One day in any city is a tough call – there’s so much to see, do and eat how can you squeeze it all in?  The answer is you don’t.  Consider the “one day only” visit an appetizer to the city which may (or may not) tempt you to return.  For those visiting via a cruise ship port at Zeebrugge, there’s often a plethora of ship tours (expensive), private tours (more flexible and often less expensive) and the do it yourself version. Bruges (or Brugge) is a magical cobblestone city with a famous bell tower (Bruges Belfry), a plethora of chocolate shops in Bruges along with beer, chocolate and friet (French fries) museums.  Add in a Bruges canal boat tour, shopping options, churches, walking tours and the famous horse drawn carriage tours and your options and mind are on overload.

So I would suggest choosing two “must do” attractions, add in one awesome lunch and a few snacks along the way (and to bring home) to enjoy the city at a leisurely pace. Any time left over is a bonus to explore or enjoy the view along the canal.

Bruges What to Do in One Day

Most tourists will enter from the canal side of the main street and cross over the small bridge to walk along the street filled with chocolate, cookies, waffles and other souvenir shops.  If you continue to walk straight for about five minutes you’ll arrive in the market square with the Bruges Belfry on your left.  You’ll also see a French fry food truck selling very expensive fries – I’d go elsewhere for much less to be honest as they have “tourist prices”. There are many quirky museums in the city (one for lamps!) along with churches and art museums, etc.  Below are top attractions for most visitors, especially “check the box” visitors.

• Bruges Belfry (allow 2-3 hours to visit the Belfort) entrance is controlled and limited so you need to wait for someone to exit before a visitor is allowed to enter.  The lines will look scary but the lobby is small so allot about an hour in line (if the line is on the courtyard stairs) and another hour to visit/climb.  Wear flat comfortable shoes and be ready to climb winding stairs of various materials (marble, wood, concrete, etc.) in very tight spaces.  Its 366 steps up and 366 steps down.
• Bruges Canal Boat Tour (allow 1.5 hours) – the cruise is 30 minutes but the wait can be up to an hour in the hot sun.  You might want to go a bit further into the city to find another boarding location with less of a wait.
• Bruges Friet Museum (allow 1 hour – 1.5 if you visit the café for fresh friets) – this quirky museum celebrates the potato and the magnificent creation by the Belgians – the Belgian Friet.  Incorrectly named French Fries you can learn the history in this restored church building. The displays are low tech but quite interesting.
• Choco-Story in Bruges (allow 2 hours, longer if you don’t hit the chocolate demonstration times right) – Created by the folks behind the Friet Museum (you can buy a combo ticket to visit both in the same day), this lovely museum walks you through the history of chocolate and Belgian chocolate with low tech museum displays, a short film, chocolate art and a chocolate demonstration with samples.

• Chocolate Shops in Bruges (time will vary) – there are close to 90, yes 90! Chocolate shops in the small city.  Talk about catering to tourists.  Any flavor you can think of, you can find.  Any single origin country bar you want, you can find it.  If you want chocolate shaped like animals, they have it, chocolate shaped in naughty ways, they have it, chocolate bars, breakaway, ice cream, popsicles, fudge, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate – you’ll find it. Go experiment and buy chocolate in a few places to sample the different types. They also have sugar free chocolate and lactose free chocolate. If traveling, some shops will offer cool bags (added fee).
• Bruges Beer Museum – The Beer Museum is centrally located on the Market Square.  The museum offers a variety of Belgian beer (over 10 brands) to enjoy at the bar.  The tour is easy to follow and if you love beer or are keen to learn more about the process, this is an interesting option.
• Walking Tour of Bruges – Legends Tours offers free walking tours of Bruges daily (please tip as that’s how they earn their living) as well as chocolate and beer tours (not free – prices on website to book).  I wandered on my own aimlessly because I didn’t know about the free walking tours (next time!)
• Horse Drawn Carriage Tours – to be honest, these carriage rides will fly past you as the horses are galloping through the city at a quick pace so don’t expect these to be leisurely.  They are also expensive so you mileage may vary on whether this is a good deal and unique experience.

