A very exciting trip to Belgium had begun for us. Bruges was the 6th stop of the winter holiday we'd planned 6 months before. When we were building the route, our wish to see in New Year's Eve in Bruges had a big effect on how we changed the route.
How Many Days for Bruges?
While thinking about how to answer this question, two options came to mind. For those coming only to see Bruges, maybe even half a day is enough. But we decided that when you come to Bruges you should live it a little. Sipping beer or coffee in its sweet cafés and trying lovely food in its charming restaurants is one of the things that makes you really happy. We think 1 night 2 days in Bruges is a very attractive option. These thoughts of mine are for those considering a winter route.
When to Go to Bruges?
As we said just above, our favourite time is winter; especially at Christmas everywhere becomes beautiful in a different way. In summer, as in most European cities, it's crowded and hot. But at Christmas time Bruges's streets are both calm and sparkling. Our favourite time is winter!
Where to Stay in Bruges?
Since we planned to stay in Bruges on the evening of 31 December, we booked about 2 months in advance. Even 2 months ahead we could only find a limited number of places to stay.
Our B&B in Bruges 
Our fresh homemade breakfast at the Bruges B&B 
A stay where we felt at home!
Almost everywhere you'll stay in Bruges is in the city centre and within walking distance of the area called the Market Square. Our choice here was the boutique-hotel-style Bed&Breakfast Guido Gezelle. For the night at the hotel we paid 100€.
Before paying, this happened: when we arrived at the hotel we had a small shock when the owner said they only took cash. Before even settling in, we went out looking for a cash machine where we could withdraw cash with a credit card. At the same time we started looking at other hotels too. But there was almost no room left anywhere. We managed to withdraw cash at the third cash machine! And at that moment no one was happier than us! :)
Getting Around in Bruges
We came to Bruges by train via Ghent. The train journey takes about 30 minutes. If you try to buy a single ticket, you need to pay €7. But within Belgium we were able to use trains for 1 week at a very good price with the Belgium Pass. We described it in detail in the Brussels travel guide post below.
While exploring within Bruges, you'll hardly need public transport at all. From the train station, the city centre is a 10-15 minute walk. If you say you'll walk that, you can explore everywhere after that on foot anyway :)
Exploring Bruges, where I came almost 6 years ago, hand in hand with Berna now is a whole different joy and happiness! 😍😇
Bruges Food and Drink Tip
Taking the advice of our B&B Gezelle host, we headed to a restaurant called 't Santpoortje for dinner. The name sounds very strange at first, you're right :) Our choice was pizza, and here you can try whichever Belgian beer you like. I chose a beer from Duvel, Belgium's famous brand, and even though it was very heavy, I managed to finish it :)
Santpoortje: as always, our pizza choice was the four-cheese again 
Famous Belgian beers
Places to Visit in Bruges
Now for where to go and what to do in beautiful Bruges..
The Belfry - Belfort
The construction of this medieval belfry goes back to the 1200s, when Bruges played an important role in the cloth industry. 40 years after it was built, it was almost razed to the ground by fire and rebuilt. Of course the fires didn't stop; they kept breaking out now and then. It struck us as funny, like our forest fires. 😬 When you go, you'll see the bells still ring from the top of the tower. They've literally built mechanical automation! They designed a magnificent system.
When we went, it closed a bit early because the weather was harsh and heavy. So we couldn't go up, but on my earlier visit I'd climbed the 366 steps and enjoyed the view of beautiful Bruges from the top.
Note: The Belfry is open every day. Unlike in other cities, opening and closing times don't change by season. You can visit the tower every day between 10.00 - 18.00. Entrance fees: a standard ticket is €8, a reduced ticket €6, and €2.70 for young people aged 19-25.
The Market Square - Markt
The city's history goes back a very long way; this square's history goes back to 958. Hard to believe! In this Market Square, described as Bruges's main square, the colourful cafés and, especially when you go in winter, the ice rink in the middle take the lovely square a step further and make it a wonderful city square.
Although most of the buildings standing around the square today date from the 19th century, the bells of the 13th-century Belfry, known as the Belfort, still ring. Many of the wooden buildings on the west and north sides of the square are reconstructions of traditional guild halls. At the Markt, if you have time and enough budget, you can continue your visit by horse carriage through the colourful streets of Bruges and the square.
Canals of Bruges
After seeing Amsterdam I said canals wouldn't impress me much, but both Ghent and Bruges really surprised both me and Berna on this.
In the Middle Ages, the Reie, which we know as the Rhine, was turned into a network of canals in the city so that merchants could bring their goods to the Market Square, the Markt, and sell them. Thanks to these canals that have survived from then until now, canal tours are run today. These canal tours are a wonderful option for seeing some of the most beautiful places in Bruges.
