Tours and Tickets
Bruges and Ghent - Belgium's Fairytale Cities - from Brussels
4.5

Bruges and Ghent - Belgium's Fairytale Cities - from Brussels

By Brussels City Tours
About
Don’t waste your precious vacation time organizing transportation and itineraries; let a guide do the hard work on this day trip to Bruges and Ghent from Brussels. It’s perfect for travelers with limited time, offering a great introduction to these two UNESCO-listed medieval cities. Learn the history of each place from your guide and relish the cultural highlights.
from
$53.10
per adult
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 0-99, max of 200 per group
Duration: 10h 30m
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English, French, Spanish
More

Highlights
  • Take a full-day tour of Bruges and Ghent from Brussels 
  • Let someone else handle transportation and the itinerary 
  • Commentary brings the history of the two UNESCO-listed cities to life 
  • Take a guided walking tour of Bruges and Ghent highlights 
  • Upgrade to include a cruise on Bruges' idyllic waterways

  • Professional multilingual guide
  • Air-conditioned vehicle
What's not included
  • Gratuities
  • Hotel pick up & drop-off
  • Food and drinks

Your day trip begins with pickup in central Brussels, from which you embark on a journey through the Belgian countryside to Ghent, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On arrival in Ghent, visit St. Bavo's Cathedral (Sint-Baafskathedraal), home to the world-famous 'Mystic Lamb' painting, and take a guided walking tour of Ghent’s churches and castles, including Gravensteen Castle (Castle of the Counts). The next stop is Bruges, another UNESCO-listed medieval city, where you break for lunch (own expense) at Minnewater (Lake of Love). Tick off Markt Square, Belfry (Belfort), the Basilica of the Holy Blood, plus many more on a walking tour accompanied by historical commentary. Upgrade to take a canal cruise on Bruges’ idyllic waterways before returning to your vehicle for the journey back to Brussels.  

Departure details
  • Rue du Marché aux Herbes 61, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium Our BRUSSELS CITY TOURS office (Visit Flanders Information Center) located in the street right next to the Grand Place and 5 minutes walk from the Central Station. We welcome you at our counter for the check-in.
Return details
  • Returns to original departure point

  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Near public transportation
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 2200DEB02

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
  • Access to the Mystic Lamb at St Bavo's Cathedral is not possible on Sundays
  • Comfortable walking shoes are recommended
  • Our guides are pleased to guide the tours in English, Spanish and/or French depending on the language need of our guests on the tour
  • Please note that we cannot accomodate latecomers
  • This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 200 travelers

  • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

What time do we stop for lunch on the Belgium's Fairytale Cities Tour?
Lunch is usually between 12:00pm - 2:00pm. The time is subject to change.

If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 2200DEB02

Reserve your spot

Similar experiences

Itinerary
  • You'll start at
    Rue du Marché aux Herbes 61
    Rue du Marché aux Herbes 61, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
    Our BRUSSELS CITY TOURS office (Visit Flanders Information Center) located in the street right next to the Grand Place and 5 minutes walk from the Central Station. We welcome you at our counter for the check-in.
    See address & details
  • Pass by
    Belfry and Cloth Hall (Belfort en Lakenhalle)
    Graslei and Korenlei
  • 1
    St. Bavo's Cathedral (Sint-Baafskathedraal)
    See details
    Pass by
    Gravensteen
  • 2
    Saint Nicholas Church
    Stop: 10 minutes
    See details
  • 3
    Basilica of the Holy Blood
    Stop: 10 minutes
    See details
  • 4
    Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk
    Stop: 15 minutes
    See details
  • 5
    Stadhuis
    Stop: 10 minutes
    See details
  • 6
    Minnewater Lake
    Stop: 15 minutes
    See details
  • 7
    Burg Square
    Stop: 20 minutes
    See details
  • 8
    The Princely Beguinage Ten Wijngaarde
    Stop: 10 minutes
    See details
  • 9
    Historic Centre of Brugge
    Stop: 30 minutes
    See details
  • You'll return to the starting point
+
About the operator
Brussels City Tours
1,776
Brussels, Belgium

