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Many visitors do a day trip to Bruges, but when we saw photos of this charming city, we knew we had to stay here for at least two days to really take in the beauty of Bruges, Belgium. We visited Bruges at the end of October through the beginning of November, so the weather was a bit chilly in the mornings, but the daytime temperatures were very pleasant. Follow this itinerary for the perfect two days in Bruges.

GETTING TO BRUGES

We were coming from Amsterdam and took the Thalys train and local trains to Brugge station. Thalys is a high-speed rail train and will be more expensive but you get a reserved seat, WiFi, outlets, a food bar and plenty of restrooms on board. The earlier you book, the cheaper the tickets will be.

Of course, you can take local trains all the way to Bruges as well and it will be much cheaper. You just have to switch trains more often and you won’t get the luxury of a reserved seat, WiFi, food bar or outlets.

The train ride from Amsterdam Centraal station to Brugge station will take 3 - 4 hours. Once you get to Brugge station, you can catch a taxi in front of the station. There were plenty of taxis out front.

WHERE TO STAY

We stayed right next to Burg Square at Crowne Plaza Brugge which was only steps away from the popular Markt Square. This was a very convenient and central location. The hotel was close to many attractions and eateries including Basilica of the Holy Blood, Brugge City Hall, Chez Albert, and Cambrinus. 

The rooms were very modern, the staff was helpful and you can’t beat the central location. We really enjoyed our stay here.

BRUGES ITINERARY

As we mentioned earlier, most people only spend one day in Bruges. When we told other travelers that we were staying here for a little more than 2 days, they were shocked and thought it was a long stay for Bruges. 

But to us, even two days wasn’t enough. We could have stayed here another day because there was so much more we wanted to see. Nevertheless, 2 days in Bruges will still be enough time to explore this beautiful city.

DAY 1

8:30AM Breakfast at That’s Toast!

There are very few places open early for breakfast in Bruges. Most restaurants in Bruges usually open around 10AM but we found a few places that opened before 9AM and That’s Toast! was one of them. 

Their menu is simple: toast with all sorts of toppings! We ordered The Classic and Korma Points. The Classic which was a savory toast with avocado, poached egg, and green asparagus. Korma Points consisted of ginger lemony chicken, korma spiced coconut yogurt with pakchoi and crispy chickpeas.

10AM Boat Canal Tour

One thing everyone must do in Bruges is a boat canal tour. There are five areas where you can board the boats and it’s about a half-hour trip that gives you a little history of the city and sights of the quaint city at a different angle.

12PM Markt Square / Belfry Tower

Markt Square is home to the Belfry Tower, a medieval bell tower from the 13th century that stands 272 feet tall. It used to serve as an observation post for spotting fires and other dangers. You can get to the top of the tower for a 360-degree view of Bruges, but you will have to climb up 366 steps to get there. 366 steps sounded like a tough task for us, so we opted out of climbing the tower, but if you’re up for the challenge, you should definitely go for it.

Fun fact: the Belfry Tower leans a little to the east. 87 centimeters to be exact.

2PM Church of Our Lady

Church of Our Lady is a beautiful church from the 13th century and is famous for housing the Madonna and Child sculpture by Michelangelo. Its tower is 379 feet tall and is the second tallest brickwork tower in the world (the tallest being the St. Martin's Church in Landshut, Germany). 

The church is free to enter but if you want to see the famous Madonna and Child sculpture by Michalangelo, you will have to pay a small fee of €5.

4PM Chez Albert or House of Waffles

If you want the best waffles in the world, you need to stop by Chez Albert and order the Liege Waffle. It is seriously the best waffle we have ever had in our lives and now we understand why Belgium is known for their waffles. 

If you want more of a sit-down experience, visit House of Waffles. They have plenty of seating indoors and you have a variety of waffle options including Brussels Waffles (light and rectangular) and Liege Waffles (thick and round) with sweet and savory toppings.

6:30PM Free Harp Concert

Located inside the Sint-Jan Hospital Museum, this is a unique experience where harpist composer, Luc Vanlaere performs a free harp concert for 40 minutes. He not only plays the traditional harp, but various other string instruments as well. 

The concert takes place Tuesday through Saturday three times a day all year round. This might not be for everyone but it’s a great opportunity to experience a local’s passion for music. The concert is free but donations are welcome. Make sure to bring cash for donations.

7:30PM Dinner at Cambrinus

Cambrinus is popular for having a lot of traditional Belgian dishes and known for its large selection of Belgian beers, with a total of more than 400 different kinds of beer. We had some of the best chicken dishes here. We recommend making a reservation or try visiting at off-peak hours.

DAY 2

9AM Breakfast at Balthasar

Balthasar will be an excellent start to your day in Bruges with delicious and beautifully presented dishes. We ordered the avocado and egg toast here and it was fantastic.

11AM De Halve Maan Brewery Tour

Even if you don’t drink beer, this is a great tour to take in Bruges. You learn a lot of history about the city and how De Halve Maan Brewery survived the beer industry for so long. At the end of the tour, you’ll get to enjoy a complimentary glass of unfiltered tap beer which was actually quite good. The tour runs hourly from 11am - 4pm and lasts about 45 minutes.

1PM The Old Chocolate House

The Old Chocolate House is a family-owned shop and cafe offering homemade hot chocolate, various desserts, tea, and coffee. If you want to have some real hot chocolate, this is the place to go. The chocolate store is located downstairs and the charming tearoom is located upstairs where you can make your very own homemade hot chocolate.

2PM Basilica of the Holy Blood

The Basilica of the Holy Blood is also located in Burg Square and is a 12th century chapel which houses a vial containing cloth stained with the actual blood of Christ. The chapel is free to enter and there’s an additional museum for a small fee.

3PM Beguinage of Bruges

Beguinage of Bruges (or Ten Wijngaerde) was founded in 1245 and was a sanctuary for unmarried or widowed women. Nowadays, the Sisters of the religious St. Benedic Order live here and at certain times, you can hear them sing beautiful melodies.

You can enjoy a peaceful walk around the area but make sure to keep your voices low out of respect for the tenants that live here.

6PM Dinner at Gruuthuse Hof

This Belgian restaurant is a little upscale, but they have a deal for tourists that’s called the Tourist Deal for €18.50 per person that includes soup, bread, a main dish with meat, frites, salad, and a dessert. 

Make sure you check their hours of operation before making plans to eat here because they are only open four days out of the week from Saturday to Tuesday.

TIPS

• If you’re able to squeeze in a few more attractions, visit Kantcentrum (lace-making demo), Chocolate Museum, Friet Museum, Torture Museum, and Hof de Johnghe.

• Don’t exchange too much cash. Almost all the places we went to in Bruges accepted credit cards - even the little waffle booths. The only time we used cash was for tipping or donating. Check out our post on how much things cost in Bruges.

• Restaurants do not serve tap water; only still or sparkling water for purchase.

• Wear comfortable shoes; most of the city’s streets are cobblestone.