Bruges and Ghent are two of the most beautiful towns in Belgium and you don’t have to choose between them. With a well-planned day trip from Brussels, you can experience the highlights of Bruges and Ghent in one unforgettable day.
We did this trip from Brussels, and the key to making it work is strategy. Bruges is the more popular of the two, and it gets crowded fast. To beat the lines at the top sights, you need to arrive early, which means an early train from Brussels. Spend your morning in Bruges, then catch a short train to Ghent in the afternoon.
We climbed the Bruges Belfry, cruised the canals, and loaded up on waffles and chocolate before heading to Ghent for the afternoon. Touring a medieval castle, photographing the famous Graslei waterfront, and ending the day with sweeping views of the city from the Ghent Belfry tops the list of things to do in Ghent. It’s a long day, but one that’s also very memorable.
Here’s the exact itinerary we followed, with updated hours, ticket prices, and everything you need to plan your own one-day trip to Bruges and Ghent from Brussels.
The Essentials
TOP SIGHTS IN BRUGES | Belfry of Bruges, canal tour, Basilica of the Holy Blood, historic city center, Bonifacius Bridge
TOP SIGHTS IN GHENT | Ghent Belfry, Gravensteen, Graslei and Korenlei
TRAINS | Brussels to Bruges ~ 1 hour; Bruges to Ghent ~ 30 minutes; Ghent to Brussels ~ 30 minutes
HOW MUCH TIME | One full day
TICKETS | Book Bruges Belfry and Ghent Belfry in advance online
Photo: St. Bavo’s Cathedral, taken from Ghent Belfry
April 2026 Update: Verified all links and pricing, added a Where to Stay section, plus links to our related posts.
One Day in Bruges and Ghent
7:30 am: Train from Brussels to Bruges
I told you that we started early! But we also skipped breakfast since we had a really good breakfast spot to try in Bruges.
It takes about one hour by train to travel from Brussels to Bruges.
8:30 am: Arrive in Bruges
From the train station, we walked into Bruges. It only takes about 15 minutes to walk from the train station into town.
To get to our breakfast spot, That’s Toast, we walked up Oostmeers into town.
8:45 am: Breakfast at That’s Toast
This breakfast spot lived up to its reputation. For breakfast, we ate granola, fruit, and several different kinds of French toast. It was delicious.
When we got here, which was right after opening time, the place was mostly empty. Forty-five minutes later, when we left, there was a line out the door.
10:00 am: The Belfry of Bruges (the Belfort)
From That’s Toast, we spent 30 minutes walking to the center of Bruges, taking lots of photographs, and walking around Market Place, the main square in Bruges.
The Belfry of Bruges is the tallest tower that dominates the center of town. If you want a nice view over the city, it is worth climbing the 366 steps to the top.
The Belfry opens at 9:00 am (10 am in winter, get updated hours and pricing and purchase your ticket in advance on the official website). We got in line at 10 am, and yes, there was already a line, but it wasn’t too bad. Only a limited number of people are allowed on the top of the Belfry at a time, so the line tends to move slowly. If you purchase your tickets in advance, you will skip the ticket line.
It’s a nice view from the top but there is a mesh fence that makes photography difficult. I had to use my iPhone to get photos without the black mesh in the way.
10:45 am: Basilica of the Holy Blood
After climbing the Belfry, we walked over to Burg Square and made a quick visit to the Basilica of the Holy Blood. It is gorgeous inside and free to visit.
11:10 am: Canal Tour of Bruges
From the Basilica of the Holy Blood, we strolled through town, towards Rozenhoedkaai, a very popular photo spot in Bruges. In early April, without the trees green and leafy, it’s not quite as pretty. The giant crane doesn’t help, either, but sometimes that’s just the way it goes.
Right from this spot you can board a boat to cruise through the canals of Bruges. Apparently, 11 am is still “early” in the day because we were able to get right on without a wait. In fact, we actually had to wait for more people to arrive to fill our boat. Later in the day this was a much different story. The lines grew to over a hundred people long, and that’s not the way you want to spend a day in Bruges!
For roughly 30 minutes you cruise through the canals, getting a history lesson from your driver. It’s a gorgeous way to see the city.
Travel Tip: For the best photos, try to get a seat near the front of the boat.
Cost: 15€
Hours: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Website: Get updated hours and pricing on the official website.
11:45 am: Chocolate and Waffles
We walked back through Market Place to two spots we wanted to try to satisfy our sweet tooth.
Dumon Chocolatier is one of the best places to go in Bruges for chocolate. Even if you don’t buy anything here, it’s still worth a quick visit just to see it. I think it must be the cutest building in Bruges.
Nearby is Lizzie’s Wafels, one of the best spots, so we were told, for waffles in Bruges. Since we just did a huge chocolate tour of Brussels the day before (is a chocolate hangover possible?), we chose to get a plain waffle. It might look boring in the photo but it was tasty. Lizzie’s Wafels is a sit-down restaurant so plan on spending about 30 minutes here.
