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When planning a trip to Bruges, shopping for brocante, vintage, antique or second hand items, might not be what you had in mind first. But if you love rummaging through previously loved items, Bruges has more to offer than you might think at first! As a city guide I sometimes get the question from visitors to point out the best stores to find this one special item to take home! When I started to make the list, I was really surprised by the number of shops in a small town like Bruges. And these last years several new spots have opened their doors in Bruges. So here goes:

Bruges has some yearly recurring flea markets:

On the last Sunday op April the yearly Brocante and Flea market from ‘Kruispoort to markt’, takes place in the Langestraat and Hoogstraat, from 6 AM till 6PM. The street Langestraat, the longest street in the centre of Bruges, and the Hoogstraat, runs from the Kruispoort (Cross gate) to the Burg square. On these streets you find several brocante, vintage, antique and second hand shops. Twice a year a huge flea and brocante market runs along this ‘long’ street in Bruges. The first one is on the last Sunday of April and the second one is during the third weekend of September, consecutive with Sint-Kruis fair and car free Sunday. (In 2024 the date is Sunday April 28)

During the third weekend of September the second yearly Brocante and Flea market from ‘Kruispoort to markt’ happens in the Langestraat, the Hoogstraat together with the yearly Sint-Kruis fair and the car free Sunday. ( in 2024 it will take place in the weekend of 14 and 15 September) So on this weekend you can not only walk the whole trajectory from the Cross gate to the Burg square but also continue outside the Cross gate towards the church of Sint-Kruis where they also organise a flea market near the church. On Car free Sunday the city organizes plenty of activities all over the centre of the city, a great weekend for everyone with a heart for little markets!!

On the first Sunday of July, the first Sunday of August and the fourth Sunday of September Bruges is home to one of the largest flea, brocante and antique open air markets of the country! (In 2024 the dates are July 7, August 4 and September 22) The Zandfeesten take place on ‘t Zand, the Albertpark and the Begijnenvest. The day is a real feast for brocante and vintage lovers, you can find everything from clothes, books, toys, over furniture to all kinds of specialized items. Since it is in summer, the weather is usually very nice. It runs a whole day from 6AM to 6 PM. And you can park just next and underneath the market in the parking Centrum Station and parking ’t Zand, or if you come by train you just have to cross the street and you walk straight into the hustle and bustle of the market!

Along one of the most romantic canals of Bruges you can find the Folkloric flea market on the Dijver. It is open every Saturday, Sunday and festive day from March 15 till November 15, from 10 AM till 6 PM, and during the summer months from June till September it is also open on Fridays. Here you find along antique and brocante items, lots of handcrafted and artistic items. 

Shops in the Langestraat and Hoogstraat: These two streets are a bit out of the classic tourist zone, but boast a high number of brocante, antique, vintage and second hand shops. Close to the Burg between the bridge over the canal and the Burg square you have a dense cluster of stores. 

Dag en Zonne is a real oldtimer in this street. Here you find the typical items you would also find on the flea market. I especially love the two shop windows in the blue painted facade stacked with a wide variety of ware. Open everyday from 2 till 6 PM, closes on Sunday and Wednesday.

Adesso antiques is a relative newcomer on the block offering antiques and vintage items. Open Thursday to Sunday from 11 AM till 6 PM.

A real classic antique shop is Abeloos Antiques where Didier Abeloos offers high quality antique items from all over the world. Open every day from 12 till 6 PM, closed on Monday.

Huys De Kroon sells old posters and billboards and specializes in aviation and tourism billboards and billboard art from 1880 till 1960. If you are interested in buying or selling old posters you have to contact the owner via phone on 050/659417

Depot D’o antique shop is a real curiosity cabinet full of vintage items from all over the world. Art, antiques, design, curiosities, tribal, vintage, taxidermy, collectors items… you’ll all find it all here! Open Thursday till Monday from 2 to 6 PM.

Vie de Vue, is not a real antique shop but sells old items found on attics and in cellars and you can find original and unique decorative items and furniture. You also find a lot of taxidermy, and they specialize in butterflies and beetles. Open Tuesday till Saturday from 10 AM till 6 PM.

Frederick De Clerck Interiors Deco or Marcantuoni interiors, sells interior items that are sometimes antique, sometimes vintage and sometimes new with an old feel. Open Thursday till Saturday from 9 AM till 6 PM

De Kobbe is a second hands clothes store, open from 10 AM till 12 PM and from 2 till 6 PM, closes on Thursday and Sunday.

Eufraat is another second hand clothes store that recently opened its doors, open daily from 11 AM till 7 PM.

Frida Simone, a vintage concept store in the Hoogstraat and online, sells vintage items by high end Belgian brands for women and men and home decor pieces. The shop in Brugge is closed for the moment but will open again later this year. 

A second cluster of shops can be found in the Langestraat close to the Kruispoort (Cross gate). 

