Bruges in 6 Days on a Budget (Daily Costs)
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6 days adds Brussels to the core and 3 day trips
Days 1-5 here are the exact plan in the 5-day itinerary : the Markt and the Burg, Michelangelo and the museums, Ghent, a solemn Ypres day, and the Belgian coast by Kusttram. Day 6 adds Brussels, about an hour away, for the Grand Place and a wider look at Belgium beyond Bruges and Flanders. If 6 days is more than you need, the 5-day itinerary skips Brussels.
Book these before you go
- Your onward train from Brussels to Bruges, book at belgiantrain.be
- Ghent (day 3), Ypres via Kortrijk (day 4), and Ostend (day 5) day-trip trains
- A room booked ahead for the summer peak
Day 1: the Markt, the Burg, and the canals
The Markt is free, the Belfry ticketed for the climb (verify current price and hours). The Burg holds the Stadhuis and the Basilica of the Holy Blood, free to enter. Walk to the Rozenhoedkaai, free.
| Day 1 cost (euros, per person) | Low | Higher |
|---|---|---|
| Bed | 35 | 90 |
| Breakfast | 6 | 15 |
| Frituur lunch | 8 | 15 |
| Belfry climb (verify) | 0 (skip) | 15 |
| Dinner | 20 | 38 |
| Day 1 total | 69 | 173 |
Day 2: Michelangelo, the museums, and the Begijnhof
The Church of Our Lady holds Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child; its brick tower, 115.6m, is the third-tallest brickwork church tower in the world. The Groeningemuseum covers the Flemish Primitives. Minnewater and the Begijnhof are free. Finish at Choco-Story, around €14 (verify).
| Day 2 cost (euros, per person) | Low | Higher |
|---|---|---|
| Bed | 35 | 90 |
| Breakfast | 6 | 15 |
| Groeningemuseum (verify) | 0 (skip) | 12 |
| Lunch | 10 | 20 |
| Choco-Story | 14 | 14 |
| Dinner | 20 | 38 |
| Day 2 total | 85 | 189 |
Day 3: Ghent day trip
Ghent is 25-30 minutes by train (verify). St Bavo’s Cathedral, the Ghent Altarpiece, Gravensteen castle, and the Graslei.
| Day 3 cost (euros, per person) | Low | Higher |
|---|---|---|
| Bed | 35 | 90 |
| Breakfast | 6 | 15 |
| Ghent round-trip train (verify) | 12 | 16 |
| Lunch in Ghent | 10 | 20 |
| Dinner back in Bruges | 20 | 38 |
| Day 3 total | 83 | 179 |
Day 4: Ypres and Flanders Fields
Ypres sits roughly 1-1.5 hours away, often via Kortrijk (verify current routing). The In Flanders Fields Museum, the Menin Gate and its nightly Last Post at 20:00, and Tyne Cot Cemetery further out. Treat this as the day’s only activity.
| Day 4 cost (euros, per person) | Low | Higher |
|---|---|---|
| Bed | 35 | 90 |
| Breakfast | 6 | 15 |
| Ypres round-trip train (verify) | 25 | 35 |
| In Flanders Fields Museum entry (verify) | 0 (skip) | 12 |
| Lunch in Ypres | 10 | 20 |
| Quiet dinner back in Bruges | 20 | 38 |
| Day 4 total | 96 | 210 |
Day 5: the Belgian coast and the Kusttram
Ostend is about 15 minutes away by direct train (verify). The Kusttram, the world’s longest metre-gauge tram line, runs the length of the coast, operated by De Lijn.
| Day 5 cost (euros, per person) | Low | Higher |
|---|---|---|
| Bed | 35 | 90 |
| Breakfast | 6 | 15 |
| Ostend round-trip train (verify) | 10 | 14 |
| Kusttram single fare (verify) | 3 | 5 |
| Lunch at the coast | 12 | 22 |
| Dinner back in Bruges | 20 | 38 |
| Day 5 total | 86 | 184 |
Day 6: Brussels day trip
Brussels is a confirmed ~1 hour by train, with services roughly every 30 minutes through the day. Spend the day around the Grand Place, a UNESCO World Heritage square in its own right, with time for a wider look at Belgian history and food beyond Flanders before heading back to Bruges for a final quiet evening.
| Day 6 cost (euros, per person) | Low | Higher |
|---|---|---|
| Bed | 35 | 90 |
| Breakfast | 6 | 15 |
| Brussels round-trip train (verify) | 18 | 26 |
| Lunch in Brussels | 12 | 25 |
| Dinner back in Bruges | 20 | 38 |
| Day 6 total | 91 | 194 |
Getting around on 6 days: what needs booking ahead
Days 1 and 2 are walkable. Days 3 through 6 all run on normal NMBS/SNCB regional trains, none needing an advance seat reservation for a trip this short. Full details are in the main Bruges guide .
Save Brussels for the last day trip rather than the first, coming back to Bruges’s quiet evening streets is a better close to the week than the other way around.