Best Bruges Day Trips from Paris

The city of Bruges is considered one of the best preserved medieval cities in Europe. The state of preservation of its historic buildings is so perfect that the city seems to have stopped in time. It is not for nothing that it has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Another unmistakable characteristic of this city is its canals, which have earned it the name of "the Venice of the North", creating a bucolic atmosphere, with beautiful landscapes that seem to have come straight out of a book. I know there are a lot of things to see and do in Paris, but if you have a day in your itinerary that you can book, I recommend you visit Bruges, you won't regret it.

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Bruges Day Trip from Paris

Day trip to discover the beauties of Bruges, known as the Venice of the North.

You will travel by luxury coach from Paris. When you arrive in Bruges, you'll tour its main monuments, cruise along its canals and walk through its medieval lanes while enjoying the unique atmosphere of this wonderful city.

From £123 at Hellotickets

As it is a guided tour you will have the chance to learn about the city, visit the sights, navigate the canals and you will also have time to eat and shop. Being in Paris, the distance to Bruges is really short and this tour is very comfortable as you don't have to worry about driving, you travel in a comfortable luxury bus.

I will tell you all the details about this tour so you will know first hand the advantages of visiting Bruges this way.

Recommended if you like history and architecture. The city of Bruges is a must-see if you have the chance to go. In Bruges you will breathe history and marvel at its spectacular buildings.

Make the most of your time in Paris to see all that the city has to offer, take the best tours of Paris, visit the best museums and eat in the most recommended restaurants, but if you can, book a day to do this tour to Bruges, you can't miss it.

One of the advantages of this tour is that you don't have to worry about driving, you'll be driven back and forth in a luxury coach with all the comforts of home.

Driving from Paris to Bruges can be a headache, especially when you enter Belgium because the signs are in Flemish (unless you speak the language) and it's a hassle to understand the directions.

On this tour to Bruges you will have a specialized guide who speaks English! So you will enjoy all the information in your own language. In addition, the price already includes a boat trip on the canals, which is usually a separate cost on other tours. In the historic centre you will pass the main sights such as the Beguinage, the Basilica of the Holy Blood and the Gothic Town Hall (entrance fees are not included).

With the guide's advice, in the free time you are given to explore the city on your own, you will know the best places to eat, shop and take the best photos.

Interesting details about this tour

• Price: from 152 euros per person approximately.
• Duration: about 14 hours.
• Means of transport: from Paris to Bruges you go by luxury bus, once in Bruges and due to the characteristics of the city, the tour is on foot and by cruise.

It is best to do this in advance when you are organising your itinerary at home, to ensure the availability of the date you have chosen. You can do this on tour and tourist experience sales platforms. With this method you also have the advantage of being able to pay by credit or debit card, but for me the best thing about booking on this type of platform is knowing what I'm buying.

It often happens that if you hire on the spot you don't really know what you're going to find, someone may recommend a certain tour, but perhaps they have an interest behind it, such as charging a commission, for example, and not that you have the best experience. On the platforms, however, you have the testimonials of people who have hired that same tour and give their opinion after doing it, you should always read them.

It depends a lot on the type of tour, but generally you will tour the historic centre of Bruges, seeing the most emblematic buildings of the city, such as the Provincial Palace and the Basilica of the Holy Blood, for example (entrance fees are not included in the price of the tours, they are usually paid separately).

Bruges is a fairly small city that is easy to explore on foot. You can also tour the outskirts of the city and take a cruise along the canals of the Venice of the North. Most tours don't include tickets for the cruise, but this one I recommend does.

As a general rule, you will have free time to do some activities on your own, such as shopping and eating. Despite being a small city, due to the large influx of tourists throughout the year, there is a wide variety ofrestaurants in the city of Bruges. As for shopping, Bruges also has a very good range of shopping areas, such as markets, art galleries, antique shops and pedestrian streets full of local shops.

There are many places of interest in Bruges, including museums, public buildings, squares and parks. Of all the things to do, you will have to choose according to the time you have available, but you should not miss the opportunity to visit:

1. The historic centre of Bruges

The historic centre of Bruges was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in its entirety, a rare occurrence.

Within its boundaries are many of the city's main buildings and monuments. It is a good place to start your personal tour so that as you walk through the streets you can enter the buildings that interest you most.

2. The main city square (Burg)

Throughout several centuries of history, the Main Square of Bruges has been the heart of the city and continues to be the heart of the city, where several of the most important buildings such as the Franconate or the Basilica of the Holy Blood are concentrated.

3. Bruges City Hall

The Bruges Town Hall is well worth a visit. You will be dazzled by the more than 600 year old gothic hall and the works of art throughout the building, from magnificent sculptures to the typical Flemish frescoes, which are a marvel to behold.

