrugesBistro
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Travel guides
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Bruges activities
Ghent and Bruges Full-Day Tour from Brussels
Following a morning pickup from your hotel in Brussels, meet your guide and hop aboard your air-conditioned coach for the 1-hour journey to the UNESCO World Heritage city of Ghent, widely considered among the most beautiful cities in Belgium.Begin your tour with a visit to St Bavo’s Cathedral, home of world-famous late-medieval treasures such as the painting, ‘Mystic Lamb’. Admire the cathedral’s ornate interior (optional) and learn of its impressive history from your guide.Leave St Bavo’s behind and head onward for a walking tour of Ghent. Take in top city attractions such as the belfry, St Nicholas’ Church, the Castle of the Counts of Flanders (Gravensteen) and the historic buildings and medieval port at the Graslei.Continue on to the neighboring city of Bruges — also UNESCO-listed — with your guide and wander the cobblestone streets of the romantic Minnewater (Lake of Love). Here, perhaps take time to enjoy a little lunch at a nearby café or restaurant (own expense).Afterward, begin your walking tour and discover why so many people from across the world fall in love with this beautiful Belgian city. Take in Saint John’s Hospital, Our Lady’s Church with the statue by Michelangelo (optional), City Hall, the Market Square and the medieval Chapel of the Holy Blood.At the conclusion of your walking tour, perhaps enjoy a boat tour along Bruges’ picturesque canals (own expense) and soak up the city views from a different angle.When it’s time to depart from Bruges, hop back aboard your coach for the 1.5-hour journey back to Brussels where your tour will come to an end.
Full-day Bruges Trip from Amsterdam
Board your comfortable coach in central Amsterdam and travel 3.5 hours to the small, enchanting city of Bruges in Belgium. With its cobblestone streets, canals and many festivals, Bruges overflows with charm. After getting an overview of the city from your guide, set out to explore Bruges on your own. Tour the serene Begijnhof – a group of white houses once housing single and widowed women and now run by Benedictine nuns. Visit the Heilig-Bloedbasiliek, a church that holds a vial of Christ’s blood. Or marvel at the artistic masterpieces at the Groeningemuseum, which displays paintings dating back to the 14th century. Admire the architectural beauty of the buildings in bustling Markt and Burg squares and watch fascinating lace-making demonstrations at the Kantcentrum. Or simply stroll the streets of Bruges and cruise its canals, soaking up the warm, friendly atmosphere of this lovely Belgian city. If desired, you can also enjoy a 1-hour guided walking tour of the city. After 5 hours of discovering Bruges at your leisure, travel by coach back to Amsterdam.
Paris to Bruges Full-Day Trip with Transport and Walking Tour
Your drive to Belgium takes you through northern France to Bruges, not far from the North Sea in northern Belgium. Bruges is a simply exquisite town. The intact medieval centre of this Unesco World Heritage site looks like a living canvas painted by a Flemish old master. Upon arrival in Bruges, your guided tour begins with a walk through the city's medieval heart. Highlights include the magnificent Grand Place, quaint houses with elaborately decorated facades, the Halles (an outdoor market with a belfry), the Place du Bourg with the Saint-Sang Basilica, the Gothic-style Town Hall and the Beguine Convent. In summer (April to October) you'll then take a short cruise down Bruges' canals to see this lovely old city from the water. You'll have free time afterwards to pursue your own interests, perhaps visiting the museums of Flemish art or browsing for handmade lace and Belgian chocolates.
