For couples · Bruges · Belgium
Romantic things to do in Bruges
Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Cmcmcm1, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
Bruges is one of Europe's classic romantic city breaks: candlelit canal-side restaurants, quiet cobbled lanes after dark and swans on the Minnewater. Stay overnight to have the city to yourselves in the evening and early morning. Couples tend to stay in Markt and Burg.
Key facts
- Romantic ideas
- 5
- Couple-friendly sights
- 5
- Area for couples
- Markt and Burg
- Best months
- April
Romantic ideas
1.Evening walk along the canals
Walk from the Rozenhoedkaai to the Spiegelrei after dark, when the bridges and gables are lit and the streets are empty.
2.Minnewater, the Lake of Love
Cross the bridge over the Minnewater at sunset and walk through the park to the Begijnhof.
3.Bike ride to Damme
Cycle along the tree-lined canal to Damme for lunch and ride back in the late afternoon.
4.Carillon from the Burg
Listen to the Belfry's carillon ring across the rooftops during one of its regular concerts.
5.Chocolate and beer tasting for two
Pair pralines from a local chocolatier with a Bruges beer in a quiet café.
Sights couples love
Experience · Dijver
Canal boat tour
Sit on the side of the boat facing the walls rather than the middle, and bring a layer; the open boats can be breezy.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Kids
- Couples
- Views
Historic site · Begijnhof and Walplein
Begijnhof and Minnewater
Visit early in the morning, before tour groups arrive, and keep voices low; it is still a place of quiet residence.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Couples
- Photo spot
- History
- Outdoors
Viewpoint · Markt and Burg
Rozenhoedkaai
Come at dusk, when the lamps come on and the Belfry is floodlit.
- Time needed
- 15 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Photo spot
- Couples
- Views
- After dark
Garden · Dijver
Bonifacius Bridge and Arentshof
Combine it with the Groeningemuseum, a minute's walk away, and visit early before the crowds.
- Time needed
- 15 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Photo spot
- Couples
- Off the beaten path
Waterfront · Sint-Gillis and Langerei
Langerei and Spiegelrei canal walk
Walk it early in the morning, when the water is still and reflections are at their best.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Where couples should stay
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples and luxury
Markt and Burg
Staying around the Markt and the Burg puts the Belfry, the Basilica of the Holy Blood, the canal boat jetties and most restaurants within five minutes' walk. Many hotels occupy historic buildings with small rooms and steep stairs. The streets are crowded by day but quiet late in the evening.
- Good
- Everything on the doorstep; Historic hotel buildings; Lit-up squares at night
- Watch out
- Highest prices in Bruges; Daytime crowds and carillon bells
- Nearby
- Markt, Belfry of Bruges, Burg, Basilica of the Holy Blood
Romantic day trips
- Ghent (About 25 minutes by train) — A larger, livelier university city with the Van Eyck brothers' Ghent Altarpiece in St Bavo's Cathedral, the moated Gravensteen castle and the guild houses along the Graslei.
- Damme (About 30 minutes by bike) — A tiny medieval town along a poplar-lined canal, with a Gothic town hall, a ruined church tower you can climb and several bookshops.
For dinner
Share local specialities such as Moules-frites, Flemish stew and Waterzooi. Belgian beers are often 8% or stronger; order a smaller glass if you plan to try several.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Bruges romantic?
Bruges is one of Europe's classic romantic city breaks: candlelit canal-side restaurants, quiet cobbled lanes after dark and swans on the Minnewater. Stay overnight to have the city to yourselves in the evening and early morning.
+What is the most romantic thing to do in Bruges?
Evening walk along the canals: Walk from the Rozenhoedkaai to the Spiegelrei after dark, when the bridges and gables are lit and the streets are empty.
+Where should couples stay in Bruges?
Markt and Burg: The two central squares, the Belfry and the Gothic City Hall.