The best Christmas markets in Belgium

Get your festive season off to a magical start. In Belgium you’re sure to find the perfect Christmas Market to explore, and all within an easy drive from Calais.

Where are the best Christmas markets in Belgium?

Here's our at a glance guide to the greatest seasonal shopping in Belgium:

Why visit Belgium for Christmas?

Belgium ticks all the right seasonal boxes - cities like Bruges and Ghent are just a short drive from Calais, meaning that you won't be spending all of your time on the road. Many Belgian cities are full of old world atmosphere, with historic buildings and squares that can't help but feel Christmassy, especially if the weather is cold and the Christmas lights are on! When you add to the mix traditional Belgian street food like hot waffles, frites and mayonnaise, Glühwein and even a cheeky Belgian beer or two, and visiting a Belgium Christmas market could be the best thing you do this winter. 

How to get to Belgian Christmas markets from Calais

How long does it take to drive to these Belgium Christmas markets from the UK? Your festive trip could start from anywhere in the UK, but you might be surprised by how close some of these Belgian cities are to the LeShuttle terminal in Calais.

Top Belgian Christmas Market destinations

Brussels Winter Wonders

Where in Belgium: Plaisirs d'hiver, Brussels
Drive from Calais: 196km / 2h 30m

When does it take place?: Friday 28 November 2025 to Sunday 4 January 2026

Right in the heart of Belgium lies its biggest Christmas market - the Plaisirs d'Hiver. Stroll amongst the twinkling lights of the Grand-Place and Place Sainte-Catherine to browse around 200 chalets, each dressed up as a fairy tale gingerbread house. Pick up some unique gifts, from artisan stocking-fillers to tasty local delicacies. Every year at Brussels Winter Wonders there is a skating rink, a ferris wheel, carousels and a giant Christmas tree, and different sound and light experiences. It all goes to make Brussels the most visited Christmas market in Belgium!

Bruges Christmas Market

Where in Belgium: Bruges, Belgium
Drive from Calais: 117 km / 1h 20m

When does it take place?: Friday 21 November 2025 to Sunday 4 January 2026

Christmas markets don’t get much quainter than this. The UNESCO World Heritage listed city of Bruges has intimate cobbled streets, medieval architecture, and picturesque bustling squares. Add to this an abundance of twinkling lights and impressive Christmas decorations and you've got one magical city. The main Christmas market takes place in the Market Square, overlooked by the Belfry of Bruges, a medieval bell tower that dominates the city skyline. You can expect to see people gliding around the outdoor ice rink or warming up with a hot Belgium waffle or mulled wine.

Antwerp Christmas Market

Where in Belgium: Grote Markt, Antwerp
Drive from Calais: 204km / 2h 40m

When does it take place?: Friday 5 December 2025 to Sunday 4 January 2026

The Christmas market in Antwerp takes place across various squares, leading all the way from the Groenplaats over the Handschoenmarkt to the Grote Markt, the Suikerrui, and the Steenplein. Featuring over 90 stalls, the Antwerp Christmas market has an iceskating rink, giant mistletoe and a Ferris wheel. After shopping the local crafts and Christmas stocking fillers, head to the central bar to warm your hands by a roaring fire and enjoy a mug of Gluwein.

Leuven Christmas Market

Where in Belgium: Monseigneur Ladeuzeplein and Herbert Hooverplein, Leuven
Drive from Calais: 229km / 2h 50m

When does it take place?: Tuesday 9 December 2025 to Sunday 21 December 2025

Home to Belgium’s oldest university and some impressive architecture, the town of Leuven comes alive at Christmas with a stunning market. You’ll find Christmas decoration and gift stands, as well as food and sampling stands offering traditional Belgian snacks and all kinds of holiday treats and sweets.

