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Before you go
Your trip to Damme.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Damme – Flandres Ocidental Destination Bruges and the coast about 7 km from Bruges
How to get there
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Brugge Bruges · 8 km
Approximate road distances. Check flights and bus schedules before you travel.
Damme has no train station: the nearest is Brugge. From Bruges, the most common way is to cycle or walk about 7 kilometers along the Damse Vaart. There are also buses from Bruges and, in the excursion season, the paddle boat Lamme Goedzak; by car, the route is short.
How many days
Half a day is enough for the square, the church, the tower and the mill, including the bike ride from Bruges. Those who like cycling can extend the ride through the polders and return in the late afternoon.
When to go
From April to September the church tower is open for climbing and the boat usually runs along the canal. Autumn, from October to November, brings yellowed poplars. In winter the village is quiet and the wind on the canal is cold.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Do you need a car?
No. The bicycle is the most used means by visitors, thanks to the flat cycle path along the canal. A car only helps to combine Damme with other villages in the polders.
Suggested itinerary
An order that works
Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.
One day in Damme
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Morning
From Bruges to Damme along the canal
Rent a bicycle in Bruges and follow the bank of the Damse Vaart, among the poplars. Stop at the Schellemolen mill on arrival in the village.
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Afternoon
Town hall, church and tower
See the Gothic façade of the Stadhuis and the statue of Jacob van Maerlant. Then head to the church of Nossa Senhora, the ruins of the nave and, from April to September, the climb up the tower.
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Late afternoon
Bookshops and return to Bruges
Pass by the village's bookshops and cycle back to Bruges with the low light over the canal.
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Evening
Dinner in Damme or in Bruges
Those who came by car can have dinner in the village, which has restaurants around the square; by bicycle, it's more practical to return while still daylight.
Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.
Before you go
Frequently asked questions
What language is spoken in Damme?
Flemish, the Dutch spoken in Belgium. In the shops on the square English is usually understood.
Does Damme have a train station?
No. The nearest station is Brugge, about 8 kilometers away. From there you continue by bike, bus or car.
Why is Damme called the village of books?
The village brings together several bookshops and hosts a book fair on the second Sunday of each month.
Who was Till Eulenspiegel and what does he have to do with Damme?
He is a character from European folklore. In Charles De Coster's 1867 novel he is born in Damme, and the village preserves that literary connection.