The Grote Markt is the paved central square around which Breda organises itself, framed on three sides by cafe terraces and on the fourth by the soaring tower of the Grote Kerk. It is the main gathering point for the city: market stalls on Tuesday mornings, outdoor concerts and festivals in summer, and the daily rhythm of students and locals cutting across on their bikes.
The square has a handful of statues and a small fountain, but what makes it work is the ensemble — the medieval church behind the tables and umbrellas, the narrow lanes feeding in from all sides. Sit at a terrace on a warm evening and the Grote Markt is as good a place as any in the Netherlands.