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Where can you rent a bike? What will the weather be like? And where can you store your luggage safely? With your trip to Bruges coming up, you probably have a few questions. To help you plan your trip, we've listed tons of practical info here. Got any other practical questions? Contact us. We will be happy to help you.

Bruges is an ideal city to explore by bike. You don't have your own bike with you? No problem. You can easily rent one at a bike rental point in Bruges. From tandems and e-bikes to children's bikes or racing models. For an hour, half a day, a whole day or your whole trip. Every bike rental point has its own product range, prices and conditions.

You want to experience the city to the fullest? Then you don't want to be bogged down by a heavy suitcase or large travel bag. Leave your luggage safely in one of the left luggage facilities: 

  • In Bruges train station:
    Via the entrance hall you will find the left luggage facilities, to the left of the ticket offices. You can choose between various sized left luggage facilities and rent them for as long as necessary. The minimum rental period is 1 day. Convenient payment via bank card. Want to be sure there'll be a left luggage locker available? Book one in advance. 

  • In Historium Brugge:  
    On Market Square you will find Historium Brugge, where you can leave your bag, backpack or suitcase in a secure locker. The lockers are located in the inner courtyard. You can use the lockers from 10.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. daily. The price varies depending on the size of the locker and for how long it is needed. 

Have you booked an overnight stay in the city? You can drop your luggage off at your accommodation. Enquire at your hotel.

As a Catholic city, Bruges has a lot of churches, but other religions also have their own houses of worship in our city. There are weekly worship services, where you are warmly welcomed. Check out the handy overview. 

Need urgent help during your visit to Bruges? The local police are there for you. You can reach them in an emergency by calling 101 or 112 (free European number for all emergency services, available 24/7). 

For non-urgent matters, you can call +32 (0)50 44 88 44 or email. Of course, you can also turn up in person: 

  • Politiehuis (Lodewijk Coiseaukaai 3), the headquarters of the Bruges police. The reception is open Monday through Thursday, from 7.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m. And continuously from Friday 7.00 a.m. to Sunday 9.00 p.m. For urgent matters, there is an on-call service in any case. 

  • Central district (Kartuizerinnenstraat 4), police station in a street behind the Belfry. The station is open Monday through Friday, from 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., and on Saturday from 9.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. 

  • For more info or to make an appointment: www.politiebrugge.be.

Anyone who has lost a valuable item while staying in Bruges can also contact the local police. View the online lost and found photo album and contact police if you recognise your item.

Lodewijk Coiseaukaai 3, 8000 Brugge

Kartuizerinnenstraat 4, 8000 Brugge

In Belgium, and thus in Bruges, the currency is the euro. The symbol is €. Coins come in 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 euro cents, and 1 and 2 euros. Banknotes come in 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros. 

You can withdraw cash with the usual credit cards such as Visa, Eurocard or MasterCard. During opening hours, you can go inside banks in Bruges. There are also a wide range of cash machines (ATMs) in the centre with extended opening times. Among other places, you'll find one: 

  • at Bruges train station
  • on ’t Zand Square
  • in the Zilverpand shopping centre
  • in the Vlamingstraat
  • in the Geldmuntstraatstraat
  • at the post office on the Smedenstraat

You have cash and want to change it into euros? Then visit money exchange office Moneytrans Brugge (Rozenhoedkaai 2) or Western Union (Steenstraat 2). 

Tipping is not compulsory in Belgium. Hotels and restaurants automatically add service to their prices. You can always tip extra if you wish, for delicious food, exceptional service or friendly staff. 5% to 10% of the total bill is the typical amount. At cafés, you can round up the amount if you wish. With guides, valets or taxi drivers, tipping is more common, but still optional.

What could be nicer for the people back home than a postcard from Bruges? You can buy postcards from various shops in the city centre. Stamps are also sometimes for sale, but otherwise get them at a postal outlet or at the post office, in the Smedenstraat 57-59. The post office is open every day except Sundays and public holidays. Post your postcard straight away in the post office, or drop it into a red mailbox when you come across one on the street. 

