At a glance
- Bruges is best early in the morning or with an overnight stay.
- Ghent’s fortress and canals are especially striking at night.
- You can visit both cities on separate day trips from Brussels.
- The tourism offices list a 20-minute walk from Bruges station and a 15-minute walk from Ghent-Dampoort station to their respective old towns. These are station-to-old-town access times, not time allowances for sightseeing walks, and they exclude travel between stations and train waits. Allow separate time for the round-trip access in your day’s schedule. Do not apply the same 15-minute walk to Ghent-Sint-Pieters station.
Day by day
Suggested itinerary
See each day's route, highlights, background and stay together in one place.
In Bruges, plan on the Markt and a canal walk. Add the Belfry as your one paid highlight only if its official visiting hours work for your schedule.
In Ghent, combine a walk along Graslei with Gravensteen. Visit Saint Bavo’s Cathedral if its opening hours leave time. After the evening views, aim for a return train earlier than the last one.
History and context
Bruges and Ghent preserve traces of medieval textile trade and commercial prosperity in their squares and canals.
As Bruges fell away from modern trade routes, it ended up preserving much of its medieval cityscape.
Places and meals
The central square for a walk around Bruges.
Google MapsSee the city views and a symbol of its medieval commercial past.
Google MapsGhent’s medieval fortress is a great way to take in the cityscape.
Google MapsThe heart of Ghent’s canal walks and night views.
Google MapsFood and restaurants
- Enjoy fries, waffles, and chocolate as snacks, and visit a beer pub in the evening.
- Bruges’ center can be pricey, so save a few restaurants tucked away on side streets too.
A good place to pair Bruges beer with a meal.
Bruges Google MapsA good stop for a waffle snack.
Bruges Google MapsA good option for a meal in central Ghent.
Ghent Google MapsHow to fit it in
If you have just one day while passing through Brussels, choose Bruges. With two days, split them between Bruges and Ghent.
Reality check
When searching SNCB from Brussels, use Brugge as your destination station. Visit Bruges lists a 20-minute walk from the station to the Markt. Ghent has two different stations: Gent-Sint-Pieters and Gent-Dampoort. For a straightforward walk to the old town, search for Gent-Dampoort, including any transfers, then follow Visit Gent’s official guidance for the 15-minute walk. If you arrive at Sint-Pieters, use De Lijn to find a tram or alternative to Korenmarkt or Koophandelsplein for that day; don’t board based only on the tram number shown in front of the station. Save the return journey from the station you actually arrived at to your accommodation’s station.
Bruges is at its best in the morning or at night, when the crowds have thinned, so your schedule will change considerably depending on whether you stay overnight.
Spending on snacks like chocolate, waffles, and beer can quietly add up. Look at places on side streets as well as restaurants right on the square.
Some canal-side paths are cobbled and have no railings. Watch your step when taking photos, and keep a close eye on your belongings around the train station.
If plans change
Explore the Beguinage or the windmill route in Bruges, or walk along Ghent’s canals to get a sense of how the waterways shape each city.
Don’t force both cities into one day. Stay in the city you’re already in, see the evening views, and then head back.
Small tip
Bruges is much better in the morning and at night, after the day-trippers have left.
Final check before departure
- Check return trains and service updates with Belgium’s national railway (SNCB).
- Choose one place to book: the Belfry or the castle.
- Save a target train one departure before the last return train.
Opening hours and reservations for the Bruges Belfry, canal boats, and Ghent’s castle vary by date and weather. If you visit both cities in one day, choose just one paid highlight.
Information checked: 2026-07-18