Season guide · Bruges · Belgium
Bruges in summer
June–August: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Wolfgang Staudt, CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
Long, mild days and the most visitors; the centre is crowded from mid-morning to late afternoon. Expect highs up to 23°C (73°F) and lows around 11°C (52°F), with about 28 rainy days across June–August. June is among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- June–August
- Temperatures
- 11°C (52°F) to 23°C (73°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 28
- Crowds
- Very busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in summer
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June | 21°C (70°F) | 11°C (52°F) | 9 | 16.6 h | 4/5 |
| July | 23°C (73°F) | 13°C (55°F) | 9 | 16.1 h | 5/5 |
| August | 23°C (73°F) | 13°C (55°F) | 10 | 14.6 h | 5/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 22°C (72°F) against a yearly 14°C (57°F), and 28 of the year's roughly 128 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 5/5 and hotel prices 4/5 on average.
What's on in summer
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- June: Triennale Brugge — contemporary art and architecture in public spaces (every three years, usually spring to autumn)
- July: Cactusfestival — music festival in Minnewater park (usually July)
Good choices for summer
Museum · Dijver
Groeningemuseum
Spend most of your time in the first rooms with the 15th-century paintings, which are the heart of the collection.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Iconic
- Rainy day
- History
Museum · Begijnhof and Walplein
Old St. John's Hospital
One of Europe's oldest surviving hospital buildings, with medieval wards, a 17th-century pharmacy and a chapel holding six masterpieces by Hans Memling, including the St John Altarpiece and the gilded St Ursula Shrine with its miniature paintings.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Museum · Markt and Burg
Choco-Story
Time your visit around the chocolate-making demonstration, which runs several times a day.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Food
- Rainy day
Museum · Markt and Burg
Frietmuseum
In one of the city's oldest buildings, the Saaihalle, this museum tells the story of the potato and Belgian frites, with old fryers and posters, and a cellar where you can buy frites at the end.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Food
- Rainy day
Museum · Dijver
Gruuthusemuseum
Don't miss the oratory window into the Church of Our Lady; it shows how the lords attended Mass privately.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Art
Day trips in summer
- 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.
- 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.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is summer a good time to visit Bruges?
Yes: June is among the best months. Long, mild days and the most visitors; the centre is crowded from mid-morning to late afternoon.
+What is the weather like in Bruges in summer?
Highs of up to 23°C (73°F) and lows around 11°C (52°F), with about 28 rainy days over the season.