Do you need more info on the post office in Bruges, the city's postal outlets, the cost of stamps and for sending cards, letters or packages? Visit the website of bpost.

Smedenstraat 57-59, 8000 Brugge

Standing outside a locked door is never fun. Especially when you're on holiday. Check out all the national public holidays in Belgium and know exactly when businesses, agencies and services are closed: 

  • 1 January (New Year) 

  • Easter and Easter Monday 

  • 1 May (Labour Day) 

  • Ascension (6th Thursday after Easter) 

  • Pentecost and Whit Monday (7th Sunday and Monday after Easter) 

  • 21 July (National public holiday) 

  • 15 August (Assumption) 

  • 1 November (All Saints Day) 

  • 11 November (Armistice) 

  • 25 December (Christmas) 

In addition, certain locations are closed on: 

  • 11 July (Flemish holiday) 

  • 2 November (All Souls' Day) 

  • 26 December (Boxing Day) 

Schools in Bruges have 5 holiday periods. During these weeks, certain tourism businesses, museums, attractions, landmarks and tour operators adapt their opening times.

 202420252026
Christmas holidayfrom 25/12/2023 to 07/01/2024from 23/12/2024 to 05/01/2025from 22/12/2025 to 04/01/2026
'Crocus' holidayfrom 12/02/2024 to 18/02/2024from 03/03/2025 to 09/03/2025from 16/02/2026 to 22/02/2026
Easter holidayfrom 01/04/2024 to 14/04/2024from 07/04/2025 to 21/04/2025from 06/04/2026 to 19/04/2026
Summer holidayfrom 01/07/2024 to 31/08/2024from 01/07/2025 to 31/08/2025from 01/07/2026 to 31/08/2026
Autumn holidayfrom 28/10/2024 to 03/11/2024from 27/10/2025 to 02/11/2025from 02/11/2026 to 08/11/2026
Christmas holidayfrom 23/12/2024 to 05/01/2025from 22/12/2025 to 04/01/2026from 21/12/2026 to 03/01/2027

Belgium has 3 official languages: Dutch, French and German. These are spoken in their respective linguistic areas. Brussels-Capital City is officially bilingual. Dutch and French are equivalent here.  

Bruges is in the Dutch linguistic area. Dutch is therefore the spoken language here. Many Bruges residents also speak other languages such as French or English. So don't hesitate to ask the person you're talking to whether they also speak your (2nd) language.

Belgium has a temperate maritime climate. Close to the North Sea, Bruges enjoys stable weather, without high peaks or lows. Nice and warm in summer, without being hot. Cold in winter, but not freezing. The annual average is around 10°C, with July and August being the warmest months.  

The daffodils of the Beguinage traditionally herald spring in Bruges. They come into full bloom at the end of March/beginning of April. It's a spectacle not to be missed. Elsewhere in Bruges, spring flowers add plenty of colour to the city. In autumn, the colour palette changes. Along the City Ramparts and in the many parks of Bruges, the trees then wear their 'autumn coats'. 

Bruges often has rain, especially in the autumn and during the winter. Are you planning your trip during this period? Don't forget your umbrella, to be safe. 

Packing suitable clothing and planning appropriate activities? The website of the Koninklijk Meteorologisch Instituut (KMI), Royal Meteorological Institute (RMI), provides the most up-to-date weather information. 

You want to buy delicious local and fresh produce or hunt out your new outfit while soaking up the pleasant vibe? The market turns shopping into an authentic experience. In Bruges, you can scour at least one market every day. 

We sincerely hope you have a carefree holiday. But if there is a problem during your stay in Bruges, professional medical assistance is never far away. 

  • 112 is the general freephone number that connects you with fire, police or medical professionals 24/7 in all European member states. 

  • For non-urgent medical assistance in the evening, at night or on weekends, you can call 1733

  • Need a GP between 7.00 p.m. and 8.00 a.m., on the weekend or a public holiday? Then you can visit the Bruges GP out-of-hours clinic. The out-of-hours clinic is located on hospital campus AZ Sint-Jan, Ruddershove 10A, and is accessible: 

    • by car: park in the emergency department car park 

    • by public transport: bus lines 13, 23, 31 or 35 (from the station), get off at the AZ Sint-Jan stop 

  • Bruges has 2 hospitals: 

Ruddershove 10, 8000 Brugge

Sint-Lucaslaan 29, 8310 Brugge

  • You can go to the Poison Control Centre for all urgent questions relating to poisoning. You can call +32 (0)70 245 245, around the clock. 

