Bruges (or Brugge for the Flemish spelling) is one of our favorite cities in Europe! We have been multiple times and always have a hankering to go again. When asked what is is about Bruges that we like so much, it’s hard to describe. It’s the relaxed feeling. The slower pace. The gorgeous Medieval architecture enclosed in a circular ring road that allows walking anywhere. There is no need to do much planning for us to visit Bruges. We just make a hotel and dining reservations and go, which is a nice change of pace to all of the larger cities that require much research and metro mapping!

Belgium is separated into 3 regions, and each one has a different principle language. Bruges is squarely in the Flemish region and their principle language is Flemish. Though German and French is also spoken by some, and of course English. Maybe one of the draws of Bruges is how widely English is spoken. Bruges sees many tourists each year, and tourists from Britain in particular. I cannot recall a single instance in our multiple trips to Bruges where I needed anything more than English. Or in any city in Belgium for that matter. So for the category of “English Friendly,” Bruges get a 10/10! Maybe that is part of the reason it feels relaxing. Having a language barrier is stressful in itself! It is for me anyway. And though Ich lerne Deutsch, I am still terrible at it! So a location where they are able to speak English, and are still friendly and welcoming when they have to do it, gets a double thumbs up!

As for specialties, Belgium is of course know for their beer, and De Garre is Jeremy’s favorite stop! You walk down a dark narrow alley to a building you aren’t even sure is a business, and open the door to a warm cozy bar lounge full of charm, tables, and locals. They brew their own Tripel, which is Jeremy’s favorite, while I am there for the cheese and mustard tray and the various liquored up coffees! Amaretto coffee? Yes please!

What else should you try while in Bruges?
Flemish stew. Just meat. None of those weird veggies here! Order a side of fries for dunking in the sauce!
Bitterballen. Crispy fried balls with a sort of stew inside and served with mustard. Brasserie Surplace might be the best I have ever had!
Moules. Or mussels in English. Best in the summer when you can eat them in a Biergarten. They are fresh from the North Sea and probably the best you can get. I like Poules Mouels, but there are many places to get them.
Cuberdons. These originate in Ghent, but I fist discovered them in a chocolate shop in Bruges. They are fruit-flavored gummy cone-shaped candy. The inside is super soft near-liquid and…I just don’t know how to describe them. Try them!
Chocolate. Of course. There is a chocolate shop on nearly every corner of Bruges. And I’m sure they are all amazing! Take some time to look through the windows and see what they offer. My go-to is Olivier’s Chocolate Shop.
Old Chocolate House Hot Chocolate. This gets its own line because it is that amazing! There are other chocolate houses that have hot chocolate, but Old Chocolate house offers you a chocolate menu wherein you can pick the variety of the chocolate based on its cocoa percent. I tried the 67% Madagascar chocolate and topped with a skewer of toasted marshmallow and it was the best dang hot chocolate I have ever had! We got walk-in seating just before closing on our second day trying, but it would be smart to make reservations.
Waffles. Though maybe not as plentiful as the chocolate houses, there are many many to choose from. We like Chez Albert. And it just happens to be next to De Garre.
Lace and Tapestry. Brussels Lace and Flemish Tapestry are a few special items worth looking for in Bruges.

We have had great meals at De Gastro, Restaurant Diligence, and of course Delaney’s Irish Pub. I would recommend making reservations at any place that allows them! Especially in the high summer season! Bruges also has great breakfast places, Sanseveria Bagelsalon and Balthasar to name a couple, and reservations are definitely needed for those!

Aside from food, there are many other attractions in Bruges. Beer, Chocolate, and Frites (fries) all have a museum in Bruges. The Historium is an interesting History of Bruges, and just above it on the second floor is the bar with the best view in Bruges: Duvelorium Grand Beer Café. You can find local artists lined up at the Fish Markt on the weekends. And sometimes there are fish too!

The Salvador Dali Museum is housed in the Belfry, and the Belfry itself is really a showstopper! Dating back to the 13th century and a designated UNESCO World Heritage site, the 83 meter high bell tower houses a 47 bell carillon! They have a carillonneur who plays songs on the bells on Wednesdays and weekends at 11am. It stops me in my tracks every time I hear it! The tower is open to visitors. You can climb the 366 stairs to the top, see the carilion, and have an incredible view of Grotmarkt.

Of course there are also canal tours and horse-drawn carriage tours of the city, and many the many amazing churches! All of them worth a visit! Church of Our Lady is a Gothic masterpiece dating to the 13th century and houses the famed sculpture “Madonna and Child” by Michelangelo. If you ever want to wander further out of the city center, there are four Medieval Gates of Bruges still standing, The Gentpoort, Kruispoort, Ezelpoort, Smedenpoort- all of which date back to 1400’s. And the Ramparts, which is a canal bordered green space, with walking/biking trails some Dutch windmills dotted along the Western portion.

Incredible history, incredible architecture, incredible food, hospitality, and beauty…this is what keep bringing us back! Have you been to Bruges? Tell me what your favorite things to do/places to go are and I will add them to my list for next visit! Because I know we will go again!

Practical Info

We have visited Bruges in the Summer and winter. Both have their advantages. Some restaurants are seasonal and only open in the summer. Or limit hours in the winter. But winter is far less crowded in general. Bruges has a great Christmas Market and the Bruges Beer Festival is an annual attraction.

We generally drive to Bruges. There are a few parking garages in the Old Town area that are convenient to most hotels. Many hotels do not have their own parking. The train station is just outside of the ring road, there is an excellent bus system, and also taxis. The old town area is very walkable though. It is stroller friendly, but mostly cobblestone or brick roads, and narrow sidewalks. I would not suggest a double wide stroller.

As with most places in Europe, the currency is the Euro and it is always advisable to have cash. Though many places in Bruges do accept cart payment.

(These photos are from various trips)