The Markt
4.5
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Admission tickets
from
£17.10
Full view
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- BrucestewartLivingston, United Kingdom10,155 contributionsExcellent place to sit and watch the world go byMy wife and I were visiting Bruges as part of a coach trip to Belgium and the Netherlands to see some of the Christmas markets. After a general look round the centre of the town she wanted to do some shopping so we went our separate ways for a short time. I went to one of the restaurants bordering the edge of the market square and had a pot of coffee to occupy me during a very relaxing half hour.Visited November 2022Travelled as a coupleWritten 6 October 2023
- KcassaBrentwood, United Kingdom88 contributionsFabulous squareFabulous historical location. Belfort is situated here and every street of the market is worth exploring for different reasons. Market day on Wednesday was busy and mostly fresh produce. Watch out for the beers around the square, really expensive so if you just go to a street off the markt prices drop a Euro or so.Visited February 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 11 February 2024
- T DPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania4,474 contributionsCharming Center!The Grand Place is beautiful! The whole Old Town is charming and small. You can walk thru the old town within 2-3 hours. Many eateries, souvenir shops and beer shops. Horse carriages are there for your Fairytale touch!Visited June 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 3 June 2024
- Brittany_11_10Los Angeles, California1,805 contributionsMark it on your list of places to goMore beautiful architecture, good people-watching, easy place to enjoy some eats and drinks (waffles, anyone? Beer? Cliche, sure, but oh-so good). Kind of a must-go/see--at least on a first trip to Bruges/Brugge.Visited July 2024Travelled with friendsWritten 9 August 2024
- Olaf Johansen27 contributionsQuaint square with vibrant atmosphere!The Markt is the heart of Bruges, full of restaurants, cafes, and historic buildings. The lively square is perfect for people-watching and enjoying local cuisine. The horse-drawn carriages add to the medieval charm. It’s a great starting point for exploring the city, with beautiful architecture and bustling activity.Visited August 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 26 August 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.5
6,220 reviews
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2,032
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432
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102
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Bubbles73uk
Weedon Bec, UK845 contributions
Mar 2020
Located beneath the Belfry of Bruges, the Market Square is filled with beautiful & unique buildings. It's the large square in the centre of the tourist area.
You can walk through the Cloth Hall, the Cranenburg House, & the Historium, all of which are located right next to each other. You'll also find statues in the middle of the square of 14th century war heroes like Jan Breydel & Pieter de Coninck.
There are benches, so you can sit and people watch, & sometimes a local market is set up here where you can shop for fresh vegetables & flowers.
You can walk through the Cloth Hall, the Cranenburg House, & the Historium, all of which are located right next to each other. You'll also find statues in the middle of the square of 14th century war heroes like Jan Breydel & Pieter de Coninck.
There are benches, so you can sit and people watch, & sometimes a local market is set up here where you can shop for fresh vegetables & flowers.
Written 20 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MickyC
Bromley, UK611 contributions
Dec 2021 • Solo
This is the centre of bruge, it is lined with bars and restaurants, although you will pay more for the food and beer in these places. I paid between 7-9€for a pint of beer in these bars. But it is worth stopping her for the Atmosphere.
There is horses and carts here that will take you on a tour of bruge, but I’m not sure on the price.
Also Situated here is the bell tower, that is definitely worth a visit up to the top, I think it was 14€ and it’s quite steep towards the top. Great view at night.
At Christmas they have a central market there with maybe 20 Christmas stalls and also a big drinking tent . This all closes at 23:00
There is horses and carts here that will take you on a tour of bruge, but I’m not sure on the price.
Also Situated here is the bell tower, that is definitely worth a visit up to the top, I think it was 14€ and it’s quite steep towards the top. Great view at night.
At Christmas they have a central market there with maybe 20 Christmas stalls and also a big drinking tent . This all closes at 23:00
Written 22 December 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
And_9F
Chelmsford, UK14 contributions
Nov 2022
Visited Bruges Christmas Market November 29th to 1st Dec 2022, very disappointing. This is the 4th time I've been to Bruges at this time.
The positives. The city is beautifully lite with Christmas decorations and I've always found the the classic building architecture interesting; always a pleasure to wonder round the canals, streets and the chocolate shops and popping into restaurants for a mulled wine. A carriage ride is a must, priced at 60 Euros.
The negatives. There are two Christmas Markets, one in the Grand-Place, the other where the statue of Simon Stevin is located (Simon Stevinplein). The one is the Grand-Place has a few stalls mostly selling alcohol, cheese and a few selling woolen items. There is no christmas music playing, it just lacks that Christmas feel. The other one hasn't changed over the years, its small and has more of a Christmas charm.
