About this event
"FESTI'TOUR — Bruges: from the Walplein to the Brugs BierFestival
EDITORIAL TEXT
INTRODUCTION
Every September, Bruges celebrates beer like nowhere else. On 12 and 13 September 2026, the Brugs BierFestival takes over the BMCC on the Beursplein, a stone's throw from the historic centre. Around 60 breweries pour close to 400 beers, from timeless classics to exclusive cuvées, all with free admission. Held in the heart of a UNESCO-listed city, the event confirms West Flanders as one of Belgium's great brewing heartlands. Before you raise your glass, follow our Festi'Tour: a walking route that links a brewery, legendary cafés and Bruges' finest heritage all the way to the festival gates.
MEET
Start on the Walplein at Brouwerij De Halve Maan (existing beBeer record). This family-run brewery, going since 1856, brews Brugse Zot right in the city centre. Book the guided tour: the team tells the story of the famous 3 km underground pipeline that carries the beer to the bottling plant. A face-to-face encounter with the people who keep Bruges' brewing tradition alive.
TASTE
Then set course for two institutions. At 't Brugs Beertje (existing record) on Kemelstraat, more than 300 Belgian beers await you in an authentic estaminet setting. Next, slip through the narrowest alley in town to Staminee De Garre (existing record): its Tripel van de Garre, 11%, served only here, comes with cubes of cheese. Also try the blonde Brugse Zot and the Straffe Hendrik quadrupel, local icons you will meet again at the festival.
DISCOVER
From De Garre you step out onto the Markt, dominated by the Belfort: climb its 366 steps for a sweeping panorama and spot the next stages from above. Then head for the Rozenhoedkaai, the most photographed quay in Bruges and the perfect jetty for a boat trip on the canals (around 30 minutes). Follow the Dijver and then Katelijnestraat southwards: you reach the Beguinage, a walled enclave founded in 1245 and ringed by white houses, then the Minnewater lake and its romantic park. From there, the old western ramparts bring you to the Beursplein in fifteen minutes. Count on roughly three kilometres of easy walking, dotted with chocolatiers and frietkoten to refuel before the final tasting.
JOIN
The Festi'Tour peaks at the BMCC, where the Brugs BierFestival is in full swing. Collect your 15 cl tasting glass and your BABcoins (packs from €14.50), then explore the stands: some sixty breweries, including regional players followed on beBeer such as Fort Lapin, Bryggja, De Leite, Viven and Siphon. Food trucks, live music and a convivial atmosphere round off a weekend that also celebrates ten years of Belgian beer culture on UNESCO's intangible heritage list.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Brugs BierFestival 2026: 12–13 September (Saturday 11am–7pm, Sunday 11am–6pm), BMCC, Beursplein, Bruges, West Flanders, Belgium. Free admission, tasting packs online or on site. Website: brugsbierfestival.be.
———
BEER PLANNER STRUCTURE
Festi'Tour name: Festi'Tour Bruges — From the Walplein to the Brugs BierFestival
Festival: Brugs BierFestival 2026
Town: Bruges
Region: West Flanders
Country: Belgium
Dates: 12–13 September 2026
Recommended duration: 1 day (around 6 hours)
Approx. distance: 5 km on foot
Number of stages: 7
Route type: day route
Stage 1 — Brewery: Brouwerij De Halve Maan (Bruges)
Family brewery on the Walplein (1856), creator of Brugse Zot and of a 3 km underground beer pipeline. Guided tour with tasting. Meet a working brewing team in the heart of the city and understand how Bruges brews. Bruges' emblematic brewery, embodying the local scene celebrated at the festival.
beBeer record: existing · Priority: must-see · Suggested time: 1h30 · Tags: #beer #brewery #history
Stage 2 — Venue: 't Brugs Beertje (Bruges)
Legendary estaminet on Kemelstraat: more than 300 Belgian beers on the menu across two cosy little rooms. Build your first tasting with expert advice from a world-renowned specialist beer café. The perfect warm-up for spotting the Belgian styles to explore further at the festival.
beBeer record: existing · Priority: recommended · Suggested time: 45 min · Tags: #beerbar #estaminet #beer
Stage 3 — Venue: Staminee De Garre (Bruges)
A café hidden in the narrowest alley in Bruges; its Tripel van de Garre (11%) is served only here, with cheese. Taste an exclusive beer in a secret spot, a typically Flemish beer-and-cheese pairing. It captures Bruges' brewing exclusivity, the very spirit of the festival's special cuvées.
beBeer record: existing · Priority: must-see · Suggested time: 45 min · Tags: #estaminet #beer #gastronomy
Stage 4 — Heritage: Markt & Belfort (Bruges)
Main square and 13th-century UNESCO belfry: 366 steps lead to the finest panorama over the city. A bird's-eye view of medieval Bruges and its canals, the beating heart of the city. The belfry symbolises the civic pride that also drives the festival.
