
Squares and streets filled with stories
With tree-lined avenues, hushed cobbled streets, narrow alleys, huge squares for events and intimate, characterful corners, Bruges is full of squares and special streets. Some hidden, others magnificent, all calling for your attention. Places that combine history and joie de vivre. Ages old, but vibrant. In short, streets and squares full of stories where you’ll want to linger for hours.


Balstraat
In the Balstraat you could shoot an old Flemish film. Time has stood still in this cobbled street, lined with whitewashed workers’ houses....

Beursplein (Exhibition Hall Square)
At Beursplein, many lives intersect. This is where you might spot the smartly dressed professionals, mums on cargo bikes, students...

Blinde-Ezelstraat (Blind Donkey Street)
Above, below, left, right, ahead and behind you: in Blind Donkey Street every square metre has something to notice. From the vaulting...

Boterhuis
Ever seen a butter hall? Then head to Boterhuis in St Jacob's district. An alley that breathes the atmosphere of medieval Bruges. Halfway...

Burg (Burg Square)
The Market Square is the heart of Bruges, but the Burg Square is its soul. For centuries this has been the centre of power in the city, and...

Bruges fire alleys
Oops – blink and you'll miss them. Still, you would probably have spotted the narrow fire alleys. This is how the people of Bruges used to...

De Garre
Blink and you’ll miss De Garre. This is one of the narrowest alleys in Bruges. The name garre means ‘crack’ or ‘crevice’ in West...

Eiermarkt (Egg Market)
The lively Egg Market only comes to life when it’s time for an aperitif, around eleven o’clock. You’ll seldom see early birds here....

Eleonora Verbekehof (Eleonora Verbeke Square)
Don’t miss the Eleonora Verbeke Square on the Old Saint John site. Named after the nun who ran the Saint John’s Hospital pharmacy in the...

Groeninge
The oak forest that gave its name to Groeninge has disappeared, but thanks to a water pump, a small hidden canal and the cheerful clatter of...

Guido Gezelleplein (Guido Gezelle Square)
Even if you’ve never heard of Guido Gezelle, the famous Flemish poet-priest, it’s impossible to miss his statue in this splendid spot....

Hemelrijk and Oliebaan
Together, Hemelrijk and the Oliebaan form a unique corner of Bruges. In Hemelrijk you'll find an unpaved country road, complete with...

Huidenvettersplein (Tanners Square)
Tucked away between the Fish Market and the Rosary Quay, you’ll find the Tanners Square, one of the intimate little squares with which...

Jan van Eyckplein (Jan van Eyck Square)
The Manhattan of Burgundian Bruges in the Middle Ages. A lively port where busy traders assembled from all over Europe, and you could hear...

Kantwerkstersplein (Lace Makers’ Square)
The Lace Makers’ Square is the only uninhabited square in Bruges. Small but charming and an ode to Bruges’ hard-working lace makers,...

Kapucijnenplein (Capuchins’ Square)
If you’re searching for a peaceful place to rest by the water in the heart of the city, head for the small but delightful Capuchins’...

Kartuizerinnenstraat (Carthusians’ Street)
The Belfry attracts all the attention, but behind it there’s a hidden, secret place: the Carthusians’ Street, named for the nuns who...

Kraanplein en Sint-Jansplein (Crane Square and St John's Square)
If squares could be friends, then Kraanplein and Sint-Jansplein would fall into that category. They are close to each other and share a rich...

Markt (Market Square)
The beating heart of Bruges has long been dominated by the Belfry, 83 metres high and the city’s most prominent building. Those who climb...

Minneboplein
Admittedly, this addition to the city isn’t very big. But the green Minneboplein exercises its charm straight away. Settle on one of the...

Muntplein (Mint Square)
The Mint Square lies in the shadow of the popular shopping street. A well-hidden spot for young and not-so-young alike. With shady benches,...

Oude Beursplein (Old Stock Exchange Square)
This corner, where the Grauwwerkersstraat turns into the Academiestraat, is popularly known as the 'Oude Beursplein' (Old Stock Exchange...

Oude Zomerstraat
Oude Zomerstraat may be a dead end, but it’s still worth taking a stroll there. For at the end of this short street there is a charming...

Pandreitje (Street)
It’s understandable that the Rosary Quay grabs all the attention. Not for nothing is it among the city’s world-famous sights. But just...

Passage Bourgondisch Cruyce (Bourgondisch Cruyce Passage)
The Rozenhoedkaai (‘Rosary quay’) is world-famous, but you can explore the other side too. And in peace and quiet. Because the...

Pottenmakersstraat (Crockery Makers Street)
The enchanting Pottenmakersstraat meanders partly along the water, and rewards you with surprising discoveries. From an ancient...

Professor Dr. J. Sebrechtsstraat (Professor Dr J. Sebrechts Street)
The Minnewater Hospital is the eye-catcher in this street. This former red-brick hospice was once home to women who were helpless and...

Simon Stevinplein (Simon Stevin Square)
The mathematician and physicist Simon Stevin (born in Bruges in 1548, died in The Hague in 1620), after whom the square is named, stands...

Singel
Just outside the Ramparts, the Singel runs parallel to the water and the double embankment. A green, tree-lined avenue with handsome...

Stationsplein (Station Square)
Life never stands still on Station Square. Commuters, city-hoppers, international visitors, people cycling to the office, students holding...

Stoofstraat (Stove Street)
An alley so narrow that you almost walk straight past: that’s Stoofstraat, where you can barely stretch out your arms. But in the 14th and...

Strostraat
Mirrored façades in the water are what characterise the Sint-Annarei. If you stroll along here, you might accidentally end up in the...

Vismarkt (Fish Market)
Fresh North Sea fish used to be a delicacy for the rich, and was originally sold on Market Square. However, in the 18th century, fishmongers...

Walplein
The name of this small cobbled square possibly refers to the first city walls, built nearby in 1127-1128. Aside from the selection of lively...

Wijngaardplein
The romantic charm of the Wijngaardplein is simply irresistible to passers-by, but take your time here - there is a lot to see! The...

Woensdagmarkt en Oosterlingenplein (Wednesday Market and Oosterlingen Square)
Two squares for the price of one, close by each other. In the Wednesday Market you’ll at once notice the statue of Hans Memling, one of...

't Zand ('t Zand Square)
Welcome to the largest square in Bruges. Until the early years of the 20th century, this was the site of the railway station. Now the...