Dish-Dash-Dosh

Bruges Guide

Canals, chocolate & medieval charm

Bruges

Bruges Research — Things to Do

Researched: 8 February 2026

Your Dates

  • Day 5 – Wed 27 May: Arrive evening from Ypres battlefields
  • Day 6 – Thu 28 May: Full day in Bruges
  • Day 7 – Fri 29 May: Morning in Bruges, then depart for Oostend

Accommodation: Hotel Malleberg (2 nights) — confirmed

⚠️ Book Ahead

These need advance booking:

What Why How
Belfry Tower Timed entry, sells out museabrugge.be
De Halve Maan Brewery Tour Very popular (100k visitors/year) halvemaan.be
Dinner reservations Good spots book up TheFork app or restaurant websites
Groeninge Museum Skip the queue museabrugge.be

No booking needed: Canal boat tours (just turn up), chocolate shops, walking

Must-Do (Matching Your Interests)

🚣 Canal Boat Tour ✓ On your list

  • Duration: 30 minutes
  • Cost: ~€12-14 per person
  • Booking: Not required — boats depart regularly from Rozenhoedkaai and other jetties
  • Tip: Go in the morning for fewer crowds, bring cash

🍺 Belgian Beer Tasting ✓ On your list

De Halve Maan Brewery

  • Last working brewery in central Bruges (since 1856)
  • Famous for Brugse Zot and Straffe Hendrik beers
  • Tours include rooftop 360° city views
  • Classic tour: 45 mins, €16, includes 1 beer
  • XL tour: 90 mins, €26, includes 3 beers (weekends only)
  • 220 steps — wear appropriate footwear
  • Book online

Alternative: 't Brugs Beertje — cosy traditional beer pub, no booking needed

🍟 Frietmuseum ✓ Julie’s pick

The world’s only museum dedicated to the humble fry — housed in a beautiful 14th century building.

  • Hours: Daily 10am–5pm (last entry 4:15pm)
  • Cost: €12 adults, €10 seniors
  • Duration: ~45 minutes
  • Booking: Not required, but recommended on busy days
  • Address: Vlamingstraat 33, Bruges
  • Website: frietmuseum-brugge.be

Covers the history of the potato, Belgian fry-making traditions, and ends at a cafe serving authentic Belgian frites — double-fried in beef fat, served in a cone with mayo. The real deal.

Fun fact: Belgians claim they invented fries, not the French!

🍫 Belgian Chocolates ✓ On your list

Top Chocolatiers:

  • The Chocolate Line — creative flavours, very popular
  • Dumon — traditional, family-run since 1992
  • Pralinette — live chocolate-making demos (Wollestraat)

Chocolate Experiences:

  • Choco-Story Museum — history + tastings (book ahead)
  • Chocolate making workshop (~2 hours, book via Viator)

Key Sights

Grote Markt & Belfry

  • Bruges’ main square, stunning medieval architecture
  • Belfry: 366 steps, panoramic views, iconic
  • Climb takes ~20 mins, rest spots along the way
  • Tower leans 3 feet (like Pisa!)
  • BOOK TIMED ENTRY: museabrugge.be

Rozenhoedkaai

  • Most photographed spot in Bruges
  • Best early morning for photos without crowds
  • Where you can catch canal boats

Burg Square

  • Next to Grote Markt
  • Beautiful Town Hall with ornate Gothic facade
  • Basilica of the Holy Blood (relic, free entry, spiritual interest)

Church of Our Lady

  • Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child (only Michelangelo to leave Italy during his lifetime)
  • Tallest brick tower in the world (115.5m)
  • Gothic masterpiece
  • Entry: €8

Groeninge Museum

  • World-class Flemish Primitives — Van Eyck, Memling
  • Small but exceptional
  • Allow 1 hour
  • Pre-book tickets to skip queues

Memling Museum (Old St John’s Hospital)

  • Medieval hospital turned museum
  • Hans Memling altarpieces
  • Less crowded than Groeninge
  • 45 mins – 1 hour

