Visit historical towns and art cities
Are you hungry for even more unique experiences on your trip to Bruges? There are plenty more unique, historic centres to discover. Each with their own identity and unique charms. And each one easily accessible from Bruges.
Damme was once an outer port of Bruges. Today, the 2 towns are still connected to each other by the Damse Vaart. Follow the 5 km canal and you'll arrive at this delightful pocket-sized city.
Hungry for more of this fascinating mix of past and present? A short 30-min train journey takes you to Ghent, where medieval blends effortlessly with hip and trendy.
If you don't mind sitting on the train a little longer, you'll find the international and multicultural capital of Brussels just an hour away, while the fashion city of Antwerp is an hour and a half away.
Right between Brussels and Antwerp lies Mechelen, a more compact city with a rich Burgundian history.
Just after Brussels, an hour and a half by train from Bruges, you'll arrive in the student city of Leuven. Leuven is home to the oldest university in the country.
A visit to Ypres is always a great addition to any travel itinerary. Just over an hour and a half by train, you can immerse yourself in the history and echoes of the First World War.