Last updated: June 2026

The best thing about Bruges? It only takes a few hours to get there from London making it a perfect weekend getaway. No I’m just joking – I’m not that London-centric – yet. 

The best thing is the beautiful vistas; everywhere you look, Bruges is picture perfect. I know that’s hardly news if you’ve already seen photos, but at the very least I can confirm your suspicions that it’s absolutely stunning.

I’ve wanted to go to Bruges for years, but a fear of hordes of (fellow) tourists held me back. But, I'm so glad I finally did because in reality it's a pretty relaxed place, and you can easily see the best of it in a weekend. Below are my top five things to do in Bruges, plus a few places to stay at the bottom if you haven't booked your accommodation yet.

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Here are my top five things to do in Bruges

1. Wander with your camera in hand

If you want great pics (read Instagrammable), this is the city. You don’t need an itinerary – you can just walk around the canals with camera or smartphone in hand. But I found the best spots to take photos in Bruges are the Jan van Eyck Square, the coloured buildings in the Markt (main square), from the top of the Belfry (bell tower), Rozenhoedkaai (Quay of the Rosary), the bridge to Begijnhof and the bridge on Meestraat. Make sure you also head out at night – particularly if you’re a serious photographer as the reflections on the water are especially pretty.

2. Eat €100,000 fries in the Markt

Belgium is famous for its fries; in fact the Belgians claim they invented them. So of course you have to eat some covered in mayonnaise at least once while you’re in Bruges (I ate them more than once, obviously). One of the most interesting things I learnt about Bruges while I was there, is that the chip stalls beneath the Belfry in the main square used to pay up to €100,000 to sell their fries in the tourist hotspot. As far as I’m concerned if you’re confident enough to pay that much money for a tiny stall – your fries must be good. These days there’s a lottery to decide who gets these prime real estate positions – but they still sell delicious fries, which you can eat while you watch the world go by in the busy square.

3. Drink unfiltered beer at De Halve Maan brouwerij 

Belgians have been brewing beer since the 12th century and have the most Trappist breweries in the world, so I guess you could say they know their beer. I’m not the biggest beer drinker, but you can’t go to Bruges without stopping in at De Halve Maan (The Half Moon), which is the city’s only continuously working old brewery. Alongside its historical importance, it’s also a bit of a trailblazer – opening Belgium’s first major beer pipeline in 2016. Yes, you heard right – beer pipeline. To find your happy place (or my idea of a happy place), do a tour (which includes a great view of Bruges from the rooftop) and then sit back after with some cheese, sausage and an unfiltered beer.

4. Eat something other than a waffle

Belgium is the land of chocolate, fries and waffles. But Bruges also has plenty of less cliché restaurants, cafes and bars, if you want to go beyond the predictable. Two of my favourite places to eat in Bruges are at the Gran Kaffee De Passag, where you can sample the Belgian tapas, and at Restaurant De Wijngaert where they have the best flame grilled seafood. 

A cute spot for brekky is the Tearoom Carpe Diem and you'll find the best ice cream at Oyya.

5. Take a boat ride around the canals

This is touristy, yes, but it's fun and your legs will thank you for the break. If you want to keep it simple, you'll find boat tour stands dotted along the canal charging around €15 per person for a relaxed 30-minute cruise — no booking needed, just turn up. Or if you want to combine it with a proper introduction to the city, this boat cruise and guided walking tour covers both in one and is worth it if it's your first time in Bruges.

Where to stay in Bruges

A quick note if you haven't booked accommodation yet: Bruges is tiny and very walkable — if you stay within the canal ring. Staying inside the ring makes the trip feel magical, especially in the evenings when the day-trippers leave and you have the cobbled streets almost to yourself.

Here are three hotels I'd recommend, across different price points. All three sit within a five-minute walk of the Markt.

For something special: Hotel Dukes' Palace — a former 15th-century ducal residence, now a five-star with a walled garden and the kind of grand-but-warm feel that's hard to find at this price point. Right in the historic centre but tucked into a quiet street, so you get the location without the noise.

For somewhere stylish and central: Hotel Aragon — a 16th-century building turned small boutique hotel, three minutes from the Markt on a quiet side street. Intimate and properly central without being on a busy thoroughfare. A good pick if you want character and walkability but don't need (or want to pay for) five-star.

For a budget-friendly base with personality: Hotel Patritius — a family-run hotel in a listed townhouse, with a proper courtyard garden out the back and a generous breakfast spread included. Smaller than the other two but the location is excellent — four minutes to the Markt, on a quiet street. The kind of place where the personal touch comes from people who've been running it for years rather than from a luxury budget.