(Not Chocolate) Desserts in Bruges

• Bruges Donut Shop – Hill’s Donuts is an alternative to the chocolate shops – channel your inner Homer Simpson and you won’t be able to pick just one – there are so many choices –
• Ice Cream & Cake – in the main market square, the small chocolate shop by Pierre Marcolini, one of my favorite chocolatiers, offers ice cream as well as gorgeous chocolate cakes that are works of art that are almost too pretty to eat.
• Juliette Biscuit (Cookie) Shop – This bespoke cookie shop caught my eye on the main street (on the right) as I walked toward the market square. In a town of chocolate, cookies get to be a unique option.  Named for the owner’s daughter, the shop sells pre-packaged as well as loose (pick your own) cookies.  A nice change from chocolate and make great gifts (if you can resist eating them on the way back to the ship or on the ship).  I opted to pick my cookies which are priced by weight.

• Belgian Waffles – the history is funny that the “Brussels waffle” introduced at the World’s Fair had a name change to “Belgian waffle” because Americans didn’t know where Brussels was (geez first we get the fries wrong and now the waffles – sorry Belgium!).  There are two kinds of waffles – the Belgian waffle and the Liege waffle which is like a crunchy donut with powdered sugar.  Normally, you would eat as “takeaway” street food with your hands but you probably expect ice cream and over the top toppings so don’t worry, they’ve adapted for your tastes.  The main street has the “House of Waffles” which is popular with both a sit down restaurant and a takeout window.
• Tarteline has the prettiest cakes if you want to have a tea time break or hot chocolate!
• St. Paulus Bakery was my go to for croissants and pain au chocolat.

Where to Eat Lunch in Bruges (or Dinner)

As you can imagine, there are a plethora of food options in the city and while I’d love to eat chocolate all day long, I needed real food and protein.  The market square will have great views but be mindful of the prices. You may want to wander a few minutes away from the market square to find small cafes along the canals and with outdoor seating.  Here’s where I ate during my time in Bruges

• De Gastro is a Belgian restaurant which had a set lunch menu (3 courses – starter – entrée – dessert) for a reasonable price as well as an ala cart menu that has enough choice to satisfy most. I chose the soup, ½ roast chicken, choice of salad/fries and dessert/coffee.   The other option was pasta Bolognese.  T My dessert?  Chocolate Mousse of course!
• Eekhoetje Tea Room (no website) has a good selection of sandwiches and salads as well as desserts.  They were so kind to let me be the last guest as they were closing soon.   I ordered a simple toasted sandwich and a custard tart topped with raspberries.
• Amuni was fantastic for Italian food – they call Slow Food. The contemporary designed restaurant will make you forget you are in Bruges – there are a few areas to enjoy your meal – the bar, courtyard both inside and outside as well as a large dining room. While tempted by the pizza, I chose the pasta and bread basket along with a glass of red and of course dessert!
• El Churrasco Argentino (no website) had a crowd inside and out each time I passed by.  I went early enough that no reservation was needed and enjoyed friendly service along with a yummy steak, bread basket and many dipping options, a glass of red and dessert. As a solo diner, I was welcomed and the staff was attentive throughout my meal. At no time was I rushed out of my booth despite folks waiting to get in and that was much appreciated.
• Blackbird is a pretty restaurant, it’s almost romantic and definitely social media design friendly.  I visited for breakfast but didn’t stay as I didn’t like the set breakfast menu – I just wanted an ala carte breakfast.  The concierge said it was a wonderful restaurant, hopefully I can try next time for lunch where there’s more flexibility in food choice.

Final Thoughts Zeebrugge – One Day in Bruges, Belgium

One Day in Bruges is a wonderful time to explore this charming city during a cruise stop in Zeebrugge, a day trip from Ghent (Gent) or Brussels or a short drive from wherever you may be.  I’ve heard it called “the Disneyland of Belgium” because of the tourists influx, packing canal boats and cafes, etc.  but who cares really?  I love Disney and the magic that it creates even for a short time to escape the daily drama of life. That said, there are small streets to get lost in and a nice wander through the city to quiet parts where you can enjoy the architecture, pick up a sandwich and sit along the canal and just be. You can’t do that in any Disney park!  Be mindful that depending on the time of year, the city may be packed with cruise tourists just like you – it’s a small town so be patient – eat some chocolate, drink some beer and remember you are on vacation so just enjoy the time.

When in Rome…..or Bruges…  I often shun the very touristy things when I travel but in Bruges, I had to give in to the canal tour.  Sure, I already walked a good portion of the city along the canal but why not get in the boat with thirty strangers to see the city from the water.  At only €8 at the time (now €10), it was easy decision as I was waiting for my room at Hotel du Tuilereen to be ready anyway.