beBeer record: to create · Priority: must-see · Suggested time: 1h · Tags: #heritage #history #viewpoint
Stage 5 — POI: Rozenhoedkaai & canals (Bruges)
The most photographed quay in Bruges and the jetty for boat trips on the medieval canals (30 minutes). Discover the Venice of the North from the water, a unique perspective on the city's heritage. For centuries the canals carried Bruges' beer trade.
beBeer record: to create · Priority: recommended · Suggested time: 45 min · Tags: #viewpoint #heritage #culture
Stage 6 — Heritage: Beguinage & Minnewater (Bruges)
A beguinage founded in 1245, with white houses and a peaceful garden, extended by the Minnewater lake and its park. A UNESCO-listed pause of nature and calm before the buzz of the festival. The final heritage stage, a fifteen-minute walk from the BMCC.
beBeer record: to create · Priority: recommended · Suggested time: 45 min · Tags: #heritage #nature #history
Stage 7 — Festival: Brugs BierFestival (BMCC) (Bruges)
The grand finale: around 60 breweries and 400 beers at the BMCC, free admission, a 15 cl glass and BABcoins for tasting. Meet brewers from all over Belgium, with food trucks and live music. The culmination of the Festi'Tour: the festival itself, celebrating 10 years of Belgian beer at UNESCO.
beBeer record: to create · Priority: must-see · Suggested time: 3h and more · Tags: #festival #beer
———
SUGGESTED NEW RECORDS
• Heritage — Markt & Belfort (Bruges): Bruges' central square, dominated by the medieval 13th-century belfry, UNESCO-listed, with a panorama at 83 metres. A key orientation point for any beer route in Bruges; it connects cafés, brewery and festival. Priority: high
• POI — Rozenhoedkaai & canals of Bruges (Bruges): Iconic quay and departure point for cruises on the canals that built the city's trading wealth. A signature Bruges experience, linking waterway heritage to the history of the beer trade. Priority: medium
• Heritage — Beguinage Ten Wijngaerde & Minnewater (Bruges): UNESCO beguinage founded in 1245 with the adjoining romantic lake, halfway between De Halve Maan and the BMCC. An ideal restful stage on beBeer routes linking the brewing quarter to the festival. Priority: medium
• Festival — Brugs BierFestival (Bruges): Annual festival at the BMCC (Beursplein): around 60 breweries, 400 beers, free admission, a BABcoins system and a 15 cl glass. West Flanders' leading beer event and the natural finale of the Bruges Festi'Tours. Priority: high"
EDITORIAL TEXT
INTRODUCTION
Every September, Bruges celebrates beer like nowhere else. On 12 and 13 September 2026, the Brugs BierFestival takes over the BMCC on the Beursplein, a stone's throw from the historic centre. Around 60 breweries pour close to 400 beers, from timeless classics to exclusive cuvées, all with free admission. Held in the heart of a UNESCO-listed city, the event confirms West Flanders as one of Belgium's great brewing heartlands. Before you raise your glass, follow our Festi'Tour: a walking route that links a brewery, legendary cafés and Bruges' finest heritage all the way to the festival gates.
MEET
Start on the Walplein at Brouwerij De Halve Maan (existing beBeer record). This family-run brewery, going since 1856, brews Brugse Zot right in the city centre. Book the guided tour: the team tells the story of the famous 3 km underground pipeline that carries the beer to the bottling plant. A face-to-face encounter with the people who keep Bruges' brewing tradition alive.
TASTE
Then set course for two institutions. At 't Brugs Beertje (existing record) on Kemelstraat, more than 300 Belgian beers await you in an authentic estaminet setting. Next, slip through the narrowest alley in town to Staminee De Garre (existing record): its Tripel van de Garre, 11%, served only here, comes with cubes of cheese. Also try the blonde Brugse Zot and the Straffe Hendrik quadrupel, local icons you will meet again at the festival.
DISCOVER
From De Garre you step out onto the Markt, dominated by the Belfort: climb its 366 steps for a sweeping panorama and spot the next stages from above. Then head for the Rozenhoedkaai, the most photographed quay in Bruges and the perfect jetty for a boat trip on the canals (around 30 minutes). Follow the Dijver and then Katelijnestraat southwards: you reach the Beguinage, a walled enclave founded in 1245 and ringed by white houses, then the Minnewater lake and its romantic park. From there, the old western ramparts bring you to the Beursplein in fifteen minutes. Count on roughly three kilometres of easy walking, dotted with chocolatiers and frietkoten to refuel before the final tasting.
JOIN
The Festi'Tour peaks at the BMCC, where the Brugs BierFestival is in full swing. Collect your 15 cl tasting glass and your BABcoins (packs from €14.50), then explore the stands: some sixty breweries, including regional players followed on beBeer such as Fort Lapin, Bryggja, De Leite, Viven and Siphon. Food trucks, live music and a convivial atmosphere round off a weekend that also celebrates ten years of Belgian beer culture on UNESCO's intangible heritage list.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Brugs BierFestival 2026: 12–13 September (Saturday 11am–7pm, Sunday 11am–6pm), BMCC, Beursplein, Bruges, West Flanders, Belgium. Free admission, tasting packs online or on site. Website: brugsbierfestival.be.
