Season guide · Bruges · Belgium
Bruges in autumn
September–November: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Cmcmcm1, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
A calmer September, autumn colour on the ramparts and wetter, darker days by November. Expect highs up to 19°C (66°F) and lows around 4°C (39°F), with about 35 rainy days across September–November. September is among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- September–November
- Temperatures
- 4°C (39°F) to 19°C (66°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 35
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in autumn
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September | 19°C (66°F) | 11°C (52°F) | 10 | 12.5 h | 4/5 |
| October | 15°C (59°F) | 8°C (46°F) | 12 | 10.6 h | 3/5 |
| November | 10°C (50°F) | 4°C (39°F) | 13 | 8.8 h | 2/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 15°C (59°F) against a yearly 14°C (57°F), and 35 of the year's roughly 128 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 3/5 and hotel prices 3/5 on average.
What's on in autumn
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- September: Open Monumentendag — Heritage Day with free access to historic buildings (usually second Sunday)
- November: Christmas market and ice rink on the Markt and Simon Stevinplein (usually from late November)
Good choices for autumn
Museum · Markt and Burg
Choco-Story
A chocolate museum in a historic house near the Markt traces cocoa from the Maya and Aztecs to Belgian pralines, with a chocolatier demonstration and tasting at the end.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Food
- Rainy day
Museum · Markt and Burg
Frietmuseum
Visit just before lunch and eat the frites in the vaulted cellar afterwards.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Food
- Rainy day
Museum · Dijver
Gruuthusemuseum
The lavish 15th-century town palace of the lords of Gruuthuse, who held the right to tax gruit used in brewing, displays tapestries, lace, silverware and furniture that bring the city's golden age to life.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Art
Religious site · 't Zand
St. Salvator's Cathedral
It lies on the walk between 't Zand and the Markt, so drop in as you pass.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Architecture · Markt and Burg
Burg and City Hall
The Burg square holds Bruges's Gothic City Hall, built from 1376 and one of the oldest in the Low Countries.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Day trips in autumn
- Ostend (About 15 minutes by train) — Belgium's biggest seaside town has a long promenade and sandy beach, seafood stalls along the harbour selling grey shrimp and fish soup, and the Mu.ZEE art museum with works by James Ensor.
- De Haan (About 45 minutes by train and coastal tram) — A small resort of Belle Époque villas set among dunes, with a wide sandy beach and no high-rise buildings, a quiet contrast to the larger coastal towns.
What to pack
- Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is autumn a good time to visit Bruges?
Yes: September is among the best months. A calmer September, autumn colour on the ramparts and wetter, darker days by November.
+What is the weather like in Bruges in autumn?
Highs of up to 19°C (66°F) and lows around 4°C (39°F), with about 35 rainy days over the season.