My interest in Rotterdam started a while back. I won’t get into why exactly I wanted to go there yet (a select few know) but it was on my radar for a while. Randomly, I started seeing cheap flights to Brussels but I didn’t know too much about the city so I didn’t act on it. Not sure what it was, but something kept pushing me to get the ticket. At this point, I was ready to go on vacation anyway so figured, why not? Eventually, I looked into what I could do there and one of the suggestions was taking a day trip to Rotterdam. That’s what made me get the ticket. At this time, I had no idea I would be spending one day in Bruges. In fact, I didn’t even know the city existed!
Hi!
If you’re planning a trip to Bruges and want to get straight to the point, this link will send you straight to my Bruges Travel Guide. There you’ll find out how to get to Bruges, what to see, where to stay, and many other travel tips.
But, if you’d like to get all the tea about how I spent one day in Bruges, stay here with me.
Shall we proceed? 😉
Fast forward to a few weeks later, I started planning my trip a bit more. I figured I’d take the train or bus to Rotterdam and probably head to Amsterdam. Six days seemed like a whole lot of days for Brussels anyway. I went back to Kirstie’s website, (her article on day trips from Brussels started this whole thing) and I saw Bruges first thing on the list. Immediately after I saw a few pictures of Brugge I was sold on the city.
Notice the spell change? Yep. Bruges is also called Brugge. The city is trilingual and this was a bit new to me, especially for such a small city but it all made sense after learning more about the history.
Jump to…
What I prepared before the trip
Belgium is the 12th country I would have been traveling to by myself so preparations weren’t too intense. I knew I was going to do a lot of walking on this trip so naturally, I tried not to overpack. The fact that I had to take my work laptop with me reduced what I packed, by like, two outfits. But I still made it work. I had all my essentials for one day in Bruges, plus the few other cities I’d visit.
🧳 What I packed:
- Passport and Hungarian ID – pretty self-explanatory
- Laptop and Charger – I was going to work on some of the days.
- Phone – my whole life is on it
- Charger – my phone needs it
- Earphones – I need them
- About 5 outfits – I need options
- Some Hungarian alcohol – for gifting my hosts
- Makeup and accessories – I might and might not need them
- Raincoat – in case it rained in the Netherlands.
✈️ The trip to Bruges | From Budapest to Brussels
The flight to Belgium wasn’t much of a hustle. I had previously purchased my airport shuttle ticket so all I had to do was show up on time. After a 20-minute walk from my flat, I was at the bus stop and on the bus.
Check-in was a breeze and before I knew it, I was in Belgium. It was then that I realized that there are two airports in Brussels and I happened to land at the airport further out, and without a train station. Luckily I had the option of taking a bus but the downside was I had to wait two hours.
Which I did.
So technically, my one day in Bruges trip was more like a couple of hours in Bruges.
But it was all good. I took the bus and I was out like a light.
My one-day in Bruges Itinerary
Upon arrival, I was starving. I hadn’t eaten a thing and all I could think about were Belgian fries and chocolate. The weather in Bruges was fantastic and I couldn’t have been happier. Finally, I could eat something so I set out to the city center. There were so many teenagers around and lots of people of color. I wasn’t expecting this, so of course, I was pleasantly surprised. Before my trip, I imagined Belgium as an interracial country but I didn’t expect to see so many people of color in a small city.
As I kept walking toward the city center, I stumbled across the prettiest park. It was already on my list of places to see so I was sure I was going to go back for it. Walking along the street, there weren’t too many tourists around. I wasn’t mad at that.
My eyes glimmered at the sight of the stunning gothic architecture, the sound of chatter echoed through my ears, and my nostrils were filled with the smell of chocolate. It was a feast for the senses!
Photo tip: Walk along Zonnekemeers and Walstraat when you head towards the center. The canal separates these streets and you catch the canal tours and watch the boats go under the bridge. You can also get a glimpse of the church tower from here.