#28 of 226 Tours & Activities in Brussels
  • BangForBuck
    BangForBuck
    0
    0
    Great Day Trip
    The company was well organized to get the trip started. Our guide was professional and knowledgeable. The stops were short but we got to see a lot. Don’t expect too much free time as much of the day is spent on the bus. They shared lots of information. I had fun.
  • Navigate30754184904
    Navigate30754184904
    0
    0
    A great trip with a lot of learning.
    Knowledgeable and experienced guide, a wonderful one day trip. Well organized route and time management, appropriate group size. Highly recommended.
  • tbroo2020
    tbroo2020
    0
    0
    Nice introduction to the city
    Our guide (Hugo?) was friendly and well-informed, and the staff at the tour company was efficient. A very nice introduction to the city.
  • Lucy E
    Lucy E
    0
    0
    Excellent tour
    An excellent tour. The guide was knowledgeable and kept our 2 boys entertained throughout (it helps that they do love history and anything related to WW1 and WW2). It was a very humbling experience for us all. A once in a life-time trip which we will strongly recommend.
  • 86Shaima
    86Shaima
    0
    0
    Amazing time
    I registered to this trip last week with Brussels City Tours and the experience was beyond amazing 😍 I learned a lot about the history and myths of the places we visited and was able to take nice pictures. The staff are professional and the price of the trip is reasonable for the overall experience and comfort during the trip.
  • 693wendyo
    693wendyo
    0
    0
    Worth it
    Dinat and Luxembourg were very beautiful. I appreciate that the tour guide paid attention to the weather and we started with Dinat so that we wouldn’t get rained on.
  • Barb N
    Barb N
    0
    0
    Well organized your company
    Well organized company for tours out of Brussels and probably the rest of Belgium. I did two tours - Flanders Fields Remembrance tour from Brussels and Luxembourg/Dinant from Brussels. They moved people efficiently from the central meeting place. The only complaint is the tour to Luxembourg was done in two groups but each group was done in English and either French or Spanish according to the participants. It would have been great if all the English speaking people were together so we didn’t have to listen to the guide speak in two languages the whole time. Yes I realize this was probably necessary for the guides to be utilized but nevertheless frustrating.
  • tarki321
    tarki321
    0
    0
    Excellent tour
    Listening to the guide. He was very knowledgeable. We saw amazing places and felt sad at the terrible loss of life in Flanders. I learnt a lot
  • BarbN01
    BarbN01
    0
    0
    Good way to see Luxembourg
    Good way to see Luxembourg. Dinant is beautiful but unfortunately it pounded with rain when we were there. Suggest booking directly with Brussels City Tours and not Viator and Get Your Guide or other agencies as all tour companies funnel through the Brussels City Tours office so you will save money by cutting out the middle man. Brussels City Tours is well organized to handle all your tours in and out of Brussels. Our guide was good in Luxembourg but it was done in two languages which made it cumbersome.
  • BarbN01
    BarbN01
    0
    0
    Good tour to see Remembrance but watch how you book it
    I booked this tour via Get Your Guide as it was advertised on their website it would go to Vimy Ridge and tour Bruges. All tours for Viator and Get your Guide are handled by Brussels City Tours. So whoever you book with, it is the same tour. It didn't do Vimy Ridge and it didn't do the two hour tour of Bruges as shown on Get your Guide. The tour goes to Bruges only to pick up other passengers (and there would be no time to do Bruges with all that the tour did). It adds time at the end to backtrack to drop off the Bruges passengers before returning to Brussels. I suggest if booking this tour or any Brussels tours, book directly with Brussels City Tours. You save money by taking out the middle man. The tour guide was good. Long day but worth taking in the war history. And if you are interested in going to Vimy Ridge, you have to arrange your own tour. Plus plan to do Bruges on another day.
  • B1733ASstevenk
    B1733ASstevenk
    0
    0
    Definite must have tour !
    Was an awesome tour, very well planned and organized . Price was well worth it !!amazing pictures taken , would recommend to everyone, but a lot of walking for seniors !
  • DayTrip40240998315
    DayTrip40240998315
    0
    0
    Great side adventure
    So beautiful, both locations, and our guide Veronica was great knew the history and some stories about the places. David was the driver and he was awesome as well even taking a different route back so we could see some more of the villages. Great time!
  • Discover51481776165
    Discover51481776165
    0
    0
    Uninterested and callous + no windmills
    It wasn’t particularly good.. No windmills! The guide really looked like he didn’t want to be there.. He was taking about 30 of us and he announced before the walk that he can’t speak loudly because that’s not what people in north Europe do. (They could have easily provided ear pieces instead) He then simply walked quickly through the stock exchange, through a tourist trap street and reached the Dam - said we meet here and disappeared. Even on the way back he sped ahead without checking if the whole group was still there and left two elderly women behind . He didn’t even bother looking for them.. tried calling them twice and asked another lady if they had enough cash for a train ride back and asked the driver to start. They luckily found their way back.. There was no guiding, didn’t particularly give us much information about anything. He was trying to mix in the crowd and avoid associating with the group that he was guiding.. I won’t recommend this tour at all
  • Paul G
    Paul G
    0
    0
    Somber trip to WW1 sites in Flanders Belgium.
    Well organised tour that takes you to a lot f WW1 sites around Ypres in Flanders. The guide was very knowledgeable and set the scene very well. A light lunch with a drink was included . It’s a long day leaving at 9.00 am and not getting back until 10.30pm but we’ll worth it. Only downside was the Menin Gate was under repair so you can’t see the names on the walls. If you are interested in WW1 this is a tour worth doing.
  • MSalmanF
    MSalmanF
    0
    0
    Heartless staff
    Just before leaving for bus around 8:30 I informed the staff member that my special need daughter needs to use toilet. He informed me if she goes for toilet, group will leave. I again requested and informed that my daughter is special need, Down syndrome. He heartlessly again repeated the same thing. I went to the guide & requested him too. He said ok but exactly 8:30 that heartless staff member told the guide to leave & he left. I was stunt with such cruel attitude. My daughter used the toilet and we caught up the group despite my daughter struggling to catch up. Surprisingly group had to walk over KM even though bus could have come near the office. On top of that we had to wait for bus over 30 minutes. Never understood staff member and guide’s intolerable behaviour accept pure discrimination against Asian people. Never ever ever recommend this company to anyone.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions

