I'm surprised that this great tour has so few reviews. I'm so glad I decided to join this guided tour instead of walking around on my own. When I learned that our cruise port was a bit of a drive from Bruges city center and that the paid shuttle only ran every 30 minutes, I chose to join the guided tour to save time and avoid the risk of missing the ship.
Our tour met at 8 AM at the port, and we were the very first group to arrive at the city center. This was much appreciated and turned out to be a stroke of luck later in the day because the small city center became packed with people, making it nearly impossible to take photos without crowds in the background. Since we arrived so early, there were no tourists around, and we enjoyed a peaceful city all to ourselves for a few hours.
Our tour guide, Yves, was fantastic. He was knowledgeable in all aspects—history, culture, lifestyle, and politics. He spoke clearly, and even without a microphone, we could hear him perfectly. We decided when booking this tour to skip the Ghent tour and spend more time exploring Bruges on our own, which was another great decision. We went to a restaurant Yves recommended and had a relaxing lunch. We also visited the church museum, the famous beer bar and few outdoor markets. Thanks to Yves and this tour, we had a wonderful time in Bruges!
P.S. I want to mention something special—Yves took us to his favorite chocolate store and wanted us to try some chocolate. At first, I thought the store was offering free samples to our tour group, and that Yves might receive a commission if we purchased anything. But I was wrong. I followed Yves into the store while everyone else waited outside, and I saw that Yves paid for the chocolate himself for us to try. It really touched me that Yves went out of his way to ensure we enjoyed our trip. 10 stars for Yves!