People come from all over the world to the medieval city of Bruges for the amazing architecture, delicious beer and tasty chocolate, but not many know about this little secret garden that is hidden in one of the tiny alleys, away from the main touristic route but still right in the city center.

The story of the garden—like most stories in Bruges—is not known exactly. But it is believed that the once-abandoned house where the garden grows never got renovated, and thus stood roofless and rundown much to the chagrin of the residents on the block. So neighbors around started using the ruins as an extra space for a bunch of different plants and herbs, which grew into a beautiful public kitchen garden.

Here you can find, for example, mint, thyme, basil, wild strawberries and some exotic trees. The plants are labeled and there are quotes written along the walls of the whimsical community garden. The place itself is tiny, but definitely worth the extra stroll.

Update May 2018: The garden closed in April of 2018.