Manneke is a fun gift shop that has genuine high-quality souvenirs from Brussels made by talented…read morelocals reflecting the diversity and talent of the area. Just around the corner from the Grand-Place, the store features local artisan products including jewelry made from recycled materials, small-scale brews, food, clothing, bags, books, and stationary. Great assortment of fun, unique souvenirs to remember Brussels. I purchased a fun necklace from Tanuki (www.tanukicrea.be) that is made from beautiful washi (Japanese paper) in a cherry blossom print. Friendly employees. I love supporting the small-guy and local businesses. www.manneke.brussels

I stumbled across Bubbles at Home while in Gent and took a sharp left into the store. I love bath…read moreproducts and am very loyal to a local Philadelphia brand, but sometimes you have to check out the goods in other cities, too. Bubbles at Home stocks a great array of bath bombs, soaps, masks, lotions and more. The product that jumped out at me was the Dead Sea bath bombs. I thought the scent was lovely so I picked up a handful while at the store. Later that evening, I took a bath at our B&B, and was regretful that I hadn't purchased more of the bombs. The scent was intoxicating and my skin felt so soft after the bath. I was so excited when I stumbled upon another Bubbles at Home location in Bruges, where we were staying. And I ran into the same employee from the store in Gent, Klodeta. She was so kind and helpful and it started to feel like she was my friend after running into her for a third time (yes, I went to the Bruges shop twice). In the end, I took three baths on our trip and brought home five bath bombs in my checked bag. I'm saving them for special occasions when I want to elevate my bath, but I also know they ship worldwide so I can order more when I run out. Great shop and perfect for a souvenir or gift!

OK, there are places where you can buy soap and bath bubbles all over the place, but I still liked…read morethis one, because they have nice original ones at a reasonable price. Like: your name in small soaps, or two small soaps i nthe shape of cupcakes for about 11 EUR.

There are many lace shops in Bruges (though not as many as Chocolate shops) and I think we visited…read morethem all (Ahem!). While I admire the craft, they can all start looking the same. We decided to go and purchase here after checking many out .We couldn't get to see the one on Bal Street (highly recommended by travelers and websites) by the Lace Museum (closed) as it had just closed for lunch (What is up with so many Bruges shops closing for lunch) on a cold day and we did not want to wait. We ventured back to the Markt area as we had liked most of the items at Lace Jewel. The range of products and prices was amazing. My wife purchased several pieces in the mid-level price range. There were large pieces she liked better (I reminded her of the missed opportunities from our last trip to Belgium to no avail) but opted for smaller items for herself and to give as gifts, etc. The cost was surprisingly satisfactory considering the quality but can get very expensive for the larger items. The shop owners were very attentive and friendly, helping customers with questions and needs. From the time we went in to leaving there was a constant check out line of three to four which attests to the popularity of Lace Jewel. While that size line may not seem long, in a small crowded shop like this, it is impressive. So, if you can't get to the Bal Street location, don't fret because the quality, service and variety can be found here.

From the owner: Located in the center of Brugge near the magic Markt square, Lace Jewel is a textile shop which…read morespecializes in traditional Belgian craftsmanship -- Lace and Tapestry. We invite you to discover our wide collection of table linen, tapestry wall hangings, bags and accessories. You are also welcome to visit our private museum of 19th century lace on the base floor! Our team will be happy to make you a lacework demonstration. See you soon!

This is a slightly more upscale souvenir shop. All the items -- from sweatshirts to bookmarks --…read moreappeared to be high quality. It was also brighter and less crowded than other nearby shops. I found the perfect gift to buy my friends from home. Unfortunately the chances of some of them reading this review are rather high (they yelp and stuff), sooo I'm going to keep the content of my purchase quiet. I will say I bought seven of the top-secret items (in different colors...but still. #squad) for 48€ total. If you're in the Grand Place area, this is certainly a worthy stop.

I was looking for babyclothes for a friend of mine who recently had a little boy and I stepped in…read morelooking for a onesie. This souvenir shop has many of the things that are similar in other souvenir shops but they were located on a corner further down from the main square so less packed. They have a solid variety of clothing and goods but I specifically was looking for the onesie and a few postcards. Purchased a onesie and 6 postcards for 17.75 Euro. The staff here were helpful but I found that the rude people were other tourists. They way they cut in line and pushed out in front of me did a Ratatouille flashback to my Chinatown adventures. No wonder Americans get a bad rap. My peeps were rude in that store. Thanks for embarrassing me and the country, idiots.

Unfortunately, this shop is closing by the end of the month…read more I wish I actually lived in the area because they still had a ton of great home decor items for sale (at half price!). I picked up a pillowcase, but they still had tons of figurines, magnets, postcards, and other oddities. Shopkeeper was super nice.