BE
Bruges
A medieval trading city of canals, brick gables and a famous belfry, with a UNESCO-listed centre
A medieval trading city of canals, brick gables and a famous belfry, with a UNESCO-listed centre
The 83m belfry towers over the Markt, the main square. You can climb its 366 steps to the top, past the carillon, for views over the rooftops.
Visitor numbers in the tower are limited; book a time slot.
Photo: Tim Adams, CC BY 3.0
Short boat trips leave from landing stages in the centre and pass under low bridges and past the backs of old houses. The view from the Rozenhoedkaai is one of the most photographed in the city.
Boats run less often in winter and may stop in freezing weather.
Photo: Thomas Quine, CC BY 2.0
A small double chapel on the Burg square: the lower Romanesque chapel dates from the 12th century, and the upper chapel holds a relic said to contain drops of Christ’s blood.
Photo: KL KL, CC BY-SA 3.0
Founded in the 13th century for beguines, laywomen who lived in religious communities, this enclosed courtyard of whitewashed houses is now home to Benedictine nuns. It is quiet, especially in spring when daffodils cover the lawn.
Keep your voice down; it is still a place of prayer.
Photo: Marc Ryckaert, CC BY-SA 4.0
The city’s fine art museum has works by Flemish Primitive painters such as Jan van Eyck and Hans Memling.
Photo: Fernando Losada Rodríguez, CC BY-SA 4.0
Try Flemish stews, mussels, waffles and chocolate. Bruges also has its own breweries; De Halve Maan brews in the centre and pipes beer to its bottling plant through an underground pipeline.
Restaurants on the Markt are expensive; side streets offer better value.
Trains from Brussels take about an hour, and from Ghent about 25 minutes. The station is a 15–20-minute walk or short bus ride from the Markt.
Most of the centre is car-free or has restricted traffic; park at the station car park. Belgium is in the Schengen area. Non-EU visitors are registered in the EU Entry/Exit System on arrival, and visa-exempt travellers will need an ETIAS travel authorisation once it launches, expected from late 2026. Check current rules before you travel.
Belgium uses the euro. Prices are similar to neighbouring France and the Netherlands; trains are good value, especially with weekend or multi-trip tickets. Bruges hotels are expensive at weekends and in summer.
Prices are approximate.
Squares, canals and Flemish art.
Climb the Belfry early, visit the Basilica of the Holy Blood on the Burg and take a canal boat. Walk to the Rozenhoedkaai at sunset.
Visit the Groeningemuseum and the Church of Our Lady (with Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child), then the Begijnhof and the Minnewater lake.
🛂 Entry rules: EES and ETIAS
Belgium is in the Schengen area, which has two EU border systems for non-EU visitors.
EES (in force): since 10 April 2026 the EU’s Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors’ passport details, fingerprints and a photo the first time they enter the Schengen area, replacing passport stamps. Allow extra time at the border on your first trip; later crossings are quicker. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens are not registered.
ETIAS (not yet running): a €20 online travel authorisation for visitors who don’t need a visa, such as UK, US, Canadian and Australian citizens. It hasn’t started and no start date has been confirmed, so nobody can apply yet; ignore websites that offer to “pre-register” you for a fee.
Visa-free visitors can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole Schengen area, not per country.
Official information: EU: Travel to Europe (EES & ETIAS) · Reviewed September 2026
Explore early in the morning or in the evening when day-trippers have left.
Bikes are a good way to reach the windmills on the city ramparts.
Book the Belfry in advance in busy periods.
Bring a waterproof jacket; rain is common year-round.
Quick answers for planning time in Bruges.
366 steps to the top of the 83m tower.
Yes, the historic centre of Bruges was listed in 2000.
Yes, trains take about an hour, but staying overnight lets you see the city without the crowds.
Mostly from spring to autumn, with reduced service in winter; they may stop in freezing weather.
April to June and September to October for pleasant weather and fewer crowds than in summer.
Dutch is spoken in Flanders, French in Wallonia; both are used in Brussels, and English is widely understood.
Free
Planning a wider trip? Our Belgium travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.