🥘 What to eat in Bruges
After walking through the Walstraat and admiring the beautiful canal and little square, I got to a central street called Katelijnestraat which was filled with waffle shops, chocolate shops, and restaurants. I went to Fritbar, a restaurant that supposedly had fantastic fries. The place was super busy but I was able to order fries with traditional beef stew and mayonnaise. I also got my first Belgian there and it was good. I don’t remember what beer was called and Belgians take this pretty seriously.
Fun Fact: I also learned that all breweries that custom glasses for their beers and each beer is served in a specific glass. So if you ever walk into a Belgian bar and see so many glasses, that’s why!
🔎Things to see in Brugge
As soon as I had gotten something to eat, I was ready to see the city. The downside was I still had my backpack and it was already starting to feel heavy. Most cities offer storage lockers but I didn’t see them during my time in Brugge. Instead, I mentally prepared myself for the walk.
Churches
My next stop was the Church of Our Lady, supposedly the world’s tallest brick tower. I was instantly mesmerized by the brickwork and in awe of its beauty. Stepping inside, this admiration I had inside me only got greater. I’ve walked through many churches but something about this one stood out.
Gothic architecture is one of my favorite styles and most European cathedrals in Gothic style are impressive. The heightened ceilings, rose-colored glasses, decorative figures, and the extravaganza of this church made for a fantastic experience. If I were traveling back to Bruges today, I’d definitely make seeing the church of the things I do there.
Museums
For an extra price, you get to the museum and see more artwork up close. There are also two or three tombs that visitors can see. I didn’t get to do this part but if you have more than one day in Bruges, it’s worth checking out.
Two other museums that are extremely close to the Church of Our Lady or O.L.V Kerk Museum are the Gruuthusemuseum and the Groeningemuseum. Because of time constraints, I didn’t go into any of these museums but I’ve read about them in many other blogs, and they are highly recommended.
Hot tip📸 (Instagrammable location): Take the path between the Gruuthesemuseum and O.L.V Kerk museum and cross the St Bonifacius Bridge. You can take a picture here with the church in the background. I’d recommend doing this in the early hours of the day to get that perfect shot. Or you could walk towards the park which you’ll see right in front of you.
De Markt
Since I only had one day in Bruges, I thought it would be smart to see all the outdoor places. Obviously, I got myself a little chocolate treat after lunch and I swear it was the best chocolate I’ve had in my life. In fact, it may have ruined other kinds of chocolate for me, because now, I only want to eat Belgian chocolate, you know?
Chocolate standards? Now through the roof!
I got to walk through the city and saw a bunch of stores which was a bit strange for me. But then I remembered people actually live there and so of course, they need their H&Ms and Nespresso shops. De Markt, which was one of the places to see. In my opinion, it was underwhelming. The famous colored buildings can be seen from here so that’s pretty cool.
Belfry Tower
Additionally, the Belfry Tower is here too. I guess it’s more of an amazing experience if you go up the tower but I didn’t do that. I was in the middle of a food coma, my bag was heavy and I honestly didn’t feel like going up the stairs.
Another thing that’s popular in Bruges is the horse carriages and you mostly get these from the square and so it smelled like shit. Literally.
There are a lot of restaurants around this area but be cautious, these could be tourist traps.
Burg Square
After spending a short while at De Markt, I went to Burg Square.
It’s a great place for people looking for historical places to see in Bruges. Bruge Hall is located here and so is the Basilica of the Holy Blood. As I only had one day in Brugge, I didn’t want to spend most of my afternoon trying to see the interior of the church, though it’s highly recommended. When I go back to Bruges, I’ll make more time and see it.
I left the square and walked to Blinde Ezelstraat, a cute little alleyway that becomes a bridge. Above the alleyway is an extension of the building which appears to be crooked from the outside and I found this fascinating.
Fish Market
My favorite part about Brugge was how I never got over stumbling upon canals. Within every 10 or 15-minute walk around the center, I’d find myself staring at one and I think this is what makes the city romantic.
