Last Updated on September 18, 2026 by Adrienne
Visiting Europe at the holidays and going to Christmas markets is on many people’s bucket list – and with good reason, because this is a really cozy and fun vacation. My family spent winter break last year in Belgium, exploring the country in depth and eating our way through many different Christmas markets. This post includes an overview of each of the markets we visited, along with other interesting sights in each Belgian city we went to and a list of foods you can’t miss at Belgium Christmas markets.
Why Belgium?
If you’re traveling over the traditional Christmas/New Year’s break, Belgium is a great Christmas market destination. Their markets are typically open until early January, unlike markets in much of Germany and Austria, which often close on Christmas Eve – right when most public schools in the US are just getting out for the holiday. It’s also very easy to efficiently visit a lot of different markets in Belgium, since Brussels is only an hour by train from most major cities in Belgium, and only a couple of hours away from other European capitals like London, Paris and Amsterdam. We knew we didn’t want to do a lot of hotel-hopping on this trip, so Brussels made a lot of sense as a home base.
Top Christmas Markets in Belgium
During our stay in Belgium, we visited Christmas markets in 5 cities: Brussels, Bruges, Antwerp, Ghent and Liège. During the season, Belgium Christmas markets are open every day of the week, including Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. They typically are open but close early on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.
Brussels
Brussels is unsurprisingly home to Belgium’s largest Christmas market, which has more than 200 stalls selling food, drinks and souvenirs and runs from the Grand Place to the Marché aux Poissons. The highlight of Brussels’ Christmas celebrations for me was the large Christmas tree and light show at the beautiful Grand Place. The buildings on the square are lit up with bright colors all evening long, and every 30 minutes (on the hour and half hour) there’s a brief show with music and moving projections on City Hall. It’s absolutely beautiful.
Brussels doesn’t have as much to do as some other European capitals, but we found plenty of non-Christmas market stuff to fill a couple of days. I really enjoyed the architecture, food and people, and overall would say Brussels is an underrated city.
This year the Brussels Christmas market will be open from Nov. 27, 2026-Jan. 3, 2027.
Bruges
Bruges’ Christmas market is small compared to several others on this list, but well designed to wind a path around the central square next to buildings like the Provincial Palace (which is also decorated for the holidays) and the Belfort. There’s also an ice rink in Konig Albert I park, near the train station.
This market felt a little more touristy than others we visited (and Bruges is a very touristy city in general) so it wouldn’t be my top choice for someone looking to get off the beaten path, but there’s no denying that the city’s canals and buildings are very charming and Bruges is well worth a day trip.
This year the Bruges Christmas market is open from Nov. 20, 2026-Jan. 3, 2027.
Antwerp
I loved the ambiance in Antwerp, which has a large tree in the city center and lots of holiday lights on the buildings. Antwerp is also a really interesting city in its own right, with attractive Flemish architecture and a castle (Het Steen), along with a train station that’s regularly named one of the most beautiful in the world.
This year the Antwerp market is open from December 4, 2026 to January 3, 2027.
Ghent
Ghent has a large Christmas market, with an ice skating rink, merry-go-round, Ferris wheel and many stalls selling food and mulled wine. It may have just been the timing of our visit, but it felt like the most crowded market we went to. Ghent had my favorite Ferris wheel, because it’s right next to the beautiful Ghent cathedral and you have awesome views of the cathedral while you ride.
As in Antwerp, Ghent has a lot of interesting sights outside the market. We especially enjoyed the canals and Gravensteen Castle.
This year the Ghent Christmas market will run from December 3, 2026 to January 3, 2027.
Liège
Last but definitely not least, Liège claims to be Belgium’s oldest Christmas market and was probably my favorite of all the markets we visited. It was certainly the most unique, since it was the only market we went to on the French side of the country and had lots of really yummy French food that we didn’t see at other markets on the Dutch side (more details about food are below). It also had a charming location right outside the cathedral and a nice ice rink.
This market does end a little earlier than other Belgian markets, but is still open after Christmas. This year the Liège Christmas market will be open from November 29 to December 30, 2026.
The Best Foods to Try at Belgian Christmas Markets (and in Belgium in General)
Food is a major highlight of Christmas markets. If you’re wondering what to try in Belgium, here are some of the popular foods we sampled and enjoyed.
Waffles
Of course you can’t go to Belgium and not have a waffle. There are two types, both widely available: the light and crispy Brussels waffle and the dense, sugary Liège waffle. Naturally, you’ll need to sample both for comparison purposes.
Locals just put powdered sugar on them, and to be honest that was my favorite topping too because the waffles themselves are so good. But you can also get toppings like chocolate, fruit, whipped cream and speculoos. (We also took a waffle-making class with Waffles ‘n Beer, available in both Brussels and Bruges, and that was super fun!)
Frites
Another “of course” must have – you can’t go to Belgium and not have fries. They usually come with mayo and other sauces for dipping.
Mussels (Moules frites)
This classic Belgian dish is normally enjoyed at a sit-down restaurant but we saw it at some markets too, including in Brussels.
Bitterballen
Bitterballen are a Dutch snack (we first tried them in Aruba) that are widely available across Belgium as well. It’s a deep-fried meat ragout, sort of a Dutch version of arancini.
Smoutebollen (Belgian donuts)
Belgium’s answer to the beignet, this fried confection topped with powdered sugar hits the spot on a cold day.
Tornado Potato
I associate this kind of potato with Midwest state fairs but they were available at all the markets in Belgium too and make a great snack.
Bratwurst
If you’re looking for a more substantive meal, bratwurst is a good option.
Glühwein or Vin Chaud (Hot Mulled Wine)
The classic Christmas market drink, you can find this all over Belgium, under different names depending on what part of the country you’re in.
Camembert Roti au Four
A large, melty wheel of Camembert cheese with bread pieces for dipping, this is a French delicacy we found in Liège and is exactly as good as it sounds.
Tartiflette
This is another French speciality we enjoyed in Liège. It’s a cheesy potato casserole, and often has bacon and onions as well. It was delicious!
We had the best time exploring Belgium’s Christmas markets. Belgium may not have the reputation for this that Germany and Austria do, but I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a holiday trip.
