48 Hours in Bruges
Bruges, Belgium
Bruges is the kind of place people warn you is touristy and they're not wrong, but if you come on a weekday in shoulder season and just wander, it really is as pretty as the postcards. We did it in two nights and it felt right - any longer and you'd run out of streets.
Day by Day
Day 1
- Morning.
- Drop your bags, head to Markt square for coffee. Climb the Belfry if you have the legs.
- Afternoon.
- Walk the canals slowly. No map. Just pick a direction.
- Evening.
- Dinner at a small bistro off the main square - try the moules frites.
Day 2
- Morning.
- Bike rental, ride out toward Damme along the canal path.
- Afternoon.
- Back in town for the Groeninge museum if you like Flemish painting.
- Evening.
- Belgian beer at 2be or one of the quieter cafes near Walplein.
Where to Stay
- Budget. Snuffel Hostel - clean, friendly, central.
- Mid-range. Hotel Patritius, family-run, beautiful breakfast.
- Splurge. Hotel Heritage - canalside elegance.
Where to Eat
De Stove
Tiny, husband-and-wife run, book ahead.
Gruuthuse Hof
Old school Flemish, not fancy but real.
Chez Albert
Best frites in town, no question.
One local tip nobody tells you
Skip the chocolate shops on the main drag. The good one is The Chocolate Line on Simon Stevinplein - the owner is a bit of a mad scientist.
Gallery
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