Month guide · Bruges · Belgium
Bruges in May
What May is really like in Bruges: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Wolfgang Staudt [1], CC BY 2.0
![Wolfgang Staudt [1]](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bruges_Market_Square_and_Belfry.jpg){kind=link}
Quick answer
May is one of the best months to visit Bruges. Expect average highs of 18°C (64°F), lows of 8°C (46°F), about 10 rainy days and roughly 15.5 hours of daylight. Mild and bright with café terraces open; one of the best months to cycle to Damme.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 18°C (64°F) / 8°C (46°F)
- Rainy days
- About 10
- Daylight
- About 15.5 hours
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in May
May is the 5th-warmest month in Bruges: days average 18°C (64°F) against a yearly average high of 14°C (57°F), and nights fall to about 8°C (46°F). Rain falls on roughly 10 of its 31 days. Compared with April (14°C (57°F)), May is warmer; by June highs climb to around 21°C (70°F).
- Sunrise (15 May)
- About 05:56
- Sunset (15 May)
- About 21:30
- Daylight
- About 15.5 hours
Spring (March–May). Daffodils in the Begijnhof, terraces reopening and good cycling weather, with showers and busy Easter weekends.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, May rates 4 for crowds (the peak is July at 5) and 4 for hotel prices (highest in May). Book accommodation early: May is one of the pricier months.
Events in May
- Procession of the Holy Blood — historic religious procession through the centre (Ascension Day, usually May)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in May
With frequent rain, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Religious site · Markt and Burg
Basilica of the Holy Blood
Visit the lower Romanesque chapel too; it is one of the oldest interiors in the city and often overlooked.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Museum · Dijver
Groeningemuseum
The city's fine-art museum is best known for its Flemish Primitives: Jan van Eyck's Madonna with Canon Joris van der Paele and his portrait of his wife Margaret, works by Hans Memling and Gerard David, and Hieronymus Bosch's Last Judgement triptych.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Iconic
- Rainy day
- History
Museum · Begijnhof and Walplein
Old St. John's Hospital
Look closely at the St Ursula Shrine; its tiny painted panels tell the saint's journey to Rome and Cologne.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
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
What to pack
For highs near 18°C, lows near 8°C and 10 wet days: layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is May a good time to visit Bruges?
One of the best months to visit Bruges, with a notable event on the calendar. The other best months are April, June and September. Compare every month.
Bruges in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is May a good time to visit Bruges?
It is one of the best months to visit Bruges. Mild and bright with café terraces open; one of the best months to cycle to Damme.
+How warm is Bruges in May?
Average highs are around 18°C (64°F) and lows around 8°C (46°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Bruges in May?
Expect rain on about 10 days of the month.