This was our twelfth visit to Brugge in the Christmas run up. Gone are any of the signs of a jolly Christmas, the ice rink now relegated to the "Lake of love area". What Christmas stalls were in the Markt, were in steel shipping containers, with the displays facing inwards, the smaller market on Simon Stevinplein has gone, replaced by the same container based stalls, mainly selling food, again most facing inwards, so no Christmas vibes. Already looking for 2023 Christmas break,, but reluctant to come to Brugge again.

Grand square in the center of Old Bruges, punctuated by the huge imposing Belfort towering 83 meters above the square. The Markt is the hub of activity in a city packed with energy. The square is ringed with attractive restaurants and pubs and fabulous old buildings.

While I still think the Grote Markt in Brussel is more beautiful, this one in Bruges is absolutely gorgeous with many places to eat, drink, play, and do many tourist things. The Belfry is to the one end of the square and restaurants surround the other side. There is a little carnival for the youngsters to enjoy. My wife and I simply enjoyed sitting, having a glass of wine, and watching life. Here you can also take a horse and carriage ride as well as the city bus tour.

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.

Bruges' central square is one of the most picturesque places in the lovely historic city. With horse carriages tiptoeing around grand guildhalls, the Markt captures the best of the Dutch Golden Ages. No doubt it attracts tourists worldwide.

The markt square is a worthwhile spot to spend some time. Nice surroundings. Really nice bells sounding from the tower. There are plenty of cafes catering to tourists who want to appreciate the views and surroundings.

Bruges is a medieval city. UNESCO listed. And it's easy to see why. Stunning old buildings, canals, and more. The Markt is a lovely, large and open square surrounded by wonderful buildings. Lots and lots of photo ops. Well worth a visit but do take the time to head off down all the side streets as well.

This is the huge main square of the old town and has the magnificent Stadhuis as the centerpiece along with a row of colorful restaurants and several other historic structures, one of which houses a museum. It is also a convenient place to hire a horse and carriage or pedicab to take you on a citywide tour. Great place to start your walking tour as well.

The Markt delivered as promised. It is enchanting to experience. We were fortunate to be there for the Wednesday open-air market, loaded with vendors and street musicians. A canal boat tour is a must to understand the architectural history and orientation of the area. The Burg seems to be more of where the "action" is. Beer is the BEST for those who like beer; chocolates are incomparable; buy HERE if you want the best.

My 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.