Bruge and Belgium

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We’re going to go to Belgium for 7-10 days over Easter. We’re really keen to stay in Bruge for a few days, and then go somewhere else.
quetsion is - how long to stay in Bruge? Will we get bored if we stay there for 4 nights? Or should go for longer? And where to stay next? I’d like to see the big castle in Ghent, but could also stay in Brussels. I’ve also read about that huge zoo which the kids would like. Is there anywhere more countrysidey anyone would recommend to stay? Recos welcome!!

Thanis!

Ooof Bruge is 1 night 2 days max.

Go to ghent much nicer imo. Thats a 3 day trip. And better restaurant options

Do Ghent as well, easy on the train, and maybe Antwerp? Couple of nights in each place.

We found plenty to do in Bruges when we spent a few days there. It is very pretty.

I’ve been to Bruges 6 times. We go a couple of times a year. It’s out happy place. Just beautiful as we still keep discovering hidden gems. Personally wasn’t keen on Ghent. 3 nights is a good duration for Bruges.

I found 2 nights in Bruges ideal. Ghent is lovely too with more to do and an easy train ride away.

I agree Bruge is two nights max. Love Ghent.

Kortrijk is a lovely little place too. I’d definitely go there too.

I love Bruges. 3 days is a good time there's plenty to do and you can really take it easy and walk around a lot.

I personally wasn't keen on Ghent, Yes there's plenty to see and do as well about it didn't really tick all the boxes like Bruges.

How old are your children? If they are pte-teens/teens, I would definitely recommend going to the World War I museums in Peschendale and Ypres. If they are younger, you can also head to the coast.

Probably couple of nights in Bruges. Definitely recommend Ghent - we went in December and bought the city passes which gives you access to all the museums, bus/tram travel, canal boat ride and also bike hire for a day. There was a lot to see and do, lots of bars/restaurants and just a lovely place to walk around. It’s a big student city as well, which makes it feel quite vibrant.

2 nights max in Bruges. It's enough even if you are determined to see everything.

Ghent is great and full of life in a way that Bruges just isn't.

I spent 3 nights in Bruges then 3 nights in Ghent. Bruges was very picturesque and quiet.Ghent was more lively and more going on I liked both.

My dd lived in Ghent for 3 months while at uni and loved it. Some fun restaurants like De Kestart famous for spagetti and portions are huge and Balls and Glory for meatballs.

Don't forget to plan for museums being shut on Mondays.

Remembering a cold wet day in Antwerp with absolutely nothing to do.

Wouldn't that just give you one day to look around? I wouldn't find one day enough. I like to take time to explore and eat and drink.

We were there for three days and took a boat trip, looked around the brewery, climbed the church tower and visited all the museums and buildings of interest. That couldn't all be done in one day, let alone in an enjoyable way.

Elfde Gebod Cathedral
is a fun restaurant in Antwerp

Agree that Bruges is not a multi night destination so combine it with Ghent if you can. If you are driving then the coastal resorts that are all strung in a line from Ostend are nice to visit - there is a tram that runs the length of the coast. It’s not particularly beautiful (in a Cornwall sense!) but lovely wide beaches and some nice little towns to potter about with kids and have ice cream/waffles/chips etc And if you like architecture then some of the buildings are very “Wes Anderson” in style!

If you can get to Antwerp then the zoo is great if you have kids and it is right next door to the train station which is a beautiful building.

You can explore the coast as well. Belgian beaches are very under-rated, extremely clean and beautiful - albeit probably not for sunbathing and swimming at Easter.

We stayed in de Haan which is a cute seaside town about an hour from Bruges. Very cycle-friendly and you can hire bikes.

Brussels isn't that far away either and there's loads of stuff for kids there.

Took us 2 days without the brewery. By the end we never wanted to see another chocolate shop.

Thanks guys! This is so helpful.
Re Bruge - A couple of things we want to do is a river cruise, and also visit Flanders Fields, which I guess would be a day.

So maybe we should do a few days in Bruges, do the above. A few days in Ghent and then a few days in Brussels. I'd also like to go to that famous zoo which is about an hour from Ghent.

Thanks for this. Kids are 13 and 10 - war museums sound like a great shout! I'll look into this

Thanks for this reco- taking a look at Haan now too

I assume you'll be taking your car? Otherwise, if you mean the In Flanders Fileds Museum in Ypres, that's quite a distance from Bruges.

In case you're not aware, Brussels, Ghent and Antwerp are Low Emission Zones, so you'll need to register your car in advance. I don't drive so don't know much about that, but the issue has often cropped up on previous threads.

Agree that there's more to do in Ghent than in Bruges, though both are lovely. I'd definitely fit in a day or two in Antwerp if you can as it's a wonderful city and would be a good contrast to Bruges and Ghent. There's so much there: historic centre, Museum aan de Stroom (MAS), boat trip round the port area, botanic garden, pedestrian tunnel (the Sint annatunnel) under the River Scheldt to get to the Linkeroever, from where you have a view of the cityscape.

Trip on the Kusttram, the coastal tram mentioned by PP, is also worth doing.

Have a great trip. Belgium is such an underrated destination in my opinion.

I’d second a trip to the coast, the beaches are lovely -huge and clean. There’s a coastal tram that goes from De Panne on the French border to Knokke on the Dutch border.
in my experience Bruges is too small and samey for trip beyond 2 or 3 days. Ghent is a more lively studenty version of Bruges.
all lovely places, have a great trip!

We weren't planning on driving, but getting trains/cabs everywhere. I assume we'd need to get a cab to Flinders Fields

Thanks for your Antwerp reco - I might choose there over Brussels in that case :)

Thanks! really useful. So we might do two days in Bruge, 3 in Ghent and maybe 3 in Antwerp now. Based on everyones recommendations 😄

In that case, it's takes 10-15 mins to walk from the station in Ypres to the museum.
Since you'll be using trains, take a while to admire the interior of the Antwerp station building when you arrive. It's quite something.