Youβve landed in Brussels. Hereβs your Top 5 must-do list:
- Eat frites (fries!)
- Eat a Belgian waffle
- Eat Belgian chocolate
- Drink Belgian beer
- Leave Brussels for at least one day
Youβve got this. The first four you can do on any square block of the city, and a day trip to Bruges is the perfect way to complete the fifth. I actually had more than one well-traveled friend tell me to skip Bruges altogether because itβs βtoo perfect.β I ignored them, and you should too. Like too many shoes or too many beers, too perfect is not a problem by any definition Iβve ever seen.* (Note: Too many Belgian beers, on the other hand, can be a problem. The beer here has a much higher alcohol content than youβre probably used to.)
*If you must heed the advice of my friends, alternate day trips include Louven and Ghent. But donβt bother visiting either on a Sunday. Everything will be closed.
For the purposes of this tour, letβs take the last part first.


11 Hours in Bruges
8:58 AM – Hop the train from Brussels Central Station. There are three train stations in Brussels, so pay attention. You can buy a 10-ride rail pass at Central Station that can be used to go to any city in Brussels for 77 Euros, which is cheaper than three round trips to Bruges, and they can be shared.
10:00 AM – Arrive in Bruges. Walk through Koning Albert Park toward the city center. Stop to admire the swans and take in your first legend of the city. At the end of the 15th Century, the people of Bruges revolted and captured Emperor Maximilian and his top advisor, Lanckhals. The emperor escaped, but Lanckhals was not as fortunate. He was beheaded. So Maximilian decreed that until the end of time, the city would keep swans in all itβs lakes and canals in honor of his of Lanckhals. Why? Good question. The Dutch word for βlong neckβ is βlange hals.β Congratulations! You just learned something! Letβs celebrate with a drink!


11:00 AM – Take a brewery tour. De Halve MaanΒ has βonlyβ been brewing in Bruges since 1856, but beer has been made at this location at this site dating back to 1564. Book online for a tour in English, French or Dutch and see the pipeline that pumps beer under the streets of the city for 5 kilometers. More than 1,500 beers are made in Belgium, so they know what the fuck theyβre doing when it comes to hops and barley. The tour is worth it for the free beer alone, which you can enjoy along with a stunning view from the roof. Which reminds me, the tour involves many steep, winding staircases, so leave the weak and lazy members of your group downstairs in the bar.
12:00 PM – Donβt Move. For lunch, stay at De Halve Maan for a delicious bite. Belgians donβt just drink beer – they cook with it! Or step right outside and head into any number of the nearby cafes. This is Europe so settle in to enjoy a long meal. Some Belgian waiters have a reputation for being less than friendly, so donβt take it personal. Like most places in Europe, American-style tipping is not expected, but extra change is appreciated. Keep it under 10 percent.
1:30 PM – Youβre on a boat! Hop on a boat for a 30-minute canal tour and get a feel for the city for only 8 euros. They pack you in like sardines, but itβs worth it to take in views you canβt get from land. There are five boat launches around the city and they are easy to find. You can get a similar tour from a horse drawn carriage, but itβs four times the cost. A small tip of lose change in either case is appreciated.

2:00 PM – Go to Church. This is Europe, after all. The Church of Our Lady asks a museum fee of 6 euro to see its prized possession: Michelangeloβs marble Madonna and Child from 1505. More frugal Christians can head over to the Basilica of the Holy Blood and see a some of Jesusβs blood in a fancy vial for free! Donations are optional.

3:00 PM – Youβve earned a treat. Itβs time for dessert. A waffle? Chocolate? How about both? Go.Fre will dip a waffle on a stick into your choice of chocolate and topping. A classier stop — in fact, the classiest chocolate stop possible — is The Chocolate Line, by famed chocolatier Dominique Persoone. Gaze at the massive twirling edible display through the window. Then step in to choose your chocolate based on country of origin, or from the bizarre combinations including wasabi and fried onion.


4:00 PM – Leave no tchotchke behind. Brugesβ most famed product you donβt eat or drink is lace and you can load up in any gift shop. The city center has two shopping streets, Steenstraat and Zuidzandstraat, where you can find local shops with Belgian brands next to more typical chain stores such as H&M. For local wares, try Okaidi, Bershka, Pimkie or Juttu.
5:30 PM – aka Beer:30. Itβs well past time for another beer, if you havenβt figured this out on your own already. Overachievers can use that 10 euro of beer money to climb 366 steps to the top of the Belfry to see the skyline. We laughed at the thought and toasted the view we had from the brewery over another local Brugse Zot beer.

7:00 PM – Dinner is served. You did make a reservation, didnβt you? I recommend booking ahead if you want to visit one of the six — six! — Michelin-rated restaurants in the area. Two of them — Den Gouden Harynck and Sans Cravate — are located in the city center. Or to dine like a commoner, try Lion Belge, a local favorite operated by a father and son. Make a reservation online and check out the rotating menu. If you really want to impress the locals, try the baked eel, fresh from the canals.
9:00 PM – Haul ass. Give yourself at least 30 min to walk back to the train station or call an Uber for the 8 min drive back to catch the 9:00 PM train back to Brussels. Youβve got frites, waffles, chocolate and beer waiting for you.

Haha I love your style of writing! Bruge has been on my radar since seeing the film “what happens in Bruges” but this itinerary is so useful for maximising your time in the city! ????
I still need to see that movie!! π
Those underground beer tubes look very interesting.
This is what I tell most of my friends too. Bruges is worth every effort. For me it reminded me a bit of Amsterdam. Lovely town. And lovely photos.
Haha! We skipped the climb to the Belfry too. Instead gorged some more on the waffles ????
We are the smart ones π
Ha – I love your top 5 list for Brussels! Bruges looks awesome, maybe even worth an overnight visit?
Yes I would love to spend a couple nights there. I’d probably get an airbnb just to see what the houses are like π
I wasn’t too fond of Brussels but only had a day to explore, which was plenty for me! Ive been hearing a lot about Bruges so I wish I had more time to visit. Beer and chocolate are kind of my weakness!
Ya my mom was with me and didn’t think much of Brussels, she did love Bruges though π
I must admit I have skipped Brugges on my earlier trips, but you for sure convinced me to go next time! Views and beer, I am in!! π
This is such a helpful and detailed guide! I visited Brugge back in 2012 and absolutely fell in love! Thanks so much for sharing π
Thanks for the comment π
I love chocolates but that cake looks so fabulous I wouldn’t want to eat it. Brussels is indeed a haven for beer lovers.
I definitely agree that when visiting Brussels, one day should be spent exploring a town outside of Brussels. Bruges is an excellent choice! I visited Bruges for a day trip over 3 years ago and loved ever moment of my time in the city. I wish I had gone on that brewery tour – I will have to next time!
Hope you still read comments (2 years later) π
Great pics.. and perfect itinerary for what we are looking for on our day trip.. Thanks!!!
Can I get a bit more explanation about the 10-ride rail pass and sharing? we plan on visiting Bruges in May. if we are 3 adults could we buy one pass and use it for the round trip Brussels-Bruges-Brussels?
Yes! It is my understanding that multiple people can use it. They are super helpful at the stations though. It might be worth it to double check to see if it has changed. Nearly everyone in Brussels speaks English quite well. But you should be able to use that 10 pass for 3 people – totally 6 rides. Have fun! I’m very jealous I can’t wait to visit again ~M