European city begs for ‘respect' as tourists keep stealing bizarre souvenir

Metro

29-05-2025

A historic Belgian city has requested that tourists stop stealing cobblestones from its famous centre.
While most of us might bring home a fridge magnet, or a chic vintage buy, from a European trip, some are taking pieces of the pavement.
Bruges is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its charming canals and blend of Gothic, Romanesque, Renaissance, Neo-Classicist, and Baroque architecture. The iconic cobbles date back to the Middle Ages.
Every year, over 8 million international tourists descend on the capital of West Flanders to marvel at these wonders in real life. However, such popularity has led to the destruction of Bruges, which ironically, is also famed for being one of the most preserved medieval cities in Europe.
According to the city councillor, Franky Demon, Bruges is losing between 50 and 70 cobblestones every month, due to tourists taking a piece of history home with them. While sneaky travellers might not think it's a big deal, he revealed that repair costs actually add up to €200 (£168) per square metre of stones.
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Demon told the The Brussels Times: 'We ask for nothing but respect. Walking in Bruges means treading on centuries of history. Please leave these stones where they belong.'
The councillor then highlighted the places experiencing the most damage, including the iconic areas of Minnewater, Vismarkt, the Grand Place and the Gruuthuse Museum. He explained that while these thefts occur each month, the severity increases during spring and summer, when Bruges welcomes the majority of its visitors.
Additionally, Demon said pinching the stones is a threat to people's safety, too. As Bruges is a compact and walkable city, renowned for being pedestrian-friendly, the gaps left by the missing stones pose trip hazards.
Over on Reddit, people have been suggesting ways to deter people from taking cobblestones as souvenirs, from announcing fines rather than 'politely asking people not to steal', or selling replicas at tourist shops. More Trending
Others suggested putting up cameras, while also questioning why people would want to steal stones in the first place. Many agreed, asking what's wrong with traditional keepsakes, like magnets.
However, one Bruges resident revealed that this has been going on for some time now and will likely continue. They joked: 'I once caught a tourist digging a stone out of the street. I told them horses have been sh***ing on it for decades. They didn't listen and took it anyway.'
Another Bruges resident said that measures aren't strict enough, which is why this issue keeps happening.
Bruges is just one of the many European cities grappling with the effects of overtourism right now. The city has implemented various measures to reduce footfall over the years, including the most recent: limiting cruise ship arrivals from five to two per day in 2019.
Earlier this year, Venice doubled its controversial tourist tax for last-minute travellers who book less than four days in advance. The €5 (£4.20) fee increased to €10 (£8.30).
In Barcelona, a large public square outside one of its most famous attractions is being created in an effort to ease overwhelming crowds of tourists.
As for Palma, Mallorca's capital, tours have been limited to 20 people per group, while cruise ship visitors to Santorini and Mykonos will be charged a daily fee of €20 (£16.80).
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