Ghent Christmas Market

Where in Belgium: Sint-Baafsplein, Ghent
Drive from Calais: 147km / 1h 55m

When does it take place?: Thursday 4 December 2025 to Wednesday 31 December 2025

Set to look like a Scandinavian Christmas village (but in conveniently placed Belgium), wander among firs and pines with the smell of mulled wine in the air at this wonderfully traditional market in the beautiful city of Ghent. Snacks and drinks, fancy trinkets and authentic crafts are all available from over 150 wooden chalets.

Liège Christmas Market

Where in Belgium: Liège, Wallonia
Drive from Calais: 296km / 3h 15m

When does it take place?: Sunday 30 November 2025 to Sunday 28 December 2025

The oldest Christmas market in Belgium, Liège is actually a Christmas village, with its own mayor and village council, ensuring that it keeps to its traditions! Liège has four main locations for you to explore - Chalet de la Gruyère, La Maison ardennaise, La Maison du Pèket and the Chalet Au pied des pistes - as well as an ever popular ice rink. There are over 200 stalls set up for five weeks, giving you plenty of time to pick up a handcrafted gift or some delicious sweet treats and gluhwein.

Ostend Christmas Market

Where in Belgium: Wapenplein, Ostend
Drive from Calais: 96km / 1h 15m

Ostend takes the festive period seriously. Its market is filled to the brim with unique crafts, decorations and entertainment. The highlight though is an illuminated tunnel in the Adolf Buylstraat shopping street. This tunnel covers a distance of 188 meters with a breathtaking canopy of over 200,000 fairy lights!

Other less well-known Belgian Christmas markets

These markets are either a little smaller or less busy, but no less magical.

Namur Christmas market

Where in Belgium: Place de l'Ange, Place d'Armes and Place du Théâtre, Namur
Drive from Calais: 267km / 2h 45m

There’s something for everyone here, including singing folk groups and brass bands to play some festive jingles as you browse. The market features a very special ‘reindeer haven’ where you can meet Santa’s helpers (Santa will, of course, stop by). Shop for the perfect gift for your loved ones, the ideal recipe to delight Christmas guests or simply sip a soothing hot chocolate at one of the market’s cafes.

Hasselt Christmas market

Where in Belgium: Kolonel Dusartplein, 3500 Hasselt
Drive from Calais: 280km / 2h 48m

Better known as Winterland, this Christmas market runs for six weeks. It includes an indoor ice rink, a cosy ‘Aspen Lounge’ serving yummy food and drink and, of course, countless stalls selling yuletide decorations, vintage crafts and handmade gifts.

Ypres Christmas Market

Where in Belgium: Grote Markt, Ypres
Drive from Calais: 92km / 1h 14m

Enjoy stalls filled with gifts and treats illuminated by twinkling fairy lights. Many of Ypres’ attractive monuments are tastefully decorated for the festive season and this is a wonderful market to visit if you are doing a battlefield tour or are interested in military history.

Mechelen Christmas Market

Where in Belgium: Vismarkt, Haverwerf, Van Beethovenstraat and Korenmarkt
Drive from Calais: 220km / 2h 15m

Mechelen is a lovely town located between Antwerp and Brussels, easily reachable from both these cities. Nestled in the courtyard of the town hall, this quintessential Belgian Christmas market is particularly festive as the whole town seems to decorate for the occasion. Stalls with Belgian waffles, chocolates and other sweets at Beethovenstraat are the perfect 'pick-me-up' if you have a sweet tooth.

Charleroi Christmas market

Where in Belgium: La place de la Digue, Charleroi
Drive from Calais: 228km / 2h 30m

Around 30 stalls make this small but perfectly formed Christmas village. Homeware, festive crafts and decorations are all available as well as a 700m wide ice rink. Charleroi has a beautiful belfry that’s lit up for the season and often you can hear the choir singing Belgian folk songs. The perfect backing track to your shopping.

Book your Christmas trip to Belgium from the UK with LeShuttle

Ready to experience a Belgian Christmas market? LeShuttle can get you from Folkestone to Calais in 35 minutes. Book your festive trip today.

Is it your first time in Belgium? Discover more of what Belgium has to offer here.