A perfect self-guided Bruges walking tour to take in the best scenery

European city breaks that are accessible by train are an ideal way to escape the UK for a change of scenery and culture. On a self-imposed year off flying we decided to explore the UK and also take short hops across the English Channel. One of the destinations we chose was the gorgeous city of Bruges in Belgium. With a compact city centre making it a great walking destination, I planned a perfect self-guided Bruges walking tour to take in the best scenery.

I say planned. That’s not exactly true. There were places I wanted to see for sure, but we meandered on a route that managed to capture most of these in one day, with plenty of stops along the way. In preparation for the trip, instead of buying a guide book, we watched the movie ‘In Bruges’. Surely, this would tell me everything I need to know about the city? Despite its sometimes dark and hilarious take on Bruges, ‘In Bruges’ confirmed to me in no uncertain terms that this was a beautiful city, despite the lead character Ray being less than impressed. I also contacted the Bruges tourist office who kindly sent an information pack with information about the city including maps.

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A compact medieval city

The good thing about Bruges, and one of the main selling points for this trip, was that it’s a reasonably small city. This means that you can walk everywhere. No need to figure out how you are going to get from one place to the next. Just use your legs. The historic city centre (which is a listed UNESCO World Heritage site) sits within the main ring road of the city, has mostly cobbled narrow streets and is fairly easy to navigate. By that, I mean that if you get lost, just look for one of the main landmarks and head back towards it.

We stayed at the GRAND HOTEL CASSELBERGH, a beautiful hotel located just 150 metres from the central market square (Grote Markt) – a perfect place to be based. From here, we walked. And walked. And walked. Bruges did not disappoint. The city is absolutely and breathtakingly beautiful. Almost every building, every narrow cobbled street and every bridge over the network of canals is gorgeous and a delight to see and photograph.

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A self-guided Bruges walking tour

Bridges and iconic Bruges scenery

Stepping out of the hotel [A] and turning right, unexpected moments of sunshine were casting their beams down the narrow streets creating a nice light against the buildings. Heading down Meestraat and crossing the Meestraat Bridge [B] behind the hotel provided some fantastic views of the rear of the buildings that are located on the Burg Square on the banks of the Groenerei canal.

Turning right from the bridge to walk along the Groenerei canal along Steenhouwersdijk leads to a gorgeous little square called Huidenvettersplein [C] , with a collection of quirky historic buildings, many of them now housing restaurants and cafes. In the warmer months, Huidenvettersplein is a buzzing hive of activity with outdoor seating taking up much of the space.

Continuing through the small square, the cobbled street leads back to the banks of the Dijver canal at Rosenhoedkaai [D] to one of the iconic and most photographed scenes in the city. The viewpoint across the canal from the intersection takes in large tree who’s branches cascade over the water, with a stunning backdrop of the historic buildings of Bruges including the Belfort tower above everything else.

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Canalside walks and brewery tours

Heading in a south westerly direction leads onto Dijver, where the promenade along the river widens to an avenue of trees and benches – the perfect spot to admire the historic details of the buildings on the opposite side of the canal. On the opposite side of the Dijver away from the water, there are number of openings leading down narrow side streets. A little look down Groeninge [E] felt like a snapshot of a moment hundreds of years before. The weathered buildings showing their age, but remaining stunning in their architectural style

To the right of Groeninge, an archway in a brick wall leads into Arentshof, the gardens of the 18^th century building housing the Arentshuis art museum. The pathways through the gardens lead to one of the prettiest bridges in Bruges – the Bonifacius Bridge [F]. The early 20^th century pedestrian bridge crosses the canal into the grounds of the imposing Church of Our Lady Bruges. Trying to capture a shot of the bridge without a number of people is a mean feat but a little patience always wins through.

