A Weekend in Brugge: Belgian Beer, Whisky and Medieval History

A weekend in Brugge, Belgium, filled with medieval architecture, Belgian beer, good food and whisky. From a quiet morning walk around the Begijnhof to a tour of the Halve Maan brewery and Michelangelo’s Madonna met Kind, Brugge proved to be an excellent destination for a short city break.

For this trip, I left the motorcycles at home and travelled to Brugge by car. Once I arrived, however, I hardly used the car at all. I parked at Brugge railway station and explored the historic city centre almost entirely on foot.

That turned out to be the perfect way to experience Brugge.

Arriving in Brugge

I arrived in Brugge on Sunday morning at around 9:00. Rather than trying to find a parking space in the historic city centre, I parked at the car park at Brugge railway station.

From the station, it is an easy walk into the historic centre. Leaving the car behind also meant that I could spend the rest of the weekend simply walking from one place to another.

And Brugge is a city that rewards walking.

There is something interesting around almost every corner. Medieval buildings, canals, historic squares and quiet streets constantly compete for your attention.

A morning walk through Brugge

My first walk took me from the railway station towards Kasteel Minnewater.

From there, I continued towards the Sashuis and then through the Begijnhof. This was one of the first moments when I really started to appreciate the atmosphere of Brugge.

I continued past het Sint-Janshospitaal towards the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk and then made my way to Hôtel Het Gheestelic Hof, where I dropped off my bag.

After that, it was time for breakfast.

Breakfast and the Grote Markt

I enjoyed breakfast at Le Pain Quotidien, located in a beautiful historic building.

With breakfast in my belly, I continued towards the Grote Markt.

The square is surrounded by some of Brugge’s most recognisable historic buildings, including the Provinciaal Hof and the Belfort van Brugge. The statues of Pieter de Coninck and Jan Breydel stand prominently in the centre.

By this time, Brugge was already becoming busier, but there was still plenty of opportunity to wander through the surrounding streets.

A tour of the Halve Maan brewery

At 11:30, I joined a guided tour of the Halve Maan brewery.

The tour lasted around 45 minutes and offered an interesting look behind the scenes of one of Brugge’s best-known breweries.

For someone who enjoys Belgian beer, a visit to Halve Maan is a natural addition to a weekend in Brugge.

After the tour, it was time for lunch. I enjoyed some of the different beers they had on tap, together with a juicy cheeseburger.

After a morning of walking and sightseeing, it was a very welcome lunch.

A Duvel overlooking the Grote Markt

After lunch, I continued exploring the city and made my way to the Duvelorium.

I ordered a Duvel and enjoyed the view over the Grote Markt while taking a break from walking.

After several hours of exploring Brugge, it was nice to sit down for a while and simply watch the city go by.

An unexpected whisky discovery

On my way back to the hotel, I came across The Gin & Whisky Shop.

I had not specifically planned to visit the shop, but some of the best discoveries on a trip are often the ones you make by accident.

I stepped inside and ended up buying several whisky tasters following recommendations from the person working there.

It was a nice little discovery and gave me something to take home from Brugge.

Dinner at Amunì

After returning to Hôtel Het Gheestelic Hof, I took some time to freshen up before heading out for dinner.

For dinner, I went to Amunì, where I enjoyed a delicious pizza.

After a full day of walking, sightseeing, Belgian beer and food, it would have been easy to call it a night.

But there was still one more stop to make.

Finishing the day at Bar Bulles

For my final drink of the day, I headed to Bar Bulles.

Here I enjoyed a tasting of three Glenfiddich whiskies.

It was an excellent way to finish the day. After Belgian beer earlier in the afternoon, ending the evening with whisky gave the day a completely different character.

Monday morning in Brugge

Monday morning showed me a completely different side of the city.

After breakfast at Hôtel Het Gheestelic Hof, I checked out and went for one final stroll through Brugge.

The city was just waking up.

It was noticeably quieter than on Sunday, with hardly any tour groups wandering through the streets.

There was something special about walking through Brugge early in the morning, before the city had fully come to life.

The Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk

At 9:30, I was able to enter the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk.

The church is home to the praalgraven van Maria van Bourgondië and haar vader Karel de Stoute.

The highlight for me was seeing Michelangelo’s famous Madonna met Kind.

Seeing the sculpture in person was one of the highlights of the entire weekend.

A weekend well spent

My weekend in Brugge was a good reminder that you do not need a long holiday to feel like you have properly travelled.

Brugge is compact enough to explore comfortably on foot, but there is more than enough to see and do for a couple of days.

For me, the combination of medieval architecture, historic buildings, Belgian beer, good food and whisky made this a particularly enjoyable city break.

Sunday was about discovering the main sights and enjoying the lively atmosphere of Brugge.

Monday morning was something completely different.

The quiet streets, lack of tour groups and early morning light created a much more peaceful atmosphere.

If I had to choose one recommendation from the entire weekend, it would be this:

Get up early and explore Brugge before the tour groups arrive.

The city feels completely different.

And, of course, there is always time for a Belgian beer along the way.

Practical information

Destination: Brugge, West-Vlaanderen, België

Duration: One night / two days

Transport: Car

Parking: Brugge railway station

Accommodation: Hôtel Het Gheestelic Hof

Main activities: Walking, sightseeing, brewery tour, Belgian beer, food and whisky

Places visited: Kasteel Minnewater, Sashuis, Begijnhof, Sint-Janshospitaal, Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk, Grote Markt, Provinciaal Hof, Belfort van Brugge, Halve Maan brewery, Duvelorium, The Gin & Whisky Shop, Amunì and Bar Bulles.

Would I recommend Brugge?

Absolutely.

Especially if you enjoy historic cities, architecture, photography, Belgian beer, good food and discovering places at your own pace.

For me, the best part was simply walking.

Walking from Kasteel Minnewater to the Begijnhof. Walking through the quieter streets on Monday morning. Stopping for a beer, discovering a whisky shop by accident and ending the day with a whisky tasting.

That is what makes a city trip memorable.

Brugge is definitely a city I would happily return to.