Bruges vs. Ghent – Both Belgian towns are popular tourist destinations. In this article, we will have a look at both of them in order to decide whether a visit at Bruges or Ghent fits better for you.
First, we will have a look at both destinations separately. In addition, we will tell you about the best places to visit in Bruges and Ghent. Afterward, we will compare both towns in Belgium and tell you the pros and cons about each of them.
Bruges vs. Ghent – A detailed comparison of Bruges and Ghent
So let’s start with the famous Bruges.
Since the movie In Bruges came out in 2008, Bruges became an even more popular destination for travelers from all over the world.
Bruges Facts
- Biggest Province in West Flandern
- French Name Bruges
- Dutch Name Brugge
- 138,4 km² area
- Since 2000 UNESCO World Heritage
- Was European Capital of Culture in 2002
Our Bruges Video
Bruges Map
Belfort Grote Market Square Basilica of the Holy Blood Windmill
Beguinage Rozenhoedkaai Bonifacius-Bridge Church of Our Lady
Food: Lizzie’s Wafels T Brugsch Friethuys
How to get to Bruges – Brussels to Bruges Train
Duration: ca. 1,1 Hours (from Brussels Centraal)
Price: ca. 15€
In order to get from the Belgian capital Brussels to Bruges by train, you can buy your ticket easily in the Brussels Centraal Station. (Or any other station in Brussels). The automate is easily understandable as you can change the language to English. The trains operate around once an hour or more.
Best Accommodation in Bruges
For more information and the latest prices and availability, just click on the name of the accommodation that you are interested in.
Cheap Accommodation Bruges
Charlie Rockets Youth Hostel – Bed in a dorm, good location
Hostel Lybeer Private Rooms just for two – Private Room
Hostel 28 – Private Room
Accommodation in Bruges
B&B’t Walleke – Deluxe Double Room
B&B My Suite Home – Double Room with River View
B&B Villa Chantecler – Private Suite, very good references
Luxury accommodation in Bruges
B&B Filemon&Baucis – Double Room with Pool View (+Pool)
B&B The Townhouse Luxury Guesthouse – Deluxe Double Room with City View
B&B Alphabet – Luxury Guesthouse and Art Gallery – Deluxe Double Room with City View, very good references
Going to Brussels as well? It’s amazing to visit Brussels as a beer lover! Don’t forget to check the Delirium Bar, Brussels, Belgium.
Places to visit in Bruges
Belfort
Entrance Fee: 12€
Opening Times: 09.30 am – 06.00 pm
The Belfort is the most important and highest tower in Bruges. With its 83 Meters (272 ft.) it overtops all the other buildings in Bruges. (Fun Fact: Even nowadays, no other building is allowed to be constructed higher than the Belfort.)
Taking 366 steps, you can get up there and enjoy the breathtaking view over the city. When going up, you can also have a look at the treasure chamber and the glockenspiel of the Belfort tower.
The construction of Belfort dates back to the 13th Century. At this time, the tower still had a 19 Meter (62 ft.) long wooden top, which burned off in 1280 and got renewed in 1296. There, it stayed until 1741.
Since 1999, this significant building is part of the UNESCO World-Heritage.
The Markt (Market Square)
Opening Times: Constantly accessible (Public Square)
The Markt (Market Square) which is located in the heart of Bruges is easy to find due to the Belfort Tower which is located right at the Markt.
The Markt of Bruges is known to be one of the most beautiful places in the city and shouldn’t be missed in any walk around the town.
After a long day in Bruges, you can relax here with one of the Belgian Hot Chocolates that are so popular here in Bruges.
If you still have energy left, you can as well take a look around all these little shops that are surrounding the Markt.
The Bruges Market Square exists already since the Middle Ages. At that time, the Markt was used to trade different kinds of textiles and food. Even nowadays, you can still find this medieval atmosphere which the Bruges market square is providing to its visitors.
Basilica of the Holy Blood – Treasure Chamber
Entrance Fee Basilica: free of charge
Entrance Fee Treasure Chamber: 2,50€
Opening Times: 09.30 am – 12.30 pm / 02.00 pm – 05.00 pm
The Basilica of the Holy Blood is part of a Double Church. It consists of an upper part and a lower part.
Here, you can find one of the most important religious relics in Europe: an ampule filled with Holy Blood. It’s said to be brought by the crusader Dietrich von Elsass (Thierry of Alsace) after the second crusade in the holy land. Since 1291, every year the ampule gets carried through the streets of Bruges on Ascension Day.
In the Double Church, you can as well find the treasure Chamber of Bruges.
St. Janshuis Windmills – The best View of Bruges
If you walk along the water for a little while, you can find two windmills.
It’s not only a lovely walk along the water but also an opportunity to escape the tourist masses of Bruges. When arriving at the windmills, you get rewarded with a beautiful view of Bruges. You can relax on a bench or in the grass and enjoy the view. This is our favorite Bruges insider tip that was shown to us by a local.
