Brasserie De Halve Maan
What to order: the Flemish stew made with Brugse Zot Dubbel, or the Zeeland mussels
Kitchen every day from 12:00 to 15:00 · Thursday to Saturday also from 18:00 to 21:00
geocalia
Day itinerary · 51.21° N · 3.22° E
Bruges in a day, an hour by train from Brussels.
The belfry before the queues, the boat on the canals, lunch and a visit at the De Halve Maan brewery and the beguinage with the Minnewater. By train, an hour from Brussels.
Leaving from
Direct flight to Bruselas fromBarcelona 2 hBilbao 2 hAsturias 2 h 15Alicante 2 h 30Madrid 2 h 30Valencia 2 h 30Málaga 3 hSevilla 3 hFuerteventura 4 h 30Lanzarote 4 h 30
Part of BrugesBeers of Belgium
Add to my trip
Total time10 h
By car1 h 15 each way
From BrusselsTrain · about 1 h
WalkingAbout 8 km
DifficultyEasy
Cost€70–110 pp
BookingBelfry slot and brewery tour
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave Brussels 1 h by train
from Bruxelles-Central or Midi; in Bruges, bus 1 or 2 to the centre
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1
The Markt and the climb up the belfry (Belfort)
early slot booked with Musea Brugge · 366 steps
- 3 min on foot
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2
Basilica of the Holy Blood, on the Burg square
free; museum €5
- 5 min on foot
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3
Boat trip along the canals of Bruges
Rozenhoedkaai landing stage · 30 min · €15
- 10 min on foot
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4
Brasserie De Halve Maan
kitchen open 12:00 to 15:00 every day · no booking
Walplein 26, 8000 Brujas · +32 50 44 42 22
Restaurant €€Book - 1 min on foot
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5
De Halve Maan brewery tour, with Brugse Zot
45-min tour with a beer · €16 · book online
+32 50 44 42 22
- 5 min on foot
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6
The béguinage (Begijnhof) and the Minnewater
the béguinage and the lake, on the way to the station
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Back home 1 h by train
from Bruges station, ten minutes' walk from the Minnewater
Approximate cost
About €35–50 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
The Markt and the climb up the belfry (Belfort)
Bruges is the classic day trip from Brussels: about an hour by train, three trains an hour, and a medieval centre you can cover entirely on foot. This plan climbs the belfry first thing, before the queues, fits in the boat before most groups arrive and devotes the afternoon to the De Halve Maan brewery, finishing at the beguinage, which is on the way to the station.
The day, hour by hour
8:00 · Train to Bruges. From Bruxelles-Central or Midi, about an hour. At the station, buses 1 and 2 drop you in the centre in a few minutes.
9:30 · The Markt and the belfry. With the first-thing slot bought on the Musea Brugge website: 366 steps to the carillon and the view over the rooftops.
10:45 · The Basilica of the Holy Blood. On the Burg square, two minutes away. The chapel is free.
11:30 · Boat on the canals. Half an hour from the Rozenhoedkaai, €15 for adults and €9 for ages 4 to 11; the ticket is bought at the landing stage.
12:45 · Lunch at the Brasserie De Halve Maan. On the Walplein: stew with Brugse Zot or mussels, with a terrace among the brewing kettles. No booking.
14:15 · Brewery tour. In the same building, 45 minutes with a guide and a beer, for €16. Book the time on its website.
15:30 · The beguinage and the Minnewater. White houses, lawns and swans, five minutes away. From here the station is ten minutes away.
17:00 · Train back. In Brussels around half past six.
Is it for me?
If it is your first time in Bruges, yes. With children, swap the brewery for the windmills on the rampart. If you can, stay one night: Bruges at night is something else.
Time1 h
Change the route
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
t Brugs Beertje
What to order: ask for advice at the bar and try one of the draught beers, which change
Opens at 16:00 · closed on Wednesdays
Cambrinus
What to order: the Flemish beer stew with chips, and a beer from the list to go with it
Open every day from 11:00 to 22:00 · walk-ins welcome
De Vlaamsche Pot
What to order: the beef stew (stoofvlees), the dish the house is proudest of
Wednesday to Friday from 17:30 · Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 · over-14s only
Tante Marie, in Damme
What to order: the house shrimp croquettes at lunchtime, and for dessert a pancake with their jam or the cake of the day
Open 10:00 to 18:00 · kitchen 11:30 to 17:45 · closed on Saturdays
Bistro Bruut
What to order: the dinner menu, nine small dishes, with the wine pairing if you're not driving
Monday to Friday from 12:00 to 14:00 and from 19:00 to 21:00 · booking with a €135 per person deposit
Takeaway and markets
The Chocolate Line, Bruges · Simon Stevinplein, five minutes from the Markt
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Bruges
All year. On weekdays there are fewer people than on Saturday. From April to October the belfry is open until 20:00 and the boats leave more often; in winter it gets dark at five.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Book the belfry
It is the only thing with a long queue.
- 2Comfortable shoes
Between cobbles and stairs you walk about eight kilometres.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does the trip to Bruges from Brussels cost?
With the train, belfry, boat, lunch and brewery, between €70 and €110 per person.
Is there time to see Bruges in a day?
The essentials, yes, setting out at eight.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/belgium/bruges/itineraries/bruges-belfry-boat-and-brewery
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.