4. The Old Franconate of Bruges

This centuries-old building was the centre from which the entire campaign of the Burgh of Bruges was controlled. Over the years, the Franconate of Bruges changed its functions, became a courthouse and nowadays, besides being the most visited building in the city, it is also the seat of the city archives.

5. The Belfry of Bruges

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Belfry of the City of Bruges, besides being worth a visit for what it represents and for its architectural beauty, houses important medieval documents that can be seen and the incredible score that makes the bells ring.

6. The Basilica of the Holy Blood

With breathtaking structural and decorative beauty, the Basilica of the Holy Blood is a must-see in the city of Bruges. Inside it is kept a relic containing the blood of Christ, carried by the Crusaders, hence its name.

7. The Begijnhof Beguinage (Beguinage)

The Bruges Beguinage has a rather peculiar history. It was founded in 1245 as a shelter for emancipated women, laywomen, but who also led a cloistered life. Today it is a monastery of the Benedictine Order.

8. The Rosary Quay (Rozenhoedkaai)

This must be one of the most popular places in the city of Bruges as everyone who visits it takes photographs there, as it is one of the most emblematic places in the city.

The Rosary Quay is undoubtedly one of the most romantic places in the city and is the ideal place to take a picture of your visit to Bruges and remember this trip forever. The pictures you can take there are magnificent.

9. Notre Dame Church Museum (Notre Dame)

The Museum of the Church of Our Lady should definitely be visited on any tour to Bruges. The church tower is the second tallest in the world and you will be able to see one of Michelangelo's most famous works, known as the Madonna of Bruges. You can also see the spectacular mausoleums of Mary of Burgundy and Charles the Bold, along with a priceless collection of religious frescoes.

10. St. Boniface Bridge (Bonifaciusbrug)

St. Boniface Bridge is one of the places in Bruges that is enveloped by a different, almost magical atmosphere. The bridge's setting of peculiar beauty and tranquillity, despite being much visited, invites you to sit and enjoy moments of introspection and relaxation.

• Take a guided tour if you are visiting Bruges for the first time.
• Try to be there a few minutes before the bus departs.
• Try to choose seats on the bus for you and your group before the day of the tour so that you can go together.
• Bruges is a city best explored on foot, so wear comfortable shoes.
• Bruges tends to get chilly at night in Bruges, so bring a coat.

If you are visiting Paris and have the opportunity to include Bruges in your itinerary, don't hesitate to do so. To travel to Paris and for everything to be perfect you have to plan your trip well and if during the planning you see that you have a free day to leave the city, a tour to Bruges is an excellent alternative for the rich heritage of the city. The city of Paris is quite close to Bruges so it is advisable to take advantage of this proximity to make this visit, if it is not in your immediate plans to visit Belgium. Bruges is a small city and you don't need many days to get to know its main points of interest, with a one-day tour you will be able to see the most important places in the city.

My first visit to Bruges was on my own and while I really enjoyed the trip, I didn't get as much out of it as I could have. Despite detailed planning of the places I wanted to visit, not getting to know the city caused setbacks due to the change of weather and the prioritisation of places of interest. On a guided tour you will be able to make much better use of the time you spend in the city. Having a person who speaks your language and knows the city like the back of their hand makes things much easier. In a guided tour you will know which are the places you can't miss, you will have an itinerary based on distances and travel times, taking into account possible setbacks depending on the time of the year. The latter is very important because the influx of people in the city in summer is overwhelming and usually causes delays at the entrance to the different attractions and also makes the traffic inside the city quite difficult.

If you are visiting Paris, I recommend that you take some of the best excursions from Paris to other places of interest, which are really worth doing. Leaving Paris, you have excursions to the main sights that you can't miss being so close. You'll see that there are tours to suit all tastes, including the youngest members of the family. Below, I'll tell you which are the 3 most recommended tours from Paris:

1. Disneyland Paris

If you are travelling with children, visiting Disneyland Paris is a must or your little ones won't forgive you. In case you are not travelling with children, Disneyland Paris is also a recommended destination because there are many activities for adults. There are several ways to get to Disneyland from Paris but the most recommended, based on my personal experience, is on an organised tour. On a tour you can forget the hassle of traffic and driving around looking for parking.

2. Tours to Mont St Michel

You'll love a trip to Mont Saint Michel, it's another must-see destination if you're in Paris and you can spend a few days touring other areas of interest in France. The views, the setting, the history, the architecture and above all the mystique of Mont Saint Michel make it one of the most popular places to visit year after year.

3. Visit to the Loire Castles from Paris

Visiting the Loire Châteaux from Paris is another excellent option. When you arrive and start touring the castles of this region, you will feel like you are in a fairy tale. The landscapes that you will be able to contemplate and photograph make this tour one of the best to consider if you are in Paris and want to extend your visit.