Belgium, Bruges, Ghent, Things to do

11 cool things to see and do in Bruges and Ghent

RiA
15 September, 2019
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Whether you’re visiting in a day or you have more time to spend in each city, here’s 11 cool things to see and do in Bruges and Ghent.

Contents

Climb the Historium Tower (Bruges)
Extra large waffles at Lizzie’s
Take a horse and cart ride (Bruges)
Go on a canal boat trip (Ghent/Bruges)
Try some nose of Ghent
Pick up a bargain at Dijver Market (Bruges)
The Basilica of the Holy Blood (Bruges)
Wander Korenmarkt Square (Ghent)
Stop by Rozenhoedkaai (Bruges)
Try some Belgium chocolate (Bruges/Ghent)
Stroll around Grote Market (Bruges)

Climb the Historium Tower (Bruges)

If you find that the queue to climb up the Belfry is too long or you want a full panoramic vista, head across Market Square (Markt) to the Historium Tower is a historical building which opened to the public in 2018.

With only 145 steps, the tower may not be as tall as the Belfry (365 steps), but it has the advantage of beautiful 360 degree views of Market Square and at a fraction of the cost.

A ticket to the viewing platform will cost you approximately €7 (price as of August 2019).

Extra large waffles at Lizzie’s (Bruges

I came across Lizzie’s Wafels and had to stop by. Not too far from Grote Markt, this place does some really large waffles!

Starting at €7 for the waffle base and with toppings ranging from chocolate sauce, strawberry’s, warm cherries, vanilla ice cream and banana, you can easily share a waffle between two. We saw a few other people do that and a couple that didn’t. Let’s just say the look on their faces said it all – they were not expecting that size!

Take a horse and cart ride (Bruges)

You’ll hear the clip clop in the distance of horses hooves and will eventually see lovely horse drawn carts around the town. It’s a good way to see some of Bruges’ landmarks and get your bearings, the horse and cart ride in It’ll cost you around €50 for about 35 minutes (price in Aug 2019).

Go on a canal boat trip (Ghent/Bruges)

A trip along the canal in Bruges or in Ghent is perfect on a sunny day. There are boat companies to choose from and the price will differ. Try this one from Get Your Guide for Ghent and this one in Bruges.

There’s also Boottochten Boats in Bruges which departs near The Church of our Lady on Dijver canal and lasts about 30 minutes.

Try some nose of Ghent

You have to try some of the well known Belgium sweet while in the city. It’s called the Nose of Ghent. Officially known as Cuberdon, the cone shaped sweet is made of fruit that’s baked in the oven and blended with Arabic gum. The nose of Ghent became popular following a candy cone war between two men that started selling the sweets.

Pick up a bargain at Dijver market (Bruges)

Once you pass The Church of Our Lady and walk up toward Rozenhoedkaai, you’ll stumble upon Dijver Market. The flea market is open at the weekend only, is very popular and is adjacent to the river. A nice view as you look for a bargain!

The Basilica of the Holy Blood (Bruges)

The Basilica of the Holy Blood is a Catholic Church located in Bruges. It’s a beautiful church that’s tucked away in the corner of Burg Square next to Bruges Town Hall. The church is a well known tourist spot since it’s believed to house the blood of Christ on a piece of cloth on a vile.

Wander Korenmarkt square (Ghent)

Ghent’s square, Korenmarkt, has plenty of shops, restaurants and cafes surrounding it all of which are in beautiful historical buildings. It’s a very popular location, making it a busy area and transport hub for buses and trams. Korenmarkt is not that far from the Leie river so you can grab a coffee nearby.

Stop by Rozenhoedkaai (Bruges)

A well-known spot and one of the most popular places to take a snap in Bruges. You’ve probably seen it yourself in pictures yourself. Just a 5 minute walk from Grote Markt is where you’ll find Rozenhoedkaai – the Quay of the Rosary.

Make sure you take a few minutes there to adore the architecture of the classical buildings.

Try some Belgium chocolate (Bruges/Ghent)

There are many shops selling chocolate – and lots of it! You can’t leave Belgium without buying some chocolate. I picked up some chocolate covered rice crispy rice cakes from a shop in Bruges.

Stroll around Grote Market (Bruges)

Known as Markt, the square is the central pout in the town. You’ll find the horse and carts are located there and there are restaurants and cafes all around the square itself. You may that there’s a concert going on or other activities taking place in the square.