LANGUAGE

Flemish

CURRENCY

Euro

BEST TIME TO VISIT

July to September

NEAREST RAILWAY STATION

Bruges railway station

NEAREST AIRPORT

Ostend-Bruges International Airport (OST)

EMERGENCY HELPLINE NUMBER

112

INTERNET ACCESS

Wi-fi access is widespread; nearly all hotels, as well as many restaurants, cafes and bars, offer free customer access. If you’ve got an unlocked smartphone, you can pick up a local SIM card for a few euros and charge it with a month’s worth of data at a decent speed for under €20. Internet cafes – often doubling as call-shops – do still exist but are increasingly rare; ask at the local tourist office.

VISA

EU citizens can stay indefinitely; many other nationals can enter visa-free for up to 90 days.

A valid passport or EU identity card is required to enter Belgium. Most Western nationals don’t need a tourist visa for stays of less than three months. Those from South Africa, India and China, however, are among those who need a Schengen visa. For more information contact the nearest Belgian or Luxembourg embassy or consulate, or check the websites http://diplomatie.belgium.be or www.gouvernement.lu.

Australian and New Zealand citizens aged between 18 and 30 can apply for a 12-month working holiday visa under a reciprocal agreement – contact the Belgian embassy in your home country.

HOTEL

Bruges’ medieval town center is easy to explore on foot, and the best place to stay is within walking distance of the Markt, the city’s main square, dominated by the massive Halle and its famous belfry. Other easy-to-get-to attractions from your old town accommodations include the Burg, home to the Basilica of the Holy Blood, and the city’s many wonderful old canals.

LUXURY

Hotel Prinsenhof Bruges

Hotel Heritage – Relais & Chateaux

MID-RANGE

Hotel Ter Duinen

Hotel Fevery

BUDGET

Hotel de Goezeput

Hostel Lybeer Bruges

COST OF LIVING

Bruges (or Brugge in Flemish/Dutch) is one of the more touristy cities in Europe, but it’s also charming and authentic as well. It’s also small, so most people can see most everything of interest in only 2 days or so. Bruges isn’t as expensive as one might think, considering it’s so often jammed with visitors. Prices in general are typical of this part of Europe, and things become more affordable if you go at least a few blocks away from the main squares in the city center, especially with hotels and hostels.

The attractions may not be terribly cheap, but the very helpful Bruges Card is available for free at all the hostels and some budget hotels, and that shaves a couple euros off the prices of most things.

Food and drinks are also of typical prices for the region, and again, walking a couple blocks away from the main squares will save money if your budget is tight. Hotels in Bruges tend to be most crowded in summer, and particularly during July and August. It’s definitely wise to book ahead if you are coming during high season, as the better places do fill up early. Bargains can be found at the fancier places from November through March, though prices at Bruges hostels and cheap hotels don’t change much through the year.