Fries, chocolate, beer and canals…
Whilst I love my husband dearly, I like to do one trip each year with just me and the kids. I don’t know why but it does feel different (and there’s no voice in my ear telling me not to spend too much money!). I took a trip to Belgium with my boys, then aged 9 and 10 in April 2023. These are some of our favourite things to do in Bruges (or Brugge as its known in Flemish).
Make and eat waffles
I always try to include one hands on experience on each trip with my boys. We made carnival mask in Venice (post to follow). In Salzburg we learnt to cook apple strudel (find out more here). We have made chocolate in quite a few places (Brussels, Edinburgh, York). In Bruges, we knew we wanted to make waffles.
Undaunted by a large hotel breakfast, we ambled across to Ezelstraat for our workshop. The lovely American student leading the workshop gave us a brief history of the waffle and explained the different types. To be honest, we didn’t really mind which kind, we just wanted to get stuck in!
Following a demonstration, we started work on our batter. The instructions were pretty clear and simple and the boys were able to do this with little input from me. The batter is ready when you can hold the jug over your head and you don’t end up splatted! Luckily we passed this test as failure would not have been good!
After a brief explanation, we started cooking our waffles. The kitchen was equipped with a number of waffle irons so there was no waiting around and we were soon ready to top our creations. The waffles were delicious but I could only manage one. The boys did (far) better but we had to sit on a bench in the fresh air afterwards as they both overate and felt too sick to walk!
This was a great interactive experience and one of the best things to do in Brussels. Just skip the hotel breakfast first….
You can book the waffle making workshop here.
Visit medieval Bruges at the Historium
Bang in the heart of Bruges, the Historium brings history to life through a series of themed rooms.
With an audio guide, you follow a love story from Bruges’ historic quays to Van Eyck’s studio, through medieval alleyways and even into a bath house. The audio guide keeps a fair pace and each room opens up to you in turn. This is interactive enough to keep even history-phobe children entertained.
Once you have completed the interactive exhibition, you then step out onto a panoramic terrace with amazing views over the Market Square. There are telescopes so you can zoom in and watch locals and tourists enjoying lunch or a coffee at one of the many café terraces around the square. My kids loved this people watching!
You can also pay extra for a 10 minute VR experience where you get to fly over medieval Bruges and see the city as it would have been then. This was fun but I’m not sure it was worth the extra cost as the exhibition itself is very interactive.
Time for beer?
If you are in need of refreshments, you can then visit the cute Duvelorium bar in the same building. Duvel is a very popular Belgian blond beer and the bar is very heavily / hilariously branded – Duvel beer chandelier anyone?.
Relax on a canal boat ride
Bruges is sometimes referred to as the Venice of the North. Whilst the feel is not Venetian, a canal boat trip through this historic gem is a relaxing way to spend half an hour or so. The guided tour will take you from Jan van Eyck Square to the Beguinage (and back).
One of the easiest departure points for canal boat trips is from Huidenvettersplein, a 5 minute walk from the market square (Grote Markt). Tickets can be bought at the booth as you arrive and you then just queue to get on the next boat. When we visited in April, the wait time was around 20 minutes.
Discover all things potato at the Friet Museum (Chips museum!)
This is definitely one of the quirkier things to do in Bruges and is probably a bit of a niche pleasure. We found it hilarious and enjoyed the portion of fries at the end!
The Friet Museum bills itself as the first – and only – museum of fries in the world. There might be a reason why it hasn’t been copied….
i found the start a little dry with exhibits on the history and origin of the humble spud, although it is enlivened with a hanging potato mobile. The museum also stakes Belgium’s claim as the inventor of fries. I suspect the French might have something to say about this!
For kids, things warm up with the signing and dancing fries cabaret, followed by a potato shooting game! My boys then enjoyed the play kitchens where you could run your own chip shop!
At the end, there is a cosy fry shop / café serving, you’ve guessed it, fries! You can visit the café without touring the museum but you get a discount on the fries if you have visited the museum first.
Slow the pace on a Horse and Carriage Ride
Tired legs and horse-mad kids will love a carriage ride through the historic centre. Leaving from the market square, the ride takes you through to the Beguinage where you have a 5-10 minute stop whilst your beast enjoys some refreshments. Its just enough time to take a few nice photos… or just to enjoy watching your horse being fed.
I hope you will enjoy trying some of these things to do in Bruges. If your trip to Belgium also includes Brussels, check out my post here for some fantastic things to do in Brussels with older kids.
