Cruise Port Stop Guide: Bruges, Belgium

A beautifully preserved medieval town with charming canals, Bruges (as it is called in French) or Brugge (in Flemish / Dutch) is often referred to as the Venice of the North. Lets take a look at what you can see/do/eat/drink in this UNESCO Heritage site.

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LOGISTICS

MONEY MATTERS

Credit cards are fairly widely accepted (FYI: cab drivers would tell us cash only as they preferred that but did accept credit cards when pressed since we did not have any cash on hand). In Belgium, the price of your meals and taxi rides include a service charge so no tip necessary but many will round up to the next €1-2. Wondering what the “BTW” on your bill is? It stands for “Belasting over de Toegevoegde Waarde”, meaning “Value Added Tax” (VAT).

In Europe, it is common that WC /restrooms require payment to use and some of these require cash – often coins.

COMMUNICATION

Belgium, as is the case is with most of Europe, is a country full of polygots as they have THREE official languages* with the Dutch-speaking Flanders region in the north, a French-speaking Wallonia to the south and a small German-speaking community to the east. Bruges is the capital of the Flanders region. English is spoken fairly widely in the tourist areas.

PORT INFO

_{BEAUTIFUL TIP: Reminder that arrival times for port days are estimates for when the ship will be docked and may not be when the port has given approval to the ship to allow passengers to get off. IF the activity start time is close to arrival times, I will always reach out the activity/tour provider and find out exactly what their policy is if I am not able to be there on time. I have found that many operators are flexible especially if the majority/all of the participants are from the cruise ship but some may not be able to accommodate late arrivals with no refund given. Whilst both scenarios are valid business practices, don’t make the mistake of finding out it’s the latter when you aren’t able to join!}

Ride Share (Bolt/Uber) / Taxis

Reminder that much of Bruges’ historic city center is car free so pickups are at specific locales. Taxi rates are set.

TOP ATTRACTIONS/POINTS OF INTEREST

Markt (Main Square)

Dominated by Belfry of Bruges, this is the center (and often referred to as the heart) of Bruges where you can find horse-drawn carriages, cafes, and stunning Flemish architecture – check out the Provincial Court and the many colorful stepped gables here

Belfry of Bruges

Belfry of Bruges – climb 366 steps for panoramic views of Bruges

Burg Square: Bruges City Hall + Basilica of the Holy Blood

Burg is considered the soul of Bruges as it is home to monumental landmark buildings and has been the seat of power for centuries. Discover Bruges City Hall (Bruges’ city administration still occupies the impressive 14th century Gothic Town Hall) + the Basilica of the Holy Blood, which houses a relic believed to contain Jesus’s blood + the Liberty of Bruges + the Deanery

Canal Cruises

The canals have for centuries been the veins of the city, winding through Bruges and treating you to another magnificent view around every bend as you view Bruges a different perspective with a 30-minute boat tour. Also beautiful to explore by foot over the medieval bridges – look out for the swans that are often swimming in them.

Church of Our Lady Bruges

Houses a Michelangelo sculpture (“Madonna and Child”) – one of the few outside Italy

OTHER ATTRACTIONS/POINTS OF INTERESTS

Begijnhof (Beguinage)

“The ‘Princely Beguinage Ten Wijngaerde’ with its white-coloured house fronts and tranquil convent garden was founded in 1245. This little piece of world heritage was once the home of the beguines, emancipated lay-women who nevertheless led a pious and celibate life. Their life in the beguinage was lived in silence as much as possible. For centuries, Bruges Beguinage has continuously been inhabited exclusively by women. Today, some nuns from the Order of Saint Benedict and Order of Vincent de Paul live there, as well as single women.

This summer, the free exhibition “800 Years of the Beguinage” immerses you in the rich history, heritage, values, and future of this centuries-old community of women.

Good to know: the beguinage is an authentic and lively place (of silence), which has been centred on a serene lifestyle for centuries. Silence, as an intangible value, contributes to the exceptional universal values that led UNESCO to recognise this unique site as World Heritage. City of Bruges looks after the beguinage and expects every visitor to respect the values of this site. So visit the Beguinage in silence and cherish and appreciate this place as the locals do” from VisitBruges

Groeningemuseum

The Groeninge Museum provides a varied overview of the history of Belgian visual art, with the top-class paintings by the world-renowned Flemish primitives as a highlight and is home to masterpieces by Flemish Primitive painters like Jan van Eyck and Hans Memling.

Gruuthusemuseum (Gruuthuse Museum)

In the museum you can journey through three crucial periods in the history of Bruges

Choco-Story: The Chocolate Museum in Bruges

The Choco-Story: The Chocolate Museum in Bruges was a welcome respite from the rain when we were in Bruges. It was interactive enough to entertain the younger kids (3-8 years old). Explore the history of chocolate making, from ancient Mayans to modern gourmet chocolatiers – honestly only went there as it was raining fairly hard and the family was not up for dealing with the rain.

Chocolate Workshop at Choco-Story Brugge

EAT/DRINK

MUST TRYS in BELGIUM

• Chocolate + Pralines: The hard part is deciding which artisan chocolatier to try
• Beer: Belgians take their beer as seriously as the French take their wine – so partake in a pint or two of Trappist / Abbey beers or Witbier or Spéciale belge or my fave a Saison (which is a farmhouse ale that originated in Belgium!) or your choice of many other well-executed brews
• Waffles: Brussels style (light/crispy) or Liège style (chewy/sweet with pearl sugar) – you can get them plain or topped with an assortment of toppings
• Moules-frites (Mussels & Fries): Especially good from July to February
• Stoofvlees (Flemish Stew): Beef slow-cooked in dark beer

Shopping & Souvenirs

• Belgian Lace – Handmade lace is a Bruges specialty.
• Chocolate – Don’t miss artisan chocolatiers like The Chocolate Line, Pierre Marcolini, Dumon, or Leonidas.
• Beer & Beer Glasses – Many stores sell gift sets with Belgian brews and custom glasses.
• Tin Tin Comics – Belgium is the birthplace of Tintin and other classic comics.

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