7 Best Things To Do Solo in Bruges, Belgium

Hey there, my fellow wanderers! A few weeks back, I shared the highlights of my day trip to Bruges, Belgium. It was a destination I was absolutely stoked to explore, but, to be completely real with you, my experience took an unexpected turn. Right in the midst of this adventure, I caught one of the nastiest colds ever, putting a damper on my exploration of Belgium and Cologne, Germany.

Nevertheless, I’m powering through to bring you this post on 7 fantastic things to do in Bruges. Admittedly, I couldn’t check off all 7 due to my day being cut short for some much-needed self-care back at my Airbnb in Brussels. Let’s dive into the beauty of Bruges together!

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7 Best Things To Do Solo in Bruges, Belgium

Oh, heavens! Bruges (Brugges) is an absolute enchanting haven, a true fairy tale village that puts anything in the US to shame. This charming city with its unique character, water canals, and picturesque scenes is like a Hallmark movie waiting to unfold. If you’re into films, there’s one featuring Colin Farrell titled “In Bruges.” It’s a thriller, not a romance, but worth a watch, although it doesn’t showcase the city as much as it could have. Still, it might pique your interest if you’re planning to visit!

As mentioned earlier, my home base was in Brussels, and I opted for a day trip to Bruges via train. The journey was ridiculously easy, and the moment I arrived, I found myself yearning for an extended weekend stay. Bruges, with its colorful cottage wonderland, ignited a desire in me to explore neighboring towns—I even wished I had rented a car for the adventure.

But, enough about my unfulfilled aspirations, due to being under the weather. Let’s dive into the list!

Bruges Beer Experience

A museum with 16 beers on draft and an admission fee of 19 euro with beer tastings, that’s an easy “must-do” for me. They also have gluten-free, alcohol-free, and soft drinks for those with sensitives. Tickets can be bought in advance here.

Christmas Market (December)

This one was one of my favorite Christmas markets because it genuinely felt like I was in a community rather than a city. The main square where the Christmas Market was held is very clearly where the history of the town was and the architecture and churches surrounding it were anything but a disappointment. The Christmas Market is in the main circle of the city, it’s called 3 names: grand-place, markt, & Grote Markt.

It was cozy and intimate with pop-y Christmas music (Mariah Carey is universal) and lovely stands filled with homemade ornaments, Belgium waffles, Glühwien, and the most amazing meats and cheese stands. It was a fun, family-filled market that I hope to go back to someday.

You can read more about my Bruges Christmas Market adventure in this post. 💕

Belfry of Bruges (Belfort van Brugge)

The absolute BEST view of the entire city is at the top of Belfry Tower. Tickets are 15 euro and you get panoramic views. There are no less than 47 bells in this tower. It’s stunning from the bottom and the top.

Belgian Chocolate Workshop in Bruges

HUGE fan of Viator tours over here. This one has incredible reviews and is the perfect Belgium experience for your charming stay in Bruges. You get to work in small groups and will walk away with 35+ piece box of chocolate, a learned experience, and hot chocolate. What more could you possibly want?

Perfect for solo travelers because you can easily meet people since it’s a small group of people.

Choco-Story, The Chocolate Museum

…speaking of chocolate – they have a chocolate museum and, honestly? I wish there was a chocolate museum in every city in the world because you are almost guaranteed to get a snack before you leave. Belgium is known for chocolate and arguably have the best in the world. What better way to learn about how it’s harvested, processed, and made than a museum?

Also, it’s a great way to spend a rainy day indoors. This museum costs 14 euro for tickets and comes with a digital audio guide!

Check out one of the windmills!

They have a row of windmills on the east side of the city. Brugges is quite small and easy walkable of a beautiful day but they also have buses that run through out the village too and bike rentals! Check these ones out!

Koelewei Mill
Windmill The New Parrot
Sint-Janshuismolen (open since 1770! Open to the public)
Bonne-Chière mill

Canal Boat Tour

This canal cruise from Viator also includes a walking tour. I love tours like this because you get to meet so many other people and also get knowledge on the city and an experience!

This fairy tale village is a GEM worth visiting, and in my case – revisiting. Perhaps with a better immune system and a longer stay next time.

Wishing you an amazing time, if you plan to go!