The majority of the canal boat tours leave from two main locations in Bruges when you first arrive (although there are a few other boarding locations throughout the city which are less crowded) – just follow the hoards of people and then come back later when they’ve gone! Tours run generally from 10 a.m. (when the first tour bus arrives) to 6 p.m. (last boarding at 5:30 p.m.) At the street level, the little wooden booth sells tickets (cash only) and then you walk down the stairs to wait in line.  I waited until nearly the end of the day when the line was short (20 minute wait) and the boat wouldn’t be as full as I had seen all day.

The boat rides are about thirty minutes which is just enough to give you a taste of Bruges (or Brugge) from the water.

Tip: Loading the boats there are seats along the sides and single chairs in the middle.  As I was solo, I chose a single seat and it helped with photos too.  The captain had to rearrange the folks to distribute the weight so be prepared to separate from your group if necessary.  

The tour was given in English and French based on the languages on board.  As it was an unusually hot and humid day, I brought water with me and was wearing sunscreen but forgot a hat.

The tour started down the canal to showcase the church and then turned around to go past the various buildings with storied history and really cool architecture, past water access only buildings and past the few Triennale art pieces on display at the time.

The most popular art at the time was the powerful Bruges Whale which we viewed from the water at the stop normally for the statue of the city’s founder Jan van Eyck in what is considered the city centre for locals not tourists.  For tourists, the Bruges Belfry and market square are often referred to as the city centre.

Seeing Bruges from the water on the canal boat tour was a lovely touristy thing to do because I was a tourist after all.  Some days you just need to give in and be a tourist, check off the box and enjoy the ride.  In Bruges, the canal tour is a lovely way to do just that – enjoy the visit from the serenity of the water.

Located a few steps away from the corner bus stop, across from the canal is an unassuming white building set back from the street with a few marble steps to enter the archway.  As I stepped inside, I was instantly transported to a luxury hotel filled with history and famous guests as evidenced by the black and white photos, some signed, on the walls.  Above me was a crystal chandelier and below me the black and white tiles both of which added to the historic building (15th century), the luxury four star hotel that lies beyond and the distinctive difference just a few steps back on the street facing the old town of Bruges. I chose to stay for two nights in Bruges at the oddly named and hard to pronounce Hotel De Tuilerieen, a Bruges luxury hotel and member of Small Luxury Hotels (note: if you book direct with hotel you don’t get SLH loyalty credit) I booked direct with the hotel using their website which offered discounts and lower prices than competitor websites.

Hotel De Tuilerieen Bruges Location

It doesn’t get any better than this – the hotel is across from the Dijver canal, many rooms have a view of the canal and the Bruges Belfry is in the short distance.  This area is where the hordes of day trip tourists (yes, hoards that I saw descend starting at 10 am.) begin their tour of Bruges.  With the small bridge over the canal, the main canal boat tours of Bruges start and end here.  So you can sit on the grass along the canal and people watch.  If you venture up the cobblestone road (use the sidewalks or run the risk of being trampled by the very quick horse led carriage rides) which is lined with souvenir and Bruges chocolate shops, you will arrive in the Grote Markt (market square) which is filled with all things tourist centered around the infamous Belfry.  A bit further afield (10 minute walk) is the Friet Museum celebrating all things potato and the Choco Story Museum for chocolate history.

Arrival in Bruges

I chose to arrive by taxi from the train station but you can easily take the bus direct to the hotel (if you don’t have a lot of luggage).  The standard check in was 3 p.m. and I arrived at 11 a.m. so my room sadly was not ready and wouldn’t be until at least 3 p.m. so the front desk did the pre-check in (passport scan, credit card hold, etc.) and held my luggage while providing me a map to get oriented with the town. I was off to explore on the unusually hot and humid June day.

My King Room at Hotel De Tuilerieen Bruges

I arrived back to the hotel at 3 p.m. on the dot because I was exhausted by the sun and craving a sliver of air conditioning.  My room was ready and the bags were already placed inside.  The front desk associate guided me to my room on the top floor. The small elevator fits maybe four people inside and quickly arrived to the hot hallway.  When my door was opened, I felt the cool breeze inside as the air conditioning had been turned on to cool the room.  I was surprised by the large room with sloped walls (yes, I hit my head a few times) and imagined that the stars of the movie “In Bruges” might have stayed in this lovely room with a view.  I could tell that this wasn’t the lowest category room I booked online so I was happy with the upgrade.

The hardwood floors were the second thing I noticed before taking in the many windows that opened and looked out across the rooftops of the city and the prize view of the canal across the road and the Bruges Belfry.  I rarely get a room with a view so I was enchanted by it day and night.