Bambino is not really a second hand store, but an outlet store for all kinds of accessories, home objects, paper items, art supplies, DIY supplies…. The shop is well known with locals. If you are looking for anything, whatever, always first check if they do not have it here! Open Monday till Friday 8 AM till 6 PM.

Ecoliving a thrift store that wants to promote ‘consuminderen’ (which can be translated as ‘consume less’), reduce the amount of waste and promotes compostin. Here you can exchange a service for an item in the shop, so even if you do not have money you can ‘buy’ something here by offering to do good. A shop with a philosophy! Open Tuesday till Friday from 2 till 8 PM.

Brocante Cafe is a brocante shop in combination with a cafe where you can sit and have a drink while looking around. The owner also has a larger store in Vladso-Diksmuide and these items can be delivered for pick-up at the shop in Bruges. Open Tuesday till Thursday from 1 till 6:30 PM, Friday and Saturday from 1:30 AM till 18:30 PM.

Den Elder Collector shop, a second hand book store, where you find books, comic books, cd’s, vinyl, dvd’s and blu-rays. Open every day from 11 AM till 6 PM, closed on Thursday and Sunday. 

Sue Rider shop and Sue Rider bookshop, second hand clothes shop and second hand book store. They sell what people donate and the profits go to people in need of affordable housing or psychosocial support. Open every day from 2 till 6 PM, closed on Sunday.

If you reach the Kruispoort of Cross gate and you haven’t gouda what you are looking for, you can cross the canal and walk to the Kringwinkel ’t Rad on the Maalsesteenweg no 104, a social project that offers recycled and pre-used items the people of Bruges donate. Open every day from 9 AM till 5:30 PM, closed on Sunday.

Shops in the centre of Bruges

Victoria Antiques on the Fishmarket is where you find antique and brocante in English and Victorian style, so for all those who love the more romantic flowery style, this is the place! Open every day from 10 AM till 6 PM, on Sunday till 4:30 Pm and closed on Tuesday.

Kathleen Storme Antiques, a small shop that sells whatever the owner falls in love with, you find an eclectic collection from 17th century to art deco and art nouveau pieces in all price ranges. 

Au bonheur des Dames in the same street, sells antiques, curiosities and collectibles, with a focus on fabrics. Open from 10:30 AM till 12 PM and from 1:30 PM till 6 PM, closed on Friday and Sunday.

Chelou, smack in the centre of the city with antique and brocante, pre-loved objects, art, and curiosities. They also do taxidermia. Open Wednesday to Saturday 12 till 6 PM.

Galerie Jan Hao Chen, high quality interoir items and furniture in a mixed eclectic style. Open from Friday till Sunday from 2 till 6 PM.

Antiques van Elsen – Sfeer’n Brugge, lace, antique and brocante and home decorations. Open Monday to Saturday from 12 till 6 PM.

The locker vintage is a vintage store and art gallery, here you find vintage clothing from high-end brands, furniture and art. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 AM till 6PM.

In the direction of the Ezelpoort (Donkey gate) in the Sint-Jacobsstraat and Ezelstraat we can also find a number of brocante en second hand shops

Think Twice, a famous chain of second hand clothes at very low prices! They have special discount days where all pieces are sold at 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 or 1 euro only!! Open Monday till Saturday from 10 AM till 6 PM and on Sunday from 12 till 6 PM

Greet Verbeke Antiques, here you find art, antiques and curiosities, Greet mixes classic items with contemporary finds to create a unique interior! Open from 10 AM till 12 PM and from 2 till 6 PM, closed on Sunday and Tuesday.

Dingskes (little things) for those looking for vintage and antique tableware, glassware, something for each taste! Open from 10:30 AM till 12:30 Pm and 14:30 PM till 6 PM, closes on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday.

Selected by Françoise, second hand, vintage and luxury clothing beautifully selected! Open from 10 AM till 12 PM and from 2 till 6 PM, closed on Sunday and Monday.

And then you have these:

Troc, a little shop hidden in a street between the two shopping streets, selling second hand clothing from the better clothing brands. Open Monday to Saturday from 10 AM till 12 PM and from 2 till 5 PM.

Antiquariaat Marc Van de Wiele, behind the Saint Saviours’ cathedral is a haven for lovers of real antique books. They also hold auctions several times a year. Open Monday and Thursday from 2 till 6 PM and Friday and Saturday from 10 AM till 12 PM and from 2 till 6 PM.

’t Apostelientje, many lace shops have already disappeared from the centre of the city, and those who are still there often sell industrial lace imported from Asian countries. But close to the Lace centre in the Balstraat this shops sells almost exclusively handmade lace from  Flandres. That means that almost the whole collection is made up from old and second hand pieces of lace. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 1 till 5 PM. 

Oxfam second hand shop, sells second hand clothing, books, home utensil, electronics and even plants! Open from Monday to Saturday from 10 AM till 6 PM.