Our story
It’s the early 90s, and after travelling and working together all over the world, a young couple is looking to settle down. Martin is originally from Limburg, in the Netherlands, and Sylvia grew up in Vienna, Austria, but when they discover Bruges, a small medieval city in Belgium, they know they have found the right place. After a short, but intense renovation, a former cloth merchant’s shop is transformed into an ice cream parlour and in april 1994, Gelateria Da Vinci opens its doors. The name is not only a reference to Italy, but also to inventivity, a key aspect in creating new flavours on a regular basis. Italian-style gelato isn’t very well known yet, but it proves to be an instant hit, thanks to a warm summer and the samples that are always generously handed out. Next season, a seating area is added, where you can enjoy coffee and extravagant “coppas". Now, after 25 years, Sylvia and Martin are still doing what they do best: creating new flavours, making the best gelato they can, and trying to spread a little joy, everyday.