4.5
793 reviews
Excellent
537
Very good
148
Average
60
Poor
19
Terrible
29

Mitchell B
2 contributions
Mar 2020 • Couples
We used viatour to book many tours throughout Europe and all were great so we were excited to embark on this tour. Unfortunately of the many tours we took, this was the worst one and was horrible. The tour guide was unengaging and didn’t seem to care about us or the trip. What made us most upset was he dropped us off in front of a tourist trap and encouraged us to eat only there and said it had the best prices and he didn’t give us enough time to eat anywhere else. The restaurant was way too expensive and they even charged us a euro for ketchup. The tour guide obviously got a kick back from this restaurant as they had his food and the drivers food ready when they arrived and did not charge them. This was overall a bad trip that I do not recommend. Save your money and don’t book with this company.
Written March 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
brusselscitytours
Dear customer, We apologize deeply for your unpleasant excursion. Please know that your situation was an exception. As you can see on other reviews, we are known for taking ownership and caring deeply about our customers. We can’t fix the past but you have my personal commitment to improve the way our staff serves every customer. Please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected] to give another chance and we will give you a discount. Best regards, Brussels City Tours Team
Written April 6, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Lisa
4 contributions
Feb 2020 • Family
My father and I have been to this tour with Andra/ Andrea. The tour guide was really professional and informative. She could handle a group of 50 people easily and still deliver pleasant information. Also, I would like to point out that the Asian lady on the front desk was very decent and helpful with us.

I highly recommend this tour!
Written February 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
brusselscitytours
Dear customer, This review made our day!!! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us this review. Please share your lovely photos on our Facebook Page and feel free to tag us on instagram. We hope to see here again and please bring all your friends and family. Kind regards, Brussels City Tours Team
Written March 1, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

chris h
San Francisco, CA225 contributions
Jun 2022
While I have not wanted to go on large group trips, I did go on this one. I found the organization was well managed in both time and traveler assistance. We arrived at the appointed time, as did four other tours. One would expect this to be the beginning of a nightmare. It wasn't, and was handled very well. The trip included English, and Spanish speakers and our guide Stephen was quite able to speak to both with detail. Enough can't be stated about Stephan's skill and ability to communicate as well keeping track of 40 of us. Specifically, the tour is long and tiresome, however at the end of the day well worth the cost and effort. Some thoughts. Ghent was our favorite and some more free time there would have been nice. Burges was enjoyable as well. A bit overwhelming due to the number of other tourist. Arriving at Burges for the lunch break. I forget the name of the restaurant, but it was encouraged by Stephan and we found it a good recommendation was able to provide quick service with good food, I would give them a good review, but forgot the name. The bottom line here is the tour is good. I wish we would have been able to get a little bit more into it, but a lot to see in what is really a short time. Well done.
Written June 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ashley D
13 contributions
Jul 2022 • Solo
Stefaan was an amazing guide. He was extremely knowledgeable on all the areas we visited and could go into more detail when asked about other things not on the tour. He also has a great sense of humor that kept us laughing.

Both Ghent and Bruges are beautiful cities with rich, interesting histories. There is a lot of walking (about 7mi./11km) on uneven stone streets so wear comfortable walking shoes.

I highly recommend this tour and Stefaan!

Additionally the morning of the tour I was running late and the woman at the main office (I didn’t catch her name) called the bus to stop them from leaving and literally ran the 2.5 blocks to the bus with me to make sure I got on.

