Hey there, fellow travelers! Today, we’re talking about Bruges, Belgium! It’s a beautiful city, one of my favorites in this part of Europe! As much as I enjoy visiting Bruges, there are also some things that I don’t love about the capital of West Flanders. So, today, I’m sharing the five things you’ll love, and the five things you’ll hate, about Bruges, Belgium!
Love #1: Roaming Bruges
One of my favorite things to do in Bruges is just wandering the streets. Bruges has amazing architecture, from churches and the Town Hall. The Market Square is stunning and at the center of everything in Bruges. It’s such a photogenic city, you’ll love just roaming the streets, taking it all in. Taking a Bruges canal tour is another great way to see Bruges.
Hate #1: Bruges Tourism
Bruges gets more popular every year, and there are a lot of tourists. You’ll see a lot of school groups from within Flanders, and a lot of weekend tourists from all over Europe. If you visit Bruges in the summer, it can feel crowded, and you’ll have the usual issues that come with a lot of tourists. Prices are inflated, and service is not that great. Spring and fall are great times to visit Bruges, as there are fewer crowds, but the weather is still good.
Love #2: Religious Experiences in Bruges
There are some cool religious experiences in Bruges. You can visit the Holy Blood Church where you can see the blood of Christ. At the Church of Our Lady, there’s a Michelangelo sculpture of Madonna and Child, known as Madonna of Bruges.
Hate #2: Bruges Traffic
Bruges is pretty small; you won’t need a car to get around. But as a pedestrian, you’ll notice the traffic is a bit hectic. Between bicycles, tour buses, horse-drawn carriages, and delivery trucks, you have to be pretty careful when crossing the street in Bruges.
Love #3: Day Trips from Bruges
One of the best day trips from Bruges is to visit the World War I battlefields of Flanders. There’s a lot of attention given to WWII sites in Europe, but less is known about WWI. Flanders Fields are less than 80 kilometers from Bruges, so it makes for a great day trip, especially for history buffs.
You can also travel all over Belgium and back in one day. Antwerp is just under two hours by train, Ghent is just 45 minutes, and Brussels is 90 minutes. This makes Bruges a great home base for your Belgium trip.
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Hate #3: Prices in Bruges
Along with tourism, prices in Bruges are also increasing. If you want lunch with a nice view, you’re going to pay extra for those restaurants. In general, you’ll pay a bit more for things in Bruges than you might pay in smaller towns nearby. This is just the effect of Bruges tourism.
Love #4: Bruges Tourist Sights
There are lots of great things to do in Bruges. Of course, there’s a chocolate museum and a French Fry museum. The Groeninge Museum has a great collection of classical Flemish art. Bruges was a wealthy city for many years, and you can tell by the architecture and infrastructure.
Hate #4: Service in Bruges
Service is pretty lackluster anywhere you go in Belgium, so this isn’t exclusive to Bruges, but it’s something you’ll notice. The servers are professional and knowledgable, but they’re not particularly friendly or helpful. You just have to be a little more proactive with your needs and requests.
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Love #5: Bruges Atmosphere
Besides roaming the streets, my other favorite thing to do in Bruges is to grab a table on Market Square and enjoy a fresh plate of mussels, fries and a nice Belgian beer. There are other squares in Bruges, and they all have a great atmosphere.
Hate #5: Bruges Hotels
Bruges hotels can be expensive and they book up quickly in the high season. The best place to stay in Bruges is near the Old Town, and it’s quite small, so there aren’t a ton of guest rooms. We prefer to stay in Bruges, so we can enjoy it after the day-trippers go home. However, if you want to save money, you can stay in a nearby village and come into Bruges for the day.
I’ve been to Bruges so many times and I keep coming back because it’s just such a great city. The “loves” I have for Bruges far outweigh the “hates” so I encourage everyone to visit Bruges at least once in their lifetime. Want more of our Belgium travel tips? Check out some of these other blog posts: