Four Days in Belgium: Ghent and Bruges

Hi! Happy Belated Easter! I hope you all had the best Easter and were able to spend some quality time with your loved ones. I didn’t have the traditional Easter celebration with the fam this year but I must say, this weekend was a great one! Rob and I road tripped three hours to visit Ghent and Brugge, two of the cutest cities in Belgium.

Ghent and Bruges, Belgium

This weekend I learned that there is a long history of rivalry between Ghent and Bruges. I personally found the two very similar to each other but found Ghent to have a little more of a charm feel to it. When we visited Bruges on Sunday it was extremely crowded with so many people that it was a little overwhelming at times. I think that could have been because of the holiday, therefore many tourists were out and about. Overall, I highly recommend visiting both cities. They are a short 40 minute drive or train ride away from each other and are both a must see. Below you can find a few of my favorite things we did in each city!

West Flanders Provincial Court in Bruges

– Ghent, Belgium  – 

We stayed at the Ghent River Hotel and don’t think we could’ve picked a better hotel in regards to the price and location. Ghent is pretty walkable overall, but I loved how our hotel was only a five minute walk to many restaurants, bars, shops and attractions.

Tour Gravensteen Castle

We visited the Gravensteen, a medieval castle on Saturday morning. I would recommend to anyone planning to tour the castle to arrive early because the line to enter was long as we were leaving. Rob and I did the audio tour and had a great time. The audio tour guide was very entertaining. We enjoyed learning about all the crazy history that took place in the castle. There is even an eerie torture area with some of the “equipment” still showcased- scary!

Cruise The Canals
There are many companies that offer boat tours through the canals. We just walked up to one of the boat stands and asked for an English tour and only had to wait 10 minutes. The tour was 50 minutes long and was only 12 euros for the both of us. It was beautiful to be able to see the city by water and to learn more about Ghent’s history from the tour guide.

Have A Beer at Dulle Griet
We stopped by Dulle Griet Friday night and had so much fun. They’re known for their large beer selection [about 500 different beers] and their infamous “Max Beer”. Rob completed the challenge while I enjoyed a yummy, significantly smaller, Belgium beer. The max beer comes on a stand in a large, fancy glass. When you order the beer you are required to take off one shoe as a security deposit. Your shoe is then put into a basket which is then hoisted up to the ceiling. They ring a bell every time someone orders the max beer. Apparently people were stealing the beer glass, therefore they came up with this unique way of avoiding stolen glasses.

View of the Gravensteen Castle from a boat tour

View of Ghent from the Gravensteen Castle

Ghent from boat tour view

Belfry Tower in Ghent

– Bruges, Belgium –

We drove about 40 minutes on Sunday to spend the day in Bruges. I am so happy we decided to make a visit because Bruges was beautiful. I wasn't sure how the city would be on a holiday, since living in Germany I have become used to businesses not being open on Sunday's, let alone Easter Sunday. Wow, was I wrong. The city of Bruges was extra lively Easter Sunday. There were hundreds of walking tour groups, all the shops and restaurants were open, as well as the churches and museums.

Visit the Market Square
The beautiful architectural buildings in Bruges may have been my favorite part! I have always seen amazing photos of the market and it was even better in real life. All of the different colors, the design, the landmarks, several cafes to sit and enjoy a Belgium beer, frites [french fries], and to people watch, it was perfect.

Market Square in Bruges

See the Basilica of the Holy Blood
This church allegedly holds a vial with the blood of Christ. We didn't have a chance to see it but we were fortunate enough to tour the inside of the basilica. The architecture and interior was incredible.  It was such a calming experience to be able to sit in the church and take in all of the history, paintings and stained windows.

Eat Chez Albert Waffles
I mean I am obsessed with these waffles. They are well worth the long line. They make them fresh in front of you and you can choose your toppings. I am already missing those waffles.

Enjoy Pergola Kaffee
Oh my goodness, this place had the cutest lounge area I have ever been to. If you ever find yourself in Bruges on a beautiful day, you need to visit this terrace. We sat here for at least two hours enjoying the beautiful views of the city, the canal and the landscape at Pergola Kaffee.

A Chez Albert Waffle in Bruges

Pergola Kaffee Outdoor Terrace

Our time in Bruges was pretty short and with a very busy city it was difficult to get to everything. There are so many more things I would like to do in both Ghent and Bruges! I will definitely be making a visit to these two cities again very soon.

Until next time,
Tor