City break Bruges - can't figure out covid restrictions

[KinderWild]

Hi - I've booked a 4 day break to Bruges in April half term for me, DH, DS1 (6) and DS2 (0).
I booked and then checked the entry requirements (yes I know). They seem really tight. Point 3 of the restrictions seems to be our issue -
If you’re fully vaccinated, you can enter Belgium from the UK if you

1. Complete a Passenger Locator Form (PLF), unless you fall under a very limited list of exemptions listed on the Belgian government website (under the Transport and International section)
2. Do a pre-departure test. This can be a rapid antigen test (lateral flow test) either the day before arrival or the day of arrival or PCR test no more than 72 hours before you arrive in Belgium. This test must be negative
3. Take a PCR test on day 1 after arrival and quarantine until you receive a negative result
4. Take a further PCR test on day 7 after arrival

Am I reading it right that we will need to quarantine in our hotel from the day after we travel until we get a result.

So we could end up travelling a long way to wait in a hotel room for 1-3 days (no idea how long it'll take to get a result) and then come home, essentially not seeing Bruges at all. Even if we are negative.

I was prepared to take the risk of us testing positive but this doesn't seem worth trying at all.

Looking at this as well (for a slightly earlier break) and, yup, that's the rules at the moment, with the quarantine thing effectively making short breaks impossible. We can only hope that they change before then, in line with what's happening elsewhere in Europe. I'm planning to wait a couple of weeks longer and then divert to France if nothing has changed.

Remember you also currently need a covid safe pass for bars and restaurants - even to sit outside. The rules may well change again before April. How are you travelling to Belgium?

Yes you are right about the quarantine unless you are staying less than 48 hours. We have a family party at the end of April and the logistics are a nightmare.

Thank you. It's not great news but its helpful to have this conversation, while we can still do something about the booking.

@MissAmbrosia I hadn't even clocked the requirements for restaurants. Thank you. We would be travelling by Eurostar so staying on train direct to Brussels and then changing to a local service.

Can you stay less than 48 hours? Pop into France for example

You can get tested upon arrival at Gare du Midi - the test centre is across the road - and then go on to your hotel. From friends, I think you get the test results back quite quickly. I'll check to see who's done one recently...

Can you look at paying for a rapid test? Here you can get PCRs that give results in 1-4 hours or so - you pay for it but then at least you’d be able to go out and enjoy your holiday.

It seems likely that the restrictions will change between now and April in many places though.