Bruges is a charming warren of cobbled streets, leading onto beautiful, medieval squares, with impressive churches, or canals lined with gorgeous old warehouses and townhouses. And lots and lots of chocolate shops! And atmospheric places to eat and drink generally. And lots of lots of choice when it comes to accommodation. So, even more than other cities, it helps to be armed with some expert recommendations for the best places to stay in Bruges, whether you're looking for a boutique hotel, a B&B conversion, or a luxury grand-dame.
Some of our Bruges Collections:
In Bruges it's hard not to take a postcard worthy photograph. In the town's medieval centre there are no modern buildings to jump into your shot at the last minute, or cars to dash through. In fact, here you're more likely to have your photograph spoiled by a horse and buggy. For this is one of Europe's best-preserved pre-motorised cities. Which also means it’s small and very accessible. But the problem with Bruges, aside from parking, is that it’s so lovely that everyone knows about it.
You might not realise it, but Burges actually covers 138 square kilometres. Seems like a lot, doesn’t it? Especially if you’ve been here and strolled the narrow streets with their cobblestones and tiny bridges criss crossing the canals. But that cobbled section is just the historic centre — which is definitely one of the best places to stay in Bruges, especially if it’s your first time this beautiful fairytale of a city, and it’s got an almost unlikely sounding number of hotels and guesthouses, but it’s not your only choice, and below we review a few more of your options. Skip this section if you’re just looking for a hotel recommendation.
Where to Stay in Bruges? Which Part of Town?
- The historic centre of Bruges is the Old Town, the bit looped inside the main canal, around the Markt, or the medieval market square, lined with medieval and medieval looking facades and the Belfort or belfry; and Burg, historically the administrative part of town, with the impressive stadhuis, built in 1420, the Basilica of the Holy Blood beside it, and the Bruges Vrije, or library. As well as housing many of the main sights of Bruges, the Old Town is also packed with places to eat and drink, and lots of places to sit and enjoy the ambience. And it’s packed with many choices from our list of the best places to stay in Bruges.
- Still in the Old Town, but on the southern side of these major landmarks is South Bruges, a more peaceful set of streets and canals, leading up to the Begijnhof and the Minnewater. This is a charming place to stay if you want to be central but somewhere quieter too. If you don’t stay here you’ll probably be brought here on a canal, or by a horse and trap.
- Just outside the 13th century ramparts, the defensive walls and canals of old Bruges is Ezelstraat, an 800 year old lane, and the surrounding area called the Ezelstraat Quarter, and this is our Guru’s pick for the best place to stay in Bruges if you’re looking for great value. This is a lively part of town too, with a great array of choice when it comes to eating and drinking, and some hip boutiques and design stores.
- Sint-Anna is in the mirrored location to Ezelstraat, but to the north east, and is another great value choice, and home to actual permanent residents of Bruges, so it’s less touristy. The main landmarks of Sint-Anna are the working 18th century windmills by the outer canal, but Sint-Anna also has a lace museum and a folk museum, and some impressive churches. But the other reason we recommend staying in Sint-Anna is that the nightlife is really buzzy, with bustling pubs and local bars, and cosy eateries.
- Sint-Gillis sits between Ezelstraat and Sint-Anna, and is the neighbourhood to choose if you want to be close to all the main sights, but not right in amongst the crowds. It’s also medievally beautiful, with cobbled streets and stepped townhouses. Sint-Gilliskerk is one of the most impressive churches in Bruges, and peaceful Sincfal is one of only a few green spaces in central Bruges. And again, this is a great place to go looking for great places to eat and drink.
- If you’re travelling with children the Magdalena Quarter, just to the south east of the centre, is our pick. It’s leafy and residential, with elegant medieval squares, and one of the largest parks in Bruges, the Koningin Astridpark. This part of town is also great for bakeries and chocolate shops. And it’s got some great museums and restaurants too.
Bruges is floodlit by night, so you can walk around for hours seeing everything you've seen in the day but with an even more romantic tint. There are plenty of canal side cafes and bars from which to watch the world go by, and cosy tearooms if the weather turns nasty. Bruges gets a lot of visitors, so in some parts of town prices feel hiked, but there are plenty of budget options when it comes to eating and drinking, and many of the pleasures of Bruges come from strolling round town, seeing what you see.
But don't forget that this city is a year round destination. So if you want to guarantee a room in one of the best places to stay in Bruges, you'll need to get organised and book well ahead.
