Going to Bruges for first time ...

[A580Hojas]

Family of some older adults and some very young adults.

What should we do and more importantly where should we EAT?? Food comes high on our list of priorities.

Also I'd like to do a cycle tour as I think that's generally a great way to see a city, has anyone done a cycle tour of Bruges?

I went to Bruges earlier this year and the Airbnb we stayed in had bikes. We managed to cycle all the way to Sluis in Holland and back one day. It was a flat, easy cycle along the canal with a coffee stop in Damme en route.
I’m not sure I’d cycle right in the centre of Bruges, it was super-busy! But there is a cycle path along a ring of canal(s) around the outskirts.

Try Terra Promessa for some of the best pizzas in the city! Cambrinus gets good reviews but we were quite cramped when we ate there.
House of Waffles does amazing savoury waffles as well as sweet. They’re big so two waffles is easily a full meal.

The town centre isn’t that big that you’d need to cycle around it, though you’d get the history part I guess.

like @WindUpBird we’ve cycled out to Sluis and back via Damme. It’s flat but is about 10 miles each direction.
the tourist office will have cycle maps.
We hire bikes from here brugesbikerental.be

I also did the cycle to Sluis via Damme. Damme is pretty but I was not impressed with Sluis - very unremarkable little town (especially compared to Bruges), was very suburban and full of discount toiletries shops. I wouldn't bother going beyond Damme. The route/view is the same for the whole cycle along the canal so not much variation and going to Sluis is an extra 2 hour round trip.

You don't need a tour as it's very easy! Best place to hire bike's is Ben's bike shop. Eat at FritBar!

Also my top tip - go to Ghent for a day trip! Totally fell in love with Ghent. Like you I stayed in Bruges.

It doesn't answer either of your questions, but I'd second the recommendation to make time to visit Ghent. Totally wonderful city and easy to get to from Bruges.

I'm going to recommend the chips, omg cooked in beef fat and just heavenly. Then obviously the chocolate. We went in the winter and it was magical, very atmospheric with all the gothic architecture

We had 24h in Bruges last month with a 12 and 14yo. Cambrinus was a huge hit all round as was Lizzie's Waffles (worth the queue). Worth noting that we arrived into Bruges at 8.30pm on our first night and all the restaurants stopped serving (or even closed) at 9pm even on a Friday.

In terms of activity - boat ride and climbing the belfry were hits. Dh and I very much enjoyed our late afternoon beer in a brewery bar where the beer comes direct from the barrels.

It was a really lovely place for a short weekend - lots to do and would happily go back. I suspect that it would be rather lovely for Christmas.

We went to Bruges in August. We stayed at Hotel Navarra. It is close to main old square and has parking. Parking is at a premium in Bruges. Hotel had good help yourself buffet breakfast with both hot (English breakfast) and cold food (Continental breakfast). Pots of tea and coffee and they were happy to refill. There is an indoor swimming pool in basement. Different sized rooms. We paid £137 per night for good clean double room breakfast quite expensive at £19 each but all hotels charge similar in Bruges. There are restaurants in old town a line of them. We opted for Italian but other choices too. There is an ice cream shop and fritterie almost opposite at one corner of square. The boat rides are very good value for money. You can hire bikes and there is a city walking tour. DH dragged me on brewery tour which he loved but I found boring. You can get a horse drawn carriage ride of about 30 mins around old town for £60. We tried several chocolate shops and liked Chocolino the best. Market in old square on Saturdays. In new square train station you can hire a locker to store things you buy. They have good exhibitions too. On previous holidays there we have seen ice sculptures and sand sculptures. On previous holiday we went up a windmill and to both a diamond tour and chocolate your where they were making a giant swan in white chocolate.

I'd say food choices are good but a bit repetitive in Bruges. We were recommended somewhere and DH went and got food poisoning which spoilt his memories of the place.

However you can't move in Bruges for frites, waffles, chocolate and mussels. Plus beer.

Go to Ghent instead. Almost as pretty and a lot more fun. Bruges is a total tourist trap these days.

It is fab! You'll have a great time. I just wish I'd eaten waffles for every meal.
Those of you old enough should watch In Bruges on the plane!

So many amazing places to eat. I love the fondue place just off the square. Just go onto trip advisor. It's really quirky, lots of undergrowth music and beer bars.

Enjoy. It's one of my very favourite places

Bruges is pretty rubbish food wise. Chips and waffles fine but it didn’t seem to have restaurants with anything great either in terms of ambience or food.
Yes watch the film.
Bruges is small and touristy and definitely one of those places that are what you make it.

You are definitely not in the right places. Some amazing food to be had. Stick to the side streets

I really enjoyed the little lace museum, its teeny and quite far from the centre, but was nice to see.
You can pick up little antique gifts there too, I have a beautiful needle minder from there.

Haha In Bruges was my eurostar research 🙂

Watching In Bruges before you go definitely enhances the experience.

The Dali museum was very good, lots of line drawings and not the Dali you think you know

Go and see one of the free harp concerts by Luc Vanlaere - he does a couple every day. Google it - it was one of the quirky highlights of our trip there! Just rock up and no fee (but opportunity give a donation at the end).

@maddy68 We are seasoned travellers and know to eat away from the tourist places, eat where the locals do et etc. Whilst I’m sure there must be one or two amazing places it’s definitely more Dutch than French in its approach to food.

'Where the locals eat' is where DH got food poisoning!

Have seen OP's request about a cycle tour - I think Bruges is not the place. Everywhere is cobbled and it is crazy busy. There are just so many tourists wherever you look, and most of them are taking photos rather than looking where they are going.