Things to Do in Bruges in November
November weather, activities, events & insider tips
November Weather in Bruges
Is November Right for You?
Advantages
- Bruges with almost nobody else - November sees roughly 60% fewer tourists than summer months, meaning you'll actually get those iconic canal photos without strangers photobombing, and restaurants that require weeks-ahead booking in July will seat you same-day
- Accommodation prices drop 30-40% compared to peak season - you can stay in those canal-view boutique hotels that cost €300+ in summer for around €150-180 in November, and honestly the moody grey skies make the medieval architecture look even more atmospheric
- Christmas market preview starts late November - Bruges' famous Christmas market and ice rink typically open around November 22-24, giving you the festive atmosphere without the December crush when the city gets absolutely mobbed with day-trippers from Brussels
- Museum weather is actually perfect - when it's 6°C (43°F) and drizzling outside, spending two hours in the Groeningemuseum looking at Flemish Primitives feels exactly right, and the Historium and chocolate museums are genuinely better experiences when you're not fighting crowds in the heat
Considerations
- Daylight is genuinely limited - sunrise around 8:15am, sunset by 5pm, so you're working with maybe 8 hours of usable light, and that grey North Sea weather means even midday can feel dim, which affects photography and just general mood if you're sensitive to that
- It's properly cold and damp - not the romantic movie cold, but the kind that seeps into your bones because of the humidity and wind coming off the canals, and if you're not prepared with proper layers it'll make you miserable by day two
- Some smaller attractions run reduced hours or close - certain canal boat tours operate limited schedules, a few smaller museums might be closed Mondays AND Tuesdays instead of just Mondays, and you'll want to check specific opening times rather than just showing up
Best Activities in November
Bruges Historic Center Walking Tours
November is actually ideal for exploring the medieval core on foot because the cold weather means you're naturally moving at a good pace, and the lack of crowds lets you properly appreciate the architecture without being stuck behind selfie-stick wielding tour groups. The Markt, Burg Square, and canal-side walks are atmospheric in the grey light, and you can duck into churches and museums when the drizzle starts. Early morning walks around 9-10am give you nearly empty streets before day-trippers arrive from Brussels around 11am.
Belgian Beer Tasting Experiences
Cold, dark November evenings are precisely when you want to be in a cozy Bruges pub working through Trappist ales and local brews. The beer culture here is serious - we're talking 300+ Belgian beers, proper glassware, cheese pairings - and November is when locals are doing this too, not just tourists. Tasting sessions typically run 90 minutes to 2 hours and include 4-6 beers with context about brewing traditions. The warmth and conviviality of a proper beer cafe when it's 5°C (41°F) outside is exactly the November vibe you want.
Chocolate Museum Visits and Workshops
Bruges has legitimate claim to being a chocolate capital, and November is perfect for indoor workshops where you're making pralines and learning tempering techniques. The demonstrations are genuinely interesting if you care about craft, and you leave with chocolate you actually made. More importantly, when it's cold and grey outside, spending 90 minutes in a warm workshop smelling melted chocolate is objectively pleasant. Most workshops run morning or early afternoon sessions.
Flemish Art Museum Tours
The Groeningemuseum houses one of Europe's best collections of Flemish Primitives - Van Eyck, Memling, Bosch - and November is when you can actually stand in front of these paintings without crowds blocking your view. The detail in these works requires time and space, both of which you have in November. Combine with the Memling museum in Sint-Janshospitaal for a proper art morning. The medieval hospital setting is atmospheric in grey weather, and the religious context makes more sense when you're not overheated and rushed.
Day Trips to Ghent or Brussels
November weather makes day trips more appealing because you're spending time on heated trains rather than walking all day in the cold. Ghent is 25 minutes by train and offers similar medieval architecture with even fewer November tourists, plus the Ghent Altarpiece is one of those art-historical pieces you should actually see. Brussels is 60 minutes away and has the Grand Place, serious Art Nouveau architecture, and better restaurant diversity than Bruges. Both cities have excellent museum options for weather backup.
Canal Boat Tours with Winter Perspective
The 30-minute canal boat tours run year-round, though November schedules are reduced to roughly hourly departures instead of continuous boarding. The experience is different in November - you're bundled up, there's often mist on the water, and the medieval buildings look properly Gothic in grey light. Some boats have covered sections, which matters when it's 6°C (43°F) with wind. The lack of crowds means you get better seating and can actually hear the guide's commentary about the architecture and history.
November Events & Festivals
Bruges Christmas Market and Ice Rink Opening
The Grote Markt transforms into a Christmas market typically around November 22-24, running through early January. This is your chance to experience the market before the December crowds arrive - we're talking thousands of day-trippers on December weekends versus manageable November numbers. The ice rink, wooden chalets selling waffles and gluhwein, and lights against medieval buildings create that postcard atmosphere. Late November gives you the festive vibe with actual ability to move around and get decent photos.
Sint-Maarten Processions
November 11 is Sint-Maarten day, when local children traditionally walk evening processions with lanterns, singing songs and receiving treats. This is a genuinely local tradition rather than tourist spectacle, most visible in residential neighborhoods rather than the historic center. If you're in Bruges around November 11, you might catch these small neighborhood processions around dusk, though it's not something heavily advertised or organized for visitors.