Holy Mackerel! I was not prepared for Brussels. I highly recommend it. It was on fire! Very pedestrian. Very young and hip. By the end of the day, I was overwhelmed at the size of the crowd. After spending Thanksgiving in Paris, my wife and I decided to take a day trip to Brussels. I am a fan of European Christmas markets, and I heard Brussels has the biggest. (Full disclosure, I have not yet been to a German market.) The market opened on Saturday, November 28, 2025. The market was gigantic. I don't know if there was one market or just a bunch of little markets strung together. Either way, it was fun. read more

This market is pretty dang great. It's huge. You need a map. It's also advised to get one of the Covid free wristbands so you can shop etc. My only complaint was the food selection. Typical French cuisine mussels etc. I'm a fan of the food but the German Christmas markets are my favorite. Plenty of shopping and the Light Show begins every hour on the hour. read more

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It was my first time to visit the christmas market in Brussels. As I read it online, it says this is the event must visit in winter time when people visit Brussels, and since christmas market is very popular and common thing in Germany, no doubt that I expected something different here. And it didn't disappoint me, I was quite impressed. First of all, the light show at Grand Place was simply brilliant. It was really beautiful and romantic, stood under those movement of lights and great classic music. My partner and I both enjoyed it very much. The christmas tree is huge as well. And some other christmas decorations. Great place to made brilliant pictures and videos. If you miss the show. no worries, it will come in a short time. Just be patient. The actual christmas market was not so far away, we were following the decoration lights, soon we were there. The market got really good atmosphere, even it was a bit cloudy when we were there. Of course, there are lots people as well, it never bothered me anyway, I think that the purpose to come to christmas market, be with people, hang out with friends and family. Pity we didn't made it to the Ferris wheel, I bet from the top of this must have a great view of the city at night. There are many different kind of the stands inside. The very different thing compared with Germany is the food. In Germany, you can find Bratwurst and Glühwein everywhere. In Brussels, you can find waffles instead, they made really good one. I always found serval shop got really cool stuff. I think, if you really plan to go there, then get your wallet ready. Overall, I did have an amazing time, we both really enjoyed it. It wasn't the best christmas market I have been, but sure it's one of my favorites. read more

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Always on my December to-do list, the Plaisirs d'Hiver (or Winterpret in Dutch) is an ever-growing Christmas market in the Center of Brussels. Stretching from behind de Bourse all the way to the end of St. Catherine, this market offers everything the typical Christmas market should--warm food and drink and various vendors selling anything from marmalade to scarves. I've heard this market is also highly rated within Europe, so worth it to check it out as of St. Nicolas until early January (ends when the school holidays end). Each year there is also a country that is highlighted, which offers various vendors/foods and promotes tourism to the country. In the past, they have hosted Greece, Turkey, Morocco.... I've heard that they want to start limiting the size and duration of this market, as it can be a nuisance to the inhabitants of the area, but this all remains to be seen whether or not they will make changes seeing as the amount of tourism the market attracts. Tip #1: Go during the week! Weekends tend to be packed with tourists and locals alike (so packed it takes away from the fun as you begin to feel claustrophobic). Best to go in the evenings, after work, to grab a drink with friends and walk around to see what there is. If you choose to go on the weekend, don't say I didn't warn you! Tip #2: Although vin chaud/glühwein (warm mulled wine) is the traditional Christmas market drink, Belgians like their Jenever, which is a juniper-flavored drink. If you want to act like a local, order a bunch of different flavors and share with friends (flavors include anything from chocolate to marijuana!) Enjoy! read more

I thoroughly enjoyed myself at this Belgian Christmas market. It was the very first time is very been to anything like this since arriving in Europe and I was not disappointed. It was extremely crowded the day I went, but there was plenty of security and I felt very safe. I liked the way the wooden hutches were laid out, with small alleyways that I could duck into when the crowd became overwhelming. Decorations were top notch and very beautiful. I especially enjoyed how the architecture of the square and existing sculptures were integrated into the holiday decor. There was plenty of food, drink, and shopping to choose from. I went back several nights during my brief stay in Brussels, and I still don't think I saw everything! The highlight for me was the sound and light show featuring the music of Sia; seeing the Grand Place illuminated with dancing coloured lights and hearing carols fill the square was truly inspiring. It really got me into the holiday spirit! read more