A Waffly Good Trip! - Bruges 2025

The festive season is officially here! To kick things off, the Roadster! family—Mum, Dad, Sam, and his sister—took advantage of a well-timed school inset day for a speedy road trip to the beautiful, chocolate-box city of Bruges in Belgium.

Our adventure began after school and work with a late-night drive to Dover, three hours from Roadster! HQ. After an overnight stop, we caught an early ferry across the Dover Strait aboard the Spirit of France, a “Spirit” class ship carrying 1,000 cars and 2,000 passengers at 25 knots (29mph). The 90-minute crossing kept Sam busy with breakfast, games, and planning his sweet haul for the return trip!

Excitement grew as we arrived in Calais and made the short hour-long drive to Bruges, using a free Park & Ride for easy access to the historic centre.

Bruges: A Fairytale City

Known as the “Venice of the North,” Bruges is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with stunning canals and medieval architecture. The city was magical—festive lights everywhere! We lunched on the Grote Markt, where Sam declared his pineapple, cheese, and ham toastie “the best lunch ever.” A canal boat ride followed: “It was like riding through a movie set!”

Basecamp: Zeebrugge

After exploring, we headed to our self-service apartment in Zeebrugge for space and savings. A nearby pizzeria provided a perfect family dinner before a festive film night.

Waffles, Art & Lights

Saturday was all about indulgence and culture: pastries for breakfast, waffles and thick hot chocolate at The Old Chocolate House, and a visit to the Groeningemuseum. We soaked up the Christmas markets before a light trail—cut short by a torrential downpour! Warm Belgian cooking saved the evening.

Homeward Bound

Sunday meant a coastal drive back to Calais, a supermarket stop for festive treats, and the final ferry crossing to Roadster! HQ.

The Verdict: Bruges is closer than you think! A European city break doesn’t need major planning—Bruges is perfect for a short, festive escape. Travelling by car and ferry gave us flexibility and space for shopping. Roadster! highly recommends it!