  • There are various pharmacies in the centre of Bruges. You can easily recognise them by the green cross and the word 'Apotheek ' (= pharmacy in Dutch) on the facade. In the evenings and weekends you can visit the out-of-hours pharmacy. You can find out which pharmacy is open out-of-hours at www.apotheek.be

  • The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) gives you access to unplanned and essential medical care in Belgium. You will then also receive full or partial reimbursement for medical expenses. Request your EHIC from your health insurance fund, for each family member. 

Bruges is a lively, fun-loving city, with great night-life. There are plenty of places where you can amuse yourself until the early hours of the morning. But please bear in mind the following regulations.

  • It is forbidden to provide beer or wine (alcoholic drinks of more than 0.5 %) to people under the age of 16 years and strong drink (15% or more) to people under the age of 18 years.
  • It is forbidden to consume alcohol on the street in the night-life district on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night.
  • All drugs – including cannabis – are prohibited by law in Belgium.

When purchasing alcohol, proof of age may be requested.

In Belgium there is a general ban on smoking in cafés, restaurants, the public areas in hotels (lobby, bar, corridors, etc.) and in all public buildings (train stations, airports, etc.). Those unable to kick the habit will usually find an ashtray just outside (often under shelter).

Now that just about everyone has a mobile phone, Bruges no longer has public phone booths. Do you need to call someone on your cell phone from Bruges or from abroad to Bruges? You need to know the following: 

  • The area code for Bruges is 050. For example, a phone number for a resident or business in Bruges looks like this: 050 44 46 46 (that's Visit Bruges' number by the way). 

  • Belgium's country code is +32. If you want to call Bruges from abroad, dial 0032 before the phone number and drop the first 0 of the area code, e.g. 0032 50 44 46 46. 

There are several public toilets in Bruges (e.g. Station, Bargeplein, Lake of Love, Old Saint John site, ’t Zand Square, City halls, Gruuthuse Museum, Historium Brugge, Liberty of Bruges and Kuipersstraat). Some are accessible to the disabled, others offer baby-changing facilities. When locals require a toilet, they also often pop into a café, order something, and meanwhile make use of the facilities.

Here you can find an overview of all public toilets. All adapted public toilets for people with disabilities can be found here.

An identity card or valid passport is necessary. An ordinary identity card is sufficient for most citizens of the European Union. If you arrive in Belgium from outside the European Union, you must first pass through customs. There are no border controls once inside the European Union. Check at the Belgian embassy or consulate in your own country to find out exactly what documents you need.

Although most visitors choose to visit Bruges in spring or summer, the city is guaranteed to amaze you in any season. In autumn and during the winter months, the misty canals, the winding cobblestone streets and the many traditional pubs beckon. There's no shortage of atmos, in other words. In any case, the 'colder' months also lend themselves perfectly to a calmer visit to one of the many museums and sights, to enjoy a good restaurant or chat over a Bruges beer.  

Useful to know:  

  • After the Christmas vacations, in January, some tourism operators and museums close their doors for a few weeks.  

  • In January, February, March and often on weekdays throughout the rest of the year, accommodation is extra advantageous  in Bruges. 

Stad Brugge levies a lodging tax of € 3.75 (excluding VAT) per person and per night for room-related accommodation (hotels, guest rooms, hostels) and € 1.50 (excluding VAT) per person per night for site-related accommodation (campsites, motorhome carpark).

This tax applies does not apply holiday homes which are taxed at a flat rate. Children under 18 are exempted from the tax. If the accommodation is subject to VAT and opts to pass on the tourist tax separately to the customer, which is internationally common practice, then VAT (currently 6%) will be added to the tax.

If you organise or guide tourist walks in Bruges, you must obtain a permit or permission from the city. If you don't have a permit or permission, you risk being fined.

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