Best Places To Stay In Bruges
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The single biggest thing to get right in Bruges is staying inside the ring canal at all. Roughly 8 million tourists a year pass through the city, most of them as day-trippers from Brussels or on a coach, and they clear out by early evening; an overnight stay is what lets you see the Markt and the canals quiet, and an early morning walk before the tour buses arrive is the best view of the city you’ll get. Check rates on Booking.com once you’ve picked a zone below.
Around the Markt and the Burg
The liveliest, most central option, steps from the Belfry, the Stadhuis, and the Basilica of the Holy Blood. Best for a first visit, when you want everything on foot and don’t mind the buzz.
South, near Minnewater and the Begijnhof
A quieter, more romantic pocket close to the “Lake of Love” and the walled beguinage, still an easy walk to the Markt. This is the better pick if you’d rather sleep somewhere calm and walk five or ten minutes into the action than stay in the middle of it.
’t Zand, on the west side
Close to the Concertgebouw and the Saturday market, ’t Zand is a slightly less touristy pocket that’s still inside the ring canal, a reasonable middle ground between the two zones above.
Near the station
Outside the ring canal to the south, this is the cheapest option and the most practical if you have an early train, at the cost of a roughly 15-20 minute walk into the old town (or a short De Lijn bus ride).
What to actually book
Bruges is small enough that almost anywhere inside the ring canal is walkable to the main sights, so pick by vibe and budget rather than by exact distance to the Markt. Book ahead for peak season (roughly June through September), when the compact centre’s limited room stock fills up fastest.
A note on price
Peak-season rates inside the ring canal run noticeably higher than a room five or ten minutes further out near the station; if budget matters more than the extra walk, weigh that trade-off against how early your train is on departure day.
Read more: our Bruges travel tips guide covers getting around once you’ve picked a base, and the full Bruges guide has the rest of the city.