Overall, if you're going to visit the city and experience the streets, restaurants/cafes, canals and you'll have a great time. If it's for the Christmas Market, you'll be better going elsewhere i.e. Salzburg
The positives. The city is beautifully lite with Christmas decorations and I've always found the the classic building architecture interesting; always a pleasure to wonder round the canals, streets and the chocolate shops and popping into restaurants for a mulled wine. A carriage ride is a must, priced at 60 Euros.
The negatives. There are two Christmas Markets, one in the Grand-Place, the other where the statue of Simon Stevin is located (Simon Stevinplein). The one is the Grand-Place has a few stalls mostly selling alcohol, cheese and a few selling woolen items. There is no christmas music playing, it just lacks that Christmas feel. The other one hasn't changed over the years, its small and has more of a Christmas charm.
Overall, if you're going to visit the city and experience the streets, restaurants/cafes, canals and you'll have a great time. If it's for the Christmas Market, you'll be better going elsewhere i.e. Salzburg
Written 3 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ben Verbruggen
Best, The Netherlands1,989 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
Visited Bruges on a Tuesday and of course the market. Despite a Tuesday, it is still very busy, mainly with groups walking through the city with a guide. The horse-drawn carriages start their tour here. Many beautiful buildings on the market but also outside the market. I think a negative point is the high prices of the catering industry, which is why we chose to eat and drink something further down the road.
Written 15 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ElaineAndGreg
Chesterland, OH3,089 contributions
Aug 2021
The Market Square is pretty much the center of Bruges, with the bell tower, as well as a row of restaurants you have likely seen countless times in travel literature and on postcards.
This is one of those places where the ambience is part of the fun. It’s a beautiful Medieval square. Even the newer buildings have Medieval elements so that they will fit in better. There are usually 6-12 horse carriages and the bell tower frequently chimes.
At one time, the canals came up to the edge of the square (hence the market), but today the closest canal is a few blocks away. Of the buildings on the square, you should make a point of visiting the town hall.
One note: the row of restaurants on the square looks great, but take a look at the reviews before you try one. There are many nearby restaurants that don’t appeal primarily to tourists where you might have a better experience. Your choice.
This is one of those places where the ambience is part of the fun. It’s a beautiful Medieval square. Even the newer buildings have Medieval elements so that they will fit in better. There are usually 6-12 horse carriages and the bell tower frequently chimes.
At one time, the canals came up to the edge of the square (hence the market), but today the closest canal is a few blocks away. Of the buildings on the square, you should make a point of visiting the town hall.
One note: the row of restaurants on the square looks great, but take a look at the reviews before you try one. There are many nearby restaurants that don’t appeal primarily to tourists where you might have a better experience. Your choice.
Written 26 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AtlanticTyger
London, UK1,000 contributions
Oct 2019 • Couples
A delightful time can be had on market day with all the mobile vendors set up and selling fruits, vegetables, cheeses, meets, seafood, flowers and all kinds of assorted things. Local people are lined up to do their shopping; it is a throwback to a simpler time. The square is lined with pleasant restaurants, though less touristy ones can be found a few blocks away with better prices.
Written 15 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lucian M
Constanta, Romania2,477 contributions
Jun 2022
When we arrived in Bruges, my friend and I were oriented so that we could first reach Markt, the central square of the city. The place is especially beautiful and pleasant. Markt is surrounded by buildings with classical, local architecture. Although it seems that there is road traffic in the square, it is probably not very important and that is why the place is very friendly to pedestrians and cyclists.There are many horse carriages for those who want to take a tour through the city. We noticed that there are especially women driving these horse carriages, not men which, at least for us, is a little bit unusual. All around the square, there are many cafes, restaurants, taverns with terraces in the square, almost full of them all, a sign that it is a very pleasant place to spend some time.
Written 14 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stanley S
Winter Garden, FL583 contributions
May 2023
OK, so this review is only for the Markt itself and I will praise that. The Markt and its architecture is beautiful and one could sit and study it for hours. The issue I have is with the cheesy tourist driven cafes that offer poor tourist-driven food and crowds. They even go as far as putting out English menus hawking their wares and advertising for tourists. As far as the Markt itself, it is one of the most beautiful squares in Europe with its centerpiece, The Belfort. Unfortunately it is ruined by The Historium and the poor horses who endlessly carry about tourists. Listen, I get it; Bruges derives much of its income from tourism but it has gotten out of hand, There are roaming hordes of teens and pre-teens on excursions from school, only to be complicated by day bus trips. On our last visit we at least had a bit of a respite from the day trips during the week. We were surprised at how busy the weekdays were as last trip there were times we felt as if we had the city to ourselves. Forget about the weekends where the crowds are getting to Venice-size proportions. I digress. We loved this city and wanted to return so badly, hang out in The Markt, experience the farmers market and the people of Bruges, but this visit was a disappointment as to how tourism is ruining it. Unrelated to The Markt, we did make our own fun, sought out lesser crowded areas, did a lot more window shopping and try for the experiences that would not necessarily attract crowds. I suggest you do too. Stay away from the Markt as much as possible.