Such a kind group of people in this company!
Written July 26, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Emily V
2 contributions
It was awesome all around. Our guide Andrea was very knowledgeable and shared a lon of information without being overwhelming. Despite the national holiday and the festival taking place, she kept the group organized and able to enjoy the day. Had we traveled on our own to these two towns, we would not be able to see and learn this much. The rates were inexpensive compared to other trips, and it was worth every penny. A day well-spent, with a very comfortable ride to and from Brussels.
Written July 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
brusselscitytours
Dear Emily, Thank you for your fantastic feedback! We're thrilled to hear that you had an awesome experience on the tour. Andrea, our guide, is delighted to know that her knowledge and information-sharing added value to your day. It's great to hear that despite the national holiday and festival, Andrea kept the group organized and ensured you could fully enjoy the day. We're glad that you found the tour to be informative and enriching, providing you with a unique opportunity to see and learn so much about the two towns. We're also pleased to know that you found the rates to be reasonable and the experience worth every penny. Thank you for choosing our tour, and we hope to have the pleasure of serving you again for more enjoyable experiences in the future. Best regards, Team Brussels City Tours
Written July 27, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

thetrotter07
England15 contributions
Solo travel to various WW1 & WW2 using various modes of transport, mainly train, tram and bus.
Started in Ghent for three days and from there walked round the city visiting ancient sites like the castle at Gravensteen. Easily accessible from Ghent, via rail are the WW1 sites of Langemark, ypres and the Menin Gate, give yourself a day to take everything in. Also the Waterloo memorial. The memorial itself is amazing but the museum has little or no artefacts from the battle, still worth the entrance fee. Bruges is a delightful historic town with loads of things to see and do.
Ostend has numerous sites to see and from there you can go along the shore to numerous WW2 sites including the Fort De Dune and the Atlantik Wall. A must is a tram ride to Dunkirk. Once you hit the French border, bus rides are free. Follow me on instagram @pome.blog
Written April 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Chris
Charlotte, NC1 contribution
The tour itself was fine and the guide was excellent, but it was not the tour that I paid for. The tour I booked was supposed to be a small group of no more than 20 and in English. The tour I was put on had 50 people and was given in French, English, Spanish, and Italian. This made for an exhausting experience of having to listen to four explanations. I feel that I missed out on information because the guide had to repeat everything four times. We were supposed to see the painting of the mystic lamb, but we were told we needed tickets and did not have time. It was supposed to be part of the tour.
Written October 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Cameron H
1 contribution
Jan 2020 • Couples
We had a fantastic time whilst visiting Brussels we decided to go on day trip to Ghent & Bruges with city tours. Our tour guide Veronica was excellent, very knowledgeable and delivered the tour in two languages, both of which not her native, very impressive. The tour ran very smoothly and was our highlight of our trip to Brussels. Thank you City Tours & Veronica. I would highly recommend this trip 👍
Written January 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
brussels-ity-tours
Dear customer, Thank you so much for sharing your experience with Brussels City Tours. Our goal is 100% customer satisfaction and it sounds like we achieved that goal with you. We want every experience to be “five stars”! Glad to hear you love our tour with Veronica and the team will be thrilled to hear your feedback! Kind regards, Brussels City Tours Team
Written February 11, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

sabrina
Chicago, IL12 contributions
Oct 2022
We loved getting to see the historic sites especially throughout Bruges. It was really cool getting to walk through medival cities and get to hear all the information.

However, The large group of people along with the audio guides made it a little difficult to hear. There was also only one guide for both English and Spanish which made the information feel rushed leaving less time for any questions or elaboration. Would've been nicer if they could split the tour into two groups so it would feel less like a formal lecture. The restaurant recommended by our guide served great food but we did not have enough allotted time to eat.
Written April 13, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
brusselscitytours
Dear Sabrina, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback about your recent tour of Bruges. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed the historic sites and walking through medieval cities, but we apologize for any inconvenience caused by the large group and the audio guides. We will take note of your feedback about the guide handling both English and Spanish and consider the possibility of splitting the tour into smaller groups to make it feel less formal. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed the restaurant recommended by your guide, but we apologize for not having enough time to eat. We will ensure that our future tours provide adequate time for our clients to enjoy their meals without feeling rushed. Thank you for choosing us for your tour, and we hope to see you again soon on your next adventure! Best Regards, Team Brussels City Tours
Written April 17, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

AeroDDD
Greater Sydney, Australia367 contributions
Ghent too rushed. Bruges like watching paint dry. Guide lovely but walking was too slow, too many people and listening to three translations of the script was too much. Should be two languages max and a smaller group. Ghent for longer, bruges shorter woukd have been much better. There's only so many bricks you can see in a day and the boat ride sucked, cramped, uncomfortable, and we only saw the back of all the landmarks. Don't recommend.
Written May 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Bruges and Ghent - Belgium's Fairytale Cities - from Brussels provided by Brussels City Tours

Product Overview: Bruges and Ghent - Belgium's Fairytale Cities - from Brussels

Prices From

$53

Number of Reviews

791

Number of Photos

1,394

Duration

630 minutes