Bruges
Bruges has 50 chocolate shops, but just five where chocolates are handmade on the premises. Of those, the Chocolate Line is the brightest and best. Wildly…
Must-see shopping in Northwest Belgium
West Flanders
Open when it's open, this tiny basement bookstore has a sweet collection of art plus poetry and other genres in a variety of languages.
Bruges
Look for Thibaut Vandorselaer’s wonderful illustrated guides at this colourful comic shop. There’s also a comprehensive collection of comics and graphic…
Ghent
This extremely popular flea market is a must for lovers of retro (especially the '70s). During the Gentse Feesten the market runs for 10 days straight and…
Bruges
A fabulous sweets shop with eye-popping fuchsia decor. It sells umpteen varieties of fudge and candies, plus ice cream to go. Check out the candy sticks…
Bruges
This gorgeous traditional grocery is now surrounded by mainstream boutiques but has been here since 1933. Decked out with red-and-white gingham flounces…
Bruges
This fabulously well-stocked travel bookshop is an extension of De Reyghere Boekhandel next door; it's been in the same family for generations. Past…
Bruges
There’s a cornucopia of 450 beers and rare gueuzes (lambic beer), as well as jenevers (gins) and liqueurs flavoured with elderflower, cranberries and…
Bruges
The cool concrete exterior of L’Heroine stands out among the chains. Here you’ll find established Belgian designers Dries Van Noten and Ann Demeulemeester…
Bruges
Bruges overflows with lace vendors, but this sweet little ‘museum shop’ is well off the normal tourist trail. The delicate garments and gifts on sale are…
Ostend
Ostend's busy fish market is a briny bustling place and well worth a walk around its several wagon-stalls hawking smoked and cooked fish, pre-fried…
Bruges
Vast range of Belgian products from beers to biscuits in a snazzy, central location, but prices can be exorbitant. Their ‘beer wall’ is worth a look, as…
Bruges
The stone slabs of the colonnaded 1821 fish market still accommodate fish stalls most mornings, along with trinket sellers later in the day. Several…
Bruges
Quirky clothes handmade from vintage fabrics by shop owner Mim herself, as well as '60s crockery, cut glass, glorious hats and '70s kids’ clothes. You can…
Bruges
Here since 1920, this large, family-run music shop specialises in classical, jazz, Flemish, folk and world music, and is the kind of place where you can…
Bruges
A cornucopia of Flemish tapestries machine-made near Wetteren. Worth a browse if you want to take a piece of Belgium home with you. It also sells throws,…
Ostend
This excellent bookstore carrying titles in Dutch, French and English has been an Ostend institution since 1926.
Bruges
Belgium's best-known designer, who has an emphasis on colourful scarves, shoes and watches.
Bruges
A great homewares store, with covetable kitchenware, crockery and fabrics grouped by colour. You’ll find gadgets you never knew you wanted alongside all…
Ghent
This long medieval stone hall was built as a meat market and now acts as a promotion and tasting hall for regional agricultural produce. If you’re passing…
Ghent
Ghent’s best travel bookshop now has two branches. This is the main and more central; the other is at Kortrijksesteenweg 1036.