Written 24 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bandit-One
Lucerne, Switzerland10,268 contributions
Aug 2021
Bruges is an impressive old town. Quite big, but very walkable at least for the historic part.
There are really countless historic buildings, squares, churches and cathedrals, canals. It's just a beautiful place to visit.
One of the biggest squares is this one. And one not to be missed. The colorful buildings line up here and the Belfort Tower dominates the scene here. It's a massive construction. The Provincial Hoof is also located here and worth a look.
It's a busy place. And there's quite some traffic, that's too bad. Just be careful when buses, horse carriages and taxis come and go.
But it's an impressive sight. And since there are lots of restaurants and cafés, maybe it's a good spot to sit down, take a drink and watch the world go by. It's not a place to dine, there are better options around. But perfect for having drink with a view.
There are really countless historic buildings, squares, churches and cathedrals, canals. It's just a beautiful place to visit.
One of the biggest squares is this one. And one not to be missed. The colorful buildings line up here and the Belfort Tower dominates the scene here. It's a massive construction. The Provincial Hoof is also located here and worth a look.
It's a busy place. And there's quite some traffic, that's too bad. Just be careful when buses, horse carriages and taxis come and go.
But it's an impressive sight. And since there are lots of restaurants and cafés, maybe it's a good spot to sit down, take a drink and watch the world go by. It's not a place to dine, there are better options around. But perfect for having drink with a view.
Written 23 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kelly O
1 contribution
Dec 2023 • Family
I've always wanted to visit a Christmas market in Europe and imagined lots of independent sellers with a lovely range of unique Christmas gifts. I'm so disappointed. Socks, gloves, cheese and alcohol on repeat. And a bit of Christmas tat thrown in. The 'ice' rink is a joke. Thankfully we only paid for two out of five of us to skate because it was beyond awful. There was nothing synthetic about it. It was plastic. White plastic that was wet due to the rain. We were refused a refund dispute trying to skate for only a few minutes. Myself and daughter can skate and we could barely stand up on this plastic nonsense. Overall, a really disappointing experience.
Written 20 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello,
Does anyone know the story of the line of dots across the cobblestones towards an art deco looking building? I'd been told years ago but have forgotten! I posted a photo of it just now. Maybe it's in the review section?
Thanks.....
Written 5 July 2022
Nadia B
Teresopolis, RJ
Olá, boa noite, estarei em Bruges em 10/11 até 13/11 , gostaria de ir à feira. Qual é o dia da feira
Written 8 October 2019
Beste,
mijn excuses, ik lees juist uw bericht. Er is een wekelijkse markt de zaterdag, maar dan op het "Zand" plein. De wekelijkse markt op de markt is er de woensdagvoormiddag. U vindt dan zowel groenten als fruit, zuivelproducten, vis, bloemen en planten, kruiden/planten voor in de tuin, een plaats waar je een versgeroosterd kip (kippebout, worst, ribbetjes, ...) kan eten. Dit is een heel leuke markt en erg geliefd voor en door de Bruggeling!
Written 11 November 2019
If I wanna go during 15-20 Sep 19. Is it open or have daily ?
Written 14 September 2019
We will be in Bruges the week before Easter. Are there Easter markets that sell hand decorated eggs? Other items? Want to do gift shopping.
Written 23 March 2019
The second time we went was in February and the chocolate shops had started selling Easter stuff then!
Written 25 August 2019
We are in Bruges from 2-4 Jan, are any of the ice skating rinks open?
Written 27 December 2018
The ice rink in Markt square was still going strong yesterday, I am sorry I have no idea when it closes down. I should imagine that it would still be in operation for a week or so.
it must have cost a lot to install and they will want to get their money back and probably make a profit.
Written 27 December 2018
Where can I find openings hours for Christmas market?
Written 8 December 2018
The simple answer is; Google it! I typed in 'Bruges Christmas market opening times' and this is the very first thing on the list:
Opening: 23 November 2018 – 1 January 2019. Opening Hours: The Christmas market is open 7/7, during the week from Monday to Thursday the opening times are:11 am – 8 pm. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday it opens at 11 am until 10 pm. On 24 December, the market will be closed at 5 pm.
Written 10 December 2018
Hi i'm going to the Christmas market on Saturday. Is there a lot of choices of nice things to buy on the stalls?
Written 25 November 2018
Hi All, Is it possible to book tickets for the Brugge Xmas market in advance? Many thanks!
Written 13 November 2018
I'm 100% certain that it is free. We have been a couple of times. It is spread around several Squares and streets. Enjoy your wander round. The whole town is spectacular.
Written 15 November 2018
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