A relaxed three-day guide to Bruges, covering where to stay, what to do, and where to eat and drink. It follows a simple itinerary through the city’s main sights, canal walks, food spots and beer bars, with a mix of well-known highlights and a few more local finds.
Bruges is the perfect long weekend city break. It’s one of the most relaxed we’ve done, feeling more like a large town than a city, with plenty to do but never overwhelming. We stayed at a B&B in the calm Ezelstraat Quarter, right on the water. Sadly it has since closed, but we’d definitely recommend this area as a base. It’s peaceful, picturesque and just a five-minute walk into the centre, with plenty of lovely B&Bs to choose from.
Day 1 – Medieval Bruges & First Tastes
We started the morning with an unbelievable breakfast at our B&B, followed by a coffee in the canal-side garden alongside Bruges’ famous swans. If your stay doesn’t include breakfast, That’s Toast comes highly recommended.
For the morning, we booked onto a free walking tour with a local guide (via GuruWalk), which we’d really recommend. There are a few options, but we chose one that mixed history with food and drink (of course). Over two hours, we were immersed in Bruges’ medieval past. The city was once one of Europe’s most prosperous trading hubs, and thanks to a period of economic decline, much of its medieval architecture has been preserved, giving it that “open-air museum” feel.
The 2-hour takes you through key sights including the Burg, Markt Square, the Belfry, Basilica of the Holy Blood, Boniface Bridge, Gruuthuse Museum, Saint John’s Hospital, as well as the beautiful canals.You’ll also get a great introduction to Bruges’ food scene, especially its chocolate and waffles. A handy tip is to look out for the official Bruges chocolatiers’ guild sign on shop windows, which guarantees the chocolates are handmade locally. For waffles, our guide pointed us to Arlecchino by John in De Burg, and we can confirm they’re absolutely delicious.
The tour finished at De Halve Maan Brewery, a family-run brewery dating back to 1856. This is where Bruges city beer, the Brugse Zot is brewed: a strong-tasting, high-fermentation beer based on malt, hops and special yeast. In 2016 a unique underground beer pipeline, some 3 km long, was laid from the brewery to the bottling plant in the suburbs. Sipping on the Brugse Zot was the perfect end to the tour.
Naturally, that wasn’t our last beer of the day. We headed to De Garre, hidden down a tiny alley in the old town. It’s full of charm and often called one of the best beer spots in Bruges. Order the Tripel Van De Garre, but don’t underestimate it. It’s strong. It comes with cheese on the side, which is the perfect pairing.
For dinner, we booked Bij Koen & Marijke, and honestly, it was a highlight of the trip. It’s run by the loveliest couple and has such a cosy, homely feel. Everything is cooked over an open fire in the middle of the restaurant. We both went for the chef’s menu with beer pairing. Highlights included melted camembert, juicy ribeye steak and a biscoff tiramisu. They even gave Jack a handwritten birthday card at the end, which was such a thoughtful touch. Definitely book ahead.
Day 2 – Chocolate, Canals & Beer
To start our morning, we headed to Olivier’s Chocolate Shop (with the official guild stamp, of course) – a family-run artisan chocolate shop, offering handmade chocolates in many varieties and locally roasted coffee, local teas and real Belgian hot chocolate. Every hot drink comes with a small taste of their delicious chocolate on the side, which is a very welcome addition.
Next up, a canal boat trip. It’s a must in Bruges and gives you a completely different perspective of the city. Boats run from several points in the centre, and the 30-minute trip takes you past some of the most beautiful spots between Jan van Eyck Square and the Beguinage.
Lunch-wise, mussels are a must-try in Bruges. A big pot of moules is classic comfort food here. Poules Moules comes highly recommended, although we didn’t make it this time.
For the afternoon, we headed to Cambrinus, a cosy beer bar with around 20 beers on tap. Faced with too much choice, we went for a tasting flight, which lets you try four or six beers. Highly recommend if you want to sample a few different styles.
For dinner, we switched things up and went to Mâs Brugge for Mexican food. Everything we ordered was excellent, especially the pork belly, chorizo croquettes, fried chicken and fish tacos. The margaritas were also 10/10. If you’re still in the mood for drinks after, Bar Ran is a great spot with a fun atmosphere.
Day 3 – Final Wanders & Hidden Gems
For your final day, there are plenty of options depending on your mood. If you’re feeling curious and don’t mind a bit of gore, the torture museum is surprisingly interesting. You could also try a chocolate-making workshop, do some shopping, climb the Belfry (book in advance) or visit one of Bruges’ art museums.
If you’re visiting in summer, it’s worth hopping on a short train to Ostend, just 15 minutes away. Known as the Queen of the Belgian Coast, it has wide sandy beaches, a long promenade and fresh seafood.
Back in Bruges, beer lovers should check out ’t Brugs Beertje, which has around 300 Belgian beers. For food, Café Rose Red is great for sharing plates, Cookie’s does good tapas, and ONSLOW is one to look at if you fancy something more refined.
Enjoy Bruges. It’s relaxed, beautiful and very easy to fall in love with.