The stunning European city that's 'won' against overtourism despite 7m tourists every year

By Holly Kintuka, Reporter

Bruges in Belgium has a population of 120,000 people (Image: Getty)

Bruges, located in the northwest of Belgium, has a small population of around 120,000 people, but just last year, it saw a whopping seven million tourists visit the city.

However, the city’s authorities have managed to make sure the city isn’t impacted negatively by overtourism.

For many years, authorities have put in place controls for the city, keeping in mind the threat of excessive tourism.

The city’s “hotel-stop” policy banned new hotels being built in the city centre, and in 2020, the restrictions were extended to holiday rentals. 

The mayor of Bruges, Dirk De Fauw, said: “People have started indicating that there are just too many visitors. If we just let everyone do what they want, things will quickly go wrong,” 

The Belfry bell tower is one of Bruges most iconic buildings and is a World Heritage Site (Image: Getty)

Other measures to control the number of tourists visiting the city include restricting access to the city centre by coach and other road traffic. Additionally, in 2019, the limit on the number of cruise ships docking at Bruges’s port changed from five per day to two.

But what makes Bruges so popular? The whole city is a prominent World Heritage Site of UNESCO. It is known for being packed with medieval history and picturesque villages.

Home to many museums, tourists can explore the history of Bruges through various periods. 

With more than 600 exhibits, the Gruuthuse Museum brings the city’s Burgundian heyday, the ‘underexposed’ period during the 17^th and 18^th centuries and the rediscovery of Bruges in the 19^th century all to life beautiful paintings, unique sculptures and more.

Zeebrugge beach in Bruges (Image: Getty)

One of its most iconic buildings and sites sits in the city's centre – the Belfry of Bruges, a medieval bell tower. The 83-metre-high tower that houses 47 bells is one of the oldest examples of medieval urban and public architecture, marking it on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The majority of those who travel to Bruges are day trippers, and with many of the beautiful sites being discovered in the city centre, it is possible to capture a lot of the city’s essence in a day.

But if you did want to explore further out and wander around Bruges’ woods and wetlands or enjoy a relaxing walk along the coast, then a few days in the relaxing city wouldn’t hurt. It even has its own sandy beaches with a regular tram service that can take visitors from one resort to another. So it most definitely is worth the trip.