MissViaggio in Bruges
30 October 2022
Bruges is a city straight out of a Harry Potter novel. And as a celiac, I love the selection of gluten-free food in the city - waffles, fries and toast. You can have it all.
That's Toast
That's toast makes the perfect stop for breakfast or lunch while exploring Bruges. It is just a few minutes from the Belfry and offers different gluten-free breakfast options, fruit bowls and salads. The classic toast, for example, comes with avocado salsa, poached egg, green asparagus topped with Grana padano and mint. The sweet option - the Triple French - is soaked in milk, eggs, cinnamon and vanilla baked to perfection with matcha white chocolate, berries, rose petals and shiso. It is delicious - so make sure to stop by at some point on your trip.
How to Spend A Weekend in Bruges?
Day 1
Start your day with a free walking tour and get to know more about the city's history.
Do a boat trip. You can embark at one of the five landing stages and discover the beautiful city from the water. You may even be accompanied by swans. All shipping companies follow the same route. Tickets cost 12 Euros (adults).
Wander around the city at night and enjoy the lights, the canals and the beautiful architecture.
Otto Waffle Atelier
We stopped here before joining the free walking tour, and it was the perfect start to a day of sightseeing and action. Otto Waffle Atelier makes the best oat waffles in the whole city, beautifully decorated with fruits, edible flowers or cocoa nibs. The location is fantastic, overlooking the canal. I cannot think of a better place to start a day.
How to Spend A Weekend in Bruges?
Day 2
Visit the Belfry of Bruges. It takes 366 steps to reach to top but you will be rewarded with a wonderful over the city and its surroundings. In medieval times, the bell tower housed a treasury and the archives. Several times an hour, visitor can listen to the 47 carillon bells.
Stop by one of the chocolate shops and try as many different chocolates as you can. Look for the sign of the Bruges Chocolatiers Guild (a golden cocoa bean with a red "b" on it). It shows you that the chocolate is made in Bruges and not imported from another country or city.
Rent a bike and explore the city by bike. Bruges is the perfect cycling city inside and outside the city walls. Tip: Renting a bike should not cost more than 15 euros per day.
t'Brugs Pittahuis
Bruges is a mix of cuisines, and I really appreciate that because it gives me the opportunity to try new dishes, whatever they are. t'Brugs Pittahuis is located in one of the smaller side streets not far from the central market square and offers gluten-free pita bread, hummus, falafel, meat and salad. The food is really good and the atmosphere is cozy.
See the North Sea in Blankenberge
Just a 15-minute drive from Bruges is Blankenberge, a Flemish town on the North Sea coast. The sandy beach is incredibly long and not at all crowded on fall weekends (which reminded us a lot of St. Peter Ording in northern Germany). The promenade is lined with stores and restaurants, which gives you an idea of how busy it will be in the summer. Blankenberge also has a beautiful 350-meter-long pier that extends into the sea and houses, among other things, a seafood restaurant.
Brazi's Sandwich Shop
It's always a nice surprise to find gluten-free food without having looked for it. When we passed by Brazi's Sandwich Shop and I saw the Brazilian cheese balls (pão de queijo) in the window, I knew we had to stop for them. These cheese balls are naturally gluten-free, as they are made from tapioca flour. They are usually eaten for breakfast or as a snack and are simply delicious. If you have never tried them, just give them a try. You will be amazed.
The Olive Street Food
Fries are the national pride of Belgium: they are sold everywhere, usually with a pinch of salt and a blob of mayonnaise. As a celiac, finding gluten-free fries is not as easy as you might think. When other gluten-containing foods are fried in the same oil, we risk our health. That's why we need to be extra careful. The Olive Street Food, just steps away from the Belfry of Bruges, understands the problem of cross-contamination and offers gluten-free fries. By the way, the secret of Belgian fries is that they are double fried so they are soft on the inside and golden brown on the outside.
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