Crossing the Bonifacius Bridge and looking back, the rear of the Bonifacious Guesthouse sitting on the bank of the canal captures the essence of the architecture of the city perfectly. It looks so Bruges. Aged brickwork contrasting with dark wood panelling around the small leaded windows, the 16^th century building is a stunning reminder of the medieval beauty of the city. Definitely in the running for our next visit’s accommodation option.

At this point it’s worth paying a visit to the Church of our Lady Bruges, before continuing south on Mariastraat. The Mariaburg bridge crossing the canal provides another iconic Bruges walking tour photo opportunity. St. Janshospitaal set aside the water is one of the oldest preserved hospital buildings in Europe and now houses a museum.

Mariastraat leads onto Katelijnestraat. The area to the right features a collection of narrow cobbled streets and alleyways that should be explored leading to the De Halve Maan Brewery – a recommended stop in the area. The pretty cobbled street of Walstraat leads to a small square called Walpein [G] . There are cute boutique shops and cafes with outdoor seating where you can enjoy a cold beer while watching horses and carts passing by, carrying tourists around the area.

Seeing incredible Flemish architecture from a Bruges walking tour

Before continuing on from the this part of the self-guided Bruges walking tour, there’s the opportunity to take a brewery tour at the De Halve Maan Brewery, or wander a little further and visit the stunning Begijnhof, a 13^th century convent garden. Heading back north from this area along, retracing footsteps along Mariastraat, there’s another lovely scenic spot that feels like a step back in time. The Gruuthuse Hof Cafe [H] sits on an intersection between Mariastraat and Heilige-Geeststraat just north of the Church of Our Lady Bruges. A beautiful red brick building built in a traditional Flemish style, it sits beautifully between the cobbled streets that surround it.

From here, heading north on Mariastraat leads to Simon Stevinplein square and onto Steenstraat, the more commercial part of Bruges where the streets are lined with stores and cafes. Turning right onto Steenstraat provides the opportunity for the retail therapy if that’s your thing. This street leads back towards the heart of the old city, arriving at the main hub of Bruges – the Grote Markt [I] . A large and bustling plaza flanked by fantastic buildings in each direction, Grote Markt is a popular spot in the city.

To the south stands the 12th century Belfort dominating the square at 85 meters high. To the north, a row of traditional and colourful Flemish houses, now a collection of bars and restaurants offering great views out onto the square and the Belfort. There’s a vibrant atmosphere in the plaza, but for authenticity when choosing cafes and restaurants, it’s worthwhile choosing some spots away from the square.

Continuing along from Grote Markt, the final stretch of this Bruges walking tour leads back along Breidalstraat and onto Burg Square [J], with the gothic City Hall building dominating the space. The ornate Basilica of the Holy Blood is also located here, and the square hosts a number of festivals and events throughout the year. A short walk from Burg Square leads back to the Grand Hotel Casselbergh, where the loop is complete.

A Bruges walking tour by night

The buildings are stunning by day, but at night the city really shows its charm. The floodlit buildings and the reflections on the canals capture the full detail in all its glory. The city streets are also fairly quiet in the evenings in comparison to the day time. Grote Markt, completely crowded on a Saturday afternoon, was practically deserted in the evening making it a much more pleasant experience to stroll the streets. The city felt like a safe place to wander at night too.

We found this a great route to capture the essence of Bruges and see some of the more scenic spots. In truth, the city centre is compact and beautiful enough that any route taken would be equally rewarding. We experienced a number of attractions, visited many historical buildings and sampled far too much beer – all of which is covered in another post, linked below.

READ ABOUT MY TOP THINGS TO DO ON A BRUGES CITY BREAK

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RELATED CONTENT

If your planning to visit Bruges or other cities with a Flemish influence, the posts below may be of interest.

Stay at the GRAND HOTEL CASSELBERGH: A GREAT PLACE TO EXPLORE BRUGES

Looking to visit north east France? THINGS TO DO IN LILLE ON A WINTER WEEKEND BREAK

TRAVELLING BY EUROSTAR: TIPS TO UPGRADE AND ENHANCE THE EXPERIENCE

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