The room had a small divider between the coach (pull out) and the bed.  The pictures above the bed were….interesting (art fans can appreciate).  Along the wall under the windows were a desk area, television and space to store luggage.  A separate table between two chairs would provide my daily free bottles of water.   The closet area near the front door held the safe, robes and shelves.

Bathroom Hotel De Tuilerieen

Moving from the hardwood floors, I entered the modern tiled bathroom.  The bathroom had a shower/tub combination, glass partition to open/close and for me, I thought it was a bit high to climb in/out of so take caution.  The toiletries were branded for the hotel.  The towels were laid out on a heated rack (love that) and I had a makeup chair with vanity near the hairdryer. Ample plush towels were supplied as was a robe (in closet).

Common Areas at Hotel De Tuilerieen Bruges

There is no restaurant onsite other than breakfast buffet option. I declined the breakfast buffet offer in the reservation as they didn’t offer an ala carte option to accommodate my food intolerance.  The breakfast room was pretty from the outside but I didn’t visit.

The bar area was open at night, during the day it can be used as a quiet lounge.  There is a larger living room area in the back of the hotel.

The common areas highlighted the architecture and history of the building unlike the guest rooms which are more modern and minimalistic.

Staff at Hotel De Tuilerieen Bruges

The front desk staff was split for me. There was the “by the book guy” who checked me in and was hard to engage with outside of the tasks at hand. The other staff member was “friendly guy” who smiled, engaged in conversation and was happy to make recommendations on the map.  As the hotel key weights a ton, you can’t carry it with you so you need to engage with the front desk coming and going.  Each were attentive and able to assist me with each request but overall it was a mix of personalities and styles.

Overall – Luxury Bruges Hotel De Tuilerieen

Sometimes “Location – Location – Location” often sacrifices something for the fantastic location and grand views (price, room size, etc.) but that wasn’t the case at Hotel De Tuilerieen, it was spot on start to finish.  I enjoyed being able to feel like I had the town to myself in the early mornings and late evenings.  The room was the perfect escape during the day when the crowds or heat became too much. And the highlight was going to sleep with this view from my comfy bed.  Doesn’t get better than that.

When I turned the corner walking toward the canal and the city center of Bruges (site of the Jan Van Eyck statue), I didn’t expect to see a massive four story high plastic whale “Skyscraper” aka “The Bruges Whale” trying to jump out of the water in the canal.  The Bruges Whale is part of the Triennale Brugges which is an art exhibit held every three years throughout the city of Bruges, Belgium; this year’s theme is  “Liquid City” and features fifteen works meant to be experienced, provoke conversation and serve as a meeting point.  Contemporary art will definitely evoke a feeling from me – more often it is anger and confusion and sometimes it causes me to explore further and challenge my own beliefs.  The Bruges Whale was a haunting piece that even now, a few weeks removed, continues to resonant with me.

Experiencing the Bruges Whale

Art can be very powerful and emotional, it might even get you to think.  “The Bruges Whale” is like a tail fin to the head.  It’s message is so strong you almost want to cry when you think about what people are doing to the oceans and to the wildlife (what’s left).  For me, it felt as if the Bruges Whale wanted to escape the water and the plastic and beach itself on land (where it would likely die) rather than live in the water.  You might think (or feel) otherwise when you see it in person or experience it from the water.  That’s what art is meant to do….be an individual experience that may lead to a larger conversation. I kept coming back to the Bruges Whale many times during my three day visit to Bruges.

I saw it from all angles including the water on the canal boat tour. Each time I saw it at different times of day and night it was powerful and affected me.  I watched other people interact with it and was a bit surprised that there wasn’t an environmental group or other nearby to engage people in the art – to talk about the plastic in the water and our responsibility today and in the future.  For many, it was a photo op but I felt that so much more could have been said, more could be done to educate visitors or have a call to action. So while this was to be a post about plastic whale art in Bruges (look it’s so pretty), it’s a bit more now.

Time To Tweet “The Bruges Whale” and Learn More

So as I tweeted out my photos and mentioned it was “thought provoking”, the design firm replied to tag the other groups involved in creating this Skyscraper.  So here’s more information about this art piece and hopefully once Triennale Brugges concludes in September, the Bruges Whale “Skyscraper” will travel to other cities to start a conversation about our role in plastics, consumption and ocean garbage.

