We visited Bruges for a 1 day trip during our grand European adventure over the summer. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but what a charming city! Bruges is full of medieval architecture that has been wonderfully preserved. It is easily accessible by public transport and is a fully walkable city, making it the perfect destination for a day trip! The kids loved it – honestly, part of that was the slow pace we took that day. They loved just immersing themselves in the city and walking around, sampling the snacks! Here’s what we did for our day trip to Bruges with the kids…
Perfect 1 Day in Bruges Itinerary with Kids
We were staying in Brussels and took the train to Bruges for the day. The round trip First Class tickets were a bargain compared to our other train travel! The train ride from Brussels was 45 minutes- just enough time to read a few books, have a snack, and then we were there. The train had seats facing each other with a table in the middle, which was perfect for me and the 3 kids. It’s a quick walk from the train station in Bruges over to the main town center.
A walkable city
Bruges is an entirely walkable city, though the cobblestones do make it difficult in some parts if you have a stroller or wheelchair. I would not call it an accessible city because of the cobblestones. We had a stroller with us for the day, but the cobblestones were difficult to get around on and my 2 year old said the road was “bumpy” in the stroller.
A highlight of our day in Bruges was the canal boat ride. We learned a little bit of history of Bruges, marveled at the medieval stonework on the bridges, and had some beautiful views of the water and swans. We were able to walk up and get on a boat within the half hour, but I would assume that it’s a longer wait when the city is busier. (We were in Bruges at the end of June, so the school summer holidays had not quite started yet.)
Lunch in Bruges
Restaurant reservations are not required for lunch, but we found that many restaurants asked if we had a reservation and then didn’t have room for us. We ended up eating at a very cute restaurant that had an outdoor table available. (Many of the restaurants have outdoor tables in the center, even though the restaurants are around the square.) If you’re going at a busy time, definitely choose a restaurant and make a reservation, especially if you have a large party with you.
What to know about visiting Bruges with Kids
Bruges is a beautiful place with so much history to marvel at! We were there with young children, so we didn’t go into the places we normally would if we were traveling with just adults. The older kids were interested in climbing the Belfry, but I didn’t think my 2 year old could do it. (And I didn’t think I could carry her up and down while supporting my other two at the same time.) It’s a lot of steps!
There is a museum to visit, which we also didn’t do – again, we had just a few adults and 5 young children with us – and we had just finished a few days in a row of museums. We mostly walked around the city, enjoyed the scenery, and sampled the local cuisine. We tried the waffles, got some chocolate from a couple of different shops, watched the many horse-and-buggy rides going by, and generally just enjoyed the vibe and views of Bruges. The kids thoroughly enjoyed the day, mostly because of the many snacks and the boat ride. I would definitely go back – it was just a beautiful city unlike other places I’ve been!
Interested in other European cities? Or other trips we’ve taken with our kids?
