Weekend in Bruges

[Squishedpickle]

Hello,
My very lovely family are sending me to Bruges for a weekend of alone time travel and I am after your top tips please for places to stay, things to do and places to eat.

I'm travelling alone (bliss), have three nights and would love to explore some of the lesser known areas as well as the touristy spots.

Any ideas?

The Dali museum is cool - lots of line drawings and a bit unlike Dali as you think you know him. A wander over the bridges, stopping for a hot chocolate and waffles is nice.

Beer Museum just off the square.

Oud restaurant is also fabulous. Their stew is amazing.

We stayed at the Navarra and it was great.

A trip round the Halve Maan brewery. There's the Kantcentrum for lace on Balstraat, and St. Salvator's cathedral for the most amazing brickwork.

Top tip: the restaurants and bars on the Market are much more expensive than those in streets behind.

If you have time read Niccolo Rising by Dorothy Dunnett before you go. It's set in Bruges in the 1400s. I've been wanting to visit Bruges ever since I read it.

By the same token, don't watch In Bruges. You'll not want waffles ever again. Nor is it swarming with gangsters, dwarves and hookers.

Or do watch In Bruges because it’s hilarious and poignant. It made me want to go to Bruges and climb the tower

The Apprentice went one year for one of their 'challenges' might've been last years. Anyway it may be on Youtube.

@ ChiefClerkDrumknott
The top of the Belfort is nothing like what's shown in the film. It's quite a small room with thickly meshed windows.

If you go to the tourist information centre on the main square they have booklet with the main sites of the In Bruges film they are quite near together and its the really scenic locations they used obviously.

Thanks for the tips.

@DisgraceToTheYChromosome Ah that’s a shame. Guess there’s no chance of finding Colin Farrell waiting for me, either 😭

We recently went in December. Stayed at the Alegria, very nice.
We climbed to the top of the Belfort, it's very steep (obviously) and very windy and the top. There's little rooms on the way up if you need a breather though. I think they only let 50 people in at a time but the queue goes down quickly.

We walked the city perimeter which is a nice walk and there's a few windmills on the way around. It's a very walkable city.

Lots of shops, both tourist souvenirs and normal clothes etc.
Waffles 💕. Chips and mayo 💕 Chocolate!

The market to buy the fried potatoes off the chicken rotisserie vans!!

Go to the Heronymous Bosch Museum!
Drink lots of delicious Belgian beer in lovely flavours
eat lots of incredible chocolate
wander around stopping for a coffee / beer / people watching any time you fancy it.

Sounds FAB

There will certainly be a lot wandering round with no particular plan, destination or 62 bags of equipment for the child! Thank you for all the tips, I am SO excited