Boat tour through Bruges
Opening Times: 10.00 am – 06.00 pm
Price: 8€
Duration: ca. 30 Minutes
Did you know that you can discover Bruges not only by foot but also from the water? A boat tour through Bruges offers totally new opportunities and views to you. That’s the reason why Bruges is called the Venice of the North. (That is also the name of the company that we chose to do the boat tour with, by the way).
We can absolutely recommend you such a tour on the water. Even though usually, I am not a big fan of boats I did absolutely enjoy the boat ride.
Moreover, the driver seems to know every little house you pass by and can give you a lot of information (In English and French).
The Beguinage (Begijnhof)
Opening Times: 06.30 am – 06.30 pm
Entrance Fee Courtyard: free of charge
Entrance Fee Beguinage: 2,50 €
The Beguinage is a quiet place where you can find peace and tranquility. In early spring, the courtyard is full of daffodils and simply beautiful.
The daffodils give a wonderful contrast to the surrounding houses which are all white. Due to those buildings, the Beguinage offers an atmosphere which varies from the rest of the city.
The Beguinage has been established in 1245 and used to be home to the emancipated and single women of Bruges. Nowadays, the courtyard is home to the nuns of the Benedictine order.
The Rozenhoedkaai
The Rozenhoedkaai is one of the most popular View Points of Bruges. From here, you have a wonderful view of the canals and boats that pass by.
Don’t forget to take your vacation shot here! 😉
The St. Bonifacius Bridge
If you’ve seen the beginning of the movie In Bruges, this location might look familiar to you. For us, it was one of the most beautiful places in town. Anyway, during the daytime it is full of tourists here. You might wanna check that place out early in the morning or in the evening.
The bridge is located right near the Church of Our Lady.
The Church of Our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk)
Opening Times: 09.30 am – 05.00 pm
Entrance Fee: 6 €
The Church of Our Lady impressed us so much that we just had to come here twice. The 115,5 Meter (377 ft.) tower is simply a beautiful piece of architecture.
So, we stood some minutes at the St. Bonifacius Bridge to look at this building. The constructions of this impressive church have already started back in 1210, by the way.
One of the main attractions of the inside is the Madonna-Statue made by Michelangelo in 1503.
Things you should try in Bruges
Belgian Waffles in Bruges – Lizzie’s Wafels
Address: Sint-Jakobsstraat 16
No trip to Belgium is complete without a delicious Belgian Waffle. Our host brought us to this amazing little place for waffles. He promised us that those are the best waffles you could find in Bruges. And we haven’t been disappointed at all. Yummy!
Belgian French Fries in Bruges- T Brugsch Friethuys Brugges
Address: Sint-Jakobsstraat 1
Another thing that belongs to every trip to Belgium is the original Belgian Fries. This restaurant was shown to us by our host on our first night in Bruges. For him, they offer the best fries in Bruges. You can choose between three sizes and the big one is enough to fill up two adults. There is a big amount of different sauces to choose from.
Unfortunately, we have to admit that the burgers weren’t that amazing, but the fries on the other hand, even better.
What to see in Ghent
Ghent Facts
- The 4th biggest town in Belgium
- The Capital of East Flandern
- In the Middle Ages became rich due to cloth trading
- 156,18 km² area
Our Ghent Video
Ghent Map
Saint Nicholas Church St. Bavo’s Cathedral Gravensteen
Belfry St. Michael’s Bridge
The best accommodation in Ghent
For more information and the latest prices and availability, just click on the name of the accommodation that you are interested in.
The best cheap Accommodation in Ghent
Kaba Hostel – Bed in a dorm, breakfast included
Treck Hostel – Bed in a dorm, breakfast included
Best Accommodation in Ghent
B&B A la Bonne Heure – Private Double Room with shared Bathroom
B&B De Witte – Double Room, Breakfast included
Best Luxury Accommodation in Ghent
B&B Au Grenier – Double Room, really good references
Entrenous B&B – Deluxe King Room, 4 Stars
The most popular Ghent attractions
Saint Nicholas Church (Sint-Niklaaskerk)
Opening Times: 10.00 am – 05.00 pm
Entrance Fee: free of charge
The Saint Nicholas Church is probably the most popular sight in Ghent. Together with the St. Bavo Cathedral, and the Belfry tower, it defines the skyline of Ghent.
The inside, as well as the outside of the St. Nicholas Church, are impressive, and a visit is highly recommended by us! In the inside of this gorgeous church, you can find a lot of statues and religious art – simply beautiful.
However, the constructions for this church already started in the 13th century as a replacement for another church that was located at the same place before.
St. Bavo’s Cathedral (Sint Baafskathedraal)
Opening Times: 08.30 am – 05.00 pm
Entrance Fee: Free of charge
Another impressive building in Ghent and absolutely worth a visit. The 89 Meter (292 ft.) high tower of the St. Bavo Cathedral is visible already from far, so you definitely can’t miss this important building.
