One Great Day in Bruges

We departed our AirBnb for Brussels Central station to catch the 6:53 train to Bruges.  The train ride from Brussels to Bruges takes just about an hour and we were to arrive in Bruges shortly after 8:00 am.  We had a ticket to the Belfort at 9:00 am so we wanted to have plenty of time to walk from the train station into town.  The walk takes about 20 minutes, winding along cobblestone streets past charming homes.  

The lovely walk from the train station into town

The Belfort (Belfry)- 9:00 am

Website:  Tickets to the Belfort

The Belfort | Bruges

If you want to climb to the top of the Belfort for a birds-eye view of Bruges, you need to purchase tickets ahead of time.  We purchased tickets for the first time slot of the day, 9:00 am.

From the courtyard, facing the Belfort, proceed up to the stairs to the right and scan your tickets.  Backpacks also need to be stored in lockers right in the gift shop/ticket area.

View of the Belfort from the courtyard

To reach the top, climb 366 stairs, stopping at two other levels along the way. 

Only 366 windy stairs to the top!

You can see the old sturdy chest that once held the town’s important documents. 

The chest that once held the town’s important documents

Also on display are old bells that once hung and rung in the Belfort along with a long trumpet that would blare during important events in the town square below.

The trumpet once blared in the Markt during important events

Looking up into the 13th century bell tower while hearing the bells toll was an incredible experience! 

At the top, the views out to Bruges were amazing and definitely worth the climb.

Best of all, the views from the Belfort

The Markt (Town Square)

The Belfort sits on the town square, also known as the Markt.  Back in the medieval times this was the heartbeat of the city with merchants trading, goods being purchases, and festivals taking place here.  Taking photos here is a must as Bruge’s Markt is a beautiful display of a medieval European town square. 

Markt

See the building with the golden ball on the top?  This is the oldest building Bruges, dating back to the 15th century.  

The oldest building in Bruges, dating back to the 15th century

Markt also features a statue in the center, adorned by the flags of Bruges, Belgium, the European Union, and Flanders, the region Bruges is in.  The statue represents the peasants of Bruges who, on foot, defeated the French Army cavalry.  The battle is known as the Battle of the Golden Spurs, as the winning peasants collected gold spurs from the defeated French as part of their victory.

Care for a horse and carriage ride?  Several were lined up here ready to take visitors for a ride through town.  

Burg Square | City Hall | Basilica of the Holy Blood

Continuing on from the Markt and Belfort you arrive at Burg Square.  Burg Square is home to City Hall and the Basilica of the Holy Blood.

The Basilica of the Holy Blood is famous for housing a relic of blood and a piece of cloth from Jesus preserved in a vial.  The vial is on display according to a schedule and draws large crowds to view it.  According to legend, blood was collected after washing the body of Jesus as he lay dying.  In the 12th century, the vial was given to a Christian Crusader who in turn donated the vial to the city of Bruges.  It has been held at the Basilica of Holy Blood ever since.

Basilica of the Holy Blood

Even if you don’t get to view the vial, pop in to take a walk around this beautiful gothic church.  

Interior of Basilica of the Holy Blood

Inside City Hall, you can check out some interesting paintings and maps, visit the restored 15th Century Gothic Room, and take in the beauty of the Renaissance Hall.

City Hall in Burg Square

The Fish Market

Back in Bruges’ trading heyday the Fish Market was the place to get fresh fish and seafood, thanks to its close location to the North Sea.  In fact, the market continued selling seafood delights until about 100 years ago. 

The Fish Market

Nowadays, fish is still sold here, but more crafts and souvenirs are for sale than fish, with the focus on selling goods to tourists.

Postcard Canal Views

One of the big draws of Bruges is its picture-perfect canals with homes seemingly rising out of the water. 

Take your time savoring these views because the views of the canals are some of Bruge’s best.

Tourist boats depart from this area that once served merchants trading and selling in its heyday.  A peaceful canal cruise is a great way to take in the town of Bruges.

Continuing along the Dijver canal is a flea market on the weekends.  We were here on a Sunday and it was set up with a variety of goods.  It is worth checking out for some unique pieces.

Weekend Flea Market

Boniface Bridge

The quaint stone Boniface Bridge rises up and then down sharply, crossing the canal.  This is another popular photo stop, so if you want to snap pics, be sure to get here early.

Boniface Bridge

Church of Our Lady

Not only is the Church of Our Lady an impressive 13th century cathedral, but it also holds a Michaelangelo scuplture, Madonna and Child. 

Church of Our Lady

The sculpture is blocked off from viewing as you need a ticket to enter the area.  We opted to skip viewing the sculpture and just savor the beauty of this medieval church.

The tower is the tallest structure in Bruges and actually is the third tallest brickwork tower in the entire world!

Chocolate Shops – time to indulge!

Now is a great time to get some chocolate, something Bruges is especially known for.  There are several chocolate shops worthy of a visit, one of the most famous being Dumon.  

Dumon has three locations in Bruges and we visited two of them!  First, we walked along Walstraat and purchased a few pieces for a mid-morning snack.  At the end of the day, we visited the location at Eirmarkt 6 simply because the building is so cute. 

We also visited a few other chocolate shops along the way…it’s hard to resist!