Another great spot for waffles in Bruges is Chez Albert. This is a street food waffle stand that always had a line we walked by. It’s located near Market Place.
Here are more photos walking through Bruges.
1:00 pm: Lunch
We ate lunch at Brasserie Rozenhoedkaai, a decent restaurant located near that famous photo spot, Rozenhoedkaai. We picked this restaurant simply because we wanted to sit outside and have a nice view of Bruges. The food is a little overpriced, but I would expect that almost anywhere in the center of Bruges.
1:45 pm: Scenic Walk through Bruges
After lunch, we started to work our way towards the train station.
We walked along the canal towards the Church of Our Lady. What another beautiful spot in Bruges! The Bonifacius Bridge is another place to take one of those iconic photos of Bruges. Just expect to share this spot with a lot of people.
We continued along the streets and canal to Minnewater Park. In early April, it is mating season for the swans, and they were all gathered in the park along the water’s edge.
We took one last look of Bruges from the park and then finished the walk to the train station.
2:30 pm: Train to Ghent
It takes 30 minutes to travel from Bruges to Ghent. The Gent-Sint-Pieters train station is a 30-minute walk from downtown Ghent, so to get into town it is quicker to take a taxi or the tram.
Trams pull up in front of the train station. You can buy a round-trip tram ticket from the automated machines at the tram stop.
To take the tram into town, take line 1 towards Eindhalte. Get off at Korenmarket, the center of Ghent. Later in the day, to get back to the train station, take line 1 towards Flanders Expo. It takes about 15 minutes by tram to travel between the train station and Korenmarket.
3:45 pm: Rain in Ghent
When we arrived in Ghent, large, dark clouds were fast approaching. We rushed to St. Michaels’ Bridge and the Lys River, one of the prettiest spots in Ghent, hoping to see it before the rain arrived. We were just a little too late. The skies opened up and we ended up waiting out the worst of the rain under the awning of a souvenir shop.
4:15 pm: Gravensteen
Once the rain slowed down, we half walked, half rain to Gravensteen. This ancient castle has been standing here since 1180. It has been used as a prison and even as a filming location for the BBC series The White Queen.
You can tour the rooms of the castle, visit the armory, and learn about torture in medieval times. But the best part of the visit is the view from the top of the castle. Miraculously, the skies cleared up and we had awesome views over Ghent.
5 pm: Graslei and Korenlei
Now that the skies were clear, we walked back towards St. Michael’s Bridge. I really wanted to get a nice photograph of Graslei and Korenlei, a photogenic spot on the River Lys. On warm, sunny days, this is a popular spot to hang out, have a drink at a café, and enjoy these beautiful views.
5:10 pm: Wandering through Patershol
Before arriving in Ghent, I had read that the Patershol neighborhood is a very scenic spot to visit in town. Well, maybe we were missing something, but this was not worth the little bit of time we spent here. After the pretty streets in Bruges, this neighborhood, while pretty, was nothing spectacular.
St. Nicholas Church, on our way to the Ghent Belfry
5:30 pm: The Ghent Belfry
For a beautiful view of Ghent, climb the Ghent Belfry. From here, you can see St. Nicholas’ Church, St. Bavo’s Cathedral, and the beautiful buildings of Ghent. Plus, there is no black mesh fencing to get in the way of photos.
The Belfry is open until 6 pm and the last admission is at 5:30 pm. We just made it! Get updated hours and pricing before you go and purchase your ticket in advance on the official website.
6 pm: Dinner in Ghent
We ended our day with dinner in Ghent. We picked a spot on Korenmarket called Vaudeville, a mistake, since the food was mediocre and expensive.
Better spots to try are Passion (Belgian and Dutch food, located near the Belfry) or Du Progres (French and Belgian food, located on Korenmarket).
7:00 Travel Back to Brussels
From Korenmarket we took the tram back to the Gent-Sint-Pieters train station and then took the 7:23 pm train back to Brussels, arriving at 7:53.
It’s a long day and we didn’t get to see everything, but we did get to see the highlights.
What We Would Have Done Differently
Ideally, spend one full day in Bruges and one full day in Ghent to have the best experience. You get to slow down and savor these cities. We did feel rushed while in Bruges, trying to see as much as possible while still saving time for Ghent.
You have the option to only visit Bruges, of course, skipping Ghent completely. Even though we only had a few hours in Ghent, we really enjoyed our time here. The rain made it more fun and then ending the day with sunny skies was nice. I’m so glad we got to see Ghent from the Belfry.
I would skip walking around the Patershol neighborhood and use that time at Graslei and Korenlei instead. The waterfront is one of the prettiest spots in Ghent, and we almost shortchanged ourselves there by also trying to visit Patershol.
