If you want to visit one of Europe’s prettiest real-life fairytale cities, a day trip to Bruges should be on your bucket list! Some even call this city the Venice of the North! This city is lovely and perfect for wandering through the well-preserved medieval architecture, cobblestone streets, and indulging in some of the best beer and frites I’ve ever had! Bruges also has so many hidden, fantastical corners you’ll want to explore. My husband and I spent the day here while staying in Brussels. You can easily reach Bruges from Brussels or Ghent. Here’s exactly how I spent a day in Bruges and the only itinerary you’ll need to plan your next trip!

Belgium’s Fairytale City: A Day Trip to Bruges from Brussels

Can you do a day trip to Bruges?

A day trip to Bruges is the perfect time to spend in this magical city. Its small, compact size that’s easily walkable allows you to explore all the important historical landmarks in a day, and its accessibility from other cities via train makes it easy to come and go. That being said, Bruges is very popular for daytrippers; it is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Europe. I would recommend visiting during the shoulder seasons to avoid the crowds. My husband and I stayed in early May, and it was a beautiful time to visit with the flowers and trees in bloom.

How many hours do I need in Bruges?

Even though you can explore Bruges in half a day or six to eight hours, I recommend spending an entire day here. It is a fairly large city, and there are plenty of historic landmarks and architecture to explore, beer and fries or chocolate and waffles to try, and, of course, a boat ride down the canal is highly recommended, too!

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Bruges is sometimes called the 'Venice of the North' because of it's picturesque neighborhoods and canals.

One Day Itinerary Bruges

Morning: Minnewater Park • Beguinage in Bruges • Bonifacius Bridge • canal boat tour • Chocolate and Waffles

Afternoon: Belfort of Bruges • Grote Markt/Market Square (try the BEST frites) • Burg Square • De Halve Maan brewery tour • and Gruuthusemuseum (if able)

Evening: Wander around Gentof and Groenerei • Rozenhoedkaai at Sunset

Bruges and Ghent in one Day

My husband and I visited Belgium during the spring and initially flew into Brussels. To be honest, I didn’t love the city of Brussels. We were visiting to explore the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken, which are only open for one month of the year! Since I was disappointed in Brussels, I’m so glad we planned a day trip to Bruges and Ghent. If you’re wondering if you can see Bruges and Ghent in one day, I would advise against it, as both cities have so much to offer. Even though Ghent is smaller than Bruges, you still need a day to see all its historical landmarks, dine along the river, and enjoy a boat cruise similar to Bruges.

A word of advice when planning a day trip to Bruges is that it’s a popular city for day trippers. That being said, I still highly recommend you visit. Keep reading for how to plan the perfect itinerary, and here’s an itinerary for one day in Ghent!

Morning: Enjoy picturesque Bruges and take a Boat Tour on the Canal

Visit Minnewater Park from the train station

After exiting the Bruges train station, walk towards the city center and through Minnewater Park. This park is absolutely stunning, and you may even glimpse some resident swans. There’s plenty of room to stroll, and also grab a quick bite if you would like!

This is the only Beguinage in Belgium and you're able to tour it for free!

Wander near the Beguinage in Bruges and Bonifacius Bridge

This quaint part of Belgium has to be included in your day trip to Bruges itinerary. This Beguinage or monastery is the only one left in Belgium. It’s only a short walk away from Minnewater Park.

Take a Canal Boat Tour

One of the best things to do in Bruges is to take a boat tour on its iconic canals. You get such a different view of the city this way. Head to the city’s official website for more details.

Enjoy Chocolate and Waffles

Dumon Chocolatier is famous for its chocolates. The store is located in such a quaint building, it’s worth a peek inside. It’s one of the best places to go in Bruges for chocolate. Some of the best waffles in Bruges are at Lizzie’s Wafels. It’s close to the chocolate shop, but is a sit-down restaurant.

Two of the most beautiful neighborhoods in Bruges are Gentof and Groenerei near the Sint-Anna Quarter. This residential neighborhood offers some peace and calm away from the crowds.

Where to Stay in Bruges

This is the most UNIQUE medieval stay, it books up!- B&B Exclusive Guesthouse Bonifacius $$-$$$, book it here now!

Afternoon: Climb the famous Belfort of Bruges and visit a Museum

Get to the Belfort of Bruges early

You’ll find the Belfort or Belfry of Bruges in Grote Markt or Market Square. I highly advise taking a day trip to Bruges to visit when they open. They usually open around 10 am every day besides holidays; check their website for opening times before you visit. My husband and I thought we could visit later in the morning, but tickets were already sold out for the day. You can also pre-book tickets online. This tower dates back to the 13th century, and you can climb up all 366 stairs to the top for incredible views of Bruges.

Keep in mind that these stairs contain tight spaces, and there are ropes on the walls in the tighter spaces for safety and to allow for two-way traffic. There are also multiple stops along the way to rest. The view from this climb reminds me of one of the best views of Prague, from the Hall Tower and the famous Astronomical Clock! The staircase experience also reminds me of how narrow the Bell Tower in Florence is as well!

You'll find the best frites in Bruges at a small food cart in Markt Square in front of the Belfort.

Try the BEST frites at Grote Markt/Market Square

Even though I don’t know the actual name of the food cart I ordered frites from right in front of the Belfort, they were some of the best frites I’ve ever had! You can choose to order them with mayo or other toppings. Fries or frites are very popular in Belgium, maybe because they pair well with the country’s famous beer? One of the most popular places where you can find the best frites in Belgium is Frituur De Gentpoorte. You can call ahead, but don’t plan to eat inside their restaurant as they can get busy.

