Let's be honest: you can't walk 200 metres in Bruges without passing a chocolate shop. Some of them are genuinely excellent. Others are selling the same factory-made pralines with different packaging.

The Chocolate Line on Simon Stevinplein is run by Dominique Persoone, who's basically the rock star of Belgian chocolate. He once made a chocolate snorting device for a Rolling Stones party. His shop is creative, slightly mad, and everything tastes incredible. Try the wasabi ganache or the cola praline.

Dumon on Eiermarkt is the opposite — traditional, family-run since 1992, no gimmicks. Just really well-made pralines and truffles. The dark chocolate with fresh cream is as simple and good as it gets.

For something in between, Sweertvaegher on Katelijnestraat (basically our street) makes everything by hand in their small workshop. You can watch them work through the window.

Skip the big-name chains unless you're buying gifts in bulk. They're fine, but you can get the same boxes at the airport.

One more thing: real Belgian chocolate uses cocoa butter, not vegetable fat. If a shop can't tell you that, keep walking.