———
BEER PLANNER STRUCTURE
Festi'Tour name: Festi'Tour Bruges — From the Walplein to the Brugs BierFestival
Festival: Brugs BierFestival 2026
Town: Bruges
Region: West Flanders
Country: Belgium
Dates: 12–13 September 2026
Recommended duration: 1 day (around 6 hours)
Approx. distance: 5 km on foot
Number of stages: 7
Route type: day route
Stage 1 — Brewery: Brouwerij De Halve Maan (Bruges)
Family brewery on the Walplein (1856), creator of Brugse Zot and of a 3 km underground beer pipeline. Guided tour with tasting. Meet a working brewing team in the heart of the city and understand how Bruges brews. Bruges' emblematic brewery, embodying the local scene celebrated at the festival.
beBeer record: existing · Priority: must-see · Suggested time: 1h30 · Tags: #beer #brewery #history
Stage 2 — Venue: 't Brugs Beertje (Bruges)
Legendary estaminet on Kemelstraat: more than 300 Belgian beers on the menu across two cosy little rooms. Build your first tasting with expert advice from a world-renowned specialist beer café. The perfect warm-up for spotting the Belgian styles to explore further at the festival.
beBeer record: existing · Priority: recommended · Suggested time: 45 min · Tags: #beerbar #estaminet #beer
Stage 3 — Venue: Staminee De Garre (Bruges)
A café hidden in the narrowest alley in Bruges; its Tripel van de Garre (11%) is served only here, with cheese. Taste an exclusive beer in a secret spot, a typically Flemish beer-and-cheese pairing. It captures Bruges' brewing exclusivity, the very spirit of the festival's special cuvées.
beBeer record: existing · Priority: must-see · Suggested time: 45 min · Tags: #estaminet #beer #gastronomy
Stage 4 — Heritage: Markt & Belfort (Bruges)
Main square and 13th-century UNESCO belfry: 366 steps lead to the finest panorama over the city. A bird's-eye view of medieval Bruges and its canals, the beating heart of the city. The belfry symbolises the civic pride that also drives the festival.
beBeer record: to create · Priority: must-see · Suggested time: 1h · Tags: #heritage #history #viewpoint
Stage 5 — POI: Rozenhoedkaai & canals (Bruges)
The most photographed quay in Bruges and the jetty for boat trips on the medieval canals (30 minutes). Discover the Venice of the North from the water, a unique perspective on the city's heritage. For centuries the canals carried Bruges' beer trade.
beBeer record: to create · Priority: recommended · Suggested time: 45 min · Tags: #viewpoint #heritage #culture
Stage 6 — Heritage: Beguinage & Minnewater (Bruges)
A beguinage founded in 1245, with white houses and a peaceful garden, extended by the Minnewater lake and its park. A UNESCO-listed pause of nature and calm before the buzz of the festival. The final heritage stage, a fifteen-minute walk from the BMCC.
beBeer record: to create · Priority: recommended · Suggested time: 45 min · Tags: #heritage #nature #history
Stage 7 — Festival: Brugs BierFestival (BMCC) (Bruges)
The grand finale: around 60 breweries and 400 beers at the BMCC, free admission, a 15 cl glass and BABcoins for tasting. Meet brewers from all over Belgium, with food trucks and live music. The culmination of the Festi'Tour: the festival itself, celebrating 10 years of Belgian beer at UNESCO.
beBeer record: to create · Priority: must-see · Suggested time: 3h and more · Tags: #festival #beer
———
SUGGESTED NEW RECORDS
• Heritage — Markt & Belfort (Bruges): Bruges' central square, dominated by the medieval 13th-century belfry, UNESCO-listed, with a panorama at 83 metres. A key orientation point for any beer route in Bruges; it connects cafés, brewery and festival. Priority: high
• POI — Rozenhoedkaai & canals of Bruges (Bruges): Iconic quay and departure point for cruises on the canals that built the city's trading wealth. A signature Bruges experience, linking waterway heritage to the history of the beer trade. Priority: medium
• Heritage — Beguinage Ten Wijngaerde & Minnewater (Bruges): UNESCO beguinage founded in 1245 with the adjoining romantic lake, halfway between De Halve Maan and the BMCC. An ideal restful stage on beBeer routes linking the brewing quarter to the festival. Priority: medium
• Festival — Brugs BierFestival (Bruges): Annual festival at the BMCC (Beursplein): around 60 breweries, 400 beers, free admission, a BABcoins system and a 15 cl glass. West Flanders' leading beer event and the natural finale of the Bruges Festi'Tours. Priority: high"