Shopping · Bruges · Belgium
Shopping in Bruges
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Wolfgang Staudt, CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
Shopping in Bruges focuses on chocolate, beer, lace and biscuits, with a pedestrian high street running from 't Zand to the Markt. Best souvenirs: Pralines, Bruges lace and Local beer with glass.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 4
- Markets
- 3
- Top souvenir
- Pralines
Where to shop
Steenstraat and Zuidzandstraat
The main pedestrian shopping streets between 't Zand and the Markt, with high-street brands.
Noordzandstraat and Geldmuntstraat
Fashion boutiques and Belgian labels just off the main shopping route.
Wollestraat
A short street off the Markt with chocolatiers, a large beer shop and souvenir stores.
Katelijnestraat
Chocolate shops, lace and souvenir stores on the route from the Church of Our Lady to the Begijnhof.
Markets
Wednesday market on the Markt
A weekly morning market with food, flowers and household goods on the main square.
Saturday market on 't Zand
A larger weekly market with food, clothes and plants.
Dijver antiques and flea market
Stalls of antiques and bric-a-brac along the canal on weekends in the warmer months.
What to buy
Pralines
Handmade chocolates from one of the city's independent chocolatiers; keep them cool.
Bruges lace
Bobbin lace is labour-intensive and expensive; ask whether a piece is handmade locally or machine-made.
Local beer with glass
Brugse Zot or Straffe Hendrik in a gift pack with the matching glass.
Kletskoppen
Thin almond biscuits sold in tins, a light and durable edible gift.
Jenever
A bottle of young or aged jenever from a specialist shop.
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Pralines and chocolate, Kletskoppen, Waffles and Bruges beers. Independent chocolatiers on Katelijnestraat, Wollestraat and around Simon Stevinplein; compare a few before you buy. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Markt and Burg | $$$$ | The two central squares, the Belfry and the Gothic City Hall |
| Sint-Anna | $$ | Quiet residential quarter across the canal with windmills, almshouses and a lace centre |
| 't Zand | $$ | A large square with the Concertgebouw, mid-range hotels and the main shopping street |
| Ezelstraat and Sint-Jakobs | $$ | Quieter streets north-west of the Markt leading to the medieval Ezelpoort gate |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in EUR. Service is included in Belgian restaurant prices. Rounding up or leaving a few euros for good service is appreciated but optional, and tipping in cafés and bars is not expected.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in January–February; the busiest months are July–August.
- January: Winter sales — shop discounts (usually from early January)
- July: Cactusfestival — music festival in Minnewater park (usually July)
- November: Christmas market and ice rink on the Markt and Simon Stevinplein (usually from late November)
- December: Christmas markets on the Markt and Simon Stevinplein (usually until early January)
Staying near the shops
$$ · Best for budget, shopping and first-timers
't Zand
A large square with the Concertgebouw, mid-range hotels and the main shopping street
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Bruges?
Pralines, Bruges lace, Local beer with glass and Kletskoppen.
+Where is the best shopping in Bruges?
Steenstraat and Zuidzandstraat: The main pedestrian shopping streets between 't Zand and the Markt, with high-street brands.
+What are the best markets in Bruges?
Wednesday market on the Markt, Saturday market on 't Zand and Dijver antiques and flea market.