Bobbin lace-making has been part of Bruges since the 16th century. At its peak, thousands of women — many of them in the begijnhofs — 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, and they'll explain the patterns and techniques. 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. The difference is obvious once you've seen the real thing next to the machine-made version: the real lace is irregular, slightly uneven, alive.

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