The history of this cathedral dates back to a chapel that was built here already back in 942 and extended during the years until it became the cathedral it is now. (Probably in the 16th century)
Gravensteen
Opening Time: 10.00 am – 05.15 pm
Entrance Fee: 10 € (6 € for under 25 years)
The Gravensteen Castle is a castle from the Middle Ages in the historic center of Ghent. Inside, you can learn about the history of the castle and get some information. Moreover, you can find some exhibits. Anyway, we were quite disappointed by this castle for such a pricey entrance fee. Even though it is interesting, for us, the entrance fee seemed a little bit high for what you get, to be honest.
However, from the walk around the castle walls, you can get some nice views of Ghent.
By the way, the name Grevensteen is Dutch and can be translated as Castle of the Count.
Nevertheless, the castle, the way it is now, was built 1180 by Philip of Alsace replacing a wooden castle that has stood there before. It’s said to be inspired by the crusader’s castle which Philip of Alsace saw during the second crusade.
Belfry of Ghent
Opening Times: 10.00 am – 06.00 pm
Entrance Fee: 8€
The Belfry of Ghent is located in between the St. Nicholas Church and the St. Bavo Cathedral and is also a significant part of the skyline of Ghent. This Belfry Tower is 95 Meters (312 ft.) high. Certainly, it is known to be the highest belfry in Belgium.
The constructions of the Belfry have already begun in 1313. But the upper part has been rebuilt several times in order to be able to accommodate the huge bells.
St. Michael’s Bridge
The probably best spot in Ghent to have a view over the skyline of Ghent. Because from here you can see the St. Nicholas Church, the St. Bavo Cathedral as well as the Belfry just perfectly. Their towers are built in one line.
If you want to snap a great picture of Ghent: This is the place.
By the way, the St. Michael’s Bridge is crossing the river Lys (Leie) and has been built in 1910.
Next to this bridge, you can find the St. Michael’s Church, which is one of the three medieval churches of Ghent.
Brugge vs. Ghent
Ghent often is referred to as a substitute for the popular travel destination Bruges as in Ghent, there are less tourists walking around. But which of the towns in Belgium is better for a city trip: Bruges/ Brugge or Ghent?
Comparison Bruges and Ghent
Somehow everyone that has seen both towns has his own favorite: Ghent or Bruges. And most probably everyone is trying to tell you that their favorite is the better one. But which of the cities is the better destination for a city trip?
Both cities are! So if you have a chance, go and see both and choose your own favorite. Trust me, the other city won’t be a waste of time. That’s because Bruges, as well as Ghent, have their own gems. That is why some people will recommend you Ghent and others Bruges. In the following table, you can see the main differences between both Belgian cities to find out which one fits better for you.
| Aspect | Bruges | Ghent |
|---|---|---|
| Size of city | Small-Town-Atmosphere | Big City |
| Accessibility | All attractions are within walking distance, Train station is 15-20 Minutes outside of town walking | Attractions are located near to each other, Train Station is 30-40 minutes walking away from City Center, Tram available |
| Shopping | Boutiques and typical brands | Many shopping options throughout the whole city |
| Night Life | Some Bars, one Club, during the weekend quite crowded, during the week few options | Many Bars and Clubs, perfect for party and going out |
| Tourists | Full of tourists | Fewer Tourists |
Our personal favorite
Of course, here, we can just speak for ourselves and I know that many people have other preferences. Our favorite was Bruges. As a matter of fact, we absolutely fell in love with this city. We loved that it provides this small-town-atmosphere to its visitors. In other words, it’s absolutely enjoyable walking around the narrow streets of Bruges and getting lost.
Ghent, on the other hand, felt a little bit more like a big-city and therefore, couldn’t convince us 100%. Another big factor that made Bruges become our favorite was the weather. During our time in Ghent, we only had really bad weather. It was cold, stormy, and raining cats and dogs. (I guess, you can tell from our photos)
Conclusion Ghent and Bruges
If you are looking for nice relaxed walks and a small-town-vibe, you might be happier in Bruges. If you want to go out and don’t mind about bigger cities, Ghent is just great for you. It just depends on your preferences.
More Towns in Belgium?
Also check the Ghost Town Doel which is full of street art.
Wow you’ve put together an amazing comprehensive list! I’ve been thinking of visiting Belgium lately but couldn’t decided where to go. Bruges sounds like my type of place.
Hi Summer,
I hope this post helps you doing the right decision 🙂 Bruges is simply beautiful
This is such a comprehensive post, it’s amazing how much effort you put into it and I really enjoyed reading it. I have been to both cities and can’t really decide which one I like more, both are so beautiful and interesting!
Hi Liz,
thank you for your comment! I totally agree that both are beautiful and interesting. 🙂
Thanks for the tips! I have only been to Brussels but I’m planning another trip to Belgium soon but wasn’t quite sure where to go. Both look great though 🙂
Hi Becky,
Thank you for your comment! I am sure you will enjoy whatever city you choose! 🙂