Bruges Private Tour: Canals, Ghent and the Belgian Coast
Bruges is small enough to walk in a day, which is exactly why the car is useful: Ghent, Antwerp and the coast are all within an hour and awkward by train with luggage.
Charter or private tour
Charter: car and driver between towns. Private tour: adds a guide for the beguinage, the belfry and the Flemish painting in the Groeninge.
Drive times
- Brussels Airport to Bruges: about 1 hour 15 minutes.
- Bruges to Ghent: about 40 minutes.
- Bruges to Antwerp: about 1 hour 15 minutes.
- Bruges to the coast (Zeebrugge, Knokke): about 20 minutes.
Two days that work
Day one: the Markt, belfry, canal walk, Groeninge museum, a brewery. Day two: Ghent in the morning (Gravensteen, Graslei), Antwerp in the afternoon or the coast for oysters.
Season
April to June and September to October. December for the Christmas markets on the Markt. July and August are busy but the canals still work early morning.
Practical notes
Bruges bans cars from much of the centre; drop-off is at the edge and the rest is walking. That is not a problem — the old town is 2 km across.
FAQ
Can we see Bruges and Ghent in one day? Yes, if you start early and keep Bruges for the evening.
Is Bruges walkable? Entirely; the centre is car-free.
Worth a guide? Yes for the Groeninge and the beguinage history.
Can you pick up in Brussels? Yes, Brussels to Bruges is a standard transfer.
What about chocolate and beer? We can build in a workshop or a brewery visit — say so when booking.