Advice on trip to Bruges needed please

~Chameleon~

Hi, I want to book a holiday in Bruges next February, but having never been there before I'd like some advice on the following questions please

1) I've found cheap flights with Ryanair (if I book before midnight tonight) flying into Brussels. How far is the airport from Bruges and is it easy/cheap to travel between the two?

2) I've also found a hotel in Bruges offering what appear to be good rates (530 euro per double/twin room per week) - does this sound reasonable? It's the Hotel Academie if anyone has any (dis)recommendations or experience of the place.

3) What is the weather likely to be like in February?


I'd be grateful for advice on this and anything else I need to consider as I'm keen to get this booked asap before the cheap flights disappear

angel

We stayed at the Hotel Fevery in May this year and couldn't fault it, Paul the owner was so friendly and helpful. Mid Feb the price is 479 euros for a double/twin room including breakfast. It's a ten minute stroll from the main square along canals and over little bridges, we loved it there. I would have thought that the weather would be similar to here and I don't know about getting there from Brussels as we took the car. Brussels isn't too far though.

http://www.hotelfevery.be/en/description

Alfrescodave

I accept that its very much an individual choice but a week in Bruge in february!! A few days maybe. Bruge is easily reached by train from Brussels -why not base yourself in Brussels with day train trips to Bruge, Ghent, Antwerp?

BernadetteN

1) Ryanair do not fly to Brussels but Charleroi which they call Brussels. If you want to fly to Belgium for a stay in Bruges, the real Brussels airport (Zaventum) is far better situated as it's on the right side of Brussels for Flanders. Charleroi is about an hour south of Brussels and Bruges is about an hour north of Brussels. Why not train it to London then take the Eurostar, if that is pracitical for you.

2) no idea about hotel rates in Bruges but I certainly wouldn't stay there for a week in February as it is likely to be rather cold, colder than UK. Another alternative would be to stay at a Center Parcs or Sunparks - there is a Sunparks in De Haan, only a 30 minute drive from Bruges which has a wellness spa and great indoor waterpark, squash courts, bowling alley, lots of things you can do indoors if the weather is really bad. You can also get to Brussels or Anwerp or Ghent from there in an hour or less.

3) weather will be cold in February (yes I know I am repeating myself).

~Chameleon~

Thanks for all your advice, and on doing some further research myself I think I would be far better getting the Eurostar train and staying in Brussels, with maybe a daytrip or possibly just spending one night in Bruges at that time of year.

On the other hand, if anyone can recommend a better European destination to travel to in February then I'm all ears!

I'm looking for a midweek break to relax and do a little sight seeing (historical/cultural type of thing) definitely no British Benidorm type resorts lol

Stephen_Leak

I just love Belgium, the Belgians and Bruges in particular. What more could a country offer - the world's best beer, the world's best chocolates and the world's best chips (NB. do NOT call them French fries!). The Belgian people - they just love the English (they haven't forgotten that, twice in the last century, we sacrificed almost a complete generation to liberate them), they aren't sure about the Dutch, they definitely don't like the Germans and they don't even regard the French as human!

In Bruges, the "must see" cultural things are Michalangelo's madonna and child (the only one in northern Europe and an indication of the city's wealth at the time) and the Groeninge Museum on the Djiver. February might be a bit early for the daffodils in the Beguinage, but with global warming you might be lucky.

If your definition of history includes WW1, I recommend the big museum in Ypres. Also go to the Menin Gate at sunset, when the local fire service play the last post every evening, once for every soldier who passed through and didn't return. They will finish sometime in the 23rd Century. Also try and visit a much smaller WW1 museum at Sanctuary Wood, where you can still see the actual trenches and shell craters.

dunx

Eurostar is the way to go if you can get a good price. Don't forget that with a Eurostar ticket to Brussels you are allowed to continue your journey to any other station in Belgium for no additional cost, provided that you complete the journey within 24 hours of arrival at Brussels.

Bruges is great, Gent has some lovely parts too, Ieper exactly as above (Flanders Fields museum). Very relaxed place, Flanders, and some excellent food and beer.

Neil_Taylor

We drove some years ago. Channel tunnel is £49 each way for car and occupants if you pick your time.
Less than one hour drive from Calais to Bruges.
Our Hotel was Best Western Navarra, which has free car parking.
We had 4 nights in Feb. 2004. Weather - snow, not too cold. Took the train to Ghent for one day.

Ate and drank our fill! Tried most of the beers!

Don't think it's worth more than three or four days - not that much more to do - but Other places around are interesting.

By Eurostar, I think you only cross from one platform to another in Brussels station, so thats quite easy,

Bruges station is not all that central to the town.

TBeckett100

bruges was ok for the day but never a cold wet feb

Rachie_B

TBeckett100 wrote: »

bruges was ok for the day but never a cold wet feb

sorry to jump on this thread

but you did say to ask ..............

we too are off to Barcelona in January,can I ask what hotel you have booked ? / did you stay in this year

having never been before i've not a clue ! want to be fairly central

TIA

BernadetteN

Neil_Taylor wrote: »

We drove some years ago. Channel tunnel is £49 each way for car and occupants if you pick your time. Less than one hour drive from Calais to Bruges.

By Eurostar, I think you only cross from one platform to another in Brussels station, so thats quite easy,

It's a minimum of 75 minutes driving time from the Channel Tunnel (Coquelles) to Bruges. It's a minimum of 55 minutes from Dunkerque (Loon Plage) if you choose Norfolkline to cross the channel and costs £19 each way if you choose off-peak times.

If you go by Eurostar, you DO NOT just cross the platform in Brussels (Gare du Midi). You have to exit the secure Eurostar platforms, go down the stairs and into the main station and look for a Bruges train (trains which go to Oostende, Blankenberge, Zeebrugge and Knokke). Trains to Bruges run abour every half hour during the day.