Bruges & Ghent Day Tour from Brussels

Ghent: castle, towers and the Graslei

Ghent was one of the largest and richest cities of medieval Europe, grown wealthy on the cloth trade. Its skyline is famous for three towers in a row: St Nicholas' Church, the Belfry, part of the UNESCO-listed belfries of Belgium and France, and St Bavo's Cathedral, which keeps the Ghent Altarpiece painted by the van Eyck brothers in 1432.

On a Ghent day trip you walk to the Gravensteen, the Castle of the Counts built in 1180, and along the Graslei and Korenlei, where guild houses mirror themselves in the river Leie. St Michael's Bridge offers the classic view of all three towers. Museum and church entries are not included.

Bruges' Markt and the Belfry

Bruges was a great trading port in the Middle Ages until its link to the sea silted up, which left the city almost frozen in time. Its historic centre has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. The heart of the city is the Markt, a square lined with colourful gabled houses and dominated by the Belfry.

The Belfry rises about 83 metres, and those who climb its 366 steps are rewarded with a view over the red roofs. On a Bruges guided tour you also see the Burg square with its Gothic town hall, one of the oldest in the Low Countries, and the Basilica of the Holy Blood.

The canals, the Beguinage and the Lake of Love

Bruges is often called the Venice of the North because of its canals. The Rozenhoedkaai is the most photographed corner, where the canal bends in front of medieval houses and the Belfry rises behind. A canal boat ride is a lovely extra during your free time, at your own expense.

South of the centre lies the Beguinage, founded in 1245, a peaceful enclosure of white houses around a lawn of tall trees, once the retreat of single religious women. Next to it, the Minnewater, or Lake of Love, is dotted with swans. Nearby, the Church of Our Lady holds Michelangelo's Madonna and Child.

Planning your day: free time and tips

Ghent is about forty-five minutes by road from Brussels and Bruges about an hour, so a day trip to Bruges and Ghent from Brussels is easy without changing trains. After the guided walks, you have free time in Bruges to shop for lace, visit a museum or simply wander the cobbled lanes.

The best time to visit Bruges is in the morning or late afternoon, when day-trip crowds thin out, and spring and autumn are especially pleasant. Wear comfortable shoes for the cobblestones and bring a rain jacket. Is Bruges worth visiting? For its canals and medieval squares, it is one of Europe's most beautiful towns.