Beguinage (Begijnhof) & Minnewater

  • Peaceful historic courtyard, UNESCO World Heritage
  • “Lake of Love” — romantic walk
  • Free entry, lovely for a quiet stroll
  • Good for spiritual/reflective time

Boniface Bridge

  • Charming hidden footbridge behind Church of Our Lady
  • Perfect photo spot, quieter than Rozenhoedkaai

Food & Drink

Traditional Dishes to Try

  • Moules-frites — mussels in white wine with fries
  • Shrimp croquettes — North Sea shrimp, crispy fried
  • Carbonade flamande — beef stew braised in Belgian beer
  • Waterzooi — creamy fish/chicken stew
  • Stoofvlees — Flemish beef stew
  • Waffles — Liège (chewy, caramelised) or Brussels (light, crispy)

Restaurant Recommendations

Best Overall:

  • Cambrinus — excellent steaks, cosy brasserie, book ahead

Traditional Belgian:

  • Bistro Brugis — right by Grote Markt, authentic classics
  • Bistro Den Amand — Belgian classics with a twist

Best Views:

  • Duc de Bourgogne — canal-side, pricey but worth it for views
  • 't Nieuw Walnutje — great patio in charming square

Mussels:

  • Poules Moules — Simon Stevinplein, dedicated mussel spot

Fine Dining (splurge):

  • Bistro Bruut — creative, tasting menus, excellent wines
  • Assiette Blanche — Franco-Belgian elegance

Casual/Quick:

  • Fritbar — loaded fries, perfect midday snack
  • House of Waffles — reportedly best waffles in city
  • Aux Merveilleux de Fred — pastries

Beer Spots

  • De Halve Maan — brewery restaurant + bar
  • 't Brugs Beertje — traditional pub, 300+ beers
  • Café Vlissinghe — oldest pub in Bruges (1515!)

Suggested Itinerary

Day 6 — Thursday 28 May (Full Day)

Morning:

  • Breakfast at hotel (included)
  • Walk to Rozenhoedkaai for photos (quieter early)
  • Canal boat tour (~30 mins)
  • Frietmuseum (~45 mins) — for Julie! 🍟

Lunch:

  • Bistro Brugis or Cambrinus

Afternoon:

  • Belfry climb (pre-booked timed slot)
  • Church of Our Lady (Michelangelo)
  • Groeninge Museum (if time/interest)
  • Wander to Beguinage & Minnewater for peaceful stroll
  • Chocolate shopping on way back

Late Afternoon:

  • De Halve Maan Brewery Tour (~4pm slot, pre-book)

Evening:

  • Dinner at Duc de Bourgogne (views) or 't Nieuw Walnutje
  • Evening stroll through lit-up Grote Markt

Day 7 — Friday 29 May (Morning Only)

Morning before checkout (11:00):

  • Final wander — any missed spots
  • Coffee and waffle at House of Waffles
  • Pick up chocolates to take away
  • Depart for Oostend

Practical Info

Getting Around

  • Historic centre is ~1 square mile — all walkable
  • No need for transport

Campervan Parking

  • Kanaaleiland (Bargeweg) — official motorhome parking
  • €30/24hrs incl. electricity
  • 12-15 min walk to hotel via Minnewater
  • Note: You’re staying at Hotel Malleberg, not the van — confirm parking arrangements

Bruges Museum Card

  • €32 for 3 days, covers 12 museums
  • Worth it if doing Belfry + Groeninge + Memling
  • museabrugge.be

Money

  • Most places take card
  • Canal boats may prefer cash (bring some euros)

Booking Checklist

  • Belfry timed entry — Thu 28 May afternoon
  • De Halve Maan brewery tour — Thu 28 May ~4pm
  • Dinner reservation Thu evening (Duc de Bourgogne or similar)
  • Groeninge Museum (optional but skips queue)

Sources

Last updated: 8 February 2026