Bruges Brugge - Amsterdam Bruges and Brussels - page 315

and turn right on Zwidzandstraat. You can rent a bike at the sta-
tion for the duration of your stay, but other bike rental shops are
closer to the center (see “Helpful Hints,” below).
By Car: Park in front of the train station in the handy two-
story garage for just €2.50 for 24 hours. The parking fee includes a
round-trip bus ticket into town and back for everyone in your car.
There are pricier underground parking garages at the square called
't Zand and around town (€10/day, all of them well-marked). Paid
parking on the street in Bruges is limited to four hours. Driving in
town is very complicated because of the one-way system. The best
plan for drivers: Park at the train station, visit the TI, and rent a
bike or catch a bus into town.
Helpful Hints
Market Days: Bruges hosts markets on Wednesday morn-
ing (Market Square) and Saturday morning ('t Zand). On
Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays, a f lea market hops
along Dijver in front of the Groeninge Museum. The Fish
Market sells souvenirs and seafood Tuesday through Saturday
mornings until 13:00.
Shopping: Shops are generally open from 10:00 to 18:00. Grocery
stores are usually closed on Sunday. The main shopping street,
Steenstraat, stretches from Market Square to 't Zand Square.
he Hema department store is at Steenstraat 73 (Mon-Sat
9:00-18:00, closed Sun).
Internet Access: Punjeb Internet Shop, just a block off Market
Square, is a good place to get online (€1.50/30 min, daily
10:00-22:00, 4 Philipstockstraat).
Post Office: It's on Market Square near the bell tower (Mon-Fri
9:00-18:00, Sat 9:30-12:30, closed Sun, tel. [phone]).
Laundry: Bruges has three self-service launderettes, each a five-
minute walk from the center; ask your hotelier for the nearest
one.
Bike Rental: Koffieboontje Bike Rental, just under the bell
tower on Market Square, is the handiest place to rent bikes
(€4/1 hr, €8/4 hrs, €12/24-hr day; special discount with this
book in 2009: €8/24-hr day; free city maps and child seats,
daily 9:00-22:00, Hallestraat 4, tel. [phone], www.hotel
-koff ieboontje.be). The €15 bike-plus-any-three-museums
combo-ticket works only with this outfit (and can save enough
to pay for lunch).
Fietsen Popelier Bike Rental is also good (€3.50/hr, €7/4
hrs, €10/day, 24-hour day is OK if your hotel has a safe place
to store bike, daily 10:00-19:00, Mariastraat 26, tel. 050-343-
262). Other rental places include the less-central De Ketting
(cheap at € 5/day, daily 9:00-18:30, Gentpoortstraat 23,