One Day in Bruges – how to make the most of your time

Okay, I knew Bruges is a beautiful city, but until I stepped foot on its winding, cobbled streets, I didn’t realise just how stunning it really is. I spent every moment of my brief trip there staring in awe at everything around me, from the beautiful brick buildings, to the gently flowing canals, to the ornate palaces and churches. Because of its small size, Bruges is incredibly walkable, and unless you want to wander around multiple museums and spend hours sitting in waffle-filled cafes, you can see the main sights in just a day. I generally prefer to spend more time wandering exteriors than interiors, so I fit quite a lot into my short time in the city. However, more time for museums and waffles is never a bad thing. Here are all the prettiest places in Bruges that I saw in my one day in the city.

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Bruges’ Canals

Bruges has quite a few canals, each of them offering beautiful views of buildings dipping into the water, canal boats gliding past, birds building nests on whatever flat surface they can find. Walk down any of them and you’ll see Bruges at its best. I particularly liked Groenerei, to the south of Market Square. It has some of the most beautiful homes, hotels and historical buildings on it, as well as several bridges and market stalls at the weekend. You could walk the entire length of it (okay, it’s not that long) and never get sick of the sights.

While walking the canals is a lovely way to see the city, taking a boat tour is also a really great experience. It’s very popular, so booking in advance can really help.

Entry: free
Opening hours: 24 hours

Blind Donkey Street

Dutch: Blinde-Ezelstraat

This small laneway runs into the Burg square from the Fish Market. Its funny name comes from a 15th century inn of the same name that used to be located in the alley. It’s a really beautiful street, mostly because of restoration efforts in the 1990s. On one of the walls, a square was left uncleaned to show just how dirty generations of traffic had made the buildings. Now, only pedestrians and cyclists use the alley.

Entry: free
Opening hours: 24 hours

Jan van Eyck Square

Dutch: Jan van Eyckplein

I found this place by scrolling through Google Maps, and I’m so glad I did, because it was one of my favorite places in Bruges. With yet another series of beautiful and historical buildings around a small, flower-strewn square, the main focus is on the imposing statue of Jan van Eyck himself, a master painter from the 15th century, known for the famous painting ‘The Arnolfini Wedding’ (which I studied in school!). At one side of the square, a canal appears from under the street, passing under a nearby bridge between – you guessed it – more beautiful buildings. This square was an important and lively port of the city, with traders passing through from all over Europe.

Entry: free
Opening hours: 24 hours

Princely Beguinage Ten Wijngaerde

Dutch: Prinselijk Begijnhof Ten Wijngaerde

To be honest, if this place wasn’t a UNESCO World Heritage Site, I might have skipped it. But I’m so glad I didn’t, because in the morning light, it is definitely one of the prettiest places in Bruges and worth squeezing into your day (or more) in the city. A little south of the main centre, this is a really interesting place with a history that continues to this day. For 800 years, Bruges’ Beguinage has been a home and haven for nuns and single women dedicating their lives to their religion. It’s still active today, with each gate marked ‘Prive’ to stop visitors wandering into homes. These homes form a three-sided square, the centre filled with towering trees letting in enough light to dapple across the flower-filled meadow below. When I visited in the morning, it was so quiet and peaceful; I just loved it.

Entry: free
Opening hours: 6.30am – 6.30pm

Boniface Bridge

Dutch: Bonifaciusbrug

The Boniface Bridge is so small it hardly seems worth noticing, except for its beautiful location at the back of the Church of Our Lady, with the spire in the background and yet another canal running beneath. It’s not so much the bridge that is worth coming here for, but the general area. From the bridge, it can be hard to know where to look – down the canal and its overhanging trees, over the nearby palace or up to the spire of Church of Our Lady. It’s such a romantic place, where the vibes of Bruges can really be felt.

Entry: free
Opening hours: 24 hours

Church of Our Lady

Dutch: Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk

Compared to the cathedral, the Church of Our Lady felt less like a church and more like an art gallery. Filled with paintings by Flemish Masters, an ancient uncovered mural and modern sculpture, there’s plenty of art on display before you even reach the museum that takes up the back half of the church. The museum holds the only Michelangelo statue outside of Italy, which is quite the feat, and a large part of why people visit. Even if you don’t go inside, the church is so beautiful from the outside, with its imposing spire. Definitely head around to the back of the church via the passage between the church and the neighbouring museum, where there are some cool angles to be found of the spire.

If you’re staying in Bruges for a couple of days and want to visit multiple museums and the belfry, getting the Musea Brugge Card is a great time and money saver.

