Brussels or Brugge

Bruges.

You'll probably find an overall larger variety of beer in Brussels. But only one day limits how much you can sample (as a self-described beer snob, I'm sure you know that Belgian beer tends to be rather potent in ABV). So, I'd probably go with the better atmosphere of Brugge.

Dan - Brussels has some great sites and great restaurants/pubs, however, the character of Brugges cannot be beat. It's really charming with all the gothic architecture, shops, sites, and restaurants/pubs. Don't miss the mussels and the chocolates! Have a great trip -Michelle

Seriously, in one day, how much beer can you drink? You'll find plenty of good beer in Brugge. And it'll be cheaper to stay there. Before our trip there in '99, we bought a book called "The Good Beer Guide to Belgium and Holland". Don't know if it's still in print, but you can check on Amazon.

I'd also vote for Bruges. It is a lovely town and has more brands of Belgian beer than you could ever hope to drink in a day!

I cannot comment about beer quality there but Brugge is a must. We spent 4 days there and was sad to lv,fun, picturesque, small, historical architectural delight, canals, romantic etc. Need I say more?

I would also vote for Bruges. We were there for a few days and had a great time. As for beer...look no further then the 't Brugs Beertje Pub in Bruges! It has over 300 different varieties of Belgian beer, so you can taste as many as you want. Plus, if you want to tour a brewery, you can always do the De Halve Maan Brewery tour, though I'm not sure how high the beer would rate with you. Would be a fun tour though!

City-wise, we loved Bruges and can't wait to go back. Unfortunately, didn't go to Brussels, so can't comment on that, just what I've heard about it (good for a short visit).

Cheers!

Definitely Bruges - great beer in a beautiful small town and for all the reasons noted above. We liked Brussels too but it's a city and feels like a city. Not as quaint as Bruges.

The area around the Grand Place in Brussels is interesting, but being limited to only one city, I would certainly choose Brugge. IMO it's much nicer, and be sure to take one of the short canal boat cruises for a different perspective on the beautiful old town. Also, try the belgian waffles hot off the grill, the frites from a stand, and of course, ditto on the chocolates.

No contest - Bruges wins easily.

Ditto David. No question. We toured a small brewery in Bruges...can't remember the name but the logo I think was a man in the moon sorta thing. The Belgians are very serious about their beer...I doubt you can go wrong anywhere but Bruges is a little masterpiece. Oops...see above: the Halve Mann was it!

Bruges, period

And where do you stand on chocolate? They have a great chocolate museum that my husband loved. And, there are wonderful chocolate shops everywhere. But, study the maps; you can get really confused in this town!

Bruges - as most everyone else recommends - I've been to both and will return to Bruges.