Bruges & Ghent Tour: Chocolate Tasting & Boat Ride

Glide the canals of Bruges, then taste Belgian chocolate at a local maker's studio

A full-day private tour from Brussels takes you through Bruges and Ghent with a dedicated guide and driver who shape the itinerary to your interests. You'll float the canals on a boat ride, visit the Basilica of the Holy Blood and the Beguinage, taste authentic Belgian chocolate at a chocolatier, and explore St. Bavo's Cathedral and Gravensteen castle in Ghent before returning to Brussels.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Princely Beguinage Ten Wijngaarde30m
2. Lake of Love30m
3. St. Bavo's Cathedral30m
4. Basilica of the Holy Blood30m

Explore Bruges and Ghent highlights

• Visit Bruges Market Square
• See the Belfry of Bruges
• Tour Basilica of the Holy Blood
• Enjoy boat ride on Bruges canals
• Taste Belgian chocolates
• Visit Beguinage in Bruges
• Walk around Minnewater Lake
• Travel to Ghent
• Visit St. Bavo's Cathedral
• See Gravensteen Castle
• Explore Graslei quays

The experience

Eight and a half hours with your own guide and private driver means the pace is yours. You start in Bruges, a UNESCO World Heritage city, where the medieval architecture (the Belfry, the Market Square, the Basilica of the Holy Blood) frames the morning. The canal boat ride is included, a quiet float past the city's most romantic stretches. At midday you'll sit down at a local chocolatier to learn how Belgian chocolate is actually made and taste the real thing, not a tourist version.

The afternoon shifts to Ghent. St. Bavo's Cathedral, the Gravensteen castle, and the Graslei quays, the waterfront lined with guild houses, are the stops, but because it's your group and your guide, you're not locked into a fixed schedule. If the Beguinage or the Lake of Love hold your attention longer, the itinerary bends. The driver handles the route between cities. You handle the rhythm.

Hotel pickup and drop-off in Brussels bookend the day, and bottled water travels with you. St. Michael's Church entry is included. Lunch is on you, which gives you the freedom to eat where and when the day suggests.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Brussels.
• private transportation and driver for the full day.
• entrance to St. Michael's Church.
• canal boat ride in Bruges.
• Belgian chocolate tasting at a local chocolatier.
• bottled water.
• all fees and taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to10h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats available

Operated by BRUSSELS PRIVATE TOURS

Is this one for you?The guide speaks your language (English, Spanish, Italian, French or another), so the commentary and the stories behind each site land without translation lag. If you want a full day of two cities without driving yourself or following a group schedule, this private setup gives you both the guide's knowledge and the flexibility to linger where the day takes you.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German and Italian.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Basilica of the Holy Blood in Bruges?

The Basilica of the Holy Blood is a medieval church in Bruges' Market Square that houses a relic believed to be a drop of Christ's blood, brought back from the Crusades. It's one of the city's most significant religious sites and a UNESCO-listed landmark you'll visit on the tour.

Can I customize the stops on this tour, or is the itinerary fixed?

The itinerary is adapted to your interests because it's a private tour. Your guide works with your group to shape the day. If you want more time at a particular site or to skip something, that's how it works.

What happens during the chocolate tasting?

You visit a local Belgian chocolatier where you'll learn how the country's chocolate is made and taste authentic samples. It's not a factory tour but a hands-on tasting at a working maker's studio.

How long is the canal boat ride in Bruges?

The canal boat ride is included in the tour, though the exact duration isn't specified by the operator. It's a relaxing float through Bruges' waterways, included as part of the full-day experience.

Do I need to arrange my own transport between Brussels and Bruges?

No. Private transportation and a driver are included for the entire day. The driver handles the route from Brussels to Bruges, between Bruges and Ghent, and back to your Brussels hotel.