How to get around Bruges

On foot

Bruges is a small city and so it is an ideal place to explore on foot. Almost everything is within the circle of canals which follow the path of the old city walls and it only takes about 45 minutes to walk from one side of the city to the other. Because the amount of traffic in the city centre has been significantly reduced over the past few years it is also a very safe place to walk. However, watch out for the numerous quaint cobbled streets which may look pretty but can be tough to walk on if you are not wearing appropriate shoes. Also beware of bicycles. You can't hear them coming up behind you and cyclists get special treatment in Bruges . They are allowed to go up over 50 of the narrow one-way streets in the city centre the wrong way!

If you don't fancy finding your own way around Bruges, you can either hire a personal guide to take you around the city (approx. € 40 for a two-hour walk for a maximum of 25 people) or you can join one of the daily guided tours which start at 2.30pm from the tourist office throughout July and August (in June and September they only operate at the weekend). The price per adult is approx. €5.

Telephone the tourist office in Bruges on +32 (05)0 44 86 86 or visit their website www.brugge.be for further details about guided walking tours.

By bicycle

Cyclists are especially privileged in Bruges so if you can't beat them why not join them. There are cycle lanes on many of the roads and there are cycle racks all over the place. And, the traffic restrictions in the city centre, have made Bruges a safe and pleasant place to cycle around. However, although you are allowed to cycle in either direction in one-way streets (but watch out for unsuspecting pedestrians), you are not allowed to cycle in pedestrian areas. The tourist office in Bruges publishes an excellent little guide called 5 x by bike around Bruges which includes details of 5 cycling tours around Bruges together with a route map.

Don't worry if you haven't brought your own bicycle with you because many hotels now have bicycles for hire and there are a number of bike-hire shops in the centre. You can also hire them from the baggage depot at the railway station and, if you have travelled to Bruges by train, the hire cost is reduced. The tourist office in Bruges has details about where you can hire bikes from.

If you would prefer to go on a guided cycling tour, Quasimundo runs 2 cycling tours which operate daily between April and September. Bruges by Bike takes in the city and some less well-known back streets (and waters) and Border by Bike takes you on a 25-kilometre ride along the canals to the north of Bruges taking in Damme and Oostkerke en route. Both tours cost € 18 for adults and € 16 for children/students. The price includes bicycles fitted with a front pack where you can put your valuables, a raincoat, a bottle of water and a commentary in English. There are also helmets available in range of sizes. For further information telephone +32 (0)50 330 775 or visit the quasimundo website at www.quasimundo.be

By boat

One of the best ways to see Bruges is by boat. The half-hour boat trips (with English commentary) mainly operate on the canals in the centre of the city and are extremely popular in the summer (so expect long queues). There are boats leaving every few minutes (daily between March and November) from a number of jetties to the south of the Burg mainly close to Blinde Ezelstraat and the Vismarkt. During the winter there is a less frequent service at weekends, and public holidays only. Expect to pay approx. € 5.20 for adults and € 2.60 for children aged 4-11.

If you want a boat trip out of town, go to the Noorweegse Kaai at Dampoort which is 2 km north of the city on the number 4 bus route from the Markt, climb aboard the Lamme Goedzaak river barge and glide down the canal to Damme. Damme is only 7 km north of Bruges and was once the city's main port but is now a pretty, quiet village surrounded by fields of cows and horses. The 40-minute boat excursions to Damme run daily from Easter to the beginning of September and costs approximately € 5 one way/ € 6.50 return for adults and € 3.40 one way/ € 4.50 return for children.

By horse-drawn carriage

If you would like to experience Bruges as it would have been in the past, why not see the sights from a horse-drawn carriage. The carriages leave from the Markt (March to November) and take you on a 30-minute sightseeing tour of the city on a route which goes between the Markt and the Begijnhof (in the south of the city) They carry up to 5 passengers and cost approximately € 27.50 per carriage for the 30-minute ride.

By car

Cars are not encouraged in Bruges and so getting to the centre and then finding a parking space is (deliberately) very difficult. Central car parks fill up early (they are well sign posted) and on-street parking is very hard to find. However, there are a number of very large car parks to the south and west of the city. The nearest underground car park to the centre is at ‘t Zand which costs approximately € 9 a day. There is also another car park near Katelijnepoort. However, if you are visiting Bruges for the day it is a good idea to head for the very large car park by the railway station. It only costs about €2.50 for the whole day (or € 0.50 per hour) and includes a free bus ride to and from the centre. You can also walk it in about 20mins and you will get to enjoy some of the sights on the way!

By minibus

You can do a 50-minute CityTour by minibus which takes you around the well-known sites of Bruges . There is a recorded commentary in a choice of seven languages which you listen to on headphones. The buses are operated by the Sightseeing Line (telephone +32 (0)50 35 50 24) and leave from the Markt. They run on the hour every hour starting at 10am. The last bus leaves between 4pm and 8pm depending on the time of year. The adult fare is approximately €11.50 and the child fare (6 to 12 years) is €6.25. There is also a family ticket (2 adults and 2 children) for at about €30.00.

The Sightseeing Line also organises a trip to Damme. You go by minibus and come back on the canal between Damme and Bruges aboard the Lamme Goedzaak river barge. This tour operates from Easter until the end of September and costs about €16.50 for an adult and €8.25 for a child.

© The Pink Fridge Online Magazine 2008 - Bruges & Belgium City Breaks

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