“Bruges is a beautiful medieval city almost untouched by time. If you like jazz, you will be well catered for. If you like chocolate and beer, you will be in heaven.”

— James Frain

* This post includes affiliate links. This means if you book or buy anything from a link in this post I get a small commission from the sale with no extra cost to you! To read more about this, read my full disclosure.

Bruges has been popping up all over the news lately because it was added to the list of the 50 Most Instagrammable Cities in the World by Big 7 Travel! It joined the ranks of cities like Paris and Athens. Bruges absolutely deserves to be on this list. It is a stunningly beautiful city with much to see.

Belgium in general seems to be an underrated travel destination. Due to the COVID pandemic hitting right when my husband and I moved to Belgium, we got to explore a lot of Belgium very quickly since we couldn’t go anywhere else!

Bruges is just a short day-trip away from Brussels which makes it super convenient. Depending on how quickly you travel, you should only need one to two days to see pretty much everything you’d want to. My husband and I did this whole list across two half-days as we didn’t want to leave our pup, Rex, home alone for too terribly long.

*Detail of the Fencing Along the Canal in Bruges, Belgium*

When to go:

Belgium’s tourist season tends to be the summertime (June-August) as it doesn’t rain as much and has gorgeous, moderately warm weather. I always like to travel during shoulder season to places, though, because it is less crowded and the weather is still usually pleasant. The shoulder season in Belgium is April- June, and September-October. Another benefit to traveling during the shoulder season is that you’ll find reduced rates on accommodations!

Where to Eat:

*Belgian Waffle from Chez Albert in Bruges*

You cannot go to Bruges (or Belgium in general) and not eat waffles, fries, and chocolate! I know – super healthy – but trust me, you won’t regret them and you’re on vacation so who cares?! Our favorite waffles were at Chez Albert which has two locations in Bruges (we went to the one in between the Belfry & City Hall). The best fries we found were at Chez Vincent! Dumon Chocolatier is our chocolate of choice in Bruges. Not only is the chocolate delicious, but the actual shop is just adorable!

Rozenhoedkaai:

The perfect place to start your day is at the most iconic viewpoint in all of Bruges – Rozenhoedkaai. Here you get a corner point of the canal and can see the Belfry tower in the distance. If you’ve ever seen a postcard from Bruges, this is most likely what was on it. We got there right before sunrise to avoid the crowds. If you want a photo of just you and your travel companions at this spot then I recommend you do the same!

Windmill Walk:

*Bonne Chiere Windmill in Brugge, Belgium*

Bruges has four old windmills still intact. They all are on the same walking path which makes seeing them all super convenient. Two of the four are still actually used and have a fence circling them so you can’t get super close. The other two are not fenced in. The four windmills are named: Bonne Chiere, Sint-Janshuismolen, Nieuwe Papegaai, and Koeleweimill. We started at the Bonne Chiere and then just walked along the pathway NW until we got to the last one, Koeleweimill. This is also a spot that is recommended to watch the sunrise as the pathway is right along the river that almost fully encircles downtown Bruges.

Belfry:

The Belfry of Bruges is one of the main attractions and it is gorgeous! If you want to see the panoramic views from the top, you currently must book an entry time ahead of arrival due to COVID. The views from the top are completely worth the 366-step climb. They also have city names engraved along the ledges at the top with how many km away they are which I thought was interesting and fun! Take some time at the top to find the gorgeous cathedrals in Bruges and get drone-like photos of them! The cost of admission when we went was 12 Euro per person. To get up-to-date information about hours, pricing, and book your tickets visit their website.

Sint-Salvatorskathedraal in Brugge, Belgium.jpg

Church of Our Lady and Sint-Salvatorskathedraal from atop the Belfry in Bruges

Markt Square:

While you are visiting the Belfry, take the opportunity to explore Markt Square as well. It is the main square in Bruges and you’ll find plenty of great photo spots, places to sit and people watch, eateries, and more. It’s also here that you’ll find the many horse-drawn carriages lined up, ready to give you tours of the city.

City Hall:

The city hall building here is spectacular! It is worth swinging by and getting a nice photo of the building while you are in Bruges. Plus, it’s right next to the Basilica of the Holy Blood! The City Hall also has a museum in it if you are interested in checking out the current exhibition. The admission cost for the museum is 6 Euro per person. For current information check out their website.

Basilica of the Holy Blood:

It is free to enter the Basilica but costs 2.50 Euro per person to enter the museum. Worship with the relic of the Holy Blood is available daily from 2-3 PM. The Basilica itself is beautiful! The exterior is quite unique from other basilicas you’ll see elsewhere. Even if you are not religious, it is worth checking this spot out. For current information about hours and more, check out their website.

Bonifacius Bridge

Another good “instagrammable” spot is the Bonifacius Bridge. It is the most adorable stone bridge going over one of the smaller canals in Bruges. It is fairly well-known so if you’re looking to get a photo of it without any people on it or of just yourself on it, you may have to be patient and wait out the other people taking photos. There are also some charming B&Bs (Hotel Bonifacius & the Herring’s Residence) and a Michelin-starred restaurant (Den Gouden Harynck) right by it!

Take a Canal Tour:

*Swans on the canal in Bruges at sunrise*

When you’re in Bruges, you must take a canal tour! There are five spots you can hop on and hop off, tours last about 30 minutes in total, and will show you so many stunning views of the city! There is no way to reserve your spot and therefore you may have to wait in line depending on the crowds the day you go. My tip – don’t go to the spot by Rozenhoedkaai because it will usually be the most crowded one. Bring cash for this as they do not accept credit cards. For more information check out this website.

What to Pack:

Pack some comfy walking shoes for Bruges. If you’re lucky enough to go on a day that isn’t expecting rain then I love these cute, slip-on shoes that I have from TOMS. If it is calling for rain then you’ll want something that can protect your feet from the puddles and such – these are my go-to daily boots that I wear 85% of my days year-round! I love them!

Depending on the time of year you are visiting Bruges, it can be quite rainy so I suggest always bringing a small, compact umbrella along just in case!

If you’re looking to get some stunning travel photos of yourself here then you’ll want to pack some maxi dresses! Bruges is such a romantic city so dressing up is definitely encouraged! I love this wrap style one with all the different designs and this one is one of my absolute favorites, simple yet elegant – AND IT HAS POCKETS! The same dress also comes in short-sleeves if that is more your style too!

For more tips as to what to bring with you to Bruges, check out my list of 40+ Essential Travel Items for Europe!