Welcome to my second post in the half-day series. This time, this blog post will take you on a wander through the streets of Bruges, even though you are time-pressed. As I said before, I am not a fan of very short stays like a day or half-day, but sometimes you just have very limited time to spend in a city.
My time in Bruges was just that — We actually had half a day there but managed to see a lot of places, including some hidden gems! This blog post will help you do just that as well.
You should definitely spend a few days in Bruges, though. The city is one of the most touristy places in Belgium, which means you shouldn’t leave the country without visiting Bruges. I mean it.
Without further ado, let’s explore Bruges virtually! Please feel free to save this map and use it to help plan your journey in Brugge.
Minnewater
You may want to start your journey here at Minnewater, which offers an ambience you won’t want to miss. It won’t get as touristy here, and you’ll find locals and tourists just doing their own thing — jogging, chatting, or snapping a photo over the canal.
If you are there on a hot day, walking around the water will be refreshing.
Cross the canal bridge over to our next stop, which is…
Begijnhof
Please keep quiet while you are here, even during the day. You might notice a signpost reminding tourists not to be loud, as if they were in a club. A friendly reminder to you all: sightseeing needs to be sustainable and should not disturb the locals — people actually live here.
Tranquility rewards you with the massive and beautiful courtyard — and please don’t set foot on the grass or walk between the trees. If you love cobblestone streets, stay on them 🙂
Once you leave this place, cross the canal bridge back in the direction of…
Brewery De Halve Maan
Beer fans, bookmark this brewery! And please book your tour spot (tours from €26) on their website — they may run out of spots very quickly.
During the tour, you will get to enter the birthplace of the beer, where the magic happens. The tour will take you to the rooftop, where you’ll get a stunning view of Bruges.
If the tickets are sold out, fret not. You can dine in the restaurant or have a drink at the bar overlooking the brewery — you can still get an idea of how your favourite beer is made.
That brewery’s restaurant
Are you still able to walk even after a couple of beer mugs? Then keep on to…
Bonifacius Bridge
The official Visit Bruges website states that this bridge stands out for its unique design, which no other bridge in Bruges embodies, as well as its romantic and colourful outlook and mysterious ambience.
Yes, it could get very busy, but don’t leave Bruges without seeing this bridge. Maybe snap an Insta-worthy video or picture here.
Continue your journey through the busy streets and you’ll hit…
Rozenhoedkaai
You’ll find people cosying up and dining along this waterfront. Plenty of upmarket restaurants and bars can also be found here. I feel like Rozenhoedkaai is more of a local hangout than a tourist attraction.
Visit this place at night — it will be beautifully lit up, and your dinner here will be enhanced with some dramatic effect.
Cross one more canal bridge to the other side, and you’ll be at our last destination in no time…
De Burg
Affectionately called a city hall square, you can feel the weight of the time and power this place has held since the 14th century. The official Visit Bruges website explains how the square expanded over time.
So admire the architecture built over the centuries — you may also encounter the night lights like the ones in the photo.
Some other tourist attractions
While these are not pinned in my google Maps, we have visited a couple of more in Bruges and we think you should do the same as well.
Diamond Museum
We happened to discover that the museum existed when we spotted the museum brochure in our hotel. We love anything glittering and mechanical, so we just went there.
Although the museum space was not huge, the exhibits showcase not only exquisite diamond accessories but also the history behind them. The museum taught us about Bruges’ prime days, when it was one of the major trading ports along the Silk Road.
It also exhibits modern diamond-cutting techniques, which you can try your hand at.
Booking in advance is not required — just hop in while it’s open. Tickets are from €15.
Belfort
I’ll keep my tale short here, as I had to deal with some not-so-nice tourists in the middle of the steps to the top. But our trip across Belgium trained us to recognise exactly what Belfort is: a medieval clock tower.
Belfort in 2026 is a tourist attraction where you must climb 366 steps to the top! As a rooftop lover, I chose to accept this 366-step challenge. My buddy also joined me.
If you are also ready for the challenge, then get a ticket for €16. Note that Belfort doesn’t have a lift at all, which means you should be mentally prepared for all those steps.
Bruges Eats
We didn’t forget to treat ourselves to some local delicacies as much as we could afford. And Bruges gave us plenty of food options that suited us.
The Old Chocolate House
As we came across this place, the signs and menus in English, my rip-off-scam alert went off. The golden rule was that English menus, etc., in countries where English isn’t the first language mean that the food places will charge you extra for English menus and English-speaking service.
But this place broke that rule for good. We arrived there late, and the café upstairs was already closed for the day, but we got to taste a takeaway cup of Belgian hot chocolate for €5, with cream on top. We were happy with the portion and the taste. My buddy even exclaimed that this cup of hot chocolate was the second-best he had ever experienced.
Otto Waffle Atelier
My buddy’s GF app brought us to this gluten-free waffle outlet. We were happy that we didn’t have to give up a glorious Belgian waffle — hooray! All the waffles at Otto are 100% gluten-free!
You may choose from the ready-to-eat arty waffles, ranging from €10–€11, or get one custom-made. The base waffle, Otto On The Go, is €4.50. Pick your toppings from all the available options.
Get a seat at the back of the storefront and reward yourself with this canal view…
Too Good To Go
After splurging on the gluten-free waffles, we picked up a couple of Too Good To Go Surprise Bags for dinner (yes, it works in Belgium as well).
Bruges Wok got us the best TGTG bag ever — the staff gave us all this food, photographed here, for just €5! We only booked one available bag and came back to our hotel with plenty of food — almost three bags’ worth…
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