One pleasant surprise in Ghent: the Belfry has an elevator. Unlike the Bruges Belfry, where you climb all 366 steps, the Ghent Belfry lets you take a lift most of the way to the top. If the Bruges climb was tough, don’t let that put you off the Ghent Belfry. The views are worth it and the elevator makes it much more manageable.
The key to making this day work is the very early start in Bruges. We got to climb the Belfry in Bruges and take the canal cruise with almost no time spent in lines. Had we waited in long lines we would have had very little time in Ghent.
Traveling by Train in Belgium
The train is the easiest way to get around Belgium, and for this day trip you’ll take three separate trains: Brussels to Bruges, Bruges to Ghent, and Ghent back to Brussels. We recommend buying three one-way tickets rather than a Brussels–Bruges return, since your route is point-to-point and not a straight out-and-back.
We purchased our tickets online in advance. The advantage of doing this is that you do not have to spend time in the stations buying your tickets. I know that it only adds a minute or two, but there were two instances where we just made the train. If we had to take time to purchase tickets, we would have had to wait another 10 minutes for the next train. It’s not a lot of time, but when you’re trying to visit both Bruges and Ghent in the same day, those minutes add up.
Purchase your tickets in advance on the belgiantrain.be. Belgian train tickets are date-specific but not time-specific. The ticket is good for one specific day for one journey, any time of day. For example, if you purchase a ticket for May 1 from Brussels-Midi to Bruges you can take any train on May 1, whether it’s at 7:30 am or 5:50 pm. This is great because if you don’t make that 7:26 am train, you can just catch the next one at 7:32 with the same ticket.
The only downside to purchasing your tickets in advance is if you change your date of travel to Bruges and Ghent.
A note on return tickets: Several readers have asked whether a Brussels–Bruges return ticket would cover a stop in Ghent on the way back. Technically, SNCB’s rules do not allow you to interrupt a journey and continue it later on the same ticket. To keep things simple and avoid any issues with ticket inspectors, we recommend sticking with three one-way tickets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you visit Bruges and Ghent in one day?
Yes, and this itinerary shows you exactly how. The key is getting an early train from Brussels so you arrive in Bruges before the crowds, then heading to Ghent in the early afternoon. You won’t see everything in either city, but you’ll hit the highlights of both in a single rewarding day.
Is one day in Bruges enough?
One day is enough to see the main highlights: the Belfry, a canal cruise, the Basilica of the Holy Blood, and a walk through the scenic streets. But Bruges rewards a slower pace, and if you can spend two days, you’ll have time to explore beyond the center and actually sit and enjoy the city rather than rush through it.
How long is the train from Brussels to Bruges?
About one hour by direct train from Brussels-Midi (Brussels South) station. Trains run frequently throughout the day, and you can buy tickets in advance on the SNCB website (sncb.be) or app.
How do you get from Bruges to Ghent by train?
The train from Bruges to Ghent takes about 30 minutes. From Ghent’s Sint-Pieters station, the city center is too far to walk comfortably, so take a tram or taxi into town. Check the De Lijn website (delijn.be) for current tram routes, as lines and stops are subject to ongoing construction changes.
Is Bruges or Ghent better?
They’re different enough that it’s hard to compare. Bruges is more polished and picturesque, a fairy-tale medieval town that earns every photo you’ll see of it. Ghent is larger, a bit grittier, and feels more like a real living city. Bruges draws bigger crowds; Ghent tends to feel more local. If you can only visit one, Bruges is the classic choice, but Ghent is the one that might surprise you.
Where to Stay
Brussels is the natural base for this day trip, since both Bruges and Ghent are easily reached by direct train. We stayed at the Pullman Brussels Midi, which sits right next to Brussels-Midi station. It’s a five-minute walk to the platform. When you’re catching a 7:30 am train, that location matters.
If you’d prefer to slow down and spend the night in one of the cities, both Bruges and Ghent have excellent options.
In Bruges, Grand Hotel Casselbergh blends medieval character with modern comfort near Market Square. There are also quite a few highly-rated bed and breakfasts in the city center, like De Zomere B&B and B&B Anna9.
In Ghent, 1898 The Post & Porter’s House is the standout choice — a boutique hotel housed in Ghent’s former post office on the Graslei, with moody, atmospheric rooms and one of the best cocktail bars in the city. Ganda Rooms & Suites is a mid-range hotel in the city center that is located in an 18th century townhouse.
More Belgium Travel Resources
Planning a longer trip to Belgium? Our Belgium Travel Guide contains all of our posts on Belgium.
If this day trip is part of a bigger European itinerary, check out our 10-day Amsterdam, Brussels, and Paris itinerary – it includes a day in both Bruges and Ghent as part of a point-to-point trip through three countries.
And if you’re spending time in Brussels before or after this day trip, our self-guided Brussels chocolate tour is a great way to spend a morning. It’s exactly what we did the day before visiting Bruges and Ghent.
If you have any questions about how to spend one day in Bruges and Ghent, comment below!
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