---
title: "The Dying Art of Bruges Lace | Chocolate Suites"
url: https://www.chocolatesuites.be/en/journal/bruges-lace
description: "Bruges was once the lace capital of Europe. A handful of women are keeping the tradition alive."
lang: en
---

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Culture · 3 min · March 26, 2026

# The Dying Art of Bruges Lace

Bruges was once the lace capital of Europe. A handful of women are keeping the tradition alive.

Image: The Dying Art of Bruges Lace (https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1565086191307-25f5881982e2?w=800&q=80)

Bobbin lace-making has been part of Bruges since the 16th century. At its peak, thousands of women made lace that was exported across Europe. Royalty wore it. It was worth more than gold by weight.

Today, most of the "Bruges lace" sold in souvenir shops is machine-made in China. The real thing takes weeks or months to produce, involves dozens of bobbins wound with fine thread, and a level of patience that borders on meditative.

The Lace Centre (Kantcentrum) on Balstraat is the best place to see it done properly. They run demonstrations where you can watch lace-makers at work. It's a small museum — you can see everything in 45 minutes — but it's genuinely interesting.

If you want to buy real handmade Bruges lace, expect to pay accordingly. A small doily might cost €30-€50. A larger piece can run into hundreds.

It's the kind of craft that probably won't survive another generation. Which is exactly why it's worth seeing now.

## Where to stay

Dark Chocolate Room: https://www.chocolatesuites.be/en/rooms/chocolate-suite-1
Candy Family Suite: https://www.chocolatesuites.be/en/rooms/chocolate-suite-2
Sweet Chocolate Room: https://www.chocolatesuites.be/en/rooms/chocolate-suite-4
Giant Donut Family Room: https://www.chocolatesuites.be/en/rooms/chocolate-suite-9

See the 10 suites (https://www.chocolatesuites.be/en/rooms)

## More from the Journal

- The Begijnhof: Bruges' Quietest Corner (https://www.chocolatesuites.be/en/journal/begijnhof-garden) 3 min
- Bruges Chocolate: Skip the Chains, Find the Good Stuff (https://www.chocolatesuites.be/en/journal/chocolate-shops) 3 min
- Why Bruges Is Better on Two Wheels (https://www.chocolatesuites.be/en/journal/bruges-by-bike) 4 min

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