Ultimate Guide to Brussels Christmas Markets
Brussels pulls out all the stops for Christmas, and Chrsitmas markets pop up throughout the entire city center. Brussels Christmas Markets feature an epic tree and light show, an impressive international market with food stands from all over the world, ice skating & curling rinks + much more! While Brussels wasn’t my favorite of the 11 markets I visited, it was charming and is worth a visit if you’re in Brussels during the holiday season!
Keep reading for details on locations, times, tips for visiting, what to eat and more!
Disclaimer: This article contains some links where I earn commission through booking. There is no extra cost to you, and I only recommend things I’ve used and love or places I’ve stayed and enjoyed!
Jump To:
- Brussels Christmas Market Map & Location
- Tips for Visiting Brussels Christmas Market
- Brussels Christmas Market Dates & Hours 2024
- What to Eat at Brussels Christmas Market
- Where to Stay in Brussels
- Getting to Brussels
- Brussels Christmas Market Overall Ranking
Brussels Christmas Market Map & Location
Grand Place Christmas Tree & Light Show
Grand Place in the center of Brussels is where you’ll find the massive Christmas tree and where the light show takes place each evening. This isn’t a market exactly, because there are no stalls sellings food, drinks or souvenirs (although there are several right nearby) but it’s definitely worth stopping by to see the tree & visting at night to see the light show!
Light show details – the show is less than ten minutes long and runs regularly each evening!
Monday – Thursday: every hour 5 pm -10 pm
Friday -Sunday: every 30 minutes 5 pm -10
Marché aux Poissons Market
The largest markets is Brussels was the Marché aux Poissons Market in front of Saint Catherine church. This market had over 200 stalls and had an international theme featuring food from all over the world. It was fun to explore and decide which cuisines to try – there really was something for everyone. This is also where you’ll find the ferris wheel, and a few larger sit-down bars if you need a break!
Place de la Monnaie Market
This small market was one of my favorites! There was an Aprés-ski themed bar that was so cozy and such a fun vibe!
Other Christmas Markets
There are a few other smaller markets sprinkled around Brussels city center, these are easy to visit as you navigate between the larger markets noted above
- Place De Brouckère Market & Rink – a large ice rink with skating & curling, plus some stalls serving food and drinks – fun for a later night crowd!
- Place de la Bourse – a smaller market with about a dozen wooden stalls
- Rue de Bouchers – a smaller market on a side street not far from Grand Place
Tips for Visiting Brussels Christmas Market
- Brussels is one of the only markets I visited that took cards in some places, but have euros on hand as many stalls are cash only
- Many beers and drinks like mulled wine come in a returnable cup, you’ll pay a 5 euro deposit that will be returned when you drop off your cup (or keep it as a cheap souvenir!)
- Marché aux Poissons Market had the most diverse food options and was the largest of the markets. For great views try the Tower Bar or ride the ferris wheel
- Make sure to visit Grand Place at night to see the light show!
- There was a Christmas pop up bar with a balcony overlooking Grand Place called Christmas Fairies the Secret Kingdom, you have to pay to enter but it offers great views!
- In Place de la Monnaie they had a fun Aprés ski themed bar that’s worth visiting if you have time!
Brussels Christmas Market Dates & Hours 2024
Dates
November 29 2024 – Jan 5 2025
Hours
Daily: 12PM – 10PM
What to Eat at Brussels Christmas Market
- waffles (duh) – you cannot go anywhere in Brussels without seeing (and smelling) a place selling waffles! You can choose from a range of toppings – chocolate, fruits, whipped cream, etc!
- beer! – while glühwein is usually my Christmas Market drink of choice, Belgium has an unreal beer selection!
- smoutebollen/oliebollen– deep fried sweet dumplings
- fries – eat your weight in Belgian fries! trust me
- international stalls – one of my favorite parts of Brussels was at Marché aux Poissons Market where there were hundreds of stalls, many featuring international foods – I saw tacos, empanadas, escargot, a Canadian stall & more!
Where to Stay in Brussels
NH Collection Brussels Centre
I highly recommend staying right in the city center where you can walk to the Christmas Markets. Brussels is pretty big, so you’ll want to do your research. I stayed at NH Collection Brussels Centre, and it was the perfect location. It was right outside the market & skating rink,and walking distance to the other markets!
Getting to Brussels
By Train
Brussels main train station is located right downtown and is connected to all other major European cities, making it easy to arrive via train to Brussels to visit the markets.
By Plane
Brussels also has an international airport if you’re coming from farther away! It’s located about a 30 minute drive from downtown Brussels. You have a few options for getting from the airport to the city center
- Train – the airport train runs from the airport to city center takes 20 minutes and costs 9 euro one way on weekdays and 15 euro one way on the weekends
- Taxi – can cost between 50-70 euro, so a bit more pricy
Brussels Christmas Market Overall Ranking
10 of 11
Truthfully, Brussels was not my favorite of the markets I visited! The weather may have been a part of this, it rained the entire time I was in Brussels, making exploring the markets slightly less enjoyable. But overall, I preferred most of the other markets I visited to Brussels. Brussels markets felt really spread out & generally the decor wasn’t my favorite compared to some others I visited.
I did love the tree at Grand Place and the International food options at the Marché aux Poissons Market were awesome! The variety was great, especially after having spent a week in Germany visiting their markets.