I came across what used to be the Fish market and there wasn’t anything romantic about this place. The architectural work though, was impressive. I’d recommend it to any architecture lover even if they’re only in Bruges for one day.
Rozenhoedkaai
From the fish market, I walked to Rozenhoedkaai, the most photographed place in the city of Brugge! This location is featured in the movie ‘In Brugge’ and on many Instagram feeds. When I got here I was ready to take a break from all the walking and so I went on a canal cruise. It cost about 12 euros for 30 minutes around the city. It was a guided tour but since I sat so far back, I couldn’t get everything too clearly. The cruise was still worth it. It was a fantastic way to see the city and one of the best things to do in Brugges regardless of whether you’re spending a day or more there.
More treats in Bruges
After the canal tour, I was ready to relax. I needed to find a cafe to charge my phone since I had a low battery and no power bank. It was later in the afternoon so I wasn’t sure how lucky I’d be but a place called Noah’s was still open. They had the best hot chocolate and this shouldn’t have been surprising given we were in Belgium. After I got enough battery power, I got myself a beer and went to my last stop, Mınnerwaterpark.
It was quite the walk but definitely well worth it. Sitting in the park and people-watching was a lot of fun. Probably doesn’t sound like the most exciting thing to do when you only have one day in Bruges but this park had a calming aura to it. I sat there for about an hour or so and took in the scenery. Shortly afterward, I was ready to go to my host’s house.
🌆 A quiet evening in Bruges
The walk to the house was a quiet one. There was barely a soul in the streets and it was odd. The center was bustling but any streets beyond it were a ghost town. I eventually got to my host’s house and I was extremely tired. After a quick nap, we went out for a drink and talked about Zambia and Belgium. He told me about what it was like living in a small town like Bruges. He also shared that he had moved across the globe for a new experience and realized it wasn’t for him. This was interesting for me to hear and also brave to admit.
My couchsurfing experience
Hearing about his experience abroad made me think about mine. I didn’t enjoy it at the beginning but I thought I stay until I liked it. Obviously, I really like it now and I try to make the most of it, but it’s not always easy. So I understood him. This is something that always fascinates me about couchsurfing. You meet a stranger and bond over the most random yet intricate parts of your being. It was a such a positive experience for me and a great way to start my holiday.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t get anything to eat because all kitchens were closed by 10 PM. The weather was also pretty chilly at that point so we were ready to call it a day.
Which we did. With a homemade sandwich and hot tea while we watched Friends.
Quick thoughts | One day in Bruges
If I would rate everything I got to see and do during my one-day trip to Bruges, this is what it would look like.
1 being pretty lame 😐 and 10 being absolutely fantastic 😍
| Belgian Beer | 10/10 |
| Belgian Fries | 8.5/10 |
| Belgian Chocolate | 10/10 |
| Church of Our Lady | 9/10 |
| De Markt | 6/10 |
| Belfry Tower | 6/10 |
| Burg Square | 5/10 |
| Fish Market | 7/10 |
| Canal Cruise | 10/10 |
| Rozenhoedkaai | 10/10 |
| Minnerwaterprk | 10/10 |
😅 A little section to boost the blog
Is one day in Bruges enough?
I think a full day in Bruges is enough. Even though I only spent half a day there, I was able to see a lot so I’m pretty sure one could see nearly everything in one day.
How much time should I spend in Bruges?
This depends on the kind of holiday you want. As a traveler, one day in Bruges was enough for me. A vacationer would probably need 2 or 3 days to see everything in Bruges at a relaxed pace.
How to spend 24 hours in Bruges!
If my experience in Bruges encouraged you in any way, you may find my Bruges Travel Itinerary extremely helpful. It gives you all the information you need to plan a trip to Bruges. It covers how to get there, where to stay, what to see and where to stay, and other handy information.
Feel free to ask any questions or simply leave your thoughts in the comments section below!
Other travel itineraries you may enjoy include guides to Bristol, Bath, and Budapest.
Thanks for reading and happy travels.
Glad you enjoyed the article. There’s more to come for sure.