Enjoy Burg Square

Burg Square is far more intimate than Market Square, and you’ll find the famous Blinde-Ezelstraat and Basilica of the Holy Blood here. Find the Gothic style and early Renaissance ‘Steegheere’ staircase that leads to the upper chapel. It is free to visit! If you have time, you can continue down the narrow passageway and turn left from the City Hall towards the Vismarkt (Fish Market). Then turn right, heading south, and follow the canals towards the direction of the Church of Our Lady.

They call Bruges the Venice of the North for good reason! Even though my husband and I didn’t have time to visit the Church of Our Lady, I wouldn’t miss seeing the beautiful canals, just like you can find in Venice!

Make sure to take the brewery tour at De Halve Maan and they take you up to the roof and you'll have fantastic views of Bruges!

De Halve Maan Brewery Tour

The De Halve Maan Brewery tour was one of my favorite experiences during our day trip to Bruges. This is the oldest brewery in the city, and this tour will give you views of Bruges from their rooftop! Don’t leave without enjoying a beer or two after the tour in their restaurant area; they also have a lovely outdoor space if you can find a spot! This brewery is quite popular!

Visit Gruuthusemuseum

Gruuthusemuseum or Gruutehuse Museum is right in the heart of the city. The museum has recently undergone renovations and has quite a majestic entrance hall! Their balcony is stunning and offers one of the best views of Bruges. I’m so disappointed we didn’t have time to include it in our one-day itinerary in Bruges. Even though we didn’t have time to go inside the museum, we wandered around the outdoor gardens, which are free to visit!

One of the best things to do in Bruges is to take a horse-drawn carriage ride. We saw many of them in the area near this museum.

Evening: Wander Bruges neighborhoods, including Rozenhoedkaai at Sunset

Wander the Sint-Anna Quarter

Two of the most beautiful neighborhoods in Bruges are Gentof and Groenerei near the Sint-Anna Quarter. This residential neighborhood offers some peace and calm away from the crowds. There are plenty of bars and restaurants in this area if you want to make a reservation for dinner. I recommend Brasserie Cambrinus. The food here is delicious and reasonably priced.

Even though you may not have time to wander down Laangenstraat during a one-day itinerary in Bruges, this street in the Sint-Anna Quarter is described by Visit Bruges as ‘creative and a touch quirky’. It’s a vibrant part of the city with plenty of cafes and vintage shops.

Here is one of the BEST places to stay in Bruges, right along the canal in this quaint neighborhood! Some of the bedrooms even have this canal view!

Enjoy Rozenhoedkaai at Sunset

One of the most popular things to do in Bruges is to visit the famous corner of Rozenhoedkaai. When planning your one-day itinerary in Bruges, you’ve most likely seen this medieval building in photos. My biggest advice would be to visit this area at sunset, as the day trippers will start to leave for the day, and it will be less busy. There are also plenty of shops and restaurants in this area, if you would rather dine here for dinner before heading back to the train station.

Bruges is such a charming, fairytale city and has plenty of outdoor dining spaces if you're visiting with warmer weather.

If you have 2 days in Bruges

Visit more Museums

Besides visiting the Gruuthusemuseum, I also recommend the Groeningemuseum. This museum contains a huge collection of art spanning more than 600 years, including works by the Flemish master van Eyck, including the masterpiece Madonna with Canon Joris Van der Paele by Jan van Eyck, and the Moreel Triptych by Hans Memling.

Explore the Church of Our Lady

Even though I gave directions earlier to this church in this one-day itinerary in Bruges, when visiting Burg Square, you may not have time to visit it. Even if you have two days to spend, you would easily have time to explore it.

Hof Bladelin

This luxury residence, built around the 1440s, is beautiful and was eventually bought by the famous Italian family, the Medicis. The architecture is quite stunning, and it has a beautiful garden.

Find a Windmill!

Even though you’ll have to venture out of the city center, Koelewei Mill is on the northeastern border of the Sint-Anna Quarter. Sint-Janshuismolen is just a bit further south than this, and is a more picturesque location.

Make sure to enjoy the bar and restaurant at De Halve Maan Brewery after your tour!

Where to Eat in Bruges

Best Bars in Bruges

Find the famous ‘Beer Wall in Bruges’ at 2be Bar. Their outdoor patio has charming river views and is one of the more popular bars in Bruges. Some of the other best bars in Bruges include Brewery Bourgogne Des Flandres and Bierbrasserie Cambrinus. As I mentioned earlier, we loved dining at this brasserie, and it also has one of the greatest beer bars in the world!

The oldest cafe in Bruges

Cafe Vlissinghe is the oldest cafe in this charming city, and it is still in operation today. If you visit in the summer, they also offer lawn games!

Eurostar to Bruges

Can you do a day trip from London to Bruges?

Even though it’s possible to do a day trip from London to Bruges, I would not recommend it. The train ride from London to Brussels is a little over two hours. Since there is no direct train that travels from London to Bruges, you’ll then need to connect to another train from Brussels to Bruges. The most popular train company that offers trains between London and Brussels is Eurostar.

Paris trip to Bruges

It would be easier to take a day trip to Bruges from Paris rather than London. The Eurostar train from Paris Gare du Nord takes around an hour and a half, and then you need to connect with another train to Bruges.

If you’re looking to plan a trip, here’s a complete guide for a three-day Paris itinerary.

What is the cheapest way to get to Bruges from the UK?

The cheapest way to get to Bruges from the UK would be by bus, as train and air travel will cost more. Train travel in Europe can also be quite expensive, but it’s convenient as most of the train stations are in city centers.