When considering a romantic European getaway, the thoughts of most people will likely jump to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, or the waterways of Venice.
However, in the small northern European country of Belgium lies a delightful and thoroughly romantic city with a gorgeous old town that is perfect for a lovers’ weekend break. Whisk your significant other off to Bruges for a couple of nights and you will seriously impress them with your romantic nature!
When it comes to this lovely city in Belgium, this article is not about giving you a ‘things to do in Bruges’ itinerary to race through ticking off the must-sees. I don’t believe that is the best way to experience this city. Rather, it’s better to slow down and explore the highly romantic and beautiful old town on foot (and it is truly walk-able) while gently taking in its charms at a steady pace.
Read on as we give our six reasons stating the case for Bruges as a perfect romantic destination…
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Beautifully preserved medieval architecture
The old town is packed with stunningly preserved medieval buildings, many of which look as if they were built only yesterday.
You can head to the main square (which is also the busiest part of town) to see the court house and the belfry, and do also make sure you check out the cathedral. In truth though, the buildings all over the old town area are absolutely beautiful, with many of them featuring the iconic stepped gable roof design.
The Belfort (Belfry) shown in the photo above, can be climbed for a fee, from where you can appreciate the roof lines of Bruges from another viewpoint.
Charming cobblestone streets
You can see from the photo below that many of the streets in Bruges retain their original cobbles. The old town is incredibly pedestrian friendly too, with many streets being pedestrianised or having restricted car access.
Picturesque canals and graceful swans
As if the cobbled streets and gorgeous architecture aren’t enough, the old town is also interlaced with a stunning and useful canal network, which was originally used for trade and transportation.
The presence of water languidly flowing all around you just adds to the gentle and romantic atmosphere, and the canals are home to a large population of swans, who float peacefully around the town as if encouraging the visitors to slow down to their gentle pace.
Peaceful atmosphere and a slower pace of life
Maybe it is the influence of the swans, but the atmosphere of the city’s old town just seems to encourage you to take your time and not to rush life.
It’s for this reason that this is not a ‘Things to do in Bruges’ article. This is a city that wants you to stop while crossing a bridge, just to stay and contemplate the water, or to rest awhile at one of the many many cafés to take your time over a coffee (or perhaps a Belgian beer) and indulge in a spot of people watching.
Of course, we are in no way claiming the city to be some kind of undiscovered gem, and it can get pretty busy as the day progresses, especially at the weekend. That’s why we would say that one of the very best things to do in Bruges is to get up early for a morning walk, during which you can take in the waterways as the sun rises, enjoy the abundant green spaces, and appreciate the morning quietness of those pretty cobbled streets.
Chocolate!
Ever since the Mayans and the Aztecs used cacao in rituals related to love, marriage, and fertility, chocolate has long been considered an aphrodisiac, and is associated with romance. As chocolate contains phenylethylamine, a stimulant that can improve mood and release endorphins, perhaps its reputation is well justified!
Belgium is well renowned for its fine chocolates, and Bruges has dedicated chocolate shops absolutely everywhere, which are filled with the very finest chocs that you can buy anywhere on this earth.
…and beer!
When considering a romantic getaway it is of course of paramount importance to make sure that the needs of both parties are catered to. In saying this we of course acknowledge that many women are into fine beers, and we shouldn’t stereotype!
With a huge choice of wheat beers, blonde ales, dubbels, tripels, and quadrupels, Belgian beers are among the very best in the world. Bruges will therefore be a delight for any connoisseur of fine ales. In Belgium, beer almost always comes served in its own unique glass, and some bars have so many beers that the list of offerings is presented to you in a lever arch folder!
We highly recommend a trip to the town’s lovely Halve Maan (half moon) brewery, which brews Zot and Straffe Hendrik. Here you can have a tour, a meal, or of course just a quick drink.
Where we stayed
During our long weekend in Bruges we stayed at the absolutely charming B&B 1669. Our cosy attic room with it’s free standing bath and exposed roof beams was literally directly in front of the cathedral’s tower, offering a great view out of the window.
Although there a number of hotels in Bruges, in this particular case we think that staying in a small and cosy B&B such as this is a great choice and is very much in keeping with the romantic feel of the city.
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Final thoughts
The stunning and incredibly charming old town of Bruges should be high on your list of potential destinations if you are planning a romantic treat for your partner.
As I mentioned previously in this article, the old town here is gorgeous, compact and very walk-able. It is really not suited to a typical ‘things to do in Bruges’ type of list at all, because… well, it’s just not that type of place.
The real joy of Bruges is to meander around its pretty cobbled streets without any particular plan (perhaps even without a map!) looking up at the buildings, admiring the stepped gables of the roofs, then gazing down from the bridges as swans gently bob past on the canals.
Stop at a café, watch the world go by. Take your time over a local beer (definitely take your time, as some of them are very strong!), find a boat trip and relax as you gently cruise down the canals admiring the architecture from on the water.
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We travelled to Bruges by car, having taken a ferry to Dunkirk in France. From Dunkirk it is a little over an hour’s drive, which makes it a pretty good option as part of a European road trip from the UK.
What’s it like to drive in Belgium? Well, the motorway network is excellent (in fact the country is renowned for this), and in general the roads and the standards of motorway driving here are much higher than in the UK, hence it was an easy drive from Dunkirk.
Once in Bruges it is best to leave your car in one of the underground car parks on the perimeter of the old town for the entirety of your stay, unless your accommodation has parking available of course. Most car parks near the station are around €16 for 24 hours, but bear in mind you will be able to walk to your hotel from here, and will not likely need to use taxis or public transport at all during your stay (unless of course you have specific mobility needs).
You can reach Bruges using the Eurostar in around 3hrs 45mins from London, with a change in Brussels being needed. By air you would need to fly into Brussels and either hire a car or take a train to Bruges from there.
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