Zeebrugge to Bruges Round-Trip Shuttle Service
This shuttle service is the easiest and most cost-effective way to get into the historic center of Bruges from your cruise ship. The shuttle will drop you off at Bruges' official bus parking lot in Bargeplein.Earn your money back and travel ‘free’ to Bruges with our Benefit Card! After all, when you travel with us, your ticket automatically allows you to enjoy various discounts and advantages in the best shops in Bruges and Zeebruges.We want you to eat the best French fries, buy the best chocolate and visit the most fascinating museums in the city. That’s why we’ve selected the best places that offer you as a cruise passenger the nicest discounts.How does it work?Very easy. You buy a transfer ticket to Bruges and receive a ticket and Benefit Card from us. With this card you can enjoy substantial discounts and lots of advantages in the best Bruges shops. You show your ticket and the shop manager will pierce a small hole in your ticket.So ... the more you shop, the cheaper you travel to Bruges!Directions to Departure Location1. Arriving with your cruise ship at Swedish quay? (= official, standard cruise quay) By disembarking you cruise ship at Zeebrugge you will see the FREE Port Shuttle. Just take this shuttle and relax, the bus driver will take you to the Cruise Terminal. When you come out of the terminal, turn left and walk to the main road. At the corner you will see our Cruise Express Van.2. Where should I go when I moor on another quay?We cannot influence the mooring quay of your ship. The primary cruise quay is “Zweedse Kaai/Swedish Quay”, from which you find above the instructions to get to our pick up location.If your mooring quay is another than “Zweedse Kaai/Swedish Quay”, please do follow the next steps:a. At your cruise ship there will be a FREE Port Shuttle towards the gate. You have to join this.b. When arriving at the gate please look around for our clear flags, banners, tent, friendly staff and busses. Our friendly staff will take care of you so you will be in Bruges at no time. Our staff will be happy to take care of you so you will be in Bruges at no time.
Flanders World War I Battlefields Tour from Bruges
Leave central Bruges by coach and travel southwest toward the town of Vladslo, your day’s first destination! Stop to see the German Military Cemetery of Vladslo, the most important German cemetery from WWI, and as you walk through the hauntingly peaceful area, look out for the Käthe Kollwitz sculptures Grieving Parents – a heartrending portrayal of how the war impacted people at a personal level. Continue to the small city of Diksmuide to visit the Trench of Death, a stretch of the Western Front (the trench lines from Belgium to the Alps) that now serves as a symbol of Belgium’s heroism and resistance. See the impressive Gate of Peace (IJser Gate) and Yser Tower (IJzertoren), and then leave the city, passing alongside the Peace Mill and the Canadian Monument in St Julien.Stop in Passchendaele, and see how this once chaotic battlefield has turned into a sleepily tranquil town. Sit down for a hearty ploughman's lunch in a local restaurant, and then travel to Tyne Cot Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery, where some 35,000 soldiers from the Commonwealth forces are laid at rest. The sheer amount of graves puts the tragic scale of WWI into a semblance of perspective. Walk around and learn about the significance of this dignified site for nations around the world, not just the Commonwealth countries.Head to the Essex Farm Field Hospital next and see the impeccably preserved bunkers where John McCrae penned his famous poem In Flanders’ Field. Hear how the soldiers were treated in the bunkers’ narrow, darkened corridors and then visit the In Flanders’ Field Museum to learn the story of WWI in the Flanders region from an audio-guided tour. Entry to the museum is included, but you will be required to pay for a poppy as you go inside. This payment goes toward a war veterans charity.Visit Hill 60 – home to a series of strategically significant tunnels– and then travel to Ypres for some free time for dinner (own expense). In the early evening, meet your guide to attend the Last Post Ceremony at Ypres’ Menin Gate. Taking place daily, the ceremony is a simple, yet moving, tribute to the bravery of those who died defending their town. At the end of the ceremony, return to your coach and drive back to Bruges. Your tour finishes in central Bruges around 9pm.
Brussels with Antwerp, Ghent, and Bruges in Two Days
Brussels Half-Day City Tour (morning) With your guide, see the Grand Place, Market Square, St Michael’s Cathedral, the Atomium, the Chinese Pavilion, the Japanese Tower, the Royal Residence of Laeken, St Mary’s Church, the Sablon district, the Court of Justice, the Royal Palace, Jubilee Park, the Triumphal Arch, Royal Park and the Belgian Parliament. Antwerp Half-Day Trip (afternoon)In Belgium’s second-largest city, see with your guide the top sights, including Market Square and the Cathedral of Our Lady (which houses four Rubens masterpieces). After some time at leisure in the city center, you'll enjoy panoramic harbor views from the 9th floor of the MAS Museum (closed on Mondays) and see diamonds sparkle at the Diamond pavilion of the MAS. Ghent and Bruges Day Trip (full day)The next day, enjoy a fully guided tour to Ghent and Bruges. In Ghent, see attractions like St Bavo Cathedral, St Nicolas Church and the Castle of the Counts of Flanders. In Bruges, see Our Lady Church, Market Square, the Chapel of the Holy Blood and more. If you wish, take an optional boat cruise through Bruges’ famous canals.Please see the Itinerary section below for more details of each tour.