The New York based architect design firm, StudioKCA, designed Skyscraper (aka The Bruges Whale) and they collected over 5 tons of blue and white plastic waste from the Pacific Ocean that washed up along the Hawaiian shoreline. They also collected plastic waste found in the NYC waterways and Bruges canals.  5 tons of plastic waste in 4 months!  That alone should make you sad, it makes me sad.  Working in partnership with the Surfrider Foundation (Kauai Chapter) and Hawaii Wildllife Fund to collect, clean and sort the plastics that would be used in the Bruges Whale piece, StudioKCA also sought additional funding of $15,000 via their Bruges Whale Kickstarter campaign to support the heavy lifting (steel fabrication, assembly, transport, etc.).

I’m sure you are thinking 5 tons of blue & white plastic must be a lot but sadly it’s barely a drop of water in the ocean.  Estimates are that there are 150 million (yes million) tons of plastic trash in the ocean with an additional eight million tons added each year.  This isn’t global warming, this is MAN MADE catastrophe in the water in my opinion.  The ocean has become a trash can and sadly wildlife suffer when they eat plastic (the now infamous turtle wtih a straw in its nose), get caught up in plastic and can ultimately die from plastic.  The Bruges Whale is trying to make a statement about plastic waste in the oceans and the fact that we need to rethink how we use and dispose of plastic.

The Ban on Plastic Drinking Straws & Plastic Bags

Plastic bans have been in the news and social media lately (or maybe I’m more tuned in now). This past week, I’ve seen more stories and chatter about banning plastic straws, which isn’t a big laundry basket that ended up in the sea but given the sheer number of straws used worldwide on a daily basis (500 million per day in America!!!) – plastic drinking straws are a powerful start.  They are so thin that they usually get past the filters at the processing centers. There are alternatives to plastic straws each with pros and cons so you need to research your best options if you give up plastic straws.   Vancouver’s ban on plastic straws, foam cups and containers was recently passed and they are the first Canadian city to do so so this ban on plastics is only growing.

Another insidious plastic is the plastic bag that we all have from Target, CVS or a supermarket.  These plastic bags are banned in a few U.S. cities like Seattle (where I received my first brown paper bag at Target) and many countries.  I bring my own reusable bag for shopping when I travel (otherwise there is a fee for each plastic bag).  It’s just a small step that each traveler can easily action immediately on their next trip.

Choosing to bring your own reusable bag and refusing to use plastic drinking straws are a small step that we, as travelers, can make during our travels and in our everyday lives.  It’s also something that we can educate others on – this plastic disaster.  Many travelers already bring their own water bottles to refill in airports, hotels and in Bruges, there is a public water fountain to drink from.  Again, all of these are small steps you can choose to do or not do.   To be honest, I’m still learning – I’ve got my bag, say no to straws but am still having issues with bottled water abroad.  During my trip to Rotterdam/Bruges/Ghent, restaurants served glass bottles of water (expensive) or charged (nominal) for filtered water.  I would generally buy a small bottle of water (€2) and then go to the market for the larger (and cheaper at €1.10) bottles to refill the smaller bottle. Is recylcing enough?  I don’t know to be honest.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

During my plastic googling, I learned (and sadly can’t unlearn) that there is something called “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch” (seriously?  garbage patches and more than one? apparently about five known so far) is about 80% land made (Asia and the U.S.) while the other 20% is from boats in the water that either dump their trash or lose their shipping containers along the route. Recent estimates put the size at twice the state of Texas  and costs to clean it up astounding (one estimate was $500m+ for one year). Since it’s “international waters” no country is keen to invest the time and money to clean the ocean so it’s up to the various non-profits that wish to do so. Since the garbage patch is still floating in the Pacific Ocean, it’s crazy to imagine that the bulk of the plastic materials collected and used in the making of the Bruges Whale “Skyscraper” wasn’t part of that.  A few encouraging groups and people working on this massive endeavour The Ocean Cleanup and a Dutch high school kid who had an idea that now with $320m investment has produced a solution that is currently being tested in the Pacific Ocean.

Final Thoughts – The Bruges Whale & Plastic Waste

The Bruges Whale (Skyscraper) in the Triennale Bruges is hard to miss as it is only five minute walk beyond the Belfry (stay to the right and follow the road as it turns right toward the canal).  The sheer size of the plastic whale is at first pretty stunning.  After you read the information board it might make you ponder the oceans and plastic trash.  But it may also stay with you long after you see it. In this Liquid City of Bruges – everything is fluid and change is possible once you look past the cute whale and truly see (and feel) the message.

How do you deal with plastic where you live?  when you travel?  Thoughts on the Bruges Whale?