Entry: free into the church, up to €8 for entry to the museum
Opening hours: 9.30am – 5pm, except Saturdays, when it opens at 1.30pm

Basilica of the Holy Blood

Dutch: Basiliek van het Heilig Bloed

This small church in Burg Square is quite different to the others in the city. Not only does it not look like a church from the outside, small and nestled into City Hall beside it, but once you go up the spiral staircase to the chapel above, the decor inside is much different to the brightness you’ll find in St. Salvator’s or Church of Our Lady. It’s darker and more vibrant, the ceiling and walls painted in deep patterns and scenes. The relic of the Holy Blood is extremely important to the city, said to have been brought to Bruges by crusaders and kept in the 15th century upper chapel.

Entry: free
Opening hours: 10am – 5.15pm

The Belfry

Dutch: Belfort

Climbing the Belfort tower is one of the best things to do in Bruges. It gives you almost 360 degree views of the city. In particular, it gives you a birds-eye view of Market Square just below, with its row of colourful restaurants and umbrellas. Though its 366 steps may seem like a lot, there are several floors to stop in to learn more about the history of the tower, and of Bruges. The bells ring fairly often, and it’s quite fun to hear them so close from inside the tower itself. The Belfort is one of three UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Bruges, alongside the Historical Centre and the Beguinage. If you’re into UNESCO sites like me, Bruges is a perfect destination for you.

Entry: €15 to climb the tower. I recommend booking your tickets the day before, because entry is timed and tickets sell out quickly. When I left at 10am, I overheard staff telling someone that slots were fully booked until the afternoon, so don’t expect to just turn up and get in straight away, you may need to come back.
Opening hours: 9am – 8pm

Market Square

Dutch: Grote Markt

The heart of the old city, there are several important buildings surrounding it, including the gorgeous City Hall. Though the square gets crowded very quickly, its lively atmosphere pulls you in, and you’re looking up more than around, anyway. Though some of the city’s most impressive buildings are located here, my favourites were the row of colourful houses-turned-restaurants directly opposite the Belfort. This is likely to be your first stop on your one day tour of Bruges and while in many places, a sight like Market Square might feel like starting so high you can only go down from there, trust me, the rest of Bruges is not going to let you down.

Entry: free
Opening hours: 24 hours

Rosary Quay

Dutch: Rozenhoedkaai

This has to be one of the most famous views in Bruges, you’ll see it reproduced over and over again in paintings and photos on display in markets and restaurants. The curve of the canal, combined with the flowing green of the willow tree and the tall Belfort tower in the background, this is quintessential Bruges. It’s also one of the many places to start a canal boat tour, so it will be packed with people during the day, but quieter in the morning.

Entry: free
Opening hours: 24 hours

Saint Salvator Cathedral

Dutch: Sint-Salvatorskathedraal

This impressive cathedral is as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside. There are many pieces of art adorning the walls, and the stained glass windows are particularly pretty. The lower part of the cathedral tower is the oldest part of the building, built in the 11th or 12th century, and the rood screen beneath the organ is one of the most beautiful in Belgium. There is also an impressive collection of huge artworks and 18th century tapestries adorning the walls. There is also a small museum with more art in the treasure chamber area connected to the cathedral. It’s open from 2-5pm every day except for Saturday, and is free to enter.

Entry: free
Opening hours: 10am – 1pm & 2pm – 5.30pm

If you’re staying in the city for a few days and want a more in-depth experience, there are loads of tour options to choose from, including walking tours, chocolate-making experiences and beer-tasting!

Where I Stayed:

Like a lot of western Europe, accommodation in Bruges can be expensive. I stayed at Hostel Lybeer, which is just a 15-minute walk from the train station and a 10-minute walk from the main square. It is in a beautiful old house, with a large common area, a bar and a kitchen. Bear in mind that there is a large different in price between weekdays and weekends, more than I’ve seen anywhere else.

Looking for private accommodation or something a bit more luxurious? There are plenty of hotels and guesthouses to choose from.

Practical info:

• Currency: Belgium uses the euro, but you certainly don’t need cash to get around (unless you need to use a public bathroom, there’s always a fee to use those!)
• Getting there: Belgium isn’t exactly a big country, so getting to Bruges is really quite easy. If you’re arriving from Brussels, there is a train running directly from the airport and through the capital’s main stations. From Brussels Centraal, it’s only an hour through the pretty Belgian countryside before you’re pulling into Bruges Station. Once you’re there, it’s an easy 15 minute walk into the centre of the city. The journey is so easy that many people visit Bruges as a day trip from Brussels. However, I recommend spending at least one night, because the city is much quieter in the mornings than when the day trippers arrive later on.
• Bruges has multiple free drinking water stations located around the old town, so bring a reusable water bottle!

Staying connected: if you’re from outside the EU, then the best way to stay online is with an eSIM. Buying one in advance means you can be connected from the moment you land. I’ve used Airalo in several countries and have always been happy with them.

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