Our favourite, and in our view the most romantic canal, is the Groenerei - the Green Canal. To see this canal you need to go to the Peerdebrug - the Horse Bridge. Looking towards the Meebrug, this canal keeps its magic with its elegant 17th-century mansions.
Basilica of the Holy Blood
Located on the Burg Square, the Basilica of the Holy Blood was built in the 12th century, inspired by the design of the Heilig-Bloedbasiliek.
In the small church right next to the basilica, a holy relic of Jesus is said to be kept. According to the legend, the bloodied piece of cloth was obtained during the Second Crusade in Jerusalem.
The holy relic, kept in a crystal vial placed inside a gold-decorated cylinder, is shown to visitors every Friday in the upstairs chapel, in a silver tabernacle decorated with wallpaper and stained glass. By the way, the well-preserved lower chapel, with its design and calm atmosphere, is a fine example of the Romanesque architectural style.
Half Moon Brewery - De Halve Maan Brewery
As we said in our Places to Visit in Brussels post, Belgium is as famous for its beer as for its chocolate. As in Brussels, Bruges has a historic brewery too.
This brewery isn't as crowded as the ones elsewhere, and at the brewery you can look at the brewing techniques that have made Belgium one of the best beer-producing countries in the world. Of the country's 180 breweries, Half Moon is one of the oldest. It has been run by the same family for six generations, since 1856.
Note: You can buy tickets online or when you go. The tours, held every hour, have a limited number of places. A standard Brewery Tour ticket is €9, while the ticket for the tour sold as XL Tour Adult is €19. With the ticket you're entitled to a free bottle of Blonde Beer or the high-alcohol Straffe Hendrik. Visitors can also taste other varieties at the brewery's bar or restaurant for a fee.
The Beguinage - Begijnhof - Ten Wijngaerde
Founded in 1245, the Princely Beguinage Ten Wijngaerde is better known as the Begijnhof. The last one still standing in Bruges, it's a quiet complex.
It's a calm reminder of the place where single, devout women once lived. Today Ten Wijngaerde greets its visitors with white houses side by side, a central green and a 13th-century church. You can also wander through the lovely greenery.
The building, which looks like a small museum, still lets you understand well what the lives of the women who retired from the world were like, and what life was like in the 17th century.
Note: It's open every day and you can visit between 06.30 - 18:30. As for ticket prices, a standard ticket is €2, and €1 for children aged 8-12.
Minnewater Lake, Bridge and Park
As we mentioned above, the Bruges Canals are known for their slow flow and wonderful look. For those who, like us, want to enjoy this calm, a walk along the Minnewaterpark would be wonderful.
As for the story of this park and canal: the Minnewater is a wide canal known as the Lake of Love. It comes from the story of a girl named Minna, who tried to escape an arranged marriage into the arms of her lover Stromberg and died before they could be together.
Local legend says that lovers who cross the lake's bridge will have eternal love. The quay where ships and barges once moored is now a public green space that also includes the remains of a fortress.
You can take peaceful walks hand in hand along the lake that such legends are about. You can rest on the benches now and then and take photos of this lovely view.
Ramparts and City Gates
When I saw these, the city gates Melih Gökçek built in Ankara came to mind, and I couldn't help smiling. City gates in harmony with the fabric of the city, versus city gates planted on top of a 6-lane road!
Anyway, let's get back to our beautiful Bruges and describing its beauty.
The Bruges Ramparts are actually a green belt surrounding the city. Built from the 13th century, the walls surround the city as a 6-kilometre circular park. Walking around them, you come across four solid city gates that have survived the test of time. Walking, you come across four solid city gates that have survived the wear and tear of history and time.
Rococo Lace Store
Beer, chocolate and, finally, what has helped make Belgium famous: lace!
When you think of Bruges, naturally I can't think of it without lace. The city is very famous for its lacemakers, their handicrafts and their works.
Famous Bruges lace 
Would these do for a trousseau?!
Traces of this remain in the 20 shops in the city still making and selling lace. A lace maker since 1833, Rococo offers us travellers the most comprehensive collection of old and contemporary lacework. Of course, buying lace here doesn't make sense for us. But look how they've turned something so common in our own country into a business. Visit to see it!
A few of the romantic antique bobbin, needlepoint, ribbon lace and modern made-to-order laces. I'm sure it'll give you a different view of lacework and you won't look at lacemaking the same way.
St. John's Hospital
If the walls of St. John's Hospital could talk, they could teach us most of what's known about medicine through the ages. From the 12th century until 1987 the building was used as a communal shelter and health institution. Today the old wards are open to visitors and complex art exhibitions are regularly held.
What did we do in the cities we visited on our Belgium tour? If you'd like